The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Think of this podcast as your very own special needs mom support group--except it's helpful and fun! You will leave with the hope that you can have a super happy life even when your life includes parenting a medically complex child or a child with something like autism and ADHD.

You likely didn't ask to be the parent of a disabled child or to live portions of your life in the hospital NICU or PICU. Your story is unique; it’s hard to find a place where you belong or where you don't feel so isolated and alone. Your child might have a rare disease, be undiagnosed or experience something that almost everybody has heard of like Downs syndrome yet the weird thing is that whether your child has an intellectual disability or physical disability, the experience as a mother is so similar. So regardless of your child’s disability, we can all find a home in this community.

You find yourself managing everybody else's needs; your child, their siblings, and all the guilt that you have about that. All this has you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and dizzy---not knowing who to turn to or what to do next for help. This podcast is your lifeline, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration as we connect to other moms’ journeys. We’ll get practical and look at what it takes to stop feeling so stuck in your life.

You know this podcast is for you if you find yourself googling:

Overwhelmed special needs mom help

How to do self care as a special needs mom?

Dealing with anger as a special needs mom

How to manage special needs mom burnout and stress?

How do I deal with mom's guilt?

Help for myself as a special needs mom

How do I cope with a disabled child?

How do I manage the grief of my medically complex child?

How to keep from drowning as a caregiver

Support group for special needs mom or community for caregivers

I'm tired of taking care of my special needs child

Finding balance between my child’s needs and my own mamas needs

Respite and rest for special needs moms

Podcasting since 2020 • 297 episodes

The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Latest Episodes

I Don't Know What's Next: I Do Know I Need To Pause

This episode is a personal one. I’m sharing why I’m stepping back from the podcast for now and what it looks like to choose rest, even when it’s hard to let go.

March 25, 2026 • Episode 295 • 11:54

What People Don’t Understand About This Life (Even When They Try) with Anika Atkins

This episode is a real-life conversation about what support actually looks like and where it still falls short for special needs moms. Kara and Anika talk about advocacy, friendship, community, and the quiet weight so many of us are still carry...

March 18, 2026 • Episode 294 • 57:00

Learning to Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw

Transformation guide and stroke survivor Joy Shaw joins me to talk about healing through the lens of the hero’s journey and what it means to become the author of your own story. In this thoughtful conversation, we explore grief, witnessing pain...

March 11, 2026 • Episode 293 • 49:59

The Hidden Cost of Being The Strong One

In this episode, Kara re-shares a deeply personal story about the aftermath of a medical crisis with her son and what she calls the “fallout zone” that follows survival mode. This conversation about the shadow side of strength is one many careg...

March 04, 2026 • Episode 292 • 11:00

Digging Deep Without Trying Harder: A Different Kind of Healing with Erin Popp

What happens when everything you intellectually understand still doesn’t help you survive the hardest seasons of motherhood? In this episode, I talk with Erin Popp about complex grief, chronic uncertainty, and what it really means to dig deep w...

February 26, 2026 • Episode 291 • 46:26

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