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Artwork for The Special Needs Mom Podcast

The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Kara Ryska
Parenting
Self-Care
Mental Health
Anxiety
Community Support
Special Needs Parenting
Loneliness
Grief
Coaching
Special Needs
Divorce
Special Needs Motherhood
Motherhood
Gardening
Single Mothers
SCN8A
Cute Syndrome Foundation
Special Needs Children
Rare Genetic Conditions
Patient Advocacy

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... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes297Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Mental HealthParentingHealth & FitnessKids & Family

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Latest Episodes

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)

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.

Read the ... more

YouTube

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)

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, ... more

YouTube

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)

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 ... more

YouTube

Send us a text (Note: we are not able to respond but LOVE to hear from you!!)

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 mo... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Joy Shaw
Holistic coach and transformation facilitator; stroke survivor
Self-employed
Episode: Learning to Live Inside the Life You Didn’t Choose with Joy Shaw
Erin Popp
Licensed educational psychologist with 30+ years of experience; private practice clinician
Private practice; formerly in Southern California school districts
Episode: Digging Deep Without Trying Harder: A Different Kind of Healing with Erin Popp
Anika Atkins
Ethics educator and special needs mom
Episode: Medical Mistakes, Ethical Repair, and How Caregivers Rebuild Trust with Anika Atkins
Misty Coy Snyder
Advocate for Down syndrome awareness, host of the podcast Bold Voices, Soft Hearts, and author.
Episode: The Next Right Thing: How to Move Forward When You Feel Stuck with Misty Coy Snyder
Carrie Holt
Speaker, author, and podcaster with nearly two decades of experience raising a child with complex medical needs.
Host of This Unexpected Life
Episode: Why Fixing Feels So Heavy (and Acceptance Feels So Light) with Carrie Holt
Cynthia Schultz
Author and advocate for individuals with disabilities, mother of four including a child with developmental disabilities
Author of 'Shine On, Raising Our Children with Disabilities to Lead Bright, Happy Lives'
Episode: Balancing Identities: Mother, Professional, Advocate, Woman with Cynthia Schulz
Sara Davis
A wife, mom of two, and homeschooling parent from South Carolina, Sara contributes to the book 'The Courage to Raise', sharing her journey of grief and hope as a special needs mom.
Episode: Things Will Get Better with Sara Davis
Nikki McIntosh
Founder of Rare Mamas, a resource and community dedicated to empowering mothers of children with rare diseases.
Episode: When Motherhood Awakens the Fighter in You with Nikki McIntosh
Catherine Marston
Author, health coach and blogger who specializes in helping women with special needs children
Episode: What Happens When You Stop Looking for a Way Out with Catherine Marston

Host

Kara
Life coach, wife, and mom to four children; host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast; affiliated with The Special Needs Mom Podcast

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 168 ratings
  • Interesting and worthwhile podcast

    Host Kara Ryska depicts well the day to day experiences of parents of children with special needs. Well worth a listen.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cmardent
    United States7 months ago
  • Together is the only way!

    I came across Kara’s podcast when I was in the initial stages of my daughter’s diagnosis a few years back and was brought to tears just listening to the intro. This is a woman who truly gets it and offers powerful insight that makes you feel seen and heard as a special needs Mama. If you feel stuck, unable to move forward and need a little inspiration, this podcast is for you!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jaxnboots22
    United States10 months ago
  • Kara has given me the keys to be a better mom in this complex and often discouraging world of special needs. She shares from the heart and also with deep wisdom!

    Audible
    5
    Anika Atkins
    United Statesa year ago
  • Kara’s real life experience with continued Mindset towards wisdom and self growth! Best online resource out there!

    Kara has given me the keys to be a better mom in this complex and often discouraging world of special needs. She shares from the heart and also with deep wisdom!

    Audible
    5
    Anika Atkins
    United Statesa year ago
  • Truly Impactful

    I’m somewhat new to the podcast world and foolishly believed a podcast had to have an insane amount of reviews in order to be deemed “good”. This podcast had me crying, smiling, and honestly took my breath away at times because the words shared were so immensely felt. As a special needs mom, I drown in worry and feelings of guilt that I’m not enough for my child. Instead of relaxing and trying to take care of myself, I’m overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and a continued quest to give my daughte... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    H Bourgeois
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many note it offers hopeful, grounding content that helps with burnout, grief, and daily caregiving challenges.
Listeners describe it as a supportive community that helps them feel seen and less alone.
Guests are viewed as authentic and valuable, providing real-world tools and encouragement.
The show is praised for compassionate, practical guidance and vulnerability from the host and guests.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Fixing Feels So Heavy (and Acceptance Feels So Light) with Carrie Holt
Q: What does acceptance mean to you in the context of raising children with special needs?
Acceptance means recognizing the truth of our situation while also affirming that it's okay to feel grief or sadness about it.
Why Fixing Feels So Heavy (and Acceptance Feels So Light) with Carrie Holt
Q: What do you experience in this fixing energy when you think about it?
There's a tension of wanting to control and fix due to fear and insecurities, and it often leads to guilt when things are not perfect.
Balancing Identities: Mother, Professional, Advocate, Woman with Cynthia Schulz
Q: How did you cope with being the front runner and the advocate that's literally pioneering this?
Cynthia coped with being an advocate by getting energized from challenges and refusing to accept 'no' as an answer, which drove her persistence in finding solutions for her daughter.
Balancing Identities: Mother, Professional, Advocate, Woman with Cynthia Schulz
Q: What was that impact for you like?
Cynthia discusses having multiple identities as a parent, professional, and woman, highlighting that she needed to balance her role as a special needs mom with her other identities to prevent being consumed by the role.
Faith, Trauma & Transformation with Katelyn Johnson
Q: What would you say to those who think God doesn't give you more than you can handle?
Katelyn jokes about wanting to throat punch those making that statement, but explains that she believes God gives us more than we can handle so we can lean on him for support.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Special Needs Mom Podcast

What is The Special Needs Mom Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on life as a caregiver to a medically complex child, offering practical strategies for self-care, grounding, and building community. Episodes regularly explore burnout, guilt, grief, and the emotional rollercoaster of caregiving, balanced with hopeful coaching guidance, structured programs, and real-world tips from guests and the host. The format often blends personal storytelling with actionable frameworks to help listeners feel seen, less isolated, and better equipped to navigate daily challenges while pursuing a more balanced life. A notable through-line is the emphasis on community support, vulnerability, and pathways to peace through coaching and peer connection.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Special Needs Mom Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Special Needs Mom Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Special Needs Mom Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Special Needs Mom Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The Special Needs Mom Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Special Needs Mom Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Special Needs Mom Podcast:

1. Overcome the Overwhelm for Special Needs Moms
2. Uniquely Human: The Podcast
3. The Lazy Genius Podcast
4. Emotionally Uncomfortable
5. The Mel Robbins Podcast

How many episodes of The Special Needs Mom Podcast are there?

The Special Needs Mom Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 297 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

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View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The Special Needs Mom Podcast?

Recent guests on The Special Needs Mom Podcast include:

1. Joy Shaw
2. Erin Popp
3. Anika Atkins
4. Misty Coy Snyder
5. Carrie Holt
6. Cynthia Schultz
7. Sara Davis
8. Nikki McIntosh

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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