How to Handle More Than You Can Handle | Parenting, Grief, Joy & Special Needs with Amanda Atkins

Описание: “You’re allowed to be more than just a caretaker.” – Amanda Atkins

In this deeply honest episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson is joined by family therapist, writer, and parent advocate Amanda Atkins for a conversation about what it actually means to live — and survive — when life gives you more than you can handle.

Amanda is the author of How to Handle More Than You Can Handle and the mother of Asher, a teenager with Prader–Willi Syndrome. Drawing from lived experience rather than theory, she speaks candidly about overwhelm, grief, identity loss, marriage strain, humor, joy, and the long arc of parenting a high‑needs child.

Rather than offering platitudes or quick fixes, this conversation explores what sustains families over decades: nervous‑system regulation, community, play, honesty, dignity, and allowing both parent and child to be fully human. Rupert and Amanda also look ahead — toward adolescence, adulthood, relationships, independence, and how we build lives that are sustainable beyond childhood.

📍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
00:01:06 – Why overwhelm and isolation are so common for parents of high‑needs children
00:03:11 – What Prader–Willi Syndrome looks like in daily family life
00:05:13 – Grief, identity loss, and resilience in special‑needs parenting
00:06:02 – Why Amanda focuses on supporting parents, not prescribing fixes
00:16:36 – How humor helps restore regulation, dignity, and connection
00:27:26 – Teasing, theory of mind, and why joking is a developmental milestone
00:51:01 – Reclaiming joy and meaning beyond the caregiver role
01:07:45 – Cortisol overload, burnout, and why doing less can sometimes heal more
01:13:29 – Following a child’s passions as a pathway to confidence and growth
01:18:53 – Adolescence, friendships, dating, and independence
01:33:48 – Identity, self‑compassion, and finding yourself again

💬 Memorable Moments
00:04:00 – Being handed a diagnosis at 26 and the pressure to become a “special‑needs warrior”
01:05:38 – Why so many special‑needs marriages burn out — and what actually helps
01:22:22 – Asher’s first homecoming date and the quiet power of community
01:33:48 – Amanda reads a passage on meaning, identity, and self‑forgiveness

📚 Books and Resources
Amanda Griffith Atkins:
https://www.amandagriffithatkins.com/
  / amanda.griffith.atkins  
How to Handle More Than You Can Handle – Amanda Atkins: https://amzn.to/3LjgWSH

The Horse Boy & The Long Ride Home – Rupert Isaacson: https://longridehome.com/books
New Trails Learning Systems – Movement Method & Horse Boy Method: https://ntls.co

❤️ Support the Podcast on Patreon   / longridehome  

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