137. Advocacy Through Experience: Storytelling, Systems, and Supporting Families with Paula Yost

In this episode, we sit down with Paula Yost—attorney, licensed mental health clinician, and advocate—to explore what it truly means to advocate for children and families navigating complex systems. Paula shares how her lived experiences, from parenting to surviving medical trauma, have shaped her approach to advocacy, storytelling, and support. Together, we unpack the realities behind IEPs and 504 plans, the gaps families face in education and healthcare systems, and how storytelling can transform grief into growth. This conversation offers both practical insight and a powerful reminder that advocacy is as much about human connection as it is about systems change.In this episode, you will be able to:Discover how lived experience shapes advocacy in education, healthcare, and foster systems.Learn what every parent should know before walking into an IEP or 504 meeting.Understand the gaps in support for families navigating special needs, trauma, and medical systems.Gain insight into how storytelling can create healing, connection, and meaningful change.The key moments in this episode are:00:00:00 - Introduction & Whiny Farmer Intro00:02:00 - Meet Paula Yost: Legal and Clinical Perspectives00:06:30 - Parenting, Creativity, and Critical Thinking00:10:15 - From Grief to Growth: The Power of Storytelling00:14:40 - Advocacy for Special Needs Children & IEP Insights00:18:55 - Understanding IEPs vs. 504 Plans (Data Breakdown)00:22:10 - Navigating Medical Dismissal & Preeclampsia Experience00:26:35 - Foster Care, Trauma, and Education Gaps00:30:50 - What Parents Actually Need (But Rarely Receive)00:34:20 - Using Storytelling to Heal and Advocate00:38:00 - Final Thoughts & ClosingLinks:https://paulayost.com/ Connect with us: https://ruralpolicypartners.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/ https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartnershttps://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartners Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u97cuFUg2Us