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
Gratitude Practice, Julie's toolkit for Adapted life
In this episode, I discuss my second "tool" in my tool kit for those dealing with extreme adversity and caregiving responsibilities. It is gratitude.
I explain that being grateful is an empowering way to stay centered and mindful. Practicing gratitude can be as creative as you are, but I enjoy writing daily into my gratitude journal.
Caregiving for a severely disabled loved one is a huge challenge. There are most definitely days when I don't feel like it. I don't feel grateful, I feel hurt, alone, anxious, frustrated... this is not a perfect science right?
But for me, nurturing a gratitude practice came hand in hand with seeking love and grace and acceptance for my situation in life.
Take a listen to the podcast, I hope something resonates with you.
I truly understand what caring for another human being's entire existence requires. Its massive. And I was faced with completely imploding and losing myself, or fighting back to find my way to joyful and purposeful living.
I am here to provide friendship, support, laughter, guidance, and connection.
So welcome again! I hope you are enjoying this podcast and will share it with someone who may also enjoy it.
If you would like to watch my son and I on you tube, here is the link,
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg
You can find me on Facebook, on Instagram and our collaborative art shop.
Daniel's Special Art Shop (on Etsy.com)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DanielsSpecialArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQr7Ot0J0o6_gRnG_fJvzDg
