
The Adapted Life, Finding Next
I’m Julie Hasselberger. For 26 years, I was the full-time caregiver for my beloved son Daniel, whose life was marked by profound disability and extraordinary beauty. This podcast began as a way to support other parents navigating the complex, often isolating world of special needs caregiving. But life changed — heartbreakingly and irrevocably — when my son passed away.
Now, The Adapted Life, Finding Next is a space for truth-telling, tenderness, and transformation. It’s about what comes after the role that once defined you is gone. It’s about grief, relational trauma, resilience, and the raw, ongoing search for next — for purpose, healing, and connection.
If you’re facing a season of reckoning, rebuilding, or rediscovery, I invite you to walk with me. You are not alone. This is the adapted life… and together, we’ll find what comes next.
The Adapted Life, Finding Next
The Cracks In Between, Slipping into Moments of Me
In this episode, I talk about something that I've written about considerably. As a caregiver, I have so much of me devoted to this role. But the true essence of who I am, what my souls true purpose is, is far greater than just my role as a caregiver, or even a mother.
I've been cultivating time, however briefly, where I can slip away into the cracks and work on self care, or my own creative endeavors. I find time to engage in transformational meditation courses or to upload a new episode here.
Sometimes I just slip away and try to find ways to not only bring purpose and joy to others, but also to provide a source of income for my family. (since I am unable to hold a full time job outside of the house given the intense and stressful situation with taking care of my disabled 24 year old son)
Please come along, as this veteran special needs Mom (I am 56 years old) talks about the look back at how I got to where I am today.
This journey to create the Adapted Life, has been so incredibly amazing. And also, very very difficult. I gave up my career, my aspirations, and for a long time, I buried my identity. As I say, I put it in a bin, in the basement, behind the Christmas decorations.
I created the Adapted Life Podcast, as a Community for everyone, but especially for those of us who are devoting our lives to being caregivers. For those of us who have faced unforeseen extreme adversity that has changed the life we once envisioned for ourselves.
Welcome to my adapted life. I'm so glad you are here.
For more from Julie Hasselberger, tune into her YouTube channel at Julie Hasselberger
, or instagram @jhasselberger
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg