Skip to content
Special Ed on Special Ed podcast artwork

PODCAST · kids

Special Ed on Special Ed

by Dana Jonson

This podcast offers essential insights for parents of children with disabilities, covering topics from advocating for your child's rights through the special education process to innovative interventions and practical support strategies. Each episode features conversations with experts, empowering you to confidently navigate your child's unique educational journey. Join me for guidance, inspiration, and a supportive community on your path.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 2, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) with Diane Gould

    Stay tuned for the transcript, which will be available shortly after publication on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Diane Gould Guest Title and Bio: Diane Gould is a licensed clinical social worker with over 40 years of experience working with neurodivergent children, adults, and their...

  2. Navigating the Emotional Terrain: Counseling and Behavioral Strategies in Special Education with Dr. Gwen Martin

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Dr. Gwendolyn Martin Title/Organization: Licensed Professional Counselor, Founder of Dr. Gwen's Counselor Café, LLC, and Coastal Crossroads Counseling Solutions, LLC Guest Bio: Dr....

  3. Empowering Through Accessibility: Insights from The Blind Blogger, Maxwell Ivey

    Stay tuned for the transcript, which will be available shortly after publication on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Maxwell Ivey Guest Title and Bio: Maxwell Ivey, also known as The Blind Blogger, is a blind entrepreneur, author, speaker, and accessibility advocate. Maxwell has built a...

  4. Reaching New Heights: The Power of Parent Advocacy in Special Education with April Rehrig

    Host: Dana Jonson Guest: April Rehrig Title: Founder, Rise Educational Advocacy and Consulting Bio: April Rehrig is a distinguished advocate in special education with over two decades of experience as a school psychologist, teacher, and parent within the public school setting. As the founder of...

  5. Empowering Autism Parenting: Transforming Challenges into Triumphs with Andrea Pollack

    Stay tuned for the transcript, which will be available shortly after publication on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Andrea Pollack Founder, Autism Parent Solutions Andrea Pollack is a former litigator turned educator and parenting coach. After homeschooling her autistic son for eight years...

  6. Academic Pressures, Eating Disorders, and Mental Wellness: A Comprehensive Approach with Ilona Phillips

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Ilona Phillips Founder of Lotus Consulting, Psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders Guest Bio: Ilona Phillips is the founder of a psychotherapy group practice specializing…

    more
  7. Suicidal Behaviors in Adolescents with Disabilities and Therapeutic Support with Melody Murray

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be available on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Melody Murray Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Child Mental Health Specialist, Author Melody has a unique background that spans roles as a hospital ER mental health…

    more
  8. Empowering Through Exercise: Fitness and Autism with Jimmy Clare

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Jimmy Clare Guest Title: Founder of Crazy Fitness Guy, Motivational Speaker, Autism Advocate, Author Introduction: In this episode, Dana Jonson sits down with Jimmy Clare, the...

  9. Dysgraphia Insights and Inclusive Strategies with Cheri Dotterer

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Cheri Dotterer Guest's Bio: Cheri Dotterer is a handwriting specialist and dysgraphia consultant with an occupational therapy background. Her work focuses on providing innovative...

  10. Unlocking Potential Enhancing Brain Health and Development with Dr. Rebecca Jackson

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Dr. Rebecca Jackson Chief Programs Officer, Brain Balance, Board-Certified Cognitive Specialist, and Doctor of Chiropractic. Guest Bio: Dr. Rebecca Jackson is a brain health expert...

  11. Genetics and Disability: Tailoring Child Development and Wellness with Dr. J Dunn

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be available on SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Dr. J Dunn, Chiropractor, Functional Medicine Expert, Founder of My Happy Genes Brief Bio: Dr. J Dunn is a holistic kinesiology and methylation expert with 30+ years of experience,...

  12. Revolutionizing Cognitive Skills with Video Games: An Interview with Dr. Steve Gullans

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm Gaming and Cognitive Enhancement with Dr. Steve Gullans Summary In this episode, Dana Jonson interviews Dr. Steve Gullans, a trailblazer in biotechnology and cognitive enhancement. Dr. Gullans discusses his...

  13. Designing Spaces of Hope with Mark Ostrom

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Mark Ostrom, Founder of Joy Collaborative Introduction: In this episode of "Special Ed on Special Ed," host Dana Jonson welcomes Mark Ostrom, the founder of Joy Collaborative, to...

  14. Harnessing Creativity and Adaptation in Education with Michaell Magrutsche

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be published on SpecialEd.fm Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Michaell Magrutsche Introduction: A fascinating exploration of creativity and systemic thinking in education, featuring insights from Michaell Magrutsche, an advocate for integrating...

  15. Exploring Photobiomodulation for Children with Autism and other Disabilities with Dr. Kyle Daigle

    Soon after publication a transcript will be posted on SpecialEd.fm Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Dr. Kyle Daigle Introduction: This episode of "Special Ed on Special Ed" features Dr. Kyle Daigle, an expert in neurological rehabilitation and child development. Dr. Daigle discusses the fascinating world...

  16. Parent Advocacy Insights from School Psychologist and Special Education Director Diana Fannon

    Shortly after publication, a transcript for this episode will be posted on SpecialEd.fm Advocacy Insights with Diana Fannon Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Diana Fannon, Special Educaiton Director and School Psychologist Introduction: Dana Jonson introduces Diana Fannon, a Director of Special Education...

  17. Neurodiversity Unveiled: Beyond the Should Storm of Parenting with Dr. Alison Escalante

    Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website https://SpecialEd.fm. Host: Dana Jonson Guest: Dr. Alison Escalante INTRODUCTION: In this enlightening episode, Dana Jonson is joined by Dr. Alison Escalante, a board-certified...

  18. Transforming Parenting Attachment, Neurobiology, and Thriving Children with Dr. Tamara Soles

    Shortly after publication, a TRANSCRIPT of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website https://SpecialEd.fm. Join host Dana Jonson and Dr. Tamara Soles, a renowned child psychologist and parent coach, for an insightful conversation on "Transforming Parenting - Attachment,...

  19. Giftedness and Beyond: Navigating Neurodivergence with Dr. Matt Zakreski

    Shortly after publication, a TRANSCRIPT of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website, https://SpecialEd.fm. Episode Title: Giftedness and Beyond: Navigating Neurodivergence with Dr. Matt Zakreski Guest: Dr. Matt Zakreski Host: Dana Jonson This episode offers a deep dive...

  20. Mastering Essential Social Skills: A Guide for Teens and Young Adults with Kirt Manecke

    Episode Show Notes Shortly after publication, a transcript of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website https://SpecialEd.fm. Topic: Essential Social and Career Skills for Teens in Today's Digital Era This episode delves into crucial social and career skills that teens…

    more
  21. Maximizing Independence for Students with Autism: A conversation with Julie Swanson, The Life Skills Lady

    A TRANSCRIPT of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website: https://SpecialEd.fm shortly after publication. Life skills are the biggest predictor of adult success for individuals with Autism. Yet, many parents and school teams misunderstand the full breadth of life…

    more
  22. Demystifying Psychological Evaluations: Insights from Dr. Diana Naddeo

    Shortly after publication, a TRANSCRIPT of this episode will be added to the show notes on the podcast website https://SpecialEd.fm. Introduction: Welcome to our enlightening episode, where we delve into the world of psychological evaluations with Dr. Diana Naddeo, a seasoned Licensed Clinical...

  23. The Long Term Impact of School Shootings with Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, LPC, NCC, BCN, DCMHS

    On the 10th Anniversary of the Sandy Hook Shooting, I speak with Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, a trauma specialist, about the long-term impacts of school shootings.

  24. Social Skills Training rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): a conversation with Justyna Balzar, M.Ed. BCBA LBA (CT)

    When people hear ABA, they usually think of Autism. However, social skills training is a component of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy that can help students with social skills deficits. ABA social skills training offers a set of techniques designed to strengthen an individual's social...

  25. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with Dr. Judy Grossman

    This is an essential episode because Social Emotional Learning is not just for students with special education needs - everyone needs social-emotional learning skills! Social-Emotional Learning, also called SEL, is an integral part of education and human development. It helps students and adults...

  26. Special Education Due Process Hearing, and a side of IEEs

    [iframe style="border:none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/24802530/height/100/width//thumbnail/yes/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/2148560/custom-color/61ce70" height="100" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen...

  27. Barriers to Special Education: Special Education Legal Fund

    A key component to public education is that it should be FREE! This includes special education. But what if you can't get the special education your child is entitled to? What happens when your school says "no" to you? There are no special education police to force schools to comply or even just...

  28. IEE = Independent Educational Evaluations

    Today Diane Wilcutts, a special education advocate from Connecticut, joins me to talk about Independent Educational Evaluations or IEEs. Evaluations are a critical piece of the special education process, as the evaluation is where it all begins. But what if you don't agree with your school...

  29. State Complaints, and a little on IEEs too

    State Complaints are just one dispute resolution options available to Parents of children with special education needs. Our favorite advocate, Stacey Tié, joins me to break down the State Complaint process, why we use them, and how they can help. A little on Stacey: What Stacey loves most about...

  30. Who's on your BOE?

    Knowing your child's IEP team isn't enough. To be the best advocate for your child, you need to know who makes the decisions, how, and when. Your local Board of Education (BOE) consists of lay representatives who live in your community and are selected by you (in some areas there are appointed...

  31. Why we need learning options

    Going back to school in person shouldn't be a choice between a family member and an education. But for some families, it is just that. For children living with immunocompromised family members, going back in person really isn't a choice at all. It's not even one of the options. This episode isn't...

  32. Hanging Out and Going Back

    Justyna & Meghan from The Hangout Spot join me today to discuss how kids are adjusting to "back to normal" back to school! While I wouldn't necessarily call it "normal" we are going back and most kids haven't had an opportunity to flex their social muscles in a while. They will need time and...

  33. End of year wrap up

    My office mates join me to sum up IEP season, discuss the trends we saw, and postulate on what we should expect for '21-22. You can reach us all at SpecialEd.Law A transcript of this episode can be found here shortly after the episode is published: https://specialed.law/end-of-year-wrap-up/

  34. Summer isn't just a courtESY

    Summer's coming! So today, special education parent and advocate, Lisa Lightner, founder of A Day in Our Shoes, joins me to discuss Extended School Year services. What are they? Who gets them? And do you need them? Check out ADayInOurShoes.com A transcript of this episode can be found here…

    more
  35. What's the deal with mediation?

    What's the deal with Mediation? Mediation is a wonderful tool for resolving disputes with your school district. It is voluntary, free, and offered by your State, so today we are going to check it out. We will discuss the entire process, all the players, and how you can prepare. NEWS: I also have...

  36. We're going to SuperD!ville

    Today we head to SuperD!Ville where children who learn differently (and their peers) find out about how their brains work and social emotional learning. We talk with Peggy Stern, Founder and CEO, and Diana Correa-Cintron, COO, about how SuperD!Ville came to be and how it is helping children...

  37. A Day in Our Shoes on COVID and Comp Ed

    Happy IEP season! Today, special education attorney Laura Henneghan joins Lisa Lightner and A Day in Our Shoes to discuss Compensetory Education for services missed due to the global pandemic. She covers what comp ed is, who qualifies, and how to ask for it. You'll gain tools with which to…

    more
  38. We're college bound!

    Is your child with special education needs college bound? What do they need to get there? And where is there? Today, Special Education Attorney Laura Heneghan shares her journey helping her children navigate transition skills for college and what questions to ask. You can find both Laura and me…

    more
  39. How SMART are your goals?

    With IEP season comes IEPs and with IEPs comes Goals and Objectives, the heart and soul of your child's IEP. So it is critical that your child's goals and objectives are Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Today, Special Education Advocate Stacey Tié and I talk about what you...

  40. Beware the Ides...

    With March comes IEP season and it's time to prep! Around the middle of March, schools start holding IEP meetings to plan for the following school year. School districts are slammed trying to schedule all the meetings, students are at the beginning of the end of their school year, and parents…

    more
  41. Now You're the Advocate

    Today I'm speaking with John Flanders, a special education attorney and former Executive Director of Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC), about why learning how to properly advocate for your child is so important. We talk about the importance of understanding not just your child's…

    more
  42. Cna yuo read tihs too?

    Today I'm speaking with Kate Pearce, of Kate Pearce Educational Services, about reading deficits, assessments, and the importance of proper reading instruction. Kate is a reading specialist, educator, advocate, mom, and, yes... proud dyslexic! She provides reading assessments, instruction, and...

  43. Where I Lay My Head

    Today I speak with Marc Bonaguide about residential placements. Marc is the Clinical Supervisor at The Glenholme School based in Washington, Connecticut. The Glenholme School, also known as Devereux Glenholme School, is an independent coeducational therapeutic boarding school situated on over 110...

  44. Language is the Doorway to Wisdom

    In this episode, I speak with Jeff Bravin, Executive Director of the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in Hartford, CT to discuss the importance of a literacy and language rich environment (their version of LRE). Not only does ASD serve deaf and hard of hearing students, they also have a...

  45. An Unconventional Librarian

    Pam Margolis is An Unconventional Librarian! She loves book and she loves inspiring students to explore new literature to expand their world. She reviews both popular books and those emerging in their genre. During this episode, Pam talks about Flamingo Rampant books. They are an inclusive...

  46. Now you're speakin' my language!

    Today I speak with Joulé Bazemore and Barb Coleman, Co-Coordinators of The Bridge Program at Wooster School, a program designed to address the needs of students with Language Based Learning Disabilities. We discuss what these are, how they impact students, and how the Bridge Program has found a...

  47. Droppin' Knowledge!

    Today we talk to Mandy Favolaro & Missy Alexander about the Annual COPAA Conference. COPAA stands for Council of Parents Attorneys and Advocates, an organization dedicated to protecting and enforcing the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and their families. Their primary goal…

    more
  48. How exceptional are you?

    Twice-exceptional (2e) children struggle because their gifts mask their challenges and their challenges mask their gifts. So, how do we educate 2e children? Today we are talking with super-mom and co-founder of Cajal Academy (cajalacademy.org), a private special education school in CT designed…

    more
  49. Special Ed 101

    Special Ed 101 mp3 Thu, 11/19 9:46PM • 40:50 SUMMARY KEYWORDS child, special education, student, school district, parents, evaluations, education, iep, disability, attorney, iep meeting, mediation, state, due process hearing, least restrictive environment, timelines, hearing, school, procedural...

  50. Wonder twin powers ACTIVATE!

    Today we talk with Aubrey Schmalle, a registered occupational therapist, about Body Activated Learning to support attention and engagement. This is an innovative, sensory-based program to support attention and engagement in children that can be embedded into the existing curriculum of any school...

Type above to search every episode's transcript for a word or phrase. Matches are scoped to this podcast.

Searching…

We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.

No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.

Showing of matches

No topics indexed yet for this podcast.

Loading reviews...

ABOUT THIS SHOW

This podcast offers essential insights for parents of children with disabilities, covering topics from advocating for your child's rights through the special education process to innovative interventions and practical support strategies. Each episode features conversations with experts, empowering you to confidently navigate your child's unique educational journey. Join me for guidance, inspiration, and a supportive community on your path.

HOSTED BY

Dana Jonson

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Special Ed on Special Ed have?

Special Ed on Special Ed currently has 72 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Special Ed on Special Ed about?

This podcast offers essential insights for parents of children with disabilities, covering topics from advocating for your child's rights through the special education process to innovative interventions and practical support strategies. Each episode features conversations with experts, empowering...

How often does Special Ed on Special Ed release new episodes?

Special Ed on Special Ed has 72 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Special Ed on Special Ed?

You can listen to Special Ed on Special Ed on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Special Ed on Special Ed?

Special Ed on Special Ed is created and hosted by Dana Jonson.
URL copied to clipboard!