Enable: The Disability Podcast

Geoff Herbert & Kurt Hower
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Highlighting amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, sharing stories of their experiences, challenges they've overcome, resources, accessibility, and their careers and passions. Hosted by Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert, who was born with a profound hearing loss, and Kurt Hower, who has ankylosing spondylitis.

  1. 2d ago

    Service dogs: How they help, costs, and why you shouldn't pet them (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    What do service dogs do? And how much do they cost? Spann Cordle, a disability advocate with cerebral palsy, pioneered Walmart’s first associate service dog team, leading to more jobs for people with disabilities. In this episode of "Enable: The Disability Podcast," Spann shares how his service dog Finn helped him with everything from opening doors to doing laundry, as well as a very good reason why others shouldn't pet service dogs. For more about Spann and his public speaking, visit https://www.spannsworld.com/  “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Service dogs: How they help, costs, and why you shouldn't pet them (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  2. Jul 9

    Helen Keller a deaf-blind hero, but also 'just like all of us' (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    What was Helen Keller like? The deaf-blind hero, best known as a pioneer for disability rights as chronicled in "The Miracle Worker," achieved many things in her life: She was the first deaf-blind woman to graduate from college, was a Goodwill Ambassador for peace after World War II, a labor rights advocate, a suffragist, and much more. “She was very much just like all of us too,” says Tony Stephens of the American Foundation for the Blind. “She loved to take long walks on Coney Island on the boardwalk with her best friend and teacher Ann and later Polly and loved a good hot dog... Coney Island dog down on the boardwalk. And, you know, she was like all of us, right? She had her ups and her downs and her challenges and her sad days and her happy days. And and so I think that’s the thing that impresses me the most is just how significant she was on the world stage [when] at the same time, she wasn’t that much different than you and I.” Stephens and the AFB are producers for "Possibilities," a new documentary celebrating the legacy of Keller. It's the first feature length film created by blind and low-vision filmmakers and the first to fully integrate open audio description. For more information about the movie and streaming options, visit https://afb.org/possibilities  “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Helen Keller a deaf-blind hero, but also 'just like all of us' (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  3. Jul 1

    Neurodivergence at work, tips for social anxiety, and more (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    What do employers and others get wrong about neurodivergent people? Laura McAnulty, executive director of the Neurodiversity Employment Network of Philadelphia, spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about being diagnosed as neurodivergent later in life, tips for job interviews, disclosure options, and social anxiety."I think that that's a big misnomer with autistic people or neurodivergent people: They don't like being social. There's a lot of social anxiety that comes up from struggling to understand the expectations in a social situation. And so it becomes overwhelming," McAnulty explains. "And people read this as 'Oh, they don't like social stuff. They don't want to be around people. They're antisocial.' And that's just not true."For more information, visit https://neurodiversityemploymentnetwork.org/ “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more.Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Neurodivergence at work, tips for social anxiety, and more (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  4. Jun 24

    Caregiving, jobs for people with disabilities and "the art of possible" (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    How does caregiving begin for people with disabilities? What kind of jobs are available? Jessica Hulter, whose daughter had Rett Syndrome, and Lamarque Polvado, whose CareStarter project was inspired by his daughter's autism journey, spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about health care services for families with disabilities, the U.S. military's Exceptional Family Member Program and TRICARE, benefits of employing people with disabilities, "the art of possible," and the hardest part of a diagnosis and finding resources. "We gathered data from (250) families... we had a broad range of diagnoses, and what we learned was 85% of that group described Day 1 of diagnosis as the least helpful event on their care journey," Lamarque said. "I'm like, OK, this isn't something that just happened to me. This is a systematic problem." Hulter also encouraged others to look past disabilities and treat everyone equally. "I wish it was information and not an identity necessarily," she said. "I wish they could get past staring at things that are weird or being uncomfortable around things that are different... We don't arrive here good advocates. We're a hot mess and we learn through grit and coming every single day and failing and getting better." CareStarter and Feedback are part of Professional Contract Services, Inc. (PCSI), which seeks to enhance the lives of people with disabilities through employment, advocacy, partnerships and innovation. For more information, visit https://www.pcsi.org/  “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Caregiving, jobs for people with disabilities and "the art of possible" (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  5. Jun 17

    Special Olympics: Changing lives with sports competition (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    The Special Olympics changes people's lives, celebrates competitive spirit, and fosters unforgettable relationships. Stacey Hengsterman, president and CEO of Special Olympics New York with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about the Special Olympics 2026 USA Games, which take place from June 20-26 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as her son Alex's experiences with Down syndrome and unified sports. "He is the nicest boy you'd ever meet," she said of Alex. "I think that extra chromosome is in kindness." For more information or to get involved, visit https://www.specialolympics-ny.org/ and https://www.specialolympics.org/. “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Special Olympics: Changing lives with sports competition (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  6. Jun 11

    Raising expectations for Down syndrome at GiGi's Playhouse (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    What should parents expect when their child is diagnosed with Down syndrome? And what kind of resources and support are available? Anna Bruce, board president of GiGi’s Playhouse in New York’s Southern Tier, spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about her son Camden, virtual and in-person programs for the Down syndrome community, and why people should raise, not lower, their expectations. "He's really helped to realign what happiness and success look like," Anna said. GiGi's Playhouse is a nonprofit organization that provides free educational, therapeutic, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community, using a replicable playhouse model. For more information about GiGi’s Playhouse and a list of locations, visit https://gigisplayhouse.org/ “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Raising expectations for Down syndrome at GiGi's Playhouse (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  7. Jun 3

    Amputees & prosthetic limbs: 'So much they go through emotionally' (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

    Prosthetic limbs for amputees have a real cost -- thousands of dollars -- but also an emotional toll. Matt Millhouse, a military veteran and the president of Iron Leg Corp., spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about his experiences raising a son whose right leg didn't fully form in the womb, how his son doesn't let it stop him from loving and participating in sports, and the organization's efforts to help raise money for other children in need of prosthetics. "You have to understand there's so much behind the scenes that they go through emotionally," Matt said. Iron Leg Corp. will host a charity football game June 20, 2026, at Biemesderfer Stadium at Millersville University in Millersville, PA. To donate or buy tickets, visit https://ironleg.org/donate/. “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Amputees & prosthetic limbs: 'So much they go through emotionally' (Enable: The Disability Podcast)

  8. May 27

    PA commission for people with disabilities and The Arc's mission (Enable:

    Pennsylvania announced a new Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities in April, aiming to gather information regarding the experiences and needs of people with disabilities, assess support programs, and provide information about services for the disability community, families, and caregivers. Sherri Landis, executive director of The Arc of Pennsylvania, spoke with "Enable: The Disability Podcast" about the commission, how it can help with gaps in services or accessibility, and how others can become involved as advocates or supporters. She also spoke about The Arc's mission, which began with a group of parents who dreamed of more for their children.   For more information on the Pennsylvania Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities, visit https://www.pa.gov/governor/administration/advisory-commissions. For The Arc of PA, visit https://thearcpa.org. “Enable: The Disability Podcast,” which highlights amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, releases new episodes weekly on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Follow facebook.com/enablepodcast or @enablepodcast on Instagram and TikTok for more. Note: Views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of Advance Local. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    PA commission for people with disabilities and The Arc's mission (Enable:
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Highlighting amazing people with disabilities and different abilities, sharing stories of their experiences, challenges they've overcome, resources, accessibility, and their careers and passions. Hosted by Geoff "DeafGeoff" Herbert, who was born with a profound hearing loss, and Kurt Hower, who has ankylosing spondylitis.

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