In this deeply personal and powerful episode, Brian speaks with Michelle Michelle Choairy—a medical sales professional turned special needs advocate—about the emotional journey of raising a child with a rare genetic condition. Michelle shares her son’s diagnosis story, how it shifted her perspective on parenting, and the THRIVE framework she now uses to support other families raising complex kids.

They discuss the hard truths of grief, letting go of expectations, and the beauty of finding a community that truly gets it. If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child—or know someone who is—this conversation offers validation, encouragement, and actionable hope.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Michelle moved from guilt to acceptance after her son’s diagnosis

• The power of community when parenting neurodivergent children

• Why comparison is the thief of joy—and how to stop doing it

• How Michelle created the THRIVE framework to help other families breathe again

• Why grieving expectations is a necessary part of healing

• How advocacy helped Michelle find compassion and renewed purpose

Key Quotes:

“It was a single letter change in his DNA. That clarity lifted years of guilt.”
“Comparison keeps you stuck. Acceptance sets you free.”
“Community is when someone pours wine, handles the meltdown, and keeps the conversation going.”

🤝 Know someone who would benefit from listening to this incredible conversation? Share this episode. Subscribe, review, and help us spread hope and solidarity to families who need it.

Episode Overview

Join us for a heartfelt conversation about what it really means to be human beyond diagnoses and labels.

Alex talks about growing up in a military family, moving every two years, and how a life of constant transition shaped a mindset of embracing change and staying curious. We talk about savoring each moment, finding joy in the journey instead of obsessing over the destination, and what it looks like to live more authentically.

We also explore how navigating chronic pain has led Alex to honor the body, set boundaries, and protect a healthy life–work balance. Along the way, we look at how labels like “autistic” and “neurotypical” can divide us, and why we need more inclusive, compassionate ways of seeing each other.

Through stories, reflection, and a bit of philosophy, this episode invites you to focus on human connection and to live with curiosity and compassion.

Tune in for an inspiring discussion that challenges all of us to look beyond the surface and truly connect with one another on a human level.

• The Quest for Authenticity
  How to stay real in a world that rewards polish and perfection. We talk about dropping the mask, being human together, and connecting beyond social expectations.

• Living Beyond Labels
  A deeper look at identity beyond terms like “autistic,” “neurotypical,” or “neurodivergent.” We explore the idea that we are always more than our diagnoses, roles, or job titles.

• Embracing Change and Uncertainty
  From frequent moves to new environments, Alex shares how a life in motion became a masterclass in embracing change and finding growth in the unknown.

• The Power of Curiosity and Connection
  Why curiosity is one of the most powerful tools we have. We talk about approaching life and other people with an open heart and mind, and how that changes the quality of our relationships.

• Navigating Chronic Pain and Entrepreneurship
  A candid look at managing chronic pain while running a business. Alex shares real strategies for balancing work, health, and self-care, offering solidarity to anyone living with ongoing pain.

This episode is a celebration of life in all its complexity, from the joy of small victories to the resilience it takes to face personal and universal challenges. Through stories of growth, change, and the pursuit of authenticity, you will be encouraged to move through life with more curiosity, compassion, and an open heart.

We would love to hear what resonated with you in this conversation. Share your thoughts in the comments or reach out directly.

• Connect with Brian on social: @brianrkingmsw

• Connect with Alex on social: @alexcoward.arc

What if the key to a calmer life wasn’t more control—but clearer values?

In this thought‑provoking conversation, Brian and Dr. Chris Wyatt explore the power of kindness, listening, and self‑honesty as guiding principles for navigating both autism and everyday life. Chris shares how logic, empathy, and structure help him balance family, academia, and the unpredictable nature of being human.

It’s a conversation that bridges data and heart—where practicality meets compassion, and where self‑care becomes a form of leadership.

🎧 Tune in and discover how a little structure, a lot of honesty, and intentional kindness can change the way you show up for yourself—and everyone around you.

What if accessibility wasn't just about ramps and doorways—but relationships, resilience, and reimagining how we include each other?

In this conversation, Jenna Udenberg joins Brian to explore what it really means to advocate for a more accessible world. From her early diagnosis to becoming a leader in inclusive design and disability education, Jenna shares how frustration became fuel—and how she's building a movement that’s meant to last.

Prepare for bold honesty, unexpected humor, and the kind of insight that stays with you long after the episode ends.

🎧 Hit play and discover why “with you” isn’t just a tagline—it’s a way of life.

What happens when life pushes you to your emotional limit, and instead of snapping—you write a novel? In this deeply moving episode, Brian sits down with Canadian author Mila Maxwell for an honest, soul-searching conversation about identity, vulnerability, and the healing power of storytelling.

Mila opens up about growing up with a sister who has cerebral palsy, navigating emotions she didn’t always feel allowed to express, and how writing fiction gave her permission to tell the truth in a way that finally felt safe. From anxiety in childhood to hypervigilance as a parent, she shares what it's taken to dismantle old emotional patterns—and how her debut novel has not only helped her heal, but helped others feel seen.

What You’ll Learn:

• How writing fiction became a safe space for truth-telling

• Why lowered expectations and high standards can lead to emotional resilience

• How growing up with a neurodivergent sibling shaped Mila’s emotional landscape

• The shift from survival mode to intentional self-regulation

• How parenting, therapy, and creativity can unlock buried emotions

Powerful Quotes:

“Her struggles don’t diminish mine. I’m allowed to feel things.”
“I’ve lowered my expectations, but I’ve raised my standards.”
“I didn’t let it out, because I didn’t know how. But the writing—changed that.”

Highlights:

• Mila’s vulnerable look at emotional armor, self-compassion, and finding balance

• The origin story behind her novel—and the sentence that came to her just before sleep

• How fictionalizing her life gave her more creative freedom (and emotional safety)

• A peek into what it’s like parenting after growing up with complex family dynamics

  
  

  Follow Up with Mila:

  Instagram

  Facebook

  Mila's Site

In this heartwarming and humorous episode, Brian chats with author and crafter Julie Rowe about how choosing joy, even in the face of life’s toughest moments, can transform not only your day—but others' as well.

From caregiving and creativity to surviving wildfires with humor and grace, Julie shares powerful stories that remind us of the profound impact of small kindnesses and the importance of crafting a life of connection.

Whether she’s folding paper into art, teaching communication workshops with homemade muffins, or rescuing a lost pregnant stranger, Julie lives her values out loud.

Tune in to hear how ADHD, authorship, and a deep love for humanity all weave into her inspiring story.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why choosing happiness is a decision, not a reaction

• How acts of kindness—even small ones—can ripple out in big ways

• The science and creativity behind Julie’s romantic thrillers

• How crafting and teaching have helped Julie build community and resilience

• What her ADHD diagnosis taught her later in life

• Why food is the universal language of connection

  
  

  You Can Connect with Julie:

  • Julie Rowe’s website
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Bookbub
  • Amazon Author
  • Goodreads
  • Universal book link

When Brian and Stella reunited for their long-overdue conversation, it wasn’t just a catching-up session; it was a masterclass in vulnerability, lineage, and emotional leadership disguised as a podcast interview.

The episode opened like an old friendship picking up mid-sentence. No awkward preamble. Just immediate warmth.

“Oh my God, it’s been forever,” Brian said, grinning through the mic.

“Ages,” Stella agreed, already laughing.

Brian had recently undergone a major health transformation, sparked by a dietary overhaul he and his wife tackled together. It wasn’t a hero’s journey, he insisted, just two people falling off the wagon occasionally, and always climbing back on. “It’s one of the hardest things to practice consistently,” he admitted. “But we’re doing it. Imperfectly, but together.”

That sense of showing up for something bigger than yourself became the invisible thread of the entire conversation.

What unfolded next was something that couldn’t have been scripted.

Brian, surprised and curious, brought up a social media post Stella had made about a trip back to her homeland—Moldova. He’d never met anyone from there before and asked the kind of question only someone genuinely interested in you would ask: How did returning home change you?

Stella didn’t hold back. She described leaving Moldova during Soviet times, living in Romania, then moving to the UK. But her identity didn’t travel neatly across borders. It got layered, reshaped, tangled.

Her recent return to Moldova wasn’t a nostalgic vacation, it was a reckoning. She had missed weddings, funerals, and entire chapters of her family’s life. So she decided to write her own. Stella organized a family reunion—an event that wasn’t about any one person, but all of them. A tribute to the living, the dead, and the bonds stretched thin by distance and silence.

People were confused at first. “What are we celebrating?” they asked.

“Everyone,” Stella told them. “We’re celebrating everyone.”

She spoke with the kind of conviction that makes people forget they were hesitant. And they came. Cousins she hadn’t seen in 20 years. Aunties. Uncles. Even skeptics. They shared food, photos, and (unexpectedly) deeply buried stories.

One moment she described felt like a scene straight out of a healing parable. Stella had everyone go around the table and build an imaginary story, sentence by sentence. It started as play… and turned into testimony. Childhood memories poured out. Stories of war. Of survival. Of abandonment and reunion. Things no one had ever spoken aloud before.

“You don’t call it a healing event,” Brian said. “But that’s exactly what it was.”

He shared how, in contrast, his own extended family had drifted apart. Generational trauma had bred emotional distance. Holidays were the extent of their connection. “We could’ve had an incredible support network,” he said. “But we’re just… not connected.”

Stella didn’t preach. She didn’t offer easy fixes. But she did offer something else: hope grounded in action. She walked the cemetery rows with her parents. Asked about her ancestors. Found out her great-grandmother was killed in the war, that trauma had migrated silently through her DNA for decades. The nightmares, the visions, the weight—suddenly, they made sense.

Brian nodded, visibly moved.

“Imagine how long someone can carry something until someone finally asks.”

That, they agreed, was the key: Show up. Ask. Be willing to feel awkward or unsure. Be willing to not know what will happen.

Stella’s voice softened:

“It’s underestimated, just showing up. But it can change everything.”

By the end of the conversation, Brian framed it simply:

“Gratitude is the healing side of grief. They’re two sides of the same coin.”

No fancy credentials. No awards. Just two people talking. And in doing so, modeling exactly the kind of healing they were advocating for—one story at a time.

Connect with Stella

YouTube

www.stellatudor.com

Facebook

Instagram

In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with my longtime friend, Carrie Capes, whose life embodies the power of action and the transformative impact of authentic connection. Carrie opens up about her journey as the mother of Max, a young man with multiple disabilities including being nonverbal and hearing-impaired. Facing challenges that would overwhelm many, Carrie discovered the profound healing potential of animals.She founded HorsePower Therapeutic Riding, a nonprofit that has touched countless lives—from children with disabilities to veterans and survivors of trauma. Through the intuitive bond between humans and horses, Carrie has helped individuals find confidence, community, and a renewed sense of purpose.But her mission didn't stop there. Recognizing the ongoing needs of Max after he aged out of public school, Carrie pivoted once again. She launched a doggy daycare and training business right from her home, where Max plays an integral role. This venture not only provides valuable services to pet owners but also creates a nurturing environment where Max and others can thrive.Throughout our conversation, we delve into the importance of putting values into action, the healing power of community, and the necessity of self-care—even touching on Carrie's upcoming seclusion retreat for personal renewal. Carrie's story is a testament to resilience, compassion, and the incredible impact one person can have when they choose to live authentically and serve others.Join us for an inspiring dialogue that will challenge you to reflect on your own life and consider how you, too, can make a meaningful difference.