October 19, 2022 • 37 mins
Host Kristen Gooch, and storyteller PiPa McCollister, talk honestly about life in a world not designed for folks with CP, Dyslexia, or ADHD. After PiPa presents her story, “The Gift of Not Paying Attention,” host Kristen learns more about PiPa’s lived experience with ADHD. They discuss the impact of ADHD in adulthood, struggles finding a job, getting accommodations and PiPa's experience as a mother of a child with ADHD and Dyslexia and the strategies they use to celebrate their lives as a neurodivergent family.
Host Bio: Kristen Gooch is an Actress, Poet and Advocate from Austin, Tx with Cerebral Palsy and uses a wheelchair for mobility. She hopes to broaden her horizons and branch out into film and television some day. She currently facilitates a peer support group called Adapting Sheros for women with mobility disabilities. She is a company member of TILT performance group and Paradox Players.
Guest Bio: PiPa McCollister first came to Art Spark of Texas in 2015. She and her daughter have lived in many areas of the state including East Texas, Austin, and most recently, North Texas. She was born and raised in Cleburne, Texas. PiPa graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2012. She has worked in Special Education for children and adults for over 8 years. She continues to advocate for dyslexic students, children with autism, homeschool rights, and individuals with learning disabilities. PiPa now resides in Cleburne, Texas with her fiance, daughter, and three pets.
Contact Information: Facebook: www.facebook.com/pipa.mccollister
TikTok: tiktok.com/pipamac48
Resources
https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/adhd-awareness-month-2021-hallowell-solden-podcast-375/
https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/empowering-women-adhd/
https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/adhd-in-girls-women-risks-stigma/
https://adhdgirlsandwomen.org/
https://dyslexiaida.org/
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For more details about our programs go to Art Spark Texas, True Tales Podcast Page.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
John Beer (00:09):
Welcome to True Tales by Disability Advocates,
authentic voices of peoplethriving with disabilities.
Where individuals use the art ofstorytelling to change the
world.
The True Tales by DisabilityAdvocates podcast is produced by
Art Spark, Texas SpeakingAdvocates Program.
Keep listening to hear howlife's challenges can spark a
(00:31):
desire to speak out and advocatefor themselves and others.
MsBoye (00:50):
Welcome to Season Two of True Tales by Disability
Advocates.
The podcast where advocatesharness the power of
storytelling to build communitywith their peers and hope to
develop empathy in others.
A team of Disability Advocatescreates True Tales to give
disabled storytellers theopportunity to share their
(01:11):
personal stories and livedexperience in their authentic
voices.
We offer our unique and oftenunderrepresented perspective to
the growing community of podcastlisteners worldwide.
Did you know that according tothe CDC, one in four Americans
are disabled?
That's about 61 million adultswith 61 million experiences and
(01:34):
points of view about what itmeans to live in a world not
designed for them.
Recognizing that everyone's lifeis enriched by the inclusion of
multiple voices, Art Spark Texashas been training Disability
Advocates as storytellers forover twenty years.
We are launching episode one ofseason two in October which is
(01:54):
ADHD Awareness Month, WorldCerebral Palsy Day, Dyslexia
Awareness Month, and NationalDisability Employment Awareness
Month.
Which made this first episode,"The Gift of Not Paying
Attention," the obvious choiceto kick off the season.
Host Kristen, Gooch andstoryteller PiPa McCallister
(02:14):
talk honestly about life in aworld not designed for folks
with CP, Dyslexia or ADHD.
The episode starts with PiPa andKristen discussing the story,
"The Gifts of Not PayingAttention." In the story, PiPa
shares what she remembers aboutgrowing up as a kid with ADHD.
(02:34):
And then in part two, PiPa talksabout the impact of ADHD in
adulthood, her struggles,finding new jobs, getting
accommodations, as well as herexperience as a mother of a
child with ADHD and Dyslexia andthe strategies they use to
celebrate their lives as aneuro-divergent family.
Now, these days, most peoplehave heard of ADHD, but there's
(02:56):
still a lot of myths about it.
Two of the most prevalent onesare that you go out of it or
that it mostly occurs in boys.
Well, neither of those thingsare true.
The truth is that there arethree types of ADHD and women
and girls are represented in allthree types.
Because we tend not to show theobvious symptoms of ADHD, girls
(03:17):
with ADHD tend to be overlooked,and we are more likely to be
diagnosed in later life.
And it's only in the last fewyears that researchers have
acknowledged that hormones mayplay a part in the impact of
ADHD on women's lives.
And this means that sometimes itdoesn't even show up until
menopause.
Although if you talk to those ofus who've been diagnosed a
while, we could have told youthis, but apparently it takes a
(03:40):
brain scientist to make itofficial.
Another myth about people withADHD is that we can't pay
attention.
I mean, it's even in thediagnosis, Attention Deficit.
This is misleading becauseactually our problem is that we
pay too much attention toeverything, and so we struggle
to filter out what's around usand focus on what's in front of
(04:01):
us.
Dr.
Hallowell, ADHD expert, memberof Tribe ADHD himself, says, we
do not have a deficit ofattention, we have an abundance
of attention.
Which is paired with anincredible ability to focus on
things we find interesting andstimulating.
Not because we can't bebothered, but because that's how
(04:22):
our brain works.
So even though ADHD brains aredistractable, they are also
incredibly curious.
Now living with an ADHD brain ina neurotypical world can be
exhausting and frustrating.
The persistent sense of beingoutta sync with the world can
leave us feeling disconnected,isolated and discouraged.
We find ourselves constantlymessing up,when we think we
(04:44):
should know better, and beingtold repeatedly we are not
living up to our potential.
The negative feedback from ourparents, teachers, peers, and
employers, eventually wraps usin a blanket of shame, that
begins to define who we think weare.
But if we can shift our focus toour strengths and surround
ourselves with people whoappreciate and celebrate our
(05:05):
gifts, we can do amazing things.
I mean, many of the people whodo the most entrepreneurial,
creative and groundbreaking workin the world have neuro
divergent ADHD brains.
It takes brains like ours to seethings differently, to find new
possibilities.
I mean, for us it's easy to seeoutside of the box because we've
(05:26):
never fit in the box in thefirst place.
So now we invite you to join uson our journey into the world of
one neurologically atypicalfamily, navigating between the
gifts and the challenges of ADHDand Dyslexia, and celebrate with
us the gifts of not payingattention.
Kristen (05:57):
Hello, I'm Kristen Gooch, your host for this
episode.
Our guest PiPa McCallistershares her story, The Gift of
Not Paying Attention" about herchildhood experiences
daydreaming and having ADHD.
Welcome, PiPa, please tell usabout yourself, maybe some
(06:21):
things that not many people knowabout you.
PiPa (06:25):
Well, I have lived in lots of different areas in Texas.
I'm born and raised in NorthTexas, but I've also lived in
West Texas, Central Texas, andEast Texas.
That was actually in, um, arelatively short period of time.
(06:46):
I went to school out in EastTexas at Steven F.
Austin State University, foreducation.
So we moved out there for alittle bit and I actually taught
kindergarten out there.
I've also lived near Austin andgone to school in West Texas as
(07:07):
well.
Kristen (07:08):
All right, well, PiPa, um, thank you so much for
sharing all of that.
I think, let's listen to yourstory.
PiPa (07:16):
Thank you.
(07:38):
My story is called"The Gift ofNot Paying Attention".
When I listen to the sounds atmy new address, I can't help but
notice there's lots of urbannoise.
And I find myself missing thefamiliar noises of my old
address.
(07:58):
There was hardly any noise atall.
Just the sound of birds and thecats stalking their way around.
As I listen to the birds caw andtwitter, I find myself
remembering a time when I was inelementary school.
It was an old elementary schoolwith 25 high windows lining one
(08:22):
wall, and under the windows werethose old iron heaters that
would get to like 400 degreesand whistle, like teapots.
And outside was this emeraldforest that was full of birds
and squirrels that were too busyto care what was going on inside
(08:42):
our brick walls.
I was so jealous of those birdsand squirrels.
I so desperately wanted to beone.
My only concerns would be flyingand searching for food, and my
home would be in a tree.
How awesome would that be?
Now, back in that time, ADDwasn't as well known.
(09:05):
Back then.
If you weren't paying attention,you were being naughty and would
be punished.
I could not pay attention tosave my life.
I remember one afternoon justgiving up trying.
I remember giving into the urgeto stare out the window and for
once not care if I got caught.
(09:27):
I didn't want to be in schoolanymore.
Other kids had their heads downand were absorbed into the
lessons.
Why couldn't I do that?
What was wrong with me?
Why was it so easy for them?
I would try to focus, it wouldlast a while, and then just
moments later, my mind wouldinevitably begin to drift away.
(09:52):
It was like trying to keep a caron the road with a busted tire
and busted steering.
It was almost impossible.
No matter what I did, my mindwould not focus.
Why did I have to go to school?
I didn't want to grow up.
It certainly didn't look likemuch fun to me.
All the adults I knew were neverhappy.
(10:15):
Every day was the same ole, sameole.
What was the fun in that?
I didn't need an education forwhat I wanted to do.
I wanted to go explore theworld.
Of course, I was too young tounderstand the concept of money
being essential to transport mearound the world.
I still find myself having thosesame thoughts.
(10:39):
Sometimes being adult just isn'tfun.
I get tired of bills and otherresponsibilities.
Some days I would just like tocheck out of adulthood and back
into childhood, just like PeterPan.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
I would never have to grow upand I would think happy thoughts
(11:00):
and fly away from all my cares.
Sadly, the world is notNeverland and responsibilities
must be attended to.
Maybe I will always be lookingout of a window wishing I could
still be a bird.
Not a squirrel though, becausethe squirrels live in my head,
(11:20):
they never settle down.
They love to rattle my brainfull of random thoughts and
climb from neuron to neuron withlightning speed.
I like my squirrels though, theydon't want to grow up either.
Kristen (12:05):
Welcome back.
I'm here with PiPa.
PiPa, thank you so much forsharing your story with us.
You know, when I was listeningto your story, I hope you don't
mind me saying this, but itreminded me of the meadows out
of the movie Sleeping Beauty.
PiPa (12:24):
I like that.
Kristen (12:26):
Um, yeah, just the imagery and how you mentioned,
like the squirrels and the birdsand, you know, wishing that you
can be out there and not have tobe in school.
And, you know...
PiPa (12:43):
Mmm-um.
Kristen (12:44):
Um, trying to pay attention to the teacher.
You titled the story,"The Giftsof Not Paying Attention." What
do you think the gifts of ADHDare?
PiPa (13:00):
I would say definitely, how fast the information comes
in and how fast we're able toprocess.
Sometimes it can beoverwhelming, but um, I speak
for myself.
I've kind of gotten used to it,but I like it.
I like searching forinformation.
I like learning new things.
(13:22):
I've always been that way.
It's, it's a constant stream ofquestions.
Why does this happen?
Or why does this do?
And that was something else as achild that you could get in
trouble for, they didn't havethe internet.
I'm aging myself I'm 42, but wehad to go to the library to look
(13:45):
up things.
So an inquisitive child, you hadto go to the library and look
things up if people didn't know.
But if you were constantlyasking questions and"Why?" It
was just a different time.
Whereas now we have Google andyou can learn so many things and
(14:07):
have so many interests.
Like with us having moved todifferent locations, we enjoy
that and I actually, mydaughter, she's 16 now, but she
was younger when she moved withme, and she's also ADHD, we
loved moving.
Mostly they say,"Oh, they need astable environment.
(14:29):
Don't move around." We loved it.
We loved going to new places,seeing new things, trying new
things.
So that's, that was a plus forus.
We got to where we lookedforward to moving or going or
doing something just to see newthings.
And she likes to...
(14:51):
she'll also Google things andshe's into Why does this
happen?" You've we're able tofind, when you have an
inquisitive mind like that,you're able to find joy in small
things.
You learn something new that youmay not have otherwise learned
and things become exciting.
Give you an example...
Kristen (15:14):
Please do.
PiPa (15:15):
My daughter, when she was young, we were studying and
talking about weather, and wewere driving through some fog
and.
I was explaining that was cloudsand how the weather system works
when there's fog.
And she was so excited becauseshe was touching clouds.
(15:36):
And that's just, I mean, fog isa fairly common thing.
It's not something to always getexcited about.
It can always be a hindrance,but in her mind, she was excited
because she was touching clouds,"How does this work?" It was
just a whole new worldexperience and that was so neat
(15:57):
to watch.
Little experiences like thathappen a lot because there's
just so much information and somuch to process.
It can be a hindrance, but itcan also be a gift at the same
time.
Kristen (16:13):
Sure.
So you mentioned your daughterand what's her name?
PiPa (16:19):
Abby
Kristen (16:20):
Abby.
She's 16 years old and you'vementioned that she also has
ADHD.
PiPa (16:26):
Yes.
Kristen (16:27):
Do you think that's helped you with you yourself
having ADHD, being a parent toAbby with ADHD?
PiPa (16:39):
Absolutely.
It helped me, um, discover myown ADHD.
Course, I've already, I hadalready kind of suspected that I
had ADHD in school, um, but Iwas actually able to confirm it
(17:00):
once I became a parent.
And, um, it's helped me helpher.
It's helped me help myself insome ways, in learning ways to
treat it.
Um, yeah, it's, it's definitelyhelped.
(17:21):
There's lots to learn and whenyou have a child with ADHD, you
learn a lot very quickly.
Cuz you're trying to help themand also helping them means
helping yourself, so you canhelp them.
So it definitely helped in mycase.
Kristen (17:41):
That's great.
PiPa (17:43):
Yeah.
Kristen (17:45):
Can I ask PiPa, do you have ADD or ADHD?
PiPa (17:51):
Well, um, I've always said ADD.
Um, Well, I worked in theschools and ADHD was more
common, I wanna go with the ADHDbecause I think that's more
common and more, known, familiarIt's definitely that way with
kids, but like I said, we'rekind of bringing awareness about
(18:13):
the adults too.
I think it's coming more tolight what adults are dealing
with.
When we were younger, therewasn't as much diagnosis
available and now that we knowmore, now more information
available.
Um, we're starting to understanda little better or a little bit
(18:36):
more why we do what we do.
Kristen (18:39):
That's true.
Can you tell us more about howyour ADHD has affected you as an
adult?
PiPa (18:48):
Sure.
Absolutely.
Um, Very much so as an adult.
Um, at one time I had to takemedication to function properly
at work, and the thing about themedication is that it has to be
taken at certain times or itwears off and then it's very
(19:10):
hard not to fall asleep, whichcan be an obstacle at work.
Certain jobs that require acertain amount of detail are
difficult.
So I've actually had severaldifferent types of jobs and have
struggled through differentkinds trying to find what works
(19:33):
best for me, whether I'm onmedication or not.
I feel like the medication canalso affect personality or
thoughts in general.
Er, like a inner monologue.
So it's a kind of a delicatebalance to find the right job
that I can do.
(19:53):
Um, if I need to be medicated ornot be medicated, find the right
medication.
So for me, it's an ongoingstruggle as far as employment
goes.
So...
Kristen (20:04):
Sure.
Um, have you found like, maybe apeer support group that you can
connect with, of other adultswith ADHD?
PiPa (20:15):
Well, there are groups on Facebook, but they're not really
like, support groups and they'rekind of like all over.
Um, it's relatively new foradults, it's been more common in
children, but I think, as far asadults, it's harder to diagnose,
(20:37):
um, with doctors.
And there's so many things thatcan affect your attention span,
to kind of narrow it down tothat is sometimes a difficult
undertaking.
They do have a computer test forADHD, but it's not offered
(20:58):
everywhere.
They have to bring in specialequipment, so I had to travel
to, I believe it was West Texas.
An area in West Texas, an officewas offering it.
And that's how I obtained myofficial diagnosis.
So finding a patient doctorthat's willing to invest the
(21:22):
time and really work with you onsymptoms and also, uh, being
able to afford medication canalso be an obstacle.
There's so much abuse of themedications, it can sometimes be
very difficult to obtain that.
(21:42):
So no, I haven't really found asupport group and they seem to
kind of be in short supply,honestly, for adults.
There is more attention tochildren luckily, but I think it
needs to increase for adults aswell.
Kristen (21:59):
Oh, absolutely! Um, I think sometimes people might
have the misconception that yououtgrow ADD or Dyslexia.
PiPa (22:10):
Yes.
Kristen (22:10):
Or any other type of Learning disability, and that's
sim ply not true.
PiPa (22:18):
Right.
Kristen (22:18):
Um, have you found any coping strategies?
PiPa (22:23):
Yes, I've had several.
Um, a big one that I notice isthings have to have a home.
They have to go back to the sameplace over and over again.
Keys, phone, Um, it has to becharged.
There has to be certain placesto put things, otherwise they
(22:47):
tend to just end up in piles or,um, and it's not for lack of
organization or will to clean orkeep up with things.
It's because there's so muchgoing on at one time that you
can start off with one task andbefore you know it, you've
(23:09):
gotten distracted and you'retwenty tasks into something
else.
So really honing in on oneparticular task for a set amount
of time, sometimes setting atimer helps to finish that one
task, but even then it can stillbe easy to get off task.
(23:32):
So, um, trying to do thingsrepetitively, timers, um,
writing things down, of course,then you get into the out of
sight, out of mind.
Um, where did the paper go?
But, uh, lists, I have lots oflists and I don't go without
(23:56):
them.
So, little things like that seemto help.
Kristen (24:00):
Sure.
I can relate, it's easy to getdistracted and hard to stay
focused and, um, is thereanything you do to like calm
yourself down or to maybe feelbetter?
PiPa (24:20):
Yes.
Um, sensory issues tend to gohand in hand with ADHD, and
those include things liketactile sensitivity, which is
like how things feel on theskin, uh, taste, smell things,
(24:43):
uh, associated with your senses.
All of that can be moreoverwhelming for some with ADHD,
maybe not all, but a lot ofpeople do experience it.
I am very sensory sensitive.
I bright lights, loud noises,strong flavors, sometimes, large
(25:07):
crowds.
Sometimes I just, I'm morecomfortable being at home
really.
The lights are not bright.
We have like, sometimes we turnlights off or cover windows.
The darkness helps.
(25:27):
Sounds, repetitive, like maybelistening to the same song or
watching the same movie over andover just to even not watching
it, just hearing the same soundover and over that can be
calming.
Um, comfortable clothes, thosehelp.
(25:48):
Um, sometimes no shoes even.
All little things.
Um, depending on the activity.
Sometimes sleep helps or is theonly thing that'll help, or
maybe a shower or something.
Something to kind of help thebody reset after it's been, um,
through something kind ofstressful.
(26:10):
So, sensory really plays a bigissue with ADHD, especially in
my case.
Self care is important.
Kristen (26:21):
Absolutely.
I think after the pandemic orstill going through the
pandemic, I think we all need toknow that self-care comes first.
PiPa (26:33):
Yeah.
Kristen (26:34):
Can I ask, what's your favorite?
You mentioned listening to asong over and over again, or
maybe listening to a movie overand over again.
What's your go-to favorite go-tosong and your favorite go-to
movie?
PiPa (26:49):
You know, it's funny, it kind of changes.
Songs, I don't really have ago-to song it just, it changes.
Movies, I have playlists ondifferent channels that I'll
watch and I'm a Disney adult.
For me, I like the classicalDisney.
(27:10):
I'll, uh, watch movies like MaryPoppins, Sword and the Stone,
Robin Hood.
I don't always watch them.
I just have them on in thebackground, especially if I'm
doing a chore, something I maybewould rather not be doing, just
hearing those older classicalfilms not a big plot to follow.
(27:37):
Things like that make doin'everyday chores more enjoyable.
I really can watch a lot ofthose along those lines over and
over, and it's comforting.
You know what's gonna happen.
You don't have to anticipateanything scary or deep thought,
(27:57):
you can just kind of switch offyour brain and listen and enjoy
more what you're doing.
So...
Kristen (28:07):
That's true.
Um, nostalgia.
You gotta go with nostalgia.
It's great.
PiPa (28:13):
Yes.
Kristen (28:14):
I love Mary Poppins.
I also love Sword and the Stoneand Robin Hood too.
PiPa (28:19):
Mm-hmm.
I've found more adults um, nothaving to do with ADHD, but I
have found more adults that kindof like those, that genre of
film.
I think it's comforting.
Kristen (28:33):
Very insightful.
My last question would be, whatdo you want our listeners to
take away today?
PiPa (28:42):
Um, that ADHD, it's not just something that affects
children in school, it'ssomething that can affect adults
as well, and adults can seek outhelp in ways to cope.
Even if they're finding outlater in life that they might
(29:05):
actually have this.
It's worth getting a diagnosis.
It's worth, seeking help if youfeel like you need it.
Um, sometimes we can have ADHDcoping mechanisms in place that
we did unknowingly, but once youknow there's different ways that
(29:28):
you can help yourself, helpothers, um, advocate for
yourself.
Uh, there are different, um,options for disabilities for, or
help if needed.
You don't have to just struggleif you are on your own.
There are ways that you canreach out and get help, and I
(29:54):
think it needs to be morecommon, more talked about.
A lot of adults are used to notgetting help or just dealing
with things, and there arethings out there we can all
network to help each other andsay,"This worked for me.
You can try this." Just reallyget it more known and more
(30:18):
accessible to help people.
It's not just something forchildren.
It's something that adults canhelp each other or learn about
and help themselves as well.
Yes, networking, reaching out,supporting, just learning about
(30:38):
it.
Because it can be a whole newworld if you don't know.
It doesn't have to always be astruggle.
Kristen (30:45):
Very true.
Connection is important.
PiPa (30:50):
um, I notice I said, Disabilities I wondered, I was
like, is that the right word?
I mean, I don't know anythingabout disability for just ADD,
but like I know I've worked withthe, um, I forget the name of
it, the Workforce, TexasWorkforce and um, that's what I
(31:12):
mean they deal with, or helppeople with disabilities, all
different kinds.
But I know there can be a stigmasometimes to that.
One book that really helped meis titled,"You Mean I'm Not
Lazy, Stupid or Crazy." That'sthe title of the book, and it's
(31:33):
by Kate Kelly and Peggy PeggyRamundo.
It has been, I believe,republished many times, and it's
been out for a while.
It's written like someone'stalking to you and it covers
lots of subjects.
And I, think that it could bebeneficial to a lot of people.
Kristen (31:58):
I think I might wanna check that book out(they laugh)
I'm Dyslexic.
PiPa (32:05):
Are you Dyslexic?
Kristen (32:06):
Yeah, I am and I wasn't diagnosed till I was a freshman
in college.
Um, I also have Cerebral Palsyand I struggled with reading and
my mom was very adamant thatsomething wasn't right with my
reading, and the school justkept saying,"Oh, Don't worry,
(32:27):
she just has CP, Cerebral Palsy.
She just has CP." And my mom'slike,"No, it's not just CP"'cuz
she has another child um, andyou know, I have cousins with
Dyslexia.
She's like,"No.
She reads like some of my niecesand nephews." And, um, sure
enough, I got tested my freshmanyear of college and I have
(32:51):
Dyslexia
PiPa (32:53):
Even with the family history.
That should have been a deadgiveaway.
They should have tested you.
Oh, they really did, uh, theyreally, Yeah.
Bless your heart, that's way toolong to go without being
diagnosed.
I can say from my personalexperience, the schools are
(33:14):
overwhelmed and I don't thinkthey're prepared for the amount
of individuals that haveDyslexia.
I know when I taughtKindergarten, I could identify
twelve students in my class thatwere showing, and this is in
Kindergarten, potential signs ofDyslexia and some of it was
(33:36):
family history as well.
I hate that because, that's justsuch, that is so hard.
My daughter's also Dyslexic,very Dyslexic.
Now, she loves to read, but itis physically hard for her to
read.
And she wants to, but sometimes,I mean when the words are all
over the page and you need to beable to read.
(34:01):
So, they really did adisservice, that is, I'm glad
they caught it, cuz I'm surethat helped you or I hope they
were able to help you.
But...
and Dyslexia is another thingthat I, I think should get so
much attention.
I just think they're really,they don't understand how much
Dyslexia is out there.
(34:24):
It's, it's insane.
Then the math part, they don'teven have curriculum for math
for Dyslexia.
Like my daughter never couldmaster the Times tables, and
that's part of Dyslexia.
She just can't recognize thepattern.
I forget what the actual titleis, but they don't even have
(34:48):
math programs for dyslexia now.
And it's 2022.
So...
Kristen (34:56):
Well, PiPa Um, PiPa, I've really enjoyed talking with
you today.
I can talk to you all day, butwe're outta time for the
episode.
Once again, thank you so muchfor coming.
If our listeners want to followyou or to connect with you,
(35:16):
what's the best way to do that?
PiPa (35:19):
Yes, thank you.
I appreciate it.
I am on Facebook.
facebook.com/ PiPa dotMcCallister and I'm also on
TikTok tiktok.com/ PiPaMAC fortyeight.
(35:40):
Any of those ways I can bereached.
Kristen (35:43):
Great.
Well, we wish you the best ofluck in the future, and we can't
wait to see how your journeyunfolds.
PiPa (35:52):
Thank you so much for having me.
Kristen (35:54):
All right.
PiPa (35:55):
Thank you.
You were awesome, Bye
Kristen (35:58):
Goodbye.
PiPa (35:59):
Bye!
Kristen (36:00):
Perfect.
Thanks for listening to thisepisode.
Our show is hosted by me KristenGooch, produced by Jennifer
Howell, edited and mixed byMs.Boye.
Our script and production teamincludes Joey Gidseg, and Toby
(36:24):
Al-Trabulsi.
I'm Kristen Gooch and you'vebeen listening to True Tales by
Disability Advocates.
Don't forget to follow us onFacebook, Twitter, and
Instagram.
John Beer (36:40):
All episodes of the True Tales by Disability
Advocates are free on Applepodcasts, Spotify, and anywhere
you get your podcasts.
The program is funded in part bya grant from the Texas state
independent living council, theadministration for community
living and individuals like you.
To learn about The SpeakingAdvocates Program sign up for
(37:02):
our newsletter at Art Spark,Tx.org.
That's A R T S P A R K T X dot OR G.
The free virtual training isopen to people of all
disabilities, no matter whereyou live.
Welcome to True Tales by Disability Advocates,
authentic voices of peoplethriving with disabilities.
Where individuals use the art ofstorytelling to change the
world.
The True Tales by DisabilityAdvocates podcast is produced by
Art Spark, Texas SpeakingAdvocates Program.
Keep listening to hear howlife's challenges can spark a
(00:31):
desire to speak out and advocatefor themselves and others.
MsBoye (00:50):
Welcome to Season Two of True Tales by Disability
Advocates.
The podcast where advocatesharness the power of
storytelling to build communitywith their peers and hope to
develop empathy in others.
A team of Disability Advocatescreates True Tales to give
disabled storytellers theopportunity to share their
(01:11):
personal stories and livedexperience in their authentic
voices.
We offer our unique and oftenunderrepresented perspective to
the growing community of podcastlisteners worldwide.
Did you know that according tothe CDC, one in four Americans
are disabled?
That's about 61 million adultswith 61 million experiences and
(01:34):
points of view about what itmeans to live in a world not
designed for them.
Recognizing that everyone's lifeis enriched by the inclusion of
multiple voices, Art Spark Texashas been training Disability
Advocates as storytellers forover twenty years.
We are launching episode one ofseason two in October which is
(01:54):
ADHD Awareness Month, WorldCerebral Palsy Day, Dyslexia
Awareness Month, and NationalDisability Employment Awareness
Month.
Which made this first episode,"The Gift of Not Paying
Attention," the obvious choiceto kick off the season.
Host Kristen, Gooch andstoryteller PiPa McCallister
(02:14):
talk honestly about life in aworld not designed for folks
with CP, Dyslexia or ADHD.
The episode starts with PiPa andKristen discussing the story,
"The Gifts of Not PayingAttention." In the story, PiPa
shares what she remembers aboutgrowing up as a kid with ADHD.
(02:34):
And then in part two, PiPa talksabout the impact of ADHD in
adulthood, her struggles,finding new jobs, getting
accommodations, as well as herexperience as a mother of a
child with ADHD and Dyslexia andthe strategies they use to
celebrate their lives as aneuro-divergent family.
Now, these days, most peoplehave heard of ADHD, but there's
(02:56):
still a lot of myths about it.
Two of the most prevalent onesare that you go out of it or
that it mostly occurs in boys.
Well, neither of those thingsare true.
The truth is that there arethree types of ADHD and women
and girls are represented in allthree types.
Because we tend not to show theobvious symptoms of ADHD, girls
(03:17):
with ADHD tend to be overlooked,and we are more likely to be
diagnosed in later life.
And it's only in the last fewyears that researchers have
acknowledged that hormones mayplay a part in the impact of
ADHD on women's lives.
And this means that sometimes itdoesn't even show up until
menopause.
Although if you talk to those ofus who've been diagnosed a
while, we could have told youthis, but apparently it takes a
(03:40):
brain scientist to make itofficial.
Another myth about people withADHD is that we can't pay
attention.
I mean, it's even in thediagnosis, Attention Deficit.
This is misleading becauseactually our problem is that we
pay too much attention toeverything, and so we struggle
to filter out what's around usand focus on what's in front of
(04:01):
us.
Dr.
Hallowell, ADHD expert, memberof Tribe ADHD himself, says, we
do not have a deficit ofattention, we have an abundance
of attention.
Which is paired with anincredible ability to focus on
things we find interesting andstimulating.
Not because we can't bebothered, but because that's how
(04:22):
our brain works.
So even though ADHD brains aredistractable, they are also
incredibly curious.
Now living with an ADHD brain ina neurotypical world can be
exhausting and frustrating.
The persistent sense of beingoutta sync with the world can
leave us feeling disconnected,isolated and discouraged.
We find ourselves constantlymessing up,when we think we
(04:44):
should know better, and beingtold repeatedly we are not
living up to our potential.
The negative feedback from ourparents, teachers, peers, and
employers, eventually wraps usin a blanket of shame, that
begins to define who we think weare.
But if we can shift our focus toour strengths and surround
ourselves with people whoappreciate and celebrate our
(05:05):
gifts, we can do amazing things.
I mean, many of the people whodo the most entrepreneurial,
creative and groundbreaking workin the world have neuro
divergent ADHD brains.
It takes brains like ours to seethings differently, to find new
possibilities.
I mean, for us it's easy to seeoutside of the box because we've
(05:26):
never fit in the box in thefirst place.
So now we invite you to join uson our journey into the world of
one neurologically atypicalfamily, navigating between the
gifts and the challenges of ADHDand Dyslexia, and celebrate with
us the gifts of not payingattention.
Kristen (05:57):
Hello, I'm Kristen Gooch, your host for this
episode.
Our guest PiPa McCallistershares her story, The Gift of
Not Paying Attention" about herchildhood experiences
daydreaming and having ADHD.
Welcome, PiPa, please tell usabout yourself, maybe some
(06:21):
things that not many people knowabout you.
PiPa (06:25):
Well, I have lived in lots of different areas in Texas.
I'm born and raised in NorthTexas, but I've also lived in
West Texas, Central Texas, andEast Texas.
That was actually in, um, arelatively short period of time.
(06:46):
I went to school out in EastTexas at Steven F.
Austin State University, foreducation.
So we moved out there for alittle bit and I actually taught
kindergarten out there.
I've also lived near Austin andgone to school in West Texas as
(07:07):
well.
Kristen (07:08):
All right, well, PiPa, um, thank you so much for
sharing all of that.
I think, let's listen to yourstory.
PiPa (07:16):
Thank you.
(07:38):
My story is called"The Gift ofNot Paying Attention".
When I listen to the sounds atmy new address, I can't help but
notice there's lots of urbannoise.
And I find myself missing thefamiliar noises of my old
address.
(07:58):
There was hardly any noise atall.
Just the sound of birds and thecats stalking their way around.
As I listen to the birds caw andtwitter, I find myself
remembering a time when I was inelementary school.
It was an old elementary schoolwith 25 high windows lining one
(08:22):
wall, and under the windows werethose old iron heaters that
would get to like 400 degreesand whistle, like teapots.
And outside was this emeraldforest that was full of birds
and squirrels that were too busyto care what was going on inside
(08:42):
our brick walls.
I was so jealous of those birdsand squirrels.
I so desperately wanted to beone.
My only concerns would be flyingand searching for food, and my
home would be in a tree.
How awesome would that be?
Now, back in that time, ADDwasn't as well known.
(09:05):
Back then.
If you weren't paying attention,you were being naughty and would
be punished.
I could not pay attention tosave my life.
I remember one afternoon justgiving up trying.
I remember giving into the urgeto stare out the window and for
once not care if I got caught.
(09:27):
I didn't want to be in schoolanymore.
Other kids had their heads downand were absorbed into the
lessons.
Why couldn't I do that?
What was wrong with me?
Why was it so easy for them?
I would try to focus, it wouldlast a while, and then just
moments later, my mind wouldinevitably begin to drift away.
(09:52):
It was like trying to keep a caron the road with a busted tire
and busted steering.
It was almost impossible.
No matter what I did, my mindwould not focus.
Why did I have to go to school?
I didn't want to grow up.
It certainly didn't look likemuch fun to me.
All the adults I knew were neverhappy.
(10:15):
Every day was the same ole, sameole.
What was the fun in that?
I didn't need an education forwhat I wanted to do.
I wanted to go explore theworld.
Of course, I was too young tounderstand the concept of money
being essential to transport mearound the world.
I still find myself having thosesame thoughts.
(10:39):
Sometimes being adult just isn'tfun.
I get tired of bills and otherresponsibilities.
Some days I would just like tocheck out of adulthood and back
into childhood, just like PeterPan.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
I would never have to grow upand I would think happy thoughts
(11:00):
and fly away from all my cares.
Sadly, the world is notNeverland and responsibilities
must be attended to.
Maybe I will always be lookingout of a window wishing I could
still be a bird.
Not a squirrel though, becausethe squirrels live in my head,
(11:20):
they never settle down.
They love to rattle my brainfull of random thoughts and
climb from neuron to neuron withlightning speed.
I like my squirrels though, theydon't want to grow up either.
Kristen (12:05):
Welcome back.
I'm here with PiPa.
PiPa, thank you so much forsharing your story with us.
You know, when I was listeningto your story, I hope you don't
mind me saying this, but itreminded me of the meadows out
of the movie Sleeping Beauty.
PiPa (12:24):
I like that.
Kristen (12:26):
Um, yeah, just the imagery and how you mentioned,
like the squirrels and the birdsand, you know, wishing that you
can be out there and not have tobe in school.
And, you know...
PiPa (12:43):
Mmm-um.
Kristen (12:44):
Um, trying to pay attention to the teacher.
You titled the story,"The Giftsof Not Paying Attention." What
do you think the gifts of ADHDare?
PiPa (13:00):
I would say definitely, how fast the information comes
in and how fast we're able toprocess.
Sometimes it can beoverwhelming, but um, I speak
for myself.
I've kind of gotten used to it,but I like it.
I like searching forinformation.
I like learning new things.
(13:22):
I've always been that way.
It's, it's a constant stream ofquestions.
Why does this happen?
Or why does this do?
And that was something else as achild that you could get in
trouble for, they didn't havethe internet.
I'm aging myself I'm 42, but wehad to go to the library to look
(13:45):
up things.
So an inquisitive child, you hadto go to the library and look
things up if people didn't know.
But if you were constantlyasking questions and"Why?" It
was just a different time.
Whereas now we have Google andyou can learn so many things and
(14:07):
have so many interests.
Like with us having moved todifferent locations, we enjoy
that and I actually, mydaughter, she's 16 now, but she
was younger when she moved withme, and she's also ADHD, we
loved moving.
Mostly they say,"Oh, they need astable environment.
(14:29):
Don't move around." We loved it.
We loved going to new places,seeing new things, trying new
things.
So that's, that was a plus forus.
We got to where we lookedforward to moving or going or
doing something just to see newthings.
And she likes to...
(14:51):
she'll also Google things andshe's into Why does this
happen?" You've we're able tofind, when you have an
inquisitive mind like that,you're able to find joy in small
things.
You learn something new that youmay not have otherwise learned
and things become exciting.
Give you an example...
Kristen (15:14):
Please do.
PiPa (15:15):
My daughter, when she was young, we were studying and
talking about weather, and wewere driving through some fog
and.
I was explaining that was cloudsand how the weather system works
when there's fog.
And she was so excited becauseshe was touching clouds.
(15:36):
And that's just, I mean, fog isa fairly common thing.
It's not something to always getexcited about.
It can always be a hindrance,but in her mind, she was excited
because she was touching clouds,"How does this work?" It was
just a whole new worldexperience and that was so neat
(15:57):
to watch.
Little experiences like thathappen a lot because there's
just so much information and somuch to process.
It can be a hindrance, but itcan also be a gift at the same
time.
Kristen (16:13):
Sure.
So you mentioned your daughterand what's her name?
PiPa (16:19):
Abby
Kristen (16:20):
Abby.
She's 16 years old and you'vementioned that she also has
ADHD.
PiPa (16:26):
Yes.
Kristen (16:27):
Do you think that's helped you with you yourself
having ADHD, being a parent toAbby with ADHD?
PiPa (16:39):
Absolutely.
It helped me, um, discover myown ADHD.
Course, I've already, I hadalready kind of suspected that I
had ADHD in school, um, but Iwas actually able to confirm it
(17:00):
once I became a parent.
And, um, it's helped me helpher.
It's helped me help myself insome ways, in learning ways to
treat it.
Um, yeah, it's, it's definitelyhelped.
(17:21):
There's lots to learn and whenyou have a child with ADHD, you
learn a lot very quickly.
Cuz you're trying to help themand also helping them means
helping yourself, so you canhelp them.
So it definitely helped in mycase.
Kristen (17:41):
That's great.
PiPa (17:43):
Yeah.
Kristen (17:45):
Can I ask PiPa, do you have ADD or ADHD?
PiPa (17:51):
Well, um, I've always said ADD.
Um, Well, I worked in theschools and ADHD was more
common, I wanna go with the ADHDbecause I think that's more
common and more, known, familiarIt's definitely that way with
kids, but like I said, we'rekind of bringing awareness about
(18:13):
the adults too.
I think it's coming more tolight what adults are dealing
with.
When we were younger, therewasn't as much diagnosis
available and now that we knowmore, now more information
available.
Um, we're starting to understanda little better or a little bit
(18:36):
more why we do what we do.
Kristen (18:39):
That's true.
Can you tell us more about howyour ADHD has affected you as an
adult?
PiPa (18:48):
Sure.
Absolutely.
Um, Very much so as an adult.
Um, at one time I had to takemedication to function properly
at work, and the thing about themedication is that it has to be
taken at certain times or itwears off and then it's very
(19:10):
hard not to fall asleep, whichcan be an obstacle at work.
Certain jobs that require acertain amount of detail are
difficult.
So I've actually had severaldifferent types of jobs and have
struggled through differentkinds trying to find what works
(19:33):
best for me, whether I'm onmedication or not.
I feel like the medication canalso affect personality or
thoughts in general.
Er, like a inner monologue.
So it's a kind of a delicatebalance to find the right job
that I can do.
(19:53):
Um, if I need to be medicated ornot be medicated, find the right
medication.
So for me, it's an ongoingstruggle as far as employment
goes.
So...
Kristen (20:04):
Sure.
Um, have you found like, maybe apeer support group that you can
connect with, of other adultswith ADHD?
PiPa (20:15):
Well, there are groups on Facebook, but they're not really
like, support groups and they'rekind of like all over.
Um, it's relatively new foradults, it's been more common in
children, but I think, as far asadults, it's harder to diagnose,
(20:37):
um, with doctors.
And there's so many things thatcan affect your attention span,
to kind of narrow it down tothat is sometimes a difficult
undertaking.
They do have a computer test forADHD, but it's not offered
(20:58):
everywhere.
They have to bring in specialequipment, so I had to travel
to, I believe it was West Texas.
An area in West Texas, an officewas offering it.
And that's how I obtained myofficial diagnosis.
So finding a patient doctorthat's willing to invest the
(21:22):
time and really work with you onsymptoms and also, uh, being
able to afford medication canalso be an obstacle.
There's so much abuse of themedications, it can sometimes be
very difficult to obtain that.
(21:42):
So no, I haven't really found asupport group and they seem to
kind of be in short supply,honestly, for adults.
There is more attention tochildren luckily, but I think it
needs to increase for adults aswell.
Kristen (21:59):
Oh, absolutely! Um, I think sometimes people might
have the misconception that yououtgrow ADD or Dyslexia.
PiPa (22:10):
Yes.
Kristen (22:10):
Or any other type of Learning disability, and that's
sim ply not true.
PiPa (22:18):
Right.
Kristen (22:18):
Um, have you found any coping strategies?
PiPa (22:23):
Yes, I've had several.
Um, a big one that I notice isthings have to have a home.
They have to go back to the sameplace over and over again.
Keys, phone, Um, it has to becharged.
There has to be certain placesto put things, otherwise they
(22:47):
tend to just end up in piles or,um, and it's not for lack of
organization or will to clean orkeep up with things.
It's because there's so muchgoing on at one time that you
can start off with one task andbefore you know it, you've
(23:09):
gotten distracted and you'retwenty tasks into something
else.
So really honing in on oneparticular task for a set amount
of time, sometimes setting atimer helps to finish that one
task, but even then it can stillbe easy to get off task.
(23:32):
So, um, trying to do thingsrepetitively, timers, um,
writing things down, of course,then you get into the out of
sight, out of mind.
Um, where did the paper go?
But, uh, lists, I have lots oflists and I don't go without
(23:56):
them.
So, little things like that seemto help.
Kristen (24:00):
Sure.
I can relate, it's easy to getdistracted and hard to stay
focused and, um, is thereanything you do to like calm
yourself down or to maybe feelbetter?
PiPa (24:20):
Yes.
Um, sensory issues tend to gohand in hand with ADHD, and
those include things liketactile sensitivity, which is
like how things feel on theskin, uh, taste, smell things,
(24:43):
uh, associated with your senses.
All of that can be moreoverwhelming for some with ADHD,
maybe not all, but a lot ofpeople do experience it.
I am very sensory sensitive.
I bright lights, loud noises,strong flavors, sometimes, large
(25:07):
crowds.
Sometimes I just, I'm morecomfortable being at home
really.
The lights are not bright.
We have like, sometimes we turnlights off or cover windows.
The darkness helps.
(25:27):
Sounds, repetitive, like maybelistening to the same song or
watching the same movie over andover just to even not watching
it, just hearing the same soundover and over that can be
calming.
Um, comfortable clothes, thosehelp.
(25:48):
Um, sometimes no shoes even.
All little things.
Um, depending on the activity.
Sometimes sleep helps or is theonly thing that'll help, or
maybe a shower or something.
Something to kind of help thebody reset after it's been, um,
through something kind ofstressful.
(26:10):
So, sensory really plays a bigissue with ADHD, especially in
my case.
Self care is important.
Kristen (26:21):
Absolutely.
I think after the pandemic orstill going through the
pandemic, I think we all need toknow that self-care comes first.
PiPa (26:33):
Yeah.
Kristen (26:34):
Can I ask, what's your favorite?
You mentioned listening to asong over and over again, or
maybe listening to a movie overand over again.
What's your go-to favorite go-tosong and your favorite go-to
movie?
PiPa (26:49):
You know, it's funny, it kind of changes.
Songs, I don't really have ago-to song it just, it changes.
Movies, I have playlists ondifferent channels that I'll
watch and I'm a Disney adult.
For me, I like the classicalDisney.
(27:10):
I'll, uh, watch movies like MaryPoppins, Sword and the Stone,
Robin Hood.
I don't always watch them.
I just have them on in thebackground, especially if I'm
doing a chore, something I maybewould rather not be doing, just
hearing those older classicalfilms not a big plot to follow.
(27:37):
Things like that make doin'everyday chores more enjoyable.
I really can watch a lot ofthose along those lines over and
over, and it's comforting.
You know what's gonna happen.
You don't have to anticipateanything scary or deep thought,
(27:57):
you can just kind of switch offyour brain and listen and enjoy
more what you're doing.
So...
Kristen (28:07):
That's true.
Um, nostalgia.
You gotta go with nostalgia.
It's great.
PiPa (28:13):
Yes.
Kristen (28:14):
I love Mary Poppins.
I also love Sword and the Stoneand Robin Hood too.
PiPa (28:19):
Mm-hmm.
I've found more adults um, nothaving to do with ADHD, but I
have found more adults that kindof like those, that genre of
film.
I think it's comforting.
Kristen (28:33):
Very insightful.
My last question would be, whatdo you want our listeners to
take away today?
PiPa (28:42):
Um, that ADHD, it's not just something that affects
children in school, it'ssomething that can affect adults
as well, and adults can seek outhelp in ways to cope.
Even if they're finding outlater in life that they might
(29:05):
actually have this.
It's worth getting a diagnosis.
It's worth, seeking help if youfeel like you need it.
Um, sometimes we can have ADHDcoping mechanisms in place that
we did unknowingly, but once youknow there's different ways that
(29:28):
you can help yourself, helpothers, um, advocate for
yourself.
Uh, there are different, um,options for disabilities for, or
help if needed.
You don't have to just struggleif you are on your own.
There are ways that you canreach out and get help, and I
(29:54):
think it needs to be morecommon, more talked about.
A lot of adults are used to notgetting help or just dealing
with things, and there arethings out there we can all
network to help each other andsay,"This worked for me.
You can try this." Just reallyget it more known and more
(30:18):
accessible to help people.
It's not just something forchildren.
It's something that adults canhelp each other or learn about
and help themselves as well.
Yes, networking, reaching out,supporting, just learning about
(30:38):
it.
Because it can be a whole newworld if you don't know.
It doesn't have to always be astruggle.
Kristen (30:45):
Very true.
Connection is important.
PiPa (30:50):
um, I notice I said, Disabilities I wondered, I was
like, is that the right word?
I mean, I don't know anythingabout disability for just ADD,
but like I know I've worked withthe, um, I forget the name of
it, the Workforce, TexasWorkforce and um, that's what I
(31:12):
mean they deal with, or helppeople with disabilities, all
different kinds.
But I know there can be a stigmasometimes to that.
One book that really helped meis titled,"You Mean I'm Not
Lazy, Stupid or Crazy." That'sthe title of the book, and it's
(31:33):
by Kate Kelly and Peggy PeggyRamundo.
It has been, I believe,republished many times, and it's
been out for a while.
It's written like someone'stalking to you and it covers
lots of subjects.
And I, think that it could bebeneficial to a lot of people.
Kristen (31:58):
I think I might wanna check that book out(they laugh)
I'm Dyslexic.
PiPa (32:05):
Are you Dyslexic?
Kristen (32:06):
Yeah, I am and I wasn't diagnosed till I was a freshman
in college.
Um, I also have Cerebral Palsyand I struggled with reading and
my mom was very adamant thatsomething wasn't right with my
reading, and the school justkept saying,"Oh, Don't worry,
(32:27):
she just has CP, Cerebral Palsy.
She just has CP." And my mom'slike,"No, it's not just CP"'cuz
she has another child um, andyou know, I have cousins with
Dyslexia.
She's like,"No.
She reads like some of my niecesand nephews." And, um, sure
enough, I got tested my freshmanyear of college and I have
(32:51):
Dyslexia
PiPa (32:53):
Even with the family history.
That should have been a deadgiveaway.
They should have tested you.
Oh, they really did, uh, theyreally, Yeah.
Bless your heart, that's way toolong to go without being
diagnosed.
I can say from my personalexperience, the schools are
(33:14):
overwhelmed and I don't thinkthey're prepared for the amount
of individuals that haveDyslexia.
I know when I taughtKindergarten, I could identify
twelve students in my class thatwere showing, and this is in
Kindergarten, potential signs ofDyslexia and some of it was
(33:36):
family history as well.
I hate that because, that's justsuch, that is so hard.
My daughter's also Dyslexic,very Dyslexic.
Now, she loves to read, but itis physically hard for her to
read.
And she wants to, but sometimes,I mean when the words are all
over the page and you need to beable to read.
(34:01):
So, they really did adisservice, that is, I'm glad
they caught it, cuz I'm surethat helped you or I hope they
were able to help you.
But...
and Dyslexia is another thingthat I, I think should get so
much attention.
I just think they're really,they don't understand how much
Dyslexia is out there.
(34:24):
It's, it's insane.
Then the math part, they don'teven have curriculum for math
for Dyslexia.
Like my daughter never couldmaster the Times tables, and
that's part of Dyslexia.
She just can't recognize thepattern.
I forget what the actual titleis, but they don't even have
(34:48):
math programs for dyslexia now.
And it's 2022.
So...
Kristen (34:56):
Well, PiPa Um, PiPa, I've really enjoyed talking with
you today.
I can talk to you all day, butwe're outta time for the
episode.
Once again, thank you so muchfor coming.
If our listeners want to followyou or to connect with you,
(35:16):
what's the best way to do that?
PiPa (35:19):
Yes, thank you.
I appreciate it.
I am on Facebook.
facebook.com/ PiPa dotMcCallister and I'm also on
TikTok tiktok.com/ PiPaMAC fortyeight.
(35:40):
Any of those ways I can bereached.
Kristen (35:43):
Great.
Well, we wish you the best ofluck in the future, and we can't
wait to see how your journeyunfolds.
PiPa (35:52):
Thank you so much for having me.
Kristen (35:54):
All right.
PiPa (35:55):
Thank you.
You were awesome, Bye
Kristen (35:58):
Goodbye.
PiPa (35:59):
Bye!
Kristen (36:00):
Perfect.
Thanks for listening to thisepisode.
Our show is hosted by me KristenGooch, produced by Jennifer
Howell, edited and mixed byMs.Boye.
Our script and production teamincludes Joey Gidseg, and Toby
(36:24):
Al-Trabulsi.
I'm Kristen Gooch and you'vebeen listening to True Tales by
Disability Advocates.
Don't forget to follow us onFacebook, Twitter, and
Instagram.
John Beer (36:40):
All episodes of the True Tales by Disability
Advocates are free on Applepodcasts, Spotify, and anywhere
you get your podcasts.
The program is funded in part bya grant from the Texas state
independent living council, theadministration for community
living and individuals like you.
To learn about The SpeakingAdvocates Program sign up for
(37:02):
our newsletter at Art Spark,Tx.org.
That's A R T S P A R K T X dot OR G.
The free virtual training isopen to people of all
disabilities, no matter whereyou live.
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