The Different Ability® Podcast

Katey Fortun
  • 5.0 (12)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Why am I different? Why do things have to be so difficult? Am I dumb? Why am I scared? Will it be this hard forever? Will I ever find the help I need to succeed? When will being different be accepted? Welcome to The Different Ability® Podcast where we will answer all of these questions and a whole lot more! Each week host Katey Fortun brings you tips and tricks on how to navigate being different, along with inspiring stories of guests that are living an amazing life having Different Abilities of their own. Parents and Educators of kids with Different Abilities share their stories to encourage others that they are not alone and we can all get through this together! Katey, who has dyslexia, shares her personal Different Ability stories to show you that being different is a gift, being different is amazing and using your Different Abilities, you too can create and live the life you have always dreamed about! Katey believes that everyone has Different Abilities and it's time to let our Different Abilities shine bright! You are amazing, you are important, you are strong, you are smart and the world needs you just the way you were made! Are you ready to be inspired and encouraged to be the person you were made to be, Different Abilities and all? We know you're ready, so come along, we are all in this together! "You can do anything you put your mind to, with a lot of hard work, determination and never giving up! It's not your disability, it's your Different Ability®!" - Katey

  1. MAR 4

    Her Son’s Diagnosis Changed Everything — For the Better with Patty Laushman

    Send a text In this heartfelt episode, I sit down with Patty Laushman — coach, educator, and neurodiversity advocate — to talk about her journey as a mom navigating years of uncertainty before learning her son is autistic. She shares what those first 8½ years were like, the challenges her family faced, and how one doctor’s words changed everything for the better. We also talk about her path through college, becoming a mom later in life, and how her personal experiences led her to support neurodivergent teens, adults, and their families today.  Patty's Bio Patty Laushman is an author, speaker, educator, and coach specializing in neurodiversity and the transition to adulthood for autistic and neurodivergent individuals. She is the creator of the SBN™ parenting framework, a practical approach that helps parents learn when to provide support, set boundaries, and give strategic nudges to activate intrinsic motivation so their emerging adults can build confidence and real-life skills. Patty is the author of Parenting for Independence: Overcoming Failure to Launch in Emerging Autistic Adults (November 2025) and the founder of Thrive Autism Coaching, where she leads the Parenting for Independence group coaching program for parents of autistic teens and adults. Her coaching is grounded in both lived experience—parenting and homeschooling a profoundly gifted, multi-exceptional, autistic teen—and professional expertise, having worked with hundreds of families across the United States and beyond. She is a Certified Autism Life Coach through the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE), whose LifeMAP program has supported more than 3,000 autistic teens and adults, and she also holds certification in employment services for people with disabilities through the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE). Patty’s professional background includes founding, growing, and selling a technology services company, as well as nearly a decade as a self-employed sales development consultant. Connect with Patty Freebie Book Company Website Personal Website Program Blog Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    56 min

  2. FEB 25

    Living Fully with CMD: Advocacy, Confidence & Community with Kelly Berger & Avery Roberts

    Send a text In this powerful episode, I sit down with Kelly Berger and Avery Roberts, hosts of the Wheel Talk with Kelly & Avery Podcast, for an honest and uplifting conversation about living fully with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). Together, we talk about what it really means to grow up learning your body, your needs, and your voice — and how self-advocacy becomes a life-changing skill. Kelly and Avery share their personal journeys navigating life in power wheelchairs, embracing disability identity, and building confidence in a world that often underestimates disabled individuals. This episode is filled with real talk, humor, wisdom, and empowering perspective as we discuss breaking barriers, finding community, and choosing to thrive — not just survive. Whether you live with a disability, love someone who does, or want to become a better ally, this conversation will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to see ability through a new lens. Their Bio Wheel Talk with Kelly & Avery Podcast is a show hosted by two rare ladies, Kelly Berger & Avery Roberts, who live with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD). It gives a front row seat to bold conversations about the thriving disability community. The show amplifies voices, breaks down barriers, and celebrates the power of disability identity. It’s where wit, wisdom, and wheels are all part of the party. Connect with Kelly & Avery Website Podcast Podcast Instagram Podcast YouTube Podcast TikTok Connect with Kelly Berger Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Connect with Avery Roberts Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Rare Disease Day Website Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    49 min

  3. FEB 18

    Rising Through It All: Faith, Fire & Fierce Advocacy — with Kimberly Hendrix

    Send a text In this powerful conversation, Kimberly Hendrix shares her journey through life’s hardest seasons — from marriage struggles and motherhood to building a decades-long business, raising a child with Down syndrome, and facing breast cancer. Through it all, she’s leaned on faith, resilience, and courage to rise stronger and advocate fiercely for her children, women, and families everywhere. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that adversity doesn’t define you — it can refine you. Kimberly's Bio: Motivational Speaker & Advocate for Resilience I help women, families, and advocates rise through adversity, reclaim their identity, and lead with courage—through a message grounded in faith, resilience, and inclusion. Connect with Kimberly YouTube Instagram Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    1h 3m

  4. FEB 11

    Audio Book Talk & Bloopers!

    Send a text In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of recording my audio book Embracing Your Different Ability®! I share how the process has been going, what’s surprised me, what’s been harder than expected, and what I’ve loved most about bringing my book to life in my own voice. And because real life (and real recording) isn’t always perfect, I’m also sharing some bloopers from the studio that will definitely make you laugh. Whether you’re an author, a speaker, or someone who just loves a good behind-the-scenes story, this episode is a fun, honest look at what it’s really like to record an audio book and why this project means so much to me. Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    14 min

  5. JAN 29

    Where Have I Been? A Real-Life Update

    Send a text Life has been full and before I knew it, a month had passed without a new podcast episode. In this short, honest update, I’m sharing where I’ve been, why this pause wasn’t intentional, and what this season has been teaching me about grace, growth, and honoring the work behind the scenes. I also briefly touch on recording the audiobook for Embracing Your Different Ability® and tease a fun, deeper episode next week with a sneak peek and some behind-the-scenes bloopers. If you’ve ever felt like time just slipped away while you were building something meaningful, this episode is for you. Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    13 min

  6. 12/24/2025

    Embracing What I Was Good At – An Audiobook Sneak Peek (Chapter 9)

    Send a text Today’s episode is a little different and a little more personal. On this Christmas Eve, I’m sharing a short sneak peek from the audiobook of Embracing Your Different Ability®. This excerpt comes from Chapter 9, where I talk about learning to embrace what I was good at in school—even when it didn’t look like what everyone else celebrated. From book talks and The Boxcar Children to building a boxcar with my dad, this moment helped me realize that leaning into your strengths can change everything. If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the things you struggled with or wondered if your strengths “counted,” I hope this story reminds you that learning—and success—don’t look the same for everyone. More audiobook sneak peeks and conversations are coming soon. You can also join my book launch crew (if it's before the book launches) and you could get the first three audio book chapters as a bonus! Join Here! Here's the links talked about in the episode:  www.kateyfortun.com/thebook www.yourdifferentability.com Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    7 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    Life, Loss, and Love: Raising Great, Even When… with Grace Berios

    Send a text Grace Berios opens up about the emotional journey of discovering her youngest son, Teddy, has Down syndrome. From grief and uncertainty to life-changing travel and new perspectives, Grace shares how her family found hope, balance, and joy while raising kids of all abilities—and how it inspired her upcoming book, Raising Great, Even When… Grace's Bio Grace Berios is an author and mom of five—raising kids of all abilities—whose newest book, Raising Great, Even When…, was deeply shaped by her experience raising her youngest son, Teddy, who has Down syndrome. She teaches parents how small systems and intentional rhythms can bring calm to the chaos, especially for families navigating special-needs parenting. Her mission is simple: to help parents own their story, step confidently into their role as Guide, and feel seen, supported, and steady through the messy, beautiful, and unpredictable parts of raising great kids of all abilities. Connect with Grace Website Instagram Facebook Business Facebook Join her Newsletter Her Book is offically published! Get your copy HERE! Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    38 min

  8. 12/10/2025

    RE-RELEASE: The Diagnosis

    Send a text We’re going way back to the early days of the podcast! I’m re-releasing Episode Three — an important chapter of my story and one of the most meaningful episodes from the beginning. In this throwback, I share what it was like to finally get my diagnosis and understand why I struggled for so long. It was a moment filled with relief, hope, and the feeling that I wasn’t “broken” — I just learned differently. You’ll also hear about my parents’ incredible fight for answers and support. Their belief in me helped me believe in myself, and I want this re-release to offer that same spark of hope to anyone who needs it. It’s not your disability… it’s your Different Ability®. Stay in the loop with the new Different Ability® product I'll be launching! Sign Up Here! Shop new products here! Places you can reach me at: Website: https://kateyfortun.com/ https://kateyfortun.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateyfortun/ https://www.instagram.com/differentabilitypodcast/

    9 min
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Why am I different? Why do things have to be so difficult? Am I dumb? Why am I scared? Will it be this hard forever? Will I ever find the help I need to succeed? When will being different be accepted? Welcome to The Different Ability® Podcast where we will answer all of these questions and a whole lot more! Each week host Katey Fortun brings you tips and tricks on how to navigate being different, along with inspiring stories of guests that are living an amazing life having Different Abilities of their own. Parents and Educators of kids with Different Abilities share their stories to encourage others that they are not alone and we can all get through this together! Katey, who has dyslexia, shares her personal Different Ability stories to show you that being different is a gift, being different is amazing and using your Different Abilities, you too can create and live the life you have always dreamed about! Katey believes that everyone has Different Abilities and it's time to let our Different Abilities shine bright! You are amazing, you are important, you are strong, you are smart and the world needs you just the way you were made! Are you ready to be inspired and encouraged to be the person you were made to be, Different Abilities and all? We know you're ready, so come along, we are all in this together! "You can do anything you put your mind to, with a lot of hard work, determination and never giving up! It's not your disability, it's your Different Ability®!" - Katey

Information

  • Creator
    Katey Fortun
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    250
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Different Ability® Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Different Ability® Podcast