#160 - Survival Mode
Seasons of extreme stress can be expected and it is important for care providers to respect the impact that stress has on the body. This episode is an intimate share about a two year period of time that the family was operating in survival mode and how they made it out the other side. Joining the conversation is Mary Susan McConnell. Kim and Mary Susan swap stories and strategies that have supported their caregiving journeys.
About the Guest: Mary Susan McConnell, Ed.D
Mary Susan is the host of the popular Mama Bear Podcast- a space she created for fellow women raising kids with disabilities and/or profound circumstances. She is married to singer/songwriter Sean McConnell and is the mother to their 8 year old Ghanaian beauty, The Magical Abiella. As a former middle school teacher, she has her Master's in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment and her Doctorate in Special Education. In her spare time she likes to work in her pottery studio, stalk the Carter Family on Instagram, and dance like everybody's watching.
Mary Susan’s mission is to help women around the world hear other people say the things they are already feeling. As the mother to a child with profound disabilities, she knows the power of connecting with other people who get it. This unique world of parenting can be both isolating and overwhelming. It is Mary Susan’s mission to help women feel seen, breathe deeper, acknowledge their innate badassery, and approach their lives with a sense of bravery, excitement, and perhaps a little bit of humor. Whether it’s her art, her podcast, her membership, her ebook “We’re Going to Have Fun, Damnit” or her coaching sessions- her goal is to connect with folks’ unique journeys and have a helluva good time doing it.
Related Episodes
Season 5, Episode 128: Our Educational Journey
Season 4, Episode 120: Families in Crisis
Season 3, Episode 81: When Your Faith Feels Fragile
Season 3: Episode 76: Caregiver Physical Health
Season 3: Episode 74: Caregiver Emotional and Mental Health
Season 2: Episode 51: Aching Joy