Speaking Life Into Motherhood ~ Holistic Health, Self Care, Resources, & Support for Christian Moms of Children With Special Needs & Disabilities

Speaking Life Into Motherhood ~ Holistic Health, Self Care, Resources, & Support for Christian Moms of Children With Special Needs & Disabilities

Do you often feel overwhelmed by your child’s medical needs or special circumstances? Are you searching for ways to nurture your family while caring for your own spiritual health and remaining anchored in your faith? Are you ready to learn balance by improving self-care and growing spiritually within the demands of motherhood? Speaking Life Into Motherhood is a podcast for Christian mothers of children with special needs and disabilities hosted by Elyse Scheeler, a wife, mama, speech-language pathologist, and wellness coach. Through candid conversations with other moms and professionals, we explore holistic, faith-based strategies to help you find the confidence to advocate for your child, prioritize wellness and self-care, and nurture relationships. Each episode brings you practical tips and resources, along with a refreshing reminder that your motherhood journey is full of beauty and purpose. Join us as we challenge the norms, embrace the struggles, and find joy in raising children with special needs, all through the lens of faith. You don’t have to just survive mama- you can thrive!

Episodes

June 16, 2025 42 mins

How do you respond when your child is having a meltdown and you feel yourself getting triggered? Do you find yourself asking "Why?" or do you shift to asking "How do I survive this moment?"

When you're in your "shark waters" - those moments when your own past wounds get activated by your child's behavior - what physical sensations do you notice in your body?

Are you more focused on correcting y...

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Have you ever thought "If only I had known sooner" about your child's needs?

Do you struggle with guilt over past decisions made before you had all the information?

Are you worried that early unaddressed issues like tongue ties are affecting your child's sleep, breathing, or attention now?

In this short solo episode, we tackle the heavy burden of "mom guilt" - specifically the pain of realizing your chi...

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  • Are you struggling to connect with your uniquely wired child?
  • Do you feel exhausted trying strategies that don't seem to work?
  • Would you like practical, faith-aligned tools to better understand and advocate for your child?

In this episode, I welcome back my friend Jamie Kirkbride to discuss how parents can better understand, connect with, and advocate for their uniquely wired children. Jamie shares invaluable insights ab...

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  • Do you struggle with disappointment when your Mother's Day doesn't match the picture-perfect celebrations on social media?
  • Have you found yourself navigating the gap between your expectations of motherhood and your actual journey parenting a child with special needs?
  • Are you looking for ways to find genuine joy and peace in the beautiful, messy reality of your unique motherhood experience?

In this episode, we explor...

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Is your brain constantly on fire? 

Do you feel depleted trying to manage your child's needs while neglecting your own?

 Are you interested in natural approaches to help both you and your special needs child find calm?

Does your child have and ADHD, Autism, or other diagnosis? Are you unhappy with what traditional therapies are offering? This episode brings info for a holistic approach you probably haven't heard of. 

In this t...

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  • Are you struggling to find support and resources as a parent of a child with special needs? 
  • Do you sometimes feel distant from God, questioning His purpose for your child's challenges? 
  • Have you found yourself focused on "fixing" your child rather than embracing who they are? 

In this episode, we welcome JJ LeVan, an award-winning author and mother who shares her 27-year journey of raising a son with autism. J...

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  • Have you ever wondered how God's calling can lead you through unexpected career paths?
  • What happens when your passion, a community need, and God's will perfectly align?
  • How can speech therapy be viewed through a Christian lens, and did you know Jesus might have been the first speech therapist?!
  • Are you struggling with accepting your child's developmental delays or special needs? How can faith guide you through this ...
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Are you looking for guidance when life takes an unexpected special needs turn?

Do you want to explore or create opportunities for adults with special needs in your community?

In this heartfelt episode, I speak with Ana Munoz, bestselling author of "Perfectly Loved" and dedicated advocate for the special needs community. Anna shares her journey as a mother of a daughter with Down syndrome and how this unexpected path led her...

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Have you ever blamed "mom brain" for your forgetfulness, only to wonder if there's something more serious happening when you parent a child with special needs?

What if the cognitive challenges you're experiencing are actually part of God's design, preparing your brain to be the perfect advocate for your child?

Could simple, scripture-supported self-care practices and holistic strategies dramatically improve y...

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Have you ever felt alone in your journey parenting a child with special needs?

Do you struggle with balancing advocacy for your child while maintaining your faith?

What if the challenges your family faces are actually opportunities for God to reveal His power?


Episode Highlights

  • Rachael Jenneman shares her unique perspective as both a sibling to someone with severe autism and a parent of children with various learning and proc...
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Are you wondering how to homeschool a child with special needs? Curious about balancing therapy with education? Looking for encouragement in your unexpected parenting journey?

In this heartfelt episode of the podcast, host I welcome Sarah Frazer, author of "I Didn't Sign Up for This," to discuss her experience homeschooling her nonverbal daughter with special needs. Sarah opens up about adopting her daughter from Chin...

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Has a doctor ever dismissed your concerns about your child with "they'll grow out of it"? 

Have you ever felt like you're the only one who truly sees your child's struggles? 

Does it feel like you're alone on this special needs journey with no roadmap? 

Have you wondered how your faith fits into the unexpected path of special needs parenting?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, this episode is f...

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Is your body still carrying the effects of a difficult birth? Could your unexplained fatigue or emotional triggers be connected to unprocessed birth trauma? What if seeing Jesus in your birth story could transform your relationship with trauma?

In this episode, functional women's health coach Brigid Tebaldi brings an insightful conversation about healing from birth trauma. Brigid shares her unique approach that combines functio...

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Catherine Cowell, a spiritual director and life coach specializing in supporting parents of children with additional needs, shares her journey as an adoptive mother to two boys and introduces us to the transformative PACE model of parenting. She offers a unique perspective on integrating faith with therapeutic parenting approaches.

Key Topics Covered:

  • Introduction to the PACE model (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy)
  • Man...
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Military spouse and adoptive mom Becca Pass pulls back the curtain on the realities of modern adoption. From navigating questionable industry practices to experiencing adoption disruptions, Becca shares how God transformed her challenging five-year journey into an unexpected ministry. After facing her own struggles, she now serves as a doula and mentor, supporting both birth mothers and adoptive families through their most vulnerab...

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Transform your parenting doubts into peaceful confidence! In this solo episode, we dive into a powerful framework for handling doubt and fear when making decisions about your child's care. Learn how to move from uncertainty to confidence using the PEACE framework, born from real experience with criticism and doubt.

Check out the blog post: HERE

Key Takeaways:

  • How to create a sustainable prayer routine for decision-making
  • Why d...
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In this powerful episode, we sit down with Davina McLean-Randall, founder of A Caring Voice for You, to discuss navigating the special education system while maintaining faith and emotional wellness. Drawing from her unique perspective as both a former special education administrator and a parent of a child who needed services, Davina shares invaluable insights for parents facing similar journeys.

Episode blog post: Read N...

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In this episode, we sit down with Nicole Barlow, a parent trainer and wellness coach who specializes in supporting foster and adoptive parents. Nicole shares her personal journey through foster care and adoption, and introduces us to the WELL framework for maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual health while parenting children with special needs.

Episode Blog Post: https://speakinglife.co/well-framework-self-care-strategies-for-...

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In this episode, we sit down with Lucy Martin, a licensed therapist, certified relationship coach, and homeschool mom of five. Lucy shares her personal journey and professional insights on maintaining a strong marriage while parenting children with special needs.

Key Topics Discussed:

  • Navigating marriage dynamics when parenting neurodivergent children
  • Understanding and practicing biblical submission in modern marriages
  • The importan...
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In this episode, parent coach Jamie Kirkbride shares her powerful CARE framework for helping overwhelmed parents, especially those raising children with additional needs. Jamie, a mother of seven and former counselor, breaks down practical strategies for self-care through Compassion, Adjusting commitments, Recharging intentionally, and Evaluating what works. She offers faith-based insights for managing daily challenges and shares p...

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