Forever Home for our kids with disabilities.
Formerly Special Needs Moms - Circle of Strength. This podcast has begun a shift in focus... Hey, I’m Valerie, mom to two with disabilities (one visible, one invisible). We came up with housing solutions for our children. This space has been created to help you navigate the journey of creating a secure, sustainable forever home for your child. We’ll chat with parents on this path, realtors, financial planners, and other experts who can make the process easier. We'll be dropping an episode twice a month. Seeing my eldest thrive living independent of us was a gift I didn’t always know I could give. I'm excited for you to have the opportunity to explore giving that gift to your child. Keep building your child’s future! Music acknowledgement: Audio Coffee - Denys Kyshchuk
Episodes
As we close out 2025 and step into the Christmas season, Valerie offers a reflection on gratitude, hope, and the quiet, steady work of building a forever home for a child with disabilities. Through a beautiful allegory of a lantern maker, this episode reminds listeners that secure futures are not created overnight — they are built layer by layer, with clarity, consistency, and love.
This episode weaves together storyte...
In this episode, Valerie sits down with Katie Hall—wife, mom, Gigi, mentor to teens and young adults with disabilities, and founder of Secure Your Hive. Katie shares her journey into mentoring, how this work has shaped her life and business, and how she now helps families save on essential services and create flexible, sustainable income streams—something especially meaningful for caregivers who cannot work traditiona...
In this episode Valerie sits down with special guest Dr. Elisabeth (Betsy) Woolner — an 'almost' retired family physician, university clinical lecturer, and mother of two adult children, one with developmental disabilities.
Betsy shares her 30-year journey of raising her daughter Scarlett, discovering her needs beyond diagnosis labels, and navigating three failed attempts at independent living before finally ...
Episode Overview
In this powerful and heart-opening episode, Valerie is joined by father–son duo Mark and John Cronin, founders of John’s Crazy Socks, the world’s largest sock store with a mission to spread happiness and create meaningful employment opportunities for people with differing abilities.
- Mark X. Cronin – Social entrepreneur, policy leader, advocate for disability inclusion, co-founder of John’s Crazy Soc...
Episode Summary
A forever home isn’t just a physical space—it’s a lifelong foundation of love, care, and possibility. In this episode, host Valerie Arbeau, mom to two children with disabilities, author, and life coach, guides parents through the essential first steps in creating a secure and sustainable forever home for their child.
Through the analogy of building a house, Valerie walks listeners through ten guiding que...
In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Valerie reconnects with Ishan Manerikar — a witty, fiercely independent 24-year-old student living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. Diagnosed at 18 months and raised alongside a younger sister who also has SMA, Ishan grew up with a family who encouraged independence at every turn — even when it required a little ruthlessness.
At just 18, Ishan made the bold decision to move...
In this episode, Valerie chats with Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro, a certified elder law attorney, founder of East Coast Elder Law, and a nationally recognized voice in special needs planning. Shannon not only brings deep expertise in guardianship and estate planning but also shares her own journey as a special needs mom.
Shannon brings to her practice an exceptional legal skill, and a deep personal commitment to serving the...
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Valerie sits down with Dr. Molly Sullivan Denny, Director of Daymark Living to talk about preparing young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for life beyond the family home. Dr. Molly shares both practical strategies and inspiring stories, highlighting the importance of starting early, building independence step by step, and engaging a supportive team of fam...
In this episode we explore what it means to parent with humility, surrender, and unconditional love while also equipping children with disabilities to live fully and independently.
What happens when your child with disabilities starts dreaming about their own future? In this powerful conversation, Valerie sits down with Theresa Noye an ordained minister and a radical self-love coach. She trains women to authentically ...
ABLE accounts with financial planner John Gallia
Keywords:
Special needs, financial planning, ABLE accounts, special needs trusts, government benefits, SSI, RDSP, financial literacy, tax benefits, early planning
Summary:
In this conversation, John Gallia shares his expertise on financial planning for families with special needs children. He discusses the importance of starting financial...
In this conversation, Valerie and Dr. Molly Sullivan Denny discuss the journey of creating a supportive environment for individuals with special needs, focusing on independence, early intervention, and community support. Dr. Denny shares her experiences and insights from working with children and adults with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of teaching life skills and fostering a sense of belonging. The discus...
Episode Summary:
In this episode of ‘Forever Home for Our Kids with Disabilities’, Valerie is joined for the second time by John Gallia from Gallia Wealth Management for a powerful and practical conversation about special needs trusts - Henson Trust in Canada - and how families can begin planning NOW to secure their child’s financial future.
John is a seasoned financial advisor and the founder of Gallia wealth mana...
Episode Summary:
In this informative episode of ‘Forever Home for Our Kids with Disabilities’, I sit down with resilience coach, accessibility advocate, and realtor Susan Janzen. Fun fact about Susan – she is the lead singer of the Trocadero Orchestra and an accomplished recording artist. Together, we explore the importance of accessible home design, community support, and sustainable living solutions for families rais...
Episode Description:
In this episode, we dive into the vital first steps every parent should take when thinking about a "forever home" for their child with disabilities. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by all the options or unsure where to start, you’re not alone. This conversation will guide you through the initial phase of envisioning your child's future from a financial perspective.
John J. Gallia, C...
Niti Prakash is a Disability Sector Consultant & Lawyer as well as disability accommodation/independent living options specialist at Disability Housing Solutions. Niti recently took on the role of Head of Engagement and Growth at Disability Housing Solutions. Niti’s most important role is a single parent to her 11-year-old daughter with multiple disabilities and challenges.
Episode Description:
In this insigh...
This week's guest is Angela O’Brien a mom of 2, professional organizer, Enneagram coach, and host of the podcast, Especially Organized: Sensible Solutions for Special Needs Moms.
After spending 18 years raising her kids and advocating for her daughter who has Down Syndrome, Angela took her love of home organizing and turned it into a business where she speaks to and coaches fellow special needs moms through their...
Welcome to Forever Home for Our Kids with Disabilities! I’m Valerie, a mom, life coach, and author passionate about helping parents create secure futures for their children with disabilities.
Key Topics:
1. Understanding Your Child’s Needs
- Conduct a needs assessment covering physical, emotional, and social needs.
- Maintain a Comprehensive Child Profile to ensure consistent care.
- Visualize their future i...
Episode Summary: In this first episode of Forever Home for our kids with disabilities, we explore various options for creating a forever home for children with disabilities. I speak with two moms who have taken different approaches to ensure their children have a secure and supportive living environment. We hear from Cheryll Wagner about apartment living with support; Dr. Lisa Campbell on choosing a residential facil...
The Gift of Failure: Encouraging Independence in Our Kids with Disabilities with K. Crystal Griffith
Episode Summary:
In this episode, I sit down with K. Crystal Griffith to discuss the importance of giving our children the opportunity to grow, learn, and develop independence—especially when raising kids with disabilities. We dive into the fears many parents face, the importance of allowing our kids to fail as a stepping stone to success, and how to navigate the delicate balance of supporting them without overste...
Episode Highlights:
- New Focus for 2025:
- Valerie announces the podcast’s transition from sharing stories to offering practical, step-by-step guidance for forever home planning.
- The mission remains the same: empowering and supporting parents of children with disabilities.
- Why This Change?
- Many parents feel overwhelmed by the legal, financial, and emotional aspects of planning for their child’s future.
- Valerie...
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