We’ve all hit that moment in an IEP meeting where the conversation just… stops. No agreement. No movement. Just two sides locked in place. That’s impasse — and when it happens at school, walking away isn’t really an option.

In this episode, I go back to the foundations of advocacy and negotiation to talk about what to do when discussions stall and you’re stuck in that uncomfortable space between what your child needs and what the school is willing to offer. Using real-life examples, we break down practical strategies parents can use when talks feel frozen.

This episode isn’t about being combative. It’s about being strategic. When school teams hold power and conversations feel circular, there are ways to reset the table without escalating conflict.

In this episode, I cover:

1. What “impasse” actually looks like in IEP negotiations
2. Why walking away isn’t an option in education
3. The importance of prioritizing before the meeting starts
4. How to reframe conversations when you’re stuck in loops
5. Using interest-based negotiation to uncover the real “why”
6. Bringing in new voices, data, and ideas to break stalemates
7. Practical ways to move conversations forward without burning bridges

If you’ve ever left a meeting feeling stuck, unheard, or unsure how to get negotiations moving again, this episode gives you a framework to reset the conversation and advocate with intention — not exhaustion.

Warm coffee optional. Persistence required.

Okay, "bullying" may be a strong term, but we've all been there. Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re being told “this is just how it is.” In this episode, in which I again take us back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP, we refocus on the advocacy and negotiation skills parents need when school teams hold the power and control the narrative.

While we often focus on practice and interventions, this episode zeroes in on what to do when school staff present information as unquestionable fact—and parents are left feeling talked over, dismissed, or subtly bullied. It comes from one of my first webinars I ever presented here at The Collaborative IEP, Simple Solutions to Seven Sticky IEP Situations!!!!

Using real-world examples I see daily in my advocacy and legal work, I walk through practical, accessible strategies for bringing conversations back to objectivity. From asking for data and documentation, to using the IEP’s structure strategically, to leveraging videos, research, and records requests, this episode is about reclaiming your footing at the IEP table.

In this episode, I cover:

1. The three core skills every parent advocate needs
2. Why power imbalances make advocacy so hard
3. How schools often “tell parents how it is”—and what to do about it
4. Practical ways to bring conversations back to objectivity
5. How to use the IEP process strategically to support your goals

If you’ve ever left an IEP meeting feeling confused, steamrolled, or unsure how to push back without blowing things up, this episode will help you reset, refocus, and advocate with clarity and confidence—heating pad and all.

Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—even when you know a lot. In this episode, I come back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP and refocus on the advocacy side of special education.

I revisit the three skills I believe are essential to advocating successfully for your child: understanding special education law, understanding special education practice, and having strong advocacy and negotiation skills. While we’ve spent a lot of time on practice, this episode zeroes in on the third skill—negotiation.

I walk through a mediation strategy I use to avoid piecemeal decision-making and protect flexibility during negotiations. Using a real-world example, I explain why resolving issues one at a time can limit outcomes and how a more strategic, visual approach can lead to better results at the IEP table.

In this episode, I cover:

1. The three core skills every parent advocate needs
2. Why negotiation strategy matters in special education
3. How mediation works in special education disputes
4. A practical strategy for keeping all issues on the table during negotiation

If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you’re missing something in your advocacy, this episode will help you refocus on the skills that actually move the needle.

Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—even when you know a lot. In this episode, I go back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP to break down the three essential skills every parent advocate needs to navigate special education with more confidence and less burnout.

Along the way, I share a very real “life lately” check-in, including the challenges of an unstructured holiday break, the emotional weight of comparison, and why even experienced advocates can feel knocked off their feet when it comes to their own kids.

You’ll learn:

1. Why understanding special education law matters (and how to learn it without drowning in statutes)
2. How to build working knowledge of teaching practices and disability impacts—even if you’re not an expert
3. The overlooked but critical role of advocacy and negotiation strategy at the IEP table

This episode is equal parts practical guidance, honest reflection, and reassurance that you’re not doing this wrong—you’re doing something hard. Whether you’re brand new to advocacy or deep into the DIY phase, this conversation will help you refocus on the skills that actually move the needle for your child.

You’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure this out all by yourself.

And PS. I accidentally said Ray Nelson is speaking at the Conference. He's not. He's speaking to my Membership later this year! We'd love to have you!

If you’ve ever looked around at your life and thought, “Why does everything feel so hard and why am I handling it better than I expected?” — this conversation is going to feel like a long exhale.

Today, I’m joined by my friend Kara Riska, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast and a seasoned coach who helps mothers navigate the emotional load of raising children with disabilities. What started as a totally different recording plan (long story) turned into a deeply honest conversation about stress, shifting seasons, burnout, identity, and what it actually looks like to feel grounded when life is objectively… a lot.

In this episode, we walk through:

• The kind of stress that builds slowly — across medical uncertainty, school challenges, family transitions, and the invisible emotional load
• Why you can feel the most overwhelmed and the most grounded at the exact same time
• How chronic stress shows up physically (hello, hot flashes, migraines, fatigue, and adrenal burnout)
• Kara’s perspective on what coping actually looks like when your nervous system is constantly asked to stretch beyond its limits
• The difference between “fixing your life” and changing the way you relate to it
• The role of control — why some of us grip everything tightly, and how loosening that grip changes everything
• The turning point: giving yourself permission to slow down, let go, and build a life that doesn’t run on adrenaline and achievement
• How community, connection, and coaching provide the scaffolding most of us don’t realize we need

This episode is messy, real, heartfelt, and full of those “oh wow… me too” moments that make you feel less alone in motherhood, advocacy, and the unpredictable seasons of life.

If you’re navigating stress you can’t simply “opt out” of — but you want to feel more grounded, more whole, and more like yourself again — this conversation may be a welcome companion.

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If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, “How can someone so smart fall apart over a planner, a backpack, or one tiny assignment?” — this episode is going to feel like a deep breath.

Today I’m talking about something I’m seeing everywhere right now: executive functioning struggles that masquerade as motivation or behavior issues. Between advocacy work, school visits, and conversations with families, I’m hearing the same themes — kids who want to do well but genuinely can’t keep up with the planning, organizing, remembering, and transitioning that school demands.

I break down what executive functioning really is, why it tanks for some kids (especially around puberty), and the simple supports that make a huge difference at home and at school.

Here’s what I cover:

• Why executive functioning struggles aren’t “won’t do” problems — they’re “can’t do yet”

• How visual agendas and checklists make task initiation and follow-through so much easier

• Using timers to support transitions, attention, and emotional regulation

• Chunking big assignments so kids don’t shut down before they even start

• Helping kids self-monitor and understand what “successful” looks like

• How to trial supports at home and then communicate what works to school teams

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to start, you’re not alone. These quick wins can bring immediate relief — and give your child the structure and support they need to feel capable again.

If you’ve ever sat in an IEP meeting thinking, “How on earth are multilingual families supposed to navigate this?” — this episode is going to feel like a deep breath and a flashlight.

I’m joined by Colleen, a speech-language pathologist turned advocate who spends her days doing two things most people only talk about: supporting bilingual learners in early intervention and showing up at the IEP table alongside families who need a knowledgeable partner in their corner. She’s the real deal — part SLP, part advocate, and fully committed to helping parents participate meaningfully in a process that wasn’t designed with them in mind.

We dig into what actually gets in the way for multilingual families, why translation and interpretation aren’t “nice to have” but legally required, and how school teams can stop relying on Google Translate as a strategy (spoiler: it’s not a strategy).

In this episode, we discuss:

• The rights to translated documents and qualified interpreters — and why timelines are so murky

• How incomplete or software-generated translations derail meaningful participation

• The difference between a true language disorder and a language difference

• Why proper bilingual assessment matters (and what happens when it doesn’t)

• Classroom supports that help multilingual learners and everyone else

• Where families can start when they can’t find a bilingual advocate in their area

If you’ve been feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or unsure how to help families who don’t speak English navigate the IEP process, take a breath — this conversation will leave you informed, encouraged, and better equipped to create a truly accessible path forward for every child.

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If you’ve ever wondered whether your child’s struggles with reading are actually connected to ADHD, learning differences, confidence, or all of the above, this episode is going to feel like a giant exhale.

I’m joined by Megan Penrod, founder of Developing Readers Academy, who brings a fresh, whole-child approach to literacy. Yes, she teaches phonics. Yes, she uses Orton-Gillingham. But she also teaches kids what neurons are, how their brains grow, and why a mistake isn’t a failure — it’s a “pot of gold” that helps build a new pathway. (Honestly? I want someone to talk to me like that.)

Megan and I dig into what actually helps struggling readers make progress, why confidence and self-talk matter just as much as decoding skills, and how parents can feel empowered instead of overwhelmed. Her approach blends evidence-based reading instruction with emotional resilience and brain science — and the results speak for themselves.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why traditional reading interventions sometimes fall flat

• How understanding the brain boosts reading confidence

• The “ADHD Success Triangle” and where reading fits in

• What families really need to know to support struggling learners

• Why mistakes are golden (literally) when it comes to building new neural pathways

If you’ve been feeling stuck, stressed, or unsure about the next right step for your child, take a breath — this episode will leave you feeling grounded, encouraged, and better equipped to move forward with clarity.

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