E8 — Asking for help shouldn’t feel impossible. In this episode, Jordan Arogeti, CEO of SupportNow, joins Amy Julia Becker to talk about why asking for help can feel so hard, especially for disability families. They explore how SupportNow offers a simple path toward connection and lasting support.

Connect to Community download: A one-page guide to help families experiencing disability map out the connections that matter most within their communities. Get the guide: amyjuliabecker.com/connect-to-community-guide-free-download/

00:00 Introduction to Support Now
05:11 Barriers to Connection and Asking for Help
10:07 How to Ask for Help
13:39 Real-Life Examples of Support Now
16:21 Understanding Support Languages
20:03 Next Steps for Getting Connected

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jordan’s Support Languages TEDx
• Supportnow.org
• Support Languages quiz
• Instagram: @supportnow_org

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Jordan Arogeti is on a mission to change the way we support friends and families in hard times. As CEO and Co-Founder of SupportNow—a free platform that simplifies giving funds, meals, and time—she’s helped raise over $5 million for families across all 50 states. Her background in tech sales, passion for women in leadership, and personal experience as a mom of three shaped the vision behind SupportNow. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Jordan lives in Atlanta with her husband Scott, and their three kids; Nace (6), Remi (5), and Hayes (2).

IG: @supportnow_org

Website: Supportnow.org and www.supportlanguages.com

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E7 — Q+R: How do I take care of myself and avoid burnout? How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked? Is it okay to grieve? Where can my child build lifelong friendships? How do I stop feeling guilty? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker and Matt Mooney, co-founder of 99 Balloons, respond to your questions. Thank you to our audience for your thoughtful contributions!

Chapter List

00:00 Introduction
04:30 I’m so tired as a parent. How do I avoid burnout?
06:13 How do I make sure siblings aren't overlooked?
10:35 Is it okay to grieve?
17:16 Where can my child build lifelong friendships?
23:29 How do I let go of guilt and take the next step?

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

When Matthew Mooney and his wife Ginny were 30 weeks pregnant, they learned their son Eliot had trisomy 18. Eliot was born eight weeks later and lived for 99 days. The Mooneys founded 99 Balloons, a nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities locally and globally.

Matt now serves on the 99 Balloons Board and lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with Ginny and their three children—Hazel, Anders, and Lena.

A writer, speaker, and consultant on disability and inclusion, Matthew is also an attorney and received his PhD in Theological Ethics at Aberdeen University. His work has taken him to Haiti, Mexico, Ukraine, Uganda, India, and beyond.

Websites: 99 Balloons :: matthewlylemooney
Social: insta

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E6 — What if one powerful way to advocate for your child is simply to delight in who they are? Author and advocate Heather Avis talks with Amy Julia about learning to find joy in family life, even when the world isn’t built for disability. They explore:

• Why delight can rewrite the disability narrative
• What it takes to move from deficit to delight
• The ripple effect of delight in our relationships and communities
• How to lean into love and delight instead of anxiety and fear

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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Reimagining the Good Life episode with John Swinton: amyjuliabecker.com/swinton-disability/

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01:44 Advocacy and Family Dynamics

04:51 Delight and the Disability Narrative

09:54 How to Move from Deficit to Delight

13:12 Finding Delight in Family Life

19:39 The Ripple Effect of Delight in Relationships

23:31 Leaning into Delight and Love Instead of Anxiety and Fear

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Lucky Few
• Heather's new Book, I Like You So Much

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Heather Avis is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, podcaster, and a Down syndrome advocate. She is the founder of and chief visionary officer at The Lucky Few, an advocacy organization dedicated to shouting worth, shifting narratives, and reimagining what it looks like when we create spaces of belonging. She lives in Southern California with her husband Josh and three kids, Macyn, Truly, and August and two Goldendoodles, Maeby and George Michael.

Website: https://www.heatheravis.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theluckyfewofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLuckyFewOfficial/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC99_OFh29y9lVqZyHY2Xztw

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lucky-few/id1349646917

New Book, I Like You So Much: https://www.amazon.com/Like-You-So-Much-Celebrating/dp/0310166594/

Photo Credit: © Camilynne Photography

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E5 — We all long to belong. But for many families experiencing disability, true belonging can feel out of reach. In this episode, researcher and advocate Erik Carter joins Amy Julia Becker to unpack how small steps toward inclusion and belonging can transform entire communities. They explore:

• How families can foster communities of belonging
• Common barriers that block belonging
• The benefits for everyone when communities embrace belonging

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• 10 Dimensions of Belonging
• Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing
• Article: "To Build Better Playgrounds, Company Turns to Kids With Disabilities"

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Erik Carter, Ph.D., is professor and Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities. His research and writing focus on principle-driven and research-based strategies for promoting full participation, relationships, and valued roles for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). He serves as Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, which aims to promote the thriving of people with disabilities and their families. He joined the Baylor faculty in 2023. http://www.erikwcarter.com

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E4 — Overwhelmed by therapies, appointments, and never-ending “to-dos”? Author Jillian Benfield shares practical tools for families experiencing disability—offering parents guidance on setting limits, saying yes to what matters, and finding beauty in everyday life. Jillian and Amy Julia Becker explore:

• Parenting and caregiving without burning out
• Developing a yes/no filter
• Turning routines into lasting habits
• Creating a clear vision for your family
• Honest gratitude as a tool for resilience

UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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FREE DOWNLOAD: 30 Next Steps for Parents available at: amyjuliabecker.com/parent-gift/

00:00 Introduction
04:49 Overwhelmed AND Grateful
05:43 The Beauty of the Unexpected
07:26 Discerning a Vision for Your Family
11:10 Creating a Yes/No Filter
16:04 Acknowledgment of Limitations and Possibilities
17:15 The Difference Between Routines and Habits
20:34 Honest Gratitude
23:00 You Don't Have to Do It All

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Podcast episode: James Clear: Building & Changing Habits (#183 rebroadcast)
• Jillian's newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df185a2154bd20026a1b01b
• Jillian’s books: Overwhelmed & Grateful: The Key to Finding God's Goodness in All Life's Ups & Downs and The Gift of the Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Goes Off Plan

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Jillian Benfield is a former journalist and news anchor. She holds a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Her freelance essays about living an unexpected life have appeared on sites such as TODAY, Good Morning America, Yahoo! News, and ABC News. Jillian regularly advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in her writings and community, and as a part of the National Down Syndrome Congress's National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. Jillian and her husband, Andy, and their three children make their home on Florida's Space Coast. Learn more at JillianBenfield.com.

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E3 — Many of us don't want to ask for help, but what if being needful isn’t weakness but a doorway to connection, friendship, and belonging? Kevan Chandler, coauthor of The Hospitality of Need, shares his personal story with Amy Julia Becker, reflecting on his experiences with spinal muscular atrophy, neediness, and the ways mutual care shapes his life. They explore:

• What peer-to-peer caregiving looks like
• How disability opens doors to friendship
• Ways to start supportive friendships
• How your view of need shapes connection
• Why vulnerability and care are worth the risk

Connect to Community download: A one-page guide to help families experiencing disability map out the connections that matter most. With simple prompts, you’ll identify the peers, mentors, experts, and supports—both within the disability community and in your wider circles—that create strength, encouragement, and belonging for your family. Get the guide:

amyjuliabecker.com/connect-to-community-guide-free-download/

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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00:00 Introduction

02:15 Kevin Chandler's Story of Disability and Neediness

10:51 Peer-to-Peer Caregiving

18:06 Building Relationships and Community

23:24 Final Thoughts and Invitations

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT:

KEVAN CHANDLER is the founder of the nonprofit organization We Carry Kevan and speaks worldwide about friendship and disability. He and his wife, Katie, enjoy doing everything together, including growing vegetables and reading to each other.

Kevan was the second of his siblings to be diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, type 2, a rare neuromuscular disease. In 2016, he and his friends took a trip across Europe, leaving his wheelchair at home, and his friends carried him for three weeks in a backpack.

An avid storyteller, Kevan is an author and speaker worldwide about his friendships and unique life with a disability, being a featured speaker for Tedx and Google, as well as various conferences, pharmaceutical companies, and universities.

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E2 — What if delight is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker talks with therapist and author Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP, about how parents—especially those raising children with disabilities—can bring delight into everyday family life. Together, they explore:

• What gets in the way of delighting in our children
• How to shift focus from deficits to strengths
• Why a parent’s own sense of being delightful matters
• How honesty about both joy and sorrow helps children build resilience
• Simple, practical ways to start delighting in your kids today

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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00:00 Introduction to Delight in Parenting

03:04 Understanding Delight and Its Importance

06:02 Expressing Delight: Practical Examples

09:14 Barriers to Delight: Agenda and Anxiety

12:06 Focusing on Strengths Over Deficits

15:05 Balancing Delight with Hardship

18:09 The Role of Self-Care in Parenting

21:09 Practical Steps to Cultivate Delight

23:59 Conclusion and Future Conversations

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Raising Girls by Melissa Trevathan and Sissy Goff
• Hope Heals Camp
• Amy Julia’s Reimagining Family Life with Disability workshop

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Sissy Goff, M. Ed., LPC-MHSP, is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her puppy counseling assistant-in-training, Patches the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets including NBC News, CNN, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and Christianity Today. She is the bestselling author of 14 books including her first full-color children’s book, Lucy Learns to be Brave: A Lesson in Courage. She is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. A transplanted Razorback who lives in Nashville, you can follow Sissy on Instagram @raisingboysandgirls and @sissygoff and at www.raisingboysandgirls.com.

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow on Instagram at @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

E1 — "How could there be a good future in the midst of so much loss?" If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges of disability—or if you know a family walking that road—you won’t want to miss this conversation with Katherine Wolf. She is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. Together, Katherine and Amy Julia Becker explore how families can reimagine disability, build connection, and celebrate life—even when it doesn’t look the way they once imagined.

From the dinner table to the slow work of recovery, learn how to find delight in the story you have. Discover:

• How to experience joy in the process, not just the outcome
• Daily habits to cultivate gratitude and delight
• How to build a supportive, connected community
• Why purpose and contribution matter for every family

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Katherine’s books, resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities: hopeheals.com.
• Luke 14

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Katherine Wolf is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. After she survived a near-fatal brainstem stroke at age 26, her family’s journey through disability has become a public witness that good and hard can co-exist in the same story. Through caregiving, storytelling, and lived theology, Katherine is inviting others into a vision of hope, interdependence, and embodied resilience. She and her husband Jay live in Atlanta with their two sons.

Website: www.hopeheals.com

Instagram: @hopeheals

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!