Shows / Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Life Without a Filter is a podcast for parents of young adults with disabilities navigating the transition from special education to adult services, with a strong focus on Self-Direction and Participant-Directed supports.
Hosted by a parent with lived experience, the podcast offers honest conversations, practical guidance, and real-world examples to help families feel less alone and more confident about what's next.
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, unsure where to start, or trying to…
Episodes
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 20: My Day at The Arc of Massachusetts Transition Conference
How can educators and families help young people with disabilities build a fulfilling adult life beyond school? In this week's episode, Cheryl shares takeaways…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 19: Keeping it all together- Why I rely on Plan-a-Palooza for annual planning
Some days, it feels like I'm spinning a million plates. Between staffing, schedules, budgets, paperwork, appointments, family responsibilities, and everything…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 18: Riding the Waves-Exploring Surf Therapy with Gnome Surf
Three summers ago, while we were developing L’s self-direction programming model, he shared something pretty simple in his person-centered plan: he wanted to…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 17: 9 Things To Do Now, The "Back to School" Checklist
📚✨ Back-to-School isn’t just about school supplies… it’s also the perfect time to check in on your child’s transition plan. From IEP dates to adult services…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Welcome to Season 2!
Thank you to everyone who has been listening to the podcast over the past year. Listen here to learn about my goals for Season 2 and what is coming up on the…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 16: Getting Ready-- how we prep for the annual ISP Meeting
Feeling overwhelmed about your first ISP meeting? You’re not alone. In today’s episode, I share how we prepare for the annual ISP meeting. I talk about: ✔️…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 15: Starting PDP? What the Orientation Is REALLY Like (and How to Be Prepared)
If you’re starting the Participant Directed Program (PDP) through DDS, one of the final steps is the PDP Orientation—and for many families, this is where…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode14: Welcome to Summer Planning…..and where have I been?
Happy Summer! In this week's episode, I share where I have been during this (unintended) hiatus and what I learned during that time. I also thought it would be…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 13: Overwhelmed by Self-Direction? A Checklist to Start Your Participant-Directed Program
Are you trying to figure out how to start a self-directed program for your young adult, but not sure where to begin? When our family was going through this…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 12: From School Services to Adult Supports: Applying for DDS, Understanding the ITP, and the Shift from Entitlement to Eligibility
What happens when your child transitions from special education to adult services? In this episode, we walk through the Massachusetts adult transition process…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 11: Building your team in a Self-Directed Adult Service Model
🎙 New Episode: Building Your Team in a Self-Directed Program Thinking about self-direction for your young adult — or already on that path? In this episode, I’m…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 10: Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: Why Both Matter in Transition Planning
Self-determination and self-advocacy — you’ve probably heard these terms used interchangeably. But they’re not the same… and understanding the difference…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 9: Transition 201: A Holistic Look at The Arc of Massachusetts Transition Timeline
If you support a young adult with a disability, the transition from school to adult services can feel overwhelming. In this week's episode, I break down one of…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 8:“Turning 18: What Families Need to Know (201 Series)”
If you have a child with disabilities between the ages of 14–22, you’ve probably already felt the pressure that comes with turning 18. There are forms…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 7: What we are thankful for this Thanksgiving Season
As families supporting young adults with disabilities, our days can be full and complex — but they’re also full of moments worth celebrating. In this week’s…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 6: Creating a Vision Plan for a Participant Directed Program
When you decide to explore self-direction for your young adult, the first big step is creating a Vision Plan — your family’s roadmap for what adulthood will…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 5: Putting Your Child in the Driver's Seat: A Parent's Guide to Person-Centered Planning
Today, we’re diving deep into a topic that I am passionate about: Person-Centered Planning. This concept is absolutely fundamental to empowering our kids as…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode #4 – October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! This year marks the 80th anniversary of NDEAM, with the theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent.” 💡…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 3: What is Self-Directed Programming?
Self Direction: What It Is & How We Got Here In this episode of Life Without a Filter, Cheryl breaks down the basics of self-direction programming through DDS…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 2: Goodbye School, Hello Unknowns: Intro to Transition Planning 101
✨ Goodbye School, Hello Unknowns ✨ When the school “bubble” pops, it can feel overwhelming. Services, waitlists, adult systems—it’s a lot. In Episode 2 of Life…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Episode 1: Welcome to Life Without a Filter!
When the school bus stops coming, what happens next? Let's talk about the fears, questions, and realities families face the day public education ends. Welcome…
- Life Without a Filter: Practical Strategies for Life After 22
Introduction to #Life Without a Filter
‼️Don't want to miss an episode? Make sure to subscribe, rate, and comment! 📱Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/life_without_a_filter_2025/ 💻For…