ABOUT EMBRACING HOLLAND
When our sons received their diagnoses, like many special needs parents, we grieved, we bargained, we petitioned, and we isolated. We were each handed the “Welcome to Holland” poem as an introduction to the new place that happened to be filled with acronyms, jargon, therapy, appointments, and uncertainty. As the dust settled, we looked around and began to see our surroundings through a new lens. We launched into the disability world and discovered that our lives were not over, quite the opposite. A new life was before us, one filled with people, places and things we would have never known, including a new level of empathy, sensitivity, and understanding. With open minds and hearts, we started this podcast to show other families new and further down the path, that there is so much good being done because of the detour to this new foreign land. Join as we embark on “Embracing Holland."
What they're saying...
MEET THE LADIES BEHIND THE MIC
About Angie
Lover of scones and her family. Angie is a wife and mother of three, including three children with varying disabilities. Her oldest has several medical conditions, including POTS and PANS, not to be confused with cookware ;). Her middle child has a rare genetic disorder called SCN2A, which causes autism, epilepsy, and a number of other medical complications. And so far, her youngest has dealt with hearing loss and needs reading intervention.
Angie spends her days directing the advising and student support functions at her local community college and her evenings cheering on and celebrating her children's inch stones. She has a master's degree in clinical community counseling and a doctorate in organizational leadership, and her dissertation focused on caregivers who have started businesses as a pathway to meaningful employment for their adult children with developmental disabilities.
Ange is passionate about creating community, sharing stories, and supporting others in the face of fear and uncertainty. She is an outspoken introvert with a passion for helping and loving people in hard places.
About Meg
Wife, mother of three and fiercely loyal friend who is terrible about picking up the phone, but will always answer in the middle of the night. Sound engineer and producer of the podcast. PTA Secretary and debunker of special ed myths on social media. Despite years invested in professional cooking and baking, her life now revolves around being a full-time Mom and advocate for her daughter and two special needs sons. She is known to be a Jill of all trades and is always involved in some type of home improvement project with her husband Jay. When she can, she enjoys crafting, gardening, and traveling. There’s rarely time for that, so she usually just runs on fountain beverages and frivolous TV.
Testimonials
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