Take the Next Step with Amy Julia Becker – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Welcome to Take the Next Step, a weekly podcast for families experiencing disability, offering practical guidance, encouragement, and hope.

I’m Amy Julia Becker, writer, speaker, and mom to Penny, my 19-year-old daughter with Down syndrome. Each Wednesday, I’ll bring you short, hope-filled conversations with fellow parents, therapists, and disability advocates. We'll explore how to:

• Navigate the challenges of disability parenting
• Create moments of delight, joy, and connection at home
• Connect with a supportive community where your family belongs
• Take small, doable steps toward a flourishing future

Our first season features Katherine Wolf, stroke survivor and disability advocate; therapist Sissy Goff; researcher Erik Carter; and author Jillian Benfield—plus many more!

If you’re a parent feeling overwhelmed, searching for connection, or wondering what comes next, you’re not alone. Your family is a gift. Your child matters. And we need you among us.

New episodes every week starting September 17.

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

We all long to belong. But for many families experiencing disability, true belonging can feel out of reach. In this episode, researcher and advocate Erik Carter joins Amy Julia Becker to unpack how small steps toward inclusion and belonging can transform entire communities. They explore:

• How families can foster communities of belonging
• Common barriers that block belonging
• The benefits for everyone when communities embrace belonging

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• 10 Dimensions of Belonging
• Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing
• Article: "To Build Better Playgrounds, Company Turns to Kids With Disabilities"

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Erik Carter, Ph.D., is professor and Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities. His research and writing focus on principle-driven and research-based strategies for promoting full participation, relationships, and valued roles for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). He serves as Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, which aims to promote the thriving of people with disabilities and their families. He joined the Baylor faculty in 2023. http://www.erikwcarter.com

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

Overwhelmed by therapies, appointments, and never-ending “to-dos”? Author Jillian Benfield shares practical tools for families experiencing disability—offering parents guidance on setting limits, saying yes to what matters, and finding beauty in everyday life. Jillian and Amy Julia Becker explore:

• Parenting and caregiving without burning out
• Developing a yes/no filter
• Turning routines into lasting habits
• Creating a clear vision for your family
• Honest gratitude as a tool for resilience

UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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FREE DOWNLOAD: 30 Next Steps for Parents available at: amyjuliabecker.com/parent-gift/

00:00 Introduction
04:49 Overwhelmed AND Grateful
05:43 The Beauty of the Unexpected
07:26 Discerning a Vision for Your Family
11:10 Creating a Yes/No Filter
16:04 Acknowledgment of Limitations and Possibilities
17:15 The Difference Between Routines and Habits
20:34 Honest Gratitude
23:00 You Don't Have to Do It All

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Podcast episode: James Clear: Building & Changing Habits (#183 rebroadcast)
• Jillian's newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5df185a2154bd20026a1b01b
• Jillian’s books: Overwhelmed & Grateful: The Key to Finding God's Goodness in All Life's Ups & Downs and The Gift of the Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Goes Off Plan

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Jillian Benfield is a former journalist and news anchor. She holds a broadcast journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Her freelance essays about living an unexpected life have appeared on sites such as TODAY, Good Morning America, Yahoo! News, and ABC News. Jillian regularly advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in her writings and community, and as a part of the National Down Syndrome Congress's National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition. Jillian and her husband, Andy, and their three children make their home on Florida's Space Coast. Learn more at JillianBenfield.com.

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

Many of us don't want to ask for help, but what if being needful isn’t weakness but a doorway to connection, friendship, and belonging? Kevan Chandler, coauthor of The Hospitality of Need, shares his personal story with Amy Julia Becker, reflecting on his experiences with spinal muscular atrophy, neediness, and the ways mutual care shapes his life. They explore:

• What peer-to-peer caregiving looks like
• How disability opens doors to friendship
• Ways to start supportive friendships
• How your view of need shapes connection
• Why vulnerability and care are worth the risk

Connect to Community download: A one-page guide to help families experiencing disability map out the connections that matter most. With simple prompts, you’ll identify the peers, mentors, experts, and supports—both within the disability community and in your wider circles—that create strength, encouragement, and belonging for your family. Get the guide:

amyjuliabecker.com/connect-to-community-guide-free-download/

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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00:00 Introduction 

02:15 Kevin Chandler's Story of Disability and Neediness

10:51 Peer-to-Peer Caregiving 

18:06 Building Relationships and Community

23:24 Final Thoughts and Invitations

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT:

KEVAN CHANDLER is the founder of the nonprofit organization We Carry Kevan and speaks worldwide about friendship and disability. He and his wife, Katie, enjoy doing everything together, including growing vegetables and reading to each other.

Kevan was the second of his siblings to be diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, type 2, a rare neuromuscular disease. In 2016, he and his friends took a trip across Europe, leaving his wheelchair at home, and his friends carried him for three weeks in a backpack.

An avid storyteller, Kevan is an author and speaker worldwide about his friendships and unique life with a disability, being a featured speaker for Tedx and Google, as well as various conferences, pharmaceutical companies, and universities. 

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

What if delight is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child? In this episode, Amy Julia Becker talks with therapist and author Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP, about how parents—especially those raising children with disabilities—can bring delight into everyday family life. Together, they explore:

• What gets in the way of delighting in our children
• How to shift focus from deficits to strengths
• Why a parent’s own sense of being delightful matters
• How honesty about both joy and sorrow helps children build resilience
• Simple, practical ways to start delighting in your kids today

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UPCOMING Q+R EPISODE: Record your question for our upcoming Question & Response episode: amyjuliabecker.com/qr/

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00:00 Introduction to Delight in Parenting

03:04 Understanding Delight and Its Importance

06:02 Expressing Delight: Practical Examples

09:14 Barriers to Delight: Agenda and Anxiety

12:06 Focusing on Strengths Over Deficits

15:05 Balancing Delight with Hardship

18:09 The Role of Self-Care in Parenting

21:09 Practical Steps to Cultivate Delight

23:59 Conclusion and Future Conversations

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Raising Girls by Melissa Trevathan and Sissy Goff
• Hope Heals Camp
• Amy Julia’s Reimagining Family Life with Disability workshop

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Sissy Goff, M. Ed., LPC-MHSP, is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her puppy counseling assistant-in-training, Patches the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets including NBC News, CNN, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and Christianity Today. She is the bestselling author of 14 books including her first full-color children’s book, Lucy Learns to be Brave: A Lesson in Courage. She is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. A transplanted Razorback who lives in Nashville, you can follow Sissy on Instagram @raisingboysandgirls and @sissygoff and at www.raisingboysandgirls.com.

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow on Instagram at @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!

"How could there be a good future in the midst of so much loss?" If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges of disability—or if you know a family walking that road—you won’t want to miss this conversation with Katherine Wolf. She is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. Together, Katherine and Amy Julia Becker explore how families can reimagine disability, build connection, and celebrate life—even when it doesn’t look the way they once imagined.

From the dinner table to the slow work of recovery, learn how to find delight in the story you have. Discover:

• How to experience joy in the process, not just the outcome
• Daily habits to cultivate gratitude and delight
• How to build a supportive, connected community
• Why purpose and contribution matter for every family

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Katherine’s books, resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities: hopeheals.com. 
• Luke 14

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WATCH this conversation on YouTube: Amy Julia Becker on YouTube

SUBSCRIBE to Amy Julia's Substack: amyjuliabecker.substack.com

JOIN the conversation on Instagram: @amyjuliabecker

LISTEN to more episodes: amyjuliabecker.com/shows/

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ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Katherine Wolf is an author, advocate, and co-founder of Hope Heals. After she survived a near-fatal brainstem stroke at age 26, her family’s journey through disability has become a public witness that good and hard can co-exist in the same story. Through caregiving, storytelling, and lived theology, Katherine is inviting others into a vision of hope, interdependence, and embodied resilience. She and her husband Jay live in Atlanta with their two sons.

Website: www.hopeheals.com 

Instagram: @hopeheals

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Take the Next Step is produced in collaboration with Hope Heals. Hope Heals creates sacred spaces of belonging and belovedness for families affected by disabilities to experience sustaining hope in the context of inclusive, intentional, inter-ability communities. Find out more about our resources, gatherings, and inter-ability communities at hopeheals.com. Follow us on Instagram @hopeheals.

We want to hear from you. Send us a text!