Hope Talks Podcast
Conversations about topics of interest to families of complex (special needs) children.
Episodes
12 episodes
Listen To Your Gut!
Parents of children with complex needs are often told to wait and see, try this therapy, or follow the latest advice. But what happens when your instincts tell you something deeper is going on?In this episode, ...
Episode 9: Social Skills, the IEP, and What No One Tells You
Your child is standing at the edge of the playground, not quite ready to join in. Then the words “social skills” show up in an IEP meeting, and your stomach drops.In this Hope Talks episode, Julie Cadman and her husband and co-host Dana ...
When Your Child’s Behavior Is Different at Home vs. School: Your Observations Matter
When Your Child’s Behavior Looks Different at Home and SchoolWhat happens when you're seeing meltdowns, tears, avoidance, or difficult behaviors at home, but the school says everything seems fine?In this episode, Jul...
Why Listening to Parents Matters in Pediatric Healthcare
Parents and caregivers play an essential role on a child's healthcare team, especially when a child has complex medical or developmental needs.In this episode, Julie shares a personal experience from years of having her child in and out ...
Episode 8: College Success for Neurodivergent Students: Accommodations & Self-Advocacy Part 2 | HOPE Talks
How can a neurodivergent student thrive in college?In Part 2 of our College Success series, Healing Complex Kids co-founder Julie Cadman joins neurodivergent college students Ruth Packala and Shane Schwabo from the Neurodivergent Student...
Episode 7: College Success for Neurodivergent Students: Accommodations & Self-Advocacy Part 1 | HOPE Talks
When neurodivergent students move from high school to college, the responsibility for securing accommodations shifts to them. They must connect with disability support services, provide the required documentation, and learn how to advocate for ...
Episode 6: Life Skills — Teaching Independence One Step at a Time
How do you teach life skills to a child with complex needs — and where do you even begin?In this episode, Julie Cadman sits down with co-founder and life skills expert Dana Cadman to answer the questions every special needs...
Episode 5: Supported Decision Making & Guardianship
Turning 18 is a milestone—but for families raising children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), it also marks an important legal and life transition.In this episode of the Hope Talks Podcast, Julie Cadman, co-founder...
Episode 4: Education is Prevention
If you’ve ever asked yourself how to support your child as they begin dating, how to keep them safe, or how to handle conversations that feel uncomfortable or overwhelming, this episode offers thoughtful guidance. In this conversation, Susan Ro...
Episode 3: Understanding SSI for Children with Special Needs: How to Apply, Qualify, and Protect Benefits
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can be a lifeline for families of children with special needs—but it’s also one of the most misunderstood and nuanced programs parents navigate.In this episode of the HOPE Talk Podcast, Julie Cad...
Episode 1: Advocacy That Works: Practical IEP Strategies and Teaching Kids to Self-Advocate
Advocacy can feel overwhelming—especially when you’ve been trying for years and still aren’t seeing results.In this episode of the HOPE Talk Podcast, host Julie Cadman is joined by educational advocacy expert Angela Tyszka for a practical, ...
Episode 2: Marriage, Connection, and Compassion: What Couples Need Most When Raising Complex Kids
Special needs parenting brings extraordinary love — and extraordinary pressure. In this episode of HOPE Talks, Julie Cadman (Healing Complex Kids®) and Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Blundo discuss the real challenges couples face when rai...