THE SJ CHILDS SHOW-Building a Community of Inclusion

Sara Gullihur-Bradford aka SJ Childs
  • 4.9 (21)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

🎙️ Welcome to The SJ Childs Show Podcast! 🎉 Join Sara Bradford—better known as SJ Childs—as she bridges understanding and advocacy for the neurodivergent community. This podcast shines a light on autism awareness, empowering stories, expert insights, and practical resources for parents, educators, and individuals alike. Brought to you by The SJ Childs Global Network, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting autistic individuals and their families worldwide, this show is your weekly dose of inspiration and actionable ideas. Visit sjchilds.org to learn more about our mission, find resources, and connect with our growing community. Catch us on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Goodpods—or tune in Fridays at 8:30 AM EDT on the Helium Radio Network’s Life Improvement Radio (Channel 1). Together, let’s foster a brighter, more inclusive world! 🌟 Go here to check out more resourceshttps://sjchilds.org

  1. 5D AGO

    Episode 350-Turning Loss And Survival Into A Nonprofit That Donates Comfort for All with Eric Wyatt

    Send us Fan Mail A life-changing diagnosis can make even the strongest person feel like they’re “too much” for the people they love. That single thought is what pushed Eric Wyatt to create Burden The Bear, a plush bear with a simple purpose: remind patients and families that the illness is the burden, not the person. Eric joins us from Philadelphia to share the real story behind the brand, starting with his mom’s lung cancer and the words that stayed with him long after she was gone.  Eric’s path isn’t a tidy entrepreneur origin story. After a near-fatal car accident left him with lasting injuries, chronic pain, and a long recovery, he decided survival had to mean something. We talk through how he used that turning point to bring the bears to life, how feedback from the toy industry shaped the look and feel, and why “cute and cuddly” can be a serious tool for emotional support, caregiver connection, and patient mental health.  We also get into the nonprofit side: Lifting The Burden is now an official 501(c)(3), built to partner with hospitals, community organizations, and corporate sponsors so bears can be donated where they’re needed most. You’ll hear how custom designs and sponsor logos help fund distribution, what Eric learned at events like CHOP’s autism programs, and what’s coming next, from an autism acceptance bear to “connection bears” for organ donation and transplant families, plus ideas for first responders and anti-violence work. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more families can find it. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    27 min

  2. MAR 24

    Episode 349-Why Human Skills Matter More Than Content In An AI Age with Lisa Reigel

    Send us Fan Mail If school still looks like memorizing, pacing, and compliance, we’re preparing kids for a world that no longer exists. Today we sit down with educator, leadership researcher, and neuroscience-informed consultant Lisa Reigel to talk about what’s really driving student behavior, teacher burnout, and the rising feeling that the system can’t hold the humans inside it. We get specific about how high-stakes testing changed the mission from “teach kids” to “teach content,” and why that shift hits neurodivergent learners and trauma-impacted students the hardest. Then we zoom out to the post-AI world. If generative AI can answer the prompt instantly, we’re often asking the wrong question. Lisa makes the case for focusing on durable human skills: executive function, emotional regulation, social skills, critical thinking, and the habits that help students succeed in relationships, work, and life. Lisa also shares an accessible brain science framework you can use immediately, from classrooms to homes: how the vagus nerve and sensory input set the stage, how the thalamus filters and associates, and how the amygdala can hijack the system under stress. When we understand that behavior is biology plus context, discipline changes, support improves, and kids learn to become the “boss of their brain” through routines and practice, not one-off lessons. If you care about neuroscience in education, AI in schools, trauma-informed teaching, or building a truly human-centered learning culture, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more, share this with a teacher or parent who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest shift you want to see in schools. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    33 min

  3. MAR 19

    Episode 348-Home Accessibility Upgrades and Universal Design for All with Erica Sell

    Send us Fan Mail Your house can be beautiful and still be safer, easier, and more supportive for real life. I sit down with Erica Sell, owner of Harmony Home Medical in San Diego, to get practical about home accessibility, assistive technology, and universal design for families raising neurodivergent kids and for anyone planning to help aging parents live well at home. We start with how Erica built a high-touch, education-first medical equipment showroom after seeing a gap between what people truly need and what third-party payer criteria tends to prioritize. From there, we dig into bedroom solutions like high-low adjustable beds that look like normal furniture, plus enclosure bed options families often search for when safety and nighttime behaviors become a serious concern. We also talk honestly about how coverage and classifications can change, and what it means to plan ahead instead of waiting for a crisis. Then we go through the home with specific aging-in-place and special needs home modification ideas. In the kitchen: task-height surfaces, safer appliance controls, and layered lighting that improves visibility while respecting sensory needs. In the bathroom: modern grab bars that don’t look institutional, smarter layouts, and transfer systems that reduce lifting and protect caregiver backs as kids grow. We close on community resources, the rapid innovation in lightweight mobility devices, and why remodeling is the perfect time to quietly build in universal design. If this helped you, subscribe, share with a caregiver or parent, and leave a quick review with the one home upgrade you’re prioritizing next. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    31 min

  4. FEB 25

    Episode 347-Building A World For Every Mind-Why Organizations Win When They Embrace Cognitive Diversity with Robert Annis

    Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest barrier to inclusion isn’t awareness, but the way our systems are built? We sit down with Robert Annis, a London-based founder of NEURO, to unpack how the “alignment trap”—cultures that prize sameness over substance—quietly locks out cognitive diversity and throttles innovation. Instead of chasing badges and box-ticking, Robert lays out a practical path where inclusion becomes a strategic engine for better problem solving, collaboration, and growth. We explore why designing “for everyone” often defaults to the median, and how designing “for anybody” opens doors for real people with real differences. Robert shares vivid examples—from misplaced braille signage to performance reviews that reward conformity—showing how small oversights create big barriers. He explains NEURO’s accreditation model that ties recognition to verifiable investment in leadership, governance, recruiting, policies, and performance management. We also dig into Resonance, a tool that helps individuals map challenges to supports and gives organizations a shared language to act—with clarity rather than guesswork. Robert’s personal journey brings the stakes home. Diagnosed later in life with autism and ADHD, along with face blindness and severely deficient autobiographical memory, he describes the daily friction of misread cues and expectations. The lesson is not “more hardware”; it’s deeper understanding. When teams know how different minds perceive, communicate, and process, they build trust and psychological safety—the soil where learning and innovation grow. Along the way, we spotlight curiosity as a cultural superpower, the practical role of labels in granting access, and the ripple effects of unconditional support in families, schools, and workplaces. If you’re a leader tired of tokenism, a parent seeking clarity, or a builder who wants real outcomes, this conversation offers a roadmap. Learn how to move beyond awareness into accountable inclusion that attracts talent, lifts performance, and proves it with evidence. Ready to turn difference into your competitive edge? Listen now, subscribe, and leave a review to share what change you’re making first. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    41 min

  5. FEB 17

    Episode 346-From Yelling To Leadership: Raising Adults in Training with Sue Donnellan

    Send us Fan Mail What if the fastest way to change your child’s behavior is to change how you show up? We sit down with parent coach and author Sue Donnellan to unpack why yelling fails, how Montessori principles build independence, and what it takes to lead the culture of your home with clarity and calm. From the chaos of going from one child to triplets to discovering behavior psychology, Sue shares the exact reframes and systems that helped her move from reactivity to results. We explore the core shift of treating kids as “adults in training,” which replaces control with collaboration and dignity. Sue walks us through “parenting in advance,” a repeatable approach to solving recurring flashpoints—mornings, chores, screens—during low-emotion moments with short training conversations. You’ll hear how to ask questions to learn instead of to lecture, how to listen to receive rather than to reply, and why curiosity is the highest-leverage tool you have for conflict resolution and trust. We also dig into expectation management, neutrality, and the art of intentional detachment as kids approach pre-teen years. Think of yourself as the bow and your child as the arrow: craft well, aim with purpose, then allow space for growth within boundaries. Along the way, we talk mantras, check-ins, and simple self-audits that keep you on track when life is loud. The payoff is a home where independence grows, honesty is safe, and your voice is heard without raising it. If you’re ready to swap shouting for structure and power struggles for partnership, press play. Then share your biggest daily sticking point—we’ll help you reframe it on a future episode. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this to a caregiver who needs a hopeful, practical reset. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    41 min

  6. FEB 13

    Episode 345-Own The Diagnosis, Change The Trajectory with Faye Casell

    Send us Fan Mail A lot of bright kids are still stuck on the basics of reading, and too many parents are told to wait—or sold cures that don’t work. We sit down with dyslexia therapist Faye Bankler Cressell to unpack what actually helps struggling readers and how families can start real progress at home without losing years to red tape. Faye shares her path from special education to structured literacy, sparked by helping her own child during lockdown. She explains why the science of reading matters, what structured literacy looks like in daily practice, and how to tell evidence-based intervention from high-priced “brain training” that promises big results but delivers little. We get specific about foundational skills—phonemic awareness, sound-symbol mapping, CVC decoding, early syllable work—and how systematic, cumulative lessons rewire reading pathways across phonology, orthography, and morphology. We also talk about the power of telling kids their diagnosis in clear, respectful language. When children know what dyslexia means, shame fades and self-advocacy begins. That confidence scales into high school, college, and the workplace, where naming strengths and supports becomes a strategy for excellence. Faye introduces her Home Reading Coach program, a 13‑week, parent-led course designed to be affordable, practical, and aligned with what research says works. Think printable materials, guided videos, and coaching that help families move from ABC to CVC and into early two-syllable patterns—with measurable wins that build momentum. If you’re navigating testing, IEEs, IEP meetings, or just wondering where to begin, you’ll find a clear roadmap plus vetted resources and communities like Decoding Dyslexia. You don’t need to wait for formal labels to take action; explicit instruction has no downside and a massive upside. Subscribe, share with a caregiver who needs this clarity, and leave a review telling us the one reading question you want answered next. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    38 min

  7. FEB 3

    Episode 344-Unlocking Dyslexia With Science And Grit-A Conversation with Russell Van Brocklen

    Send us Fan Mail Imagine being told a first-grade reading level will define your future—then deciding to rewrite the script. That’s the spark behind our conversation with Russell, a New York State–funded dyslexia researcher who turned personal roadblocks into a practical method that helps students jump from frustration to fluency without elite price tags. We dig into the brain science that actually moves the needle: stop hammering the back of the brain where dyslexic readers show low activity and start training the frontal systems where activity surges. Russell explains a deceptively simple routine that blends word analysis and articulation: build three-word sentences grounded in the learner’s real interests, read them aloud to ensure they sound right, then retype each misspelled word until it sticks. It’s a 10-minute fix that compounds into stronger grammar, better spelling, and—crucially—confidence. If they can write it, they can read it. And as sentences become body paragraphs and paragraphs become essays, organization emerges from a fast, creative mind. You’ll hear vivid case studies. High schoolers in his pilot went from near-zero percentiles to college-ready performance in a single school year. A homeschooled fifth grader climbed from the 11th to the 64th percentile in reading and from the 4th to 65th in writing, with grammar hitting the 97th percentile. The common thread is motivation: specificity beats slog. Start with a student’s genuine specialty, then use targeted questions to move from the specific to the general, borrowing the “context, problem, solution” frame from The Craft of Research to teach structure early. We even map how a 10-year-old building a Mars literature review can learn the peer-review process years ahead of schedule. We also talk access. Russell’s program pairs weekly expert guidance with a full curriculum—from corrected sentences to publishable work—at a price families can manage. The goal isn’t endless accommodation; it’s training that respects how neurodiverse brains learn and transfers to real classrooms. If you’re a parent, teacher, or curious learner ready for tools that work, tune in, try the sentence routine, and see what shifts for your student this week. If it helps, share the episode, subscribe for more practical strategies, and leave a review to tell us what changed for you. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    36 min

  8. JAN 27

    Episode 343-From Late Diagnosis To Lyrical Healing With Australian Poet Nadine Ellis

    Send us Fan Mail What if the words you needed were waiting inside the moments you try to rush past? We sit down with Australian poet and radiographer Nadine Ellis to explore late autism diagnosis, the quiet injuries of daily life, and the craft of turning hard feelings into language that heals. Nadine was diagnosed at 58, alongside her daughters and husband, and that clarity reframed decades of masking, missed cues, and misplaced shame. Instead of pathologizing sensitivity, she treats it as guidance—and her poems channel that signal into lines that land with precision. Across our conversation, we map the practical tools that helped her build resilience: journaling as a pressure valve and memory archive, compact poetry that cuts through noise for a dyslexic mind, and the steady discipline of noticing. We talk about creating a home where each person’s decompression needs are honored, and how shared understanding replaces friction with ease. Nadine’s perspective is generous and grounded: you don’t need to be a “writer” to express yourself. If words aren’t your medium, paint, stitch, cook, garden, sing, or use voice-to-text. The point is contact, not perfection. You’ll also hear two live readings from her collection The Gray Between: Caustic Comments, a searing piece about the long echo of a teacher’s cruelty and the alchemy of reclaiming it, and Solitary Confinement, a tender meditation on laundry, motherhood, and the sweetness packed into small domestic rituals. Each poem shows how everyday micro-traumas and quiet joys shape identity—and how art can metabolize both into strength. If you’re navigating neurodivergence, seeking healthier boundaries, or just craving a way to make sense of what you feel, this conversation offers language, validation, and tangible next steps. Check out Nadine’s work on Amazon, visit nadineellis.com for poems and interviews, and follow @nadineellispoetry on Instagram for new pieces. If this resonated, share it with a friend, subscribe for more thoughtful conversations, and leave a review so others can find the show. Support the show SJ CHILDS - SOCIALS & WEBSITE MASTER LIST WEBSITES - Stream-Able Live — https://www.streamable.live-COMING SOON - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.sjchilds.org - The SJ Childs Show Podcast Page — https://www.sjchildsshow.com YOUTUBE - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.youtube.com/@sjchildsshow - Louie Lou (Cats Channel) — https://www.youtube.com/@2catslouielou FACEBOOK - Personal Profile — https://www.facebook.com/sara.gullihur.bradford - Business Page — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsllc - The SJ Childs Global Network — https://www.facebook.com/sjchildsglobalnetwork - The SJ Childs Show — https://www.facebook.com/SJChildsShow INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/sjchildsllc/ TIKTOK - https://www.tiktok.com/@sjchildsllc LINKEDIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjchilds/ PODCAST PLATFORMS - Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/4qgD3ZMOB2unfPxqacu3cC - Apple Podcasts — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sj-childs-show/id1548143291 CONTACT EMAIL - sjchildsllc@gmail.com

    33 min
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4.9
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

🎙️ Welcome to The SJ Childs Show Podcast! 🎉 Join Sara Bradford—better known as SJ Childs—as she bridges understanding and advocacy for the neurodivergent community. This podcast shines a light on autism awareness, empowering stories, expert insights, and practical resources for parents, educators, and individuals alike. Brought to you by The SJ Childs Global Network, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting autistic individuals and their families worldwide, this show is your weekly dose of inspiration and actionable ideas. Visit sjchilds.org to learn more about our mission, find resources, and connect with our growing community. Catch us on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Goodpods—or tune in Fridays at 8:30 AM EDT on the Helium Radio Network’s Life Improvement Radio (Channel 1). Together, let’s foster a brighter, more inclusive world! 🌟 Go here to check out more resourceshttps://sjchilds.org

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