There is Purpose in your pain and Hope in your Journey from trauma to healing.
Ann Kagarise
Episiodes
A Mother’s Story Of FASD Advocacy And A Daughter’s Spark
A child can be hospitalized, overwhelmed by noise and light, judged for “behavior,” and still find a way to sparkle. We’re joined by Jodee Kulp, author, speaker, and longtime fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) advocate, to talk about her daughter Liz and the reality of living with prenatal alcohol exposure. Liz’s life refuses the usual storyline of limits: she creates workarounds on top of workarounds, finds ways to write when reading is hard, shows up to dialysis in colorful wigs, and keeps offering the world a clearer window into a brain most people never try to understand. We get practical about what helps and what harms. Sensory processing and nervous system overload often sit underneath big reactions, which changes how we should treat “meltdowns” at school, in clinics, and in the ER. Jodee shares the powerful empathy lesson Liz built with a simple sensory kit, plus the advocacy mindset that helped them navigate systems that weren’t designed for neurodivergent people. We also talk about why IQ scores and single “functioning level” labels can miss the truth, and how the Hager vortex reframes development as uneven, dynamic, and deeply human. You’ll also hear the stories behind Red Shoes Rock, the early FAS Day bell-ringing movement, and what happens when learning is rebuilt around strengths through homeschooling and brain-based methods. If you care about FASD support, disability advocacy, neurodiversity, caregiver resilience, or doing healthcare and education with more dignity, this conversation stays with you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review with one thing you’ll do differently after listening.
Growth at the speed of safety with Ann
Your brain can know you’re safe while your body still lives like danger is one corner away. That gap is where so many trauma survivors get stuck and it’s why “just move on” advice can feel impossible. We get honest about what happens when the nervous system doesn’t get the memo, how survival responses become personality, and why growth after trauma happens at the speed of safety, not pressure. We talk through the ways trauma can reshape expectation as much as memory: bracing, scanning rooms, struggling to rest, pushing people away, and waiting for the other shoe to drop. We also explore a painful twist many people recognize but rarely say out loud: sometimes success doesn’t feel safe. When celebration gets paired with grief or loss, your body can learn to downplay wins, refuse recognition, or stay ready for impact even during good moments. From there, we redefine what progress really looks like: noticing overwhelm before shutdown, saying no without a dissertation, pausing instead of pushing through, asking for help, and letting yourself receive love without flinching. We share practical questions you can use in real time, plus a clear distinction between boundaries and walls so safety doesn’t mean isolation. If this conversation helps you feel seen, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, share it with someone who needs a little permission today, and leave a review to help more people find Real Talk with Tina and Ann. .
Adassa the Voice of Encanto: What if the Detour is the Path
Disney magic rarely shows you the part where the dream takes an unplanned detour. Our guest, Adassa, the Golden Globe, Oscar, and Grammy-winning artist who voiced Dolores in Disney’s Encanto, tells the full behind-the-scenes story: the 20-plus years of sacrifice, the moves and setbacks, and the mindset that kept her working like the promise was still real even when life said otherwise. We talk about what it felt like to watch The Little Mermaid and suddenly see a future, how generational dreams shaped her own drive, and why representation matters when kids are trying to name their gifts. Then the Encanto moment hits with a twist: a YouTube video with roughly 300 views sparks Disney’s interest, her audition lands in spam, and one bold phone call keeps the opportunity alive. If you’ve ever wondered how casting, timing, and preparation really collide, you’ll love this part. The heart of the conversation is far deeper than fame. Adassa opens up about battling paralysis during COVID, confronting the terrifying loss of her voice and mobility, and relearning a core truth: our value is not our output. We also get into faith and grace, protecting your principles when the industry offers money and visibility, “stepping into purpose” when the future feels like a blind box, and why being willing matters more than being perfect. Love Keeps Showing Up and her album, Drink It Up are a must. Listen to her music while reading her memoir and be inspired. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s in a hard season, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What detour are you trying to make sense of right now?
From Grief to Justice on Death Row: Sophia Laurenzi’s Journey
We sit with writer Sophia Lorenzi as she tells the story of losing her dad to suicide and the shock of how “normal” things can look right before a crisis turns fatal. We also trace how her grief shaped her work as a death row investigator and why her writing insists on nuance, dignity, and seeing the whole person. • how suicide risk can stay invisible even with treatment • why “suicide is preventable” can add shame and blame • suicide as a public health crisis alongside rising rates • barriers to access including cost, overload, and lack of early care • the limits of crisis-only systems like short hospital stays • the four-hour window idea and what it means for intervention • what she learned investigating death row appeals • trauma, abuse, poverty, and the stories behind convictions • prisons as de facto mental health facilities • grief, perfectionism, and learning self-grace over time • family secrecy, survivor validation, and the weight of accountability • letting go of control and choosing boundaries • her memoir process and where to read her work To our listeners, if this conversation moved you, please share it. Someone you love might need to hear this today. If you know somebody that is suicidal or you might be yourself, please call 988 or go to any local authority or anywhere that you can to get help.
Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Building Better Workplaces for ALL Minds
In this episode, Ann interviews Jessica Lee from Neuro Talent Works and Melody Valenzuela from Rapport Educational. Together, they challenge the idea that workplace success means fitting into old systems, then map out how to redesign hiring and team norms so neurodivergent people can do their best work. We get practical about interviews, executive functioning, cognitive load, and the small supports that reduce stress while improving performance for everyone. • the origin story behind NeuroTalentWorks and the “who helps employers?” gap • reframing neurodiversity as human variation rather than an in-or-out label • three core shifts: education, less judgment, structural change • common misconceptions in interviews such as eye contact and response time • skills-based interviews that reveal real ability and build confidence • what executive functioning looks like on the job, including stress and working memory • cognitive load and how sensory and social demands quietly drain capacity • simple practices that reduce uncertainty such as agendas and shared notes • the “energy cost audit” for identifying high-drain moments and supports • universal design and team norms that make accommodations feel fair
Your Voice Tells a Story Long Before You Ever Say a Word: what is your Vocal Autobiography?
It reveals confidence or fear, safety or stress, belonging or isolation. It carries the experiences that shaped you, the messages you believed, and sometimes even the parts of yourself that learned to stay quiet just to survive. In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Barbara McAfee, author of Vocal Intelligence: Leading with Vitality, Presence, and Impact, to explore why finding your voice has very little to do with speaking louder and everything to do with becoming more fully yourself. We talk about why saying the "right" words isn't enough when your nervous system is telling a different story, and why so many people spend their lives speaking through a voice that was shaped by fear, trauma, perfectionism, or the pressure to fit in. Barbara traces the surprising roots of her work back to the aftermath of World War I, where pioneering discoveries revealed the healing power of voice and sound. From there, we bring the conversation into everyday life, exploring family secrets, shame, selective mutism, leadership, neurodivergence, and the exhausting effort of trying to keep up in a world that doesn't always understand how different minds communicate. Together, we discuss why expanding your vocal range isn't about performance—it's about creating more choices. Barbara shares practical ways to communicate with greater authenticity, explains how tone of voice can become a "decoder ring" for understanding others, and offers valuable insight for neurodivergent individuals, introverts, leaders, parents, and anyone who has ever felt misunderstood. We also dive into Barbara's fascinating Five Elements of Vocal Intelligence—Earth, Fire, Water, Metal, and Air—and how each one shapes the way we connect, lead, comfort, inspire, and express ourselves. Along the way, we explore why singing can unlock speech, how silence can become one of our greatest communication tools, and why our most authentic voice may already be inside us, simply waiting to be heard. If you've ever struggled to speak up, felt like your voice didn't matter, or wondered why communicating feels harder than it seems for everyone else, this conversation is for you. 🎙️ Listen now, subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that their voice matters—exactly as it is.
Ann talks to Life Coach Randi Crawford
.
Ann talks to Tamar Blue from Mental Happy
Ann talks to Children's Author Sarah Sparks on her books on helping kids with trauma and Neurodivergence
Video
Ann talks with Victoria Ellen on overcoming abuse
Ann and Denise Bard talk about the Weight of Secrets
Ann and Tina talk about Life gives you Lemons and All You Have is a Straw
Ann talks with RJ Formanek about FASD
Ann talks with kari Baker an Autism Advocate and founder of Finding KiND
Ann talks with Autism author and speaker: Ron Sandison
Welcome to Ann Kagarise's motivational speaking website!
Ann Kagarise is a neurodivergent speaker, advocate, and storyteller whose work is rooted in lived experience. As a neurodivergent adult and parent raising neurodivergent children, Ann brings a deeply personal and compassionate perspective to conversations about trauma, resilience, caregiving, and redefining success. She speaks openly about the realities of navigating diagnoses, advocating within complex systems, and learning how to build environments where different brains are supported rather than misunderstood.
As co-host of the podcast Real Talk with Tina and Ann, Ann creates honest and emotionally powerful discussions centered on mental health, neurodivergence, healing, and personal transformation. Her message is grounded in the belief that there is purpose in the pain and hope in the journey. Through storytelling, vulnerability, and practical insight, she helps audiences move beyond labels toward deeper understanding, connection, and growth.
Ann’s work bridges personal narrative with meaningful advocacy, helping caregivers, educators, professionals, and individuals feel seen, supported, and empowered. Whether speaking about neurodivergence, trauma-informed living, or overcoming adversity, she invites audiences to rethink traditional expectations and embrace a more compassionate, human-centered approach to success and healing.
Remember: There is purpose in the pain. There is hope in the journey.
🎤 SIGNATURE TALKS
🌿 Stuck on Success
Redefining success when life refuses to follow the expected path
In this powerful and relatable talk, Ann explores how traditional definitions of success can leave people feeling inadequate, exhausted, or disconnected from their authentic selves. Through personal storytelling and insight drawn from neurodivergence, trauma, and caregiving, she challenges audiences to question inherited expectations and redefine success through growth, resilience, and self-understanding. Participants walk away with a renewed perspective on achievement, permission to embrace nonlinear journeys, and practical tools for moving forward without shame.
❤️ Loving Differently
Neurodivergence, trauma, and the courage to love and live authentically
Based on Ann’s lived experience as a neurodivergent parent and advocate, this talk explores what it means to love differently — in relationships, parenting, and self-acceptance. Ann invites audiences into a compassionate understanding of neurodivergence and trauma, breaking down misconceptions while offering hope-filled strategies for connection and healing. This presentation resonates deeply with caregivers, educators, and anyone seeking to create more inclusive, emotionally safe spaces. Audiences leave with greater empathy, practical insight, and a powerful reminder that differences are not deficits but invitations to deeper understanding.
🌿 Caregiver Truth: What Diagnosis Really Feels Like
Supporting families navigating neurodivergence, trauma, and complex needs
Diagnosis is not just information. It is emotional transformation. In this powerful talk, Ann shares the real experience behind diagnosis day, helping caregivers and professionals understand the emotional, practical, and relational shifts that occur when new labels and challenges emerge. Audiences gain insight into trauma-informed caregiving, advocacy, and how to support families with compassion and clarity.
Best for:
- Parent groups
- Therapists
- Schools
- Disability and neurodiversity conferences
🧠 Neurodivergence Is Not a Deficit
Understanding different brains and redefining expectations
Through personal experience as a neurodivergent adult and parent, Ann challenges common misconceptions about autism, ADHD, FASD, and other neurodevelopmental differences. This talk helps audiences shift from deficit-based thinking to strength-informed understanding while learning practical ways to create environments that support diverse ways of thinking and learning.
This is really for people who are neurodivergent and for parents.
🔥 The Strong One’s Struggle
When the helper needs healing
Many caregivers, leaders, and helpers are known as “the strong one,” but strength often hides exhaustion and emotional isolation. Ann explores the hidden weight carried by those who support others, offering tools for self-compassion, boundary setting, and sustainable resilience.
Best for:
- Women’s conferences
- Caregiver events
- Leadership retreats
- Mental health audiences
🌼 Parenting Beyond Expectations
Raising neurodivergent children with compassion and flexibility
Traditional parenting advice does not always work for neurodivergent families. Ann shares trauma-informed strategies and mindset shifts that help caregivers support children without shame, focusing on connection, understanding, and adaptive approaches that meet kids where they are.
Best for:
- Parent workshops
- Foster/adoptive parent organizations
- Autism, Fetal Alcohol, ADHD, DiGeorge Syndrome, and neurodiversity communities
💬 Finding Your Voice After Trauma
Reclaiming identity, confidence, and purpose
This deeply personal talk explores how trauma impacts identity and communication, especially for neurodivergent individuals. Ann guides audiences through the journey of rediscovering voice, embracing authenticity, and transforming pain into meaningful purpose.
Best for:
- Mental health conferences
- Survivor support groups
- Women’s empowerment events
- Personal development conferences
.png/:/cr=t:50.75%25,l:0%25,w:100%25,h:45.45%25/rs=w:515,h:234,cg:true)