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PODCAST

The UNspecial Podcast

Are you a parent raising a child with special needs? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed, isolated, or unsure where to turn for guidance and encouragement? Welcome to The Unspecial Podcast, dedicated to empowering and inspiring parents like you on your unique journey. Each week, we bring you heartfelt conversations with a diverse range of guests who offer invaluable insights and personal stories. Hear directly from individuals with special needs who share their triumphs, challenges, and perspectives

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

00:51:35

Navigating Neurodiversity: The Lemonade Family

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/05/18

On the Unspecial Podcast, Zach interviews Brittany Brooks of “The Lemonade Family,” who describes raising five children (12 and under) all diagnosed with autism and reframing daily challenges—meltdowns, elopement, heavy therapy schedules, and poop smearing—as “making lemonade.” A former special education teacher with a master’s degree and 15 years’ experience, Brittany contrasts school masking and compliance with home where kids can unmask, and explains her flexible, child-led homeschooling

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01:10:55

Changed by Faith: The Journey from Certainty to Openness

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/05/12

On the Unspecial podcast, the host interviews J. Brad Britton about his book Real Words with Sam and themes of potential, autism, and daily life with his nonspeaking son Sam (turning 25). Britton describes a “Day in the Life” section written backward from Sam’s bedtime prayer, and heavier chapters about his wife Paulette’s caregiving. They discuss dad support in marriage, with Britton saying he would give more hugs, listen more, and avoid staying busy to escape; he shares a lesson from Paulette

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01:03:01

Breaking the Silence: Untold Parenting Challenges

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/05/04

On the Unspecial Podcast, Zach interviews Joe and Kaylee (Parents Unheard) about their five-year-old son Ronnie and their recent five-day PX Docs intensive, which they say immediately improved his sleep, reduced aggression, and helped him stay calmer at night, alongside changes to how they dose melatonin after researching UK prescribing guidelines. They describe the intensive’s light spinal touch, scans showing a neck “block,” and a shift from “permanent fight or flight,” and discuss how these

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01:04:34

Tethered by Faith: Facing Life’s Storms Together

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/04/27

The speaker recalls reaching a breaking point, screaming in anger and calling out to God after learning her 42-year-old husband, a third grade teacher, had cancer while their kids played downstairs. In the middle of her rage and disbelief, she felt unexpectedly close to God and describes how faith tethered her to life and carried her through the storm. She reflects that she doesn’t know how people endure the worst experiences without faith, emphasizing the need for something that keeps you grounded

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01:12:53

From Misconceptions to Understanding: The Future of ABA

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/04/20

On the Unspecial Podcast, host interviews Ellie (LA) Brink, founder of Hype Disability Success in Port Macquarie, Australia, and co-host of the new Behave Podcast, about reframing disability support away from milestones, compliance, and “fixing” children toward seeing them, acceptance, autonomy, and individualized definitions of success. Brink shares her path from nannying a nonspeaking autistic boy in the U.S. to becoming a BCBA, discusses differences between U.S. and Australian funding, and

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01:02:20

Motherhood and Dravet Syndrome a battle untold

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/04/06

Host Zach welcomes Australian mom, advocate, and fitness business owner Bianca Coghlan to discuss her Hyrox race experience and her life raising five-year-old Skyler, who has Dravet syndrome, a genetic epilepsy caused by a mutation that cannot be fixed with brain surgery. Bianca describes Skyler’s first seizure at three months, diagnosis at six months, frequent daily myoclonic seizures and regular tonic-clonic seizures requiring rescue medication, and the constant 24/7 supervision, hospital calls,

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01:08:15

Breaking the Cycle: Overcoming Stress Responses in...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/03/30

The host interviews Kelsey Spanbauer (Family.un Doctor), clinic director of Getti Wellness, about cell danger response and why kids with autism, PANS/PANDAS, and related issues may be stuck in survival mode when their bodies don’t feel safe. Spanbauer highlights major triggers such as EMF and blue light disrupting circadian biology and mitochondrial energy, and recommends practical home changes like improving lighting, limiting screens after sunset, hardwiring internet/unplugging Wi‑Fi, flipping

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01:02:48

House to Harmony: Redefining Family Life with Unique...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/03/23

On the Unspecial podcast, Annika Warley shares how her twin daughters, Hazel and Hadley (turning five), were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 after being premature NICU babies whose missed milestones were repeatedly dismissed as prematurity. She describes SMA types, the importance of early newborn screening, and treatments that stop progression (Zolgensma, Spinraza, Evrysdi), plus a newer muscle-building drug trial she calls “muscle juice,” and how outcomes vary widely. Annika

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01:57:48

Beyond Genetics: Challenging Myths and Finding Hope...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/03/17

On the Unspecial podcast, the host interviews Stephanie (awesome_insights), a mom describing her three-and-a-half-year-old son Liam’s regression and moderate-to-severe autism diagnosis as a survival story and critique of a “broken system.” Stephanie shares her own diagnoses (OCPD and bipolar), how they fuel intense research and advocacy, and why she believes Liam wasn’t born with autism, citing a detailed medical timeline: forceps delivery, infant jaundice, early formula use, repeated high-volume

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01:08:41

The Hidden Truth About Modern Brain Health: A...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/03/09

Host Zach interviews Lucia Silver, founder of the Brain Health Movement, arguing that modern life profits from nervous system dysregulation driven by the attention economy, ultra-processed food, fear-based media, and downstream symptom-management in medicine. Silver reframes anxiety, ADHD/autism-like behaviors, and burnout as biological alarm signals rather than character flaws, emphasizing co-regulation and the parent’s nervous system as foundational. She shares her son Quinn’s severe

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00:49:53

Bridging Connections: Therapeutic Approach to Growth...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/03/02

On the Young Special Podcast, host interviews Brooke Wagner, owner of Therapeutic Approach to Growth (TAG) and host of the “Finding Hope on the Spectrum” podcast, about her 25+ years in autism services and how the field has shifted from traditional discrete trial drills toward presuming competence and more meaningful, child-focused supports. Wagner explains ABA as a science of shaping behavior and describes TAG’s naturalistic, play-based model that emphasizes internal motivation over token systems

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01:06:03

Beyond Words: Transforming Perceptions of Autism...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/02/23

Nicole Renovo (Autism_Our_Story), an autism mom and host of the Autism Our Story podcast, joins the Unspecial podcast to discuss her advocacy for non-speaking autistic people and spellers. She shares how her podcast began as a way to learn while serving others, the burnout she experienced, and why hearing directly from spellers is powerful advocacy that challenges assumptions about intelligence and awareness.Visit our website: www.unspecialllc.com#specialeducation #specialed #podcast #unspecial

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00:58:13

Healing Beyond Fear: A Conversation on Medical...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/02/16

The episode opens by challenging fear-based medical control and arguing that parents should be allowed to question, think, and choose without being labeled “misinformation,” framing the conversation as pro-healing rather than anti-medicine. Host Zach welcomes Dr. Stanton Hom, a neurologically focused chiropractor and director at Future Generations Chiropractic, and they discuss Zach’s family’s experience of “miracles,” including improvements in his children after prolonged stress and trauma, with

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01:12:44

Mold, Mitochondria, and Miracles: Kelly’s Story of...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/02/09

In this special podcast episode, the host is joined by Kelly Carlson, an autism mother known as I am Kelly Leanne on Instagram. Together, they discuss how mold exposure has significantly impacted Kelly's life and her son’s health, leading to his autism diagnosis. Kelly shares the traumatic experiences of her pregnancy, her son's premature birth, NICU stay, and subsequent health challenges. They explore the connection between mold and autism, detailing Kelly's process of discovering mold in her home

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01:02:58

A New Voice at HHS: Tracy Slepcevic & Zach Ponder on...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/02/02

Navigating Autism and Health with Tracy Slepcevic | The Unspecial PodcastIn this episode of the Unspecial Podcast, host Zach is joined by Tracy Slepcevic, a certified integrative health practitioner, speaker, and bestselling author. Tracy shares her journey of healing her son with autism through various treatments and therapies. They discuss the challenges faced in the early stages of autism, the importance of addressing underlying conditions, and the role of biomedical interventions. Tracy also

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01:00:37

Special Needs, Special Planning: Financial Insights...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/01/26

This podcast episode centers on practical financial advice for parents of children with special needs. Zach, the host, invites Rt Beal, Vice President of Van Holes Financial Advisors, to discuss his journey and expertise in financial planning for the special needs community. Rt shares his own connection to the community through his brother-in-law and dives into the intricacies of creating a financial plan that includes both private and public resources. He also covers the common struggles parents

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01:06:07

Healing Autism with Gut Health: An Inspiring Journey...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of the Unspecial podcast, the host interviews Chelsea Jules, a holistic school psychologist and autism, nutrition, and gut healing specialist. Chelsea shares her personal journey of addressing her twin boys' severe nonverbal autism through dietary interventions. She details the initial challenges, the role of environmental factors over genetics, and the impact of gut health on behavior and speech development. Chelsea also explains how her program 'Six Months to Speech' assists

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00:55:22

Beyond Autism: Empowering Families Through Biomedical...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/01/12

In this episode of the Unspecial Podcast, hosts Zach and returning guest Becky Lynn Davila discuss the complexities of autism treatment, focusing on the intersection of support, recovery, and holistic health approaches. Becky, a certified holistic health practitioner and autism health coach, shares her journey of helping her own child recover from autism and extending that support to over 400 families worldwide. The conversation addresses the polarized views within the autism community, the need for

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01:03:33

Experiencing Miracles Through Neurologically Focused...

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2026/01/05

The conversation delves into the impact of nervous system dysregulation on health, highlighting the limitations of outside-in interventions and the role of lifestyle and environment in nervous system health. It also explores the birth and impact of PX Docs, Dr. Tony Ebel's journey into pediatric chiropractic care, the miraculous recovery of Oliver from a hypoxic brain injury, and the challenges and triumphs of navigating pediatric care while building a supportive community. The conversation delves

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01:30:25

Kaylee Rine's Inspiring Journey

The UNspecial Podcast ·

2025/12/27

The conversation covers the introduction to the podcast, the journey of co-hosting, the discovery of neuro-focused chiropractic care, the impact and improvements seen from chiropractic care, personal experiences with chiropractic care, the various therapies used, the decision to homeschool, and the challenges of schooling and parental anxiety when dealing with a child with autism. The conversation delves into the challenges within the school system, the impact of undertrained staff, and the topic of

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97 results

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