Thoughtful Spaces And Joyful Places - Custom Joy

Sept. 25, 2023

When we first spoke with Tiffany Dill several months ago it was about her Universal Design Consulting firm, Blue Day 2. As of July 1, 2023, she has combined her talents and passion for accessible design with Gretchen Kingma,…

60. With Liberty and Access For All: MDRC

July 17, 2023

We all have two basic needs as human beings. One is to be authentic, to live our lives in a manner that reflects our true selves. The other human need is to be accepted within a community. When these two need conflict, w…

Sweet Dream are Made of These: The ZPod Story

June 19, 2023

Many people seem to have a "problematic" relationship with sleep. We take medications to keep us awake...and we take medications to make us sleep. But sleep...a GOOD night's sleep, is essential to our psychological and phy…

They Listen, They Care

March 6, 2023

Individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families often find themselves dealing with complexity and even intentional obfuscation as they navigate the path of Medicaid eligibility and b…

57. Collaborating and Trust, some help with planning for the future

Dec. 8, 2022

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry!" is an old and unfortunately true statement. And "best laid plans" often "go awry" for two reasons. 1) poor planning...or no planning, and 2) people don't work collaborativ…

56. Barriers to the Ballot

July 21, 2022

Voting is a constitutional right for an overwhelming majority of Americans, but the reality is people with disabilities, racial minorities and economically challenged individuals face far more obstacles to voting than most v…

55. An Anecdotal Field Guide for The Rest of Us

July 7, 2022

In this new book, Tracee offers you the tips she remembers, stories of adversity and success, to document her personal battles with self and others in a position to grant or deny life-saving tools, equipment, and the access …

54. Vitalxchange - The Uber of Diability Resources

June 24, 2022

If you set out to climb the Himalayas it would be wise to hire a sherpa. Why, you ask? Because the climb may be treacherous and your mistakes very costly! A sherpa has been on the path many times and knows how to climb to th…

53. A Deep Dive into Courage

April 29, 2022

There is a gulf between changing a world and changing THE world, and the difference is the people who help build the steam needed to bring about true and lasting change to the way a society approaches a topic. Earlier this s…

52. Advocacy and Education for Independence

April 14, 2022

Affordable, accessible housing, transportation and internet availability are serious issues for people with disabilities in just about every state in the USA. It is especially problematic in rural areas. As if these challe…

51. It's BROKEN - Let's Fix It: Support the NADSP

April 3, 2022

Imagine engaging an architect to create plans for the perfect house to fill all your needs.... You are excited about turning this dream into a reality…but then discovering there is no one to do the excavation for the foundat…

Faith, Love & Courage Pt 2

Dec. 22, 2021

Episode 2 - Love and the Audacity of Change Most movements for social change are identified with a few prominent and well-known leaders. For instance, people like Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, amon…

48. Faith, Love & Courage Pt 1

Dec. 15, 2021

Family, Faith, and the Seed of Self Advocacy Most movements for social change are identified with a few prominent and well-known leaders. For instance, people like Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, amo…

47. Caring About and Beyond

Dec. 2, 2021

It is not ever comfortable discussion what happens after someone dies. But when it comes to the death of care providing parents conversations need to happen and plans must be made. Legal, financial and Medicaid Planning are …

46. The Many Flavors of Medicaid Waivers 301 - Children's Waivers & Independent Facilitation

Nov. 18, 2021

When you have a child with a developmental or intellectual disability your life gets complex. Often it becomes overwhelming. Navigating a path to find the right resources is essential. Today's episode is about two Medicai…

45. The Many Flavors of Medicaid Waivers 201

Nov. 10, 2021

Imagine yourself on a vacation to a country where your native language is not spoken. Let's say Portugal. You do not know how to speak or read Portuguese, but you are given a map to help you get around.... but the map (of co…

44. The Many Flavors of Medicaid Waivers

Nov. 3, 2021

Our show today is “The Different Flavors of Medicaid Waivers” …. but you are also going to hear a lot of discussion about person-centered-planning (PCP) and the proper use of two assessment tools associated with person cente…

43. Navigating The Risks/Rewards of Relationships

Oct. 27, 2021

Growing up can be hard. Especially the teenage years. And even more so if the teenager in question has social skill deficits. As humans we are all "hard wired" for relationships with other humans. Individuals living with aut…

Being Here Now, an introduction to NLAWKI's Mindful Moments

Sept. 29, 2021

I'm probably showing my age...but some of you might remember the routine of "defragging" your computer to allow it to work more quickly and efficiently. It was once described to be as allowing your computer to take some time…

42. The Right Place To Land - Finding the Best Nest

Sept. 22, 2021

"There's no place like home!" In the Wizard of Oz Dorothy said these words and clicked the heels of her ruby slippers three times. Instantly she was transported back to her farm home in Kansas. This makes for an enduring sto…

41. Forgiveness: The Pathway from Emotional Pain to Growth

Sept. 15, 2021

Everyone has heard the phrase "forgive and forget." That isn't always possible, or even advisable. It is important to remember. To recall emotional pain that has played a destructive role in the course of your life and in…

40. Finding The Emerald City

Sept. 8, 2021

Remember Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz? She had an impossible task. First retrieve the broom stick of the Wicked Witch and deliver it to the Wizard of Oz who would grant her wish to return to her home in Kansas. Doesn't life …

39. Letting Go and Letting Grow

Sept. 2, 2021

It's hard to let go of things...and I have a garage filled with items I should have let go of years ago. But I keep thinking, maybe I'll find a use for this "thing." But I hardly if ever do. It is much different letting go o…

38. A Short Bridge to Inclusion

Aug. 26, 2021

Bridges create opportunities for connection. They empower travel to visit people and places that might otherwise be inaccessible. And they often unite people together to pursue common goals. Some are span enormous distances …

37. The Risks of "Integrated Care"

Aug. 18, 2021

The Space Shuttle, with over 2.5 million parts, 230 miles of wire and 1,060 plumbing valves was once described as the most complex "machine" ever made by man. For successful results it's mission requirements complex systems …

36. Charting The Labyrinth of Planning and Services

Aug. 11, 2021

Most of us at one time or another have driven down a dark road and found ahead of us a deer transfixed, staring into our headlights? Have you ever felt like you have something in common with the deer? In the disability commu…

35. A Proven Recipe for Inclusive Employment

Aug. 4, 2021

"You can't age out of being in a family" according to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Director of the Friendship Circle in Bloomfield Michigan. Over the past 27 years as children within the Friendship Circle have grown so has …

34. A Party with a Purpose - Coordinating Goals and Support for a Self Determined Life

July 28, 2021

Today’s episode is an interview with Annette Downey, the Executive Director of Community Living Services , an organization that provides Independent Support Coordinators, (abbreviated as ISCs) for Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and…

The Art of Conversation via Chat Chains

July 14, 2021

We're back and we've got a new trick! NLAWKI Returns a couple weeks ahead of our OFFICIAL SEASON 2 START DATE with a special release about a new way to learn conversation skills - CHAT CHAINS! Check out the links below and m…