Hi! Sorry I’ve been so quiet, I’ve been deep in editing the book and a bit overwhelmed by watching my government lean hard into authoritarian behavior while creating an aura of trauma and fear throughout the world.
I believe my book is even more important and necessary than ever before, even as I worry about the programs I’m teaching about being defunded or removed from our nation’s laws. Even if that happens though, there’s still plenty in here to be helpful, and I’m planning on maintaining a link page with regular updates if the laws and programs discussed in my book change.
Major changes since September
In September, I was working with a publishing company. After repeated delays and stresses, I made the decision to work with someone else. Thriving While Disabled is officially a self-published book, created by Thriving While Disabled Publications, my own little imprint. This means that I own 100% of the rights for the book. I also hired somebody to do the heavy lifting on the publication side(3 Ferns) and Leesa, my consultant/editor has been amazing!
The book now has a new (better) cover, and has been significantly restructured from the original version I discussed then.
The 2024 election results turned out to be unfavorable for democracy, so I sat down and really thought about my options. I never considered not publishing the book, but I knew that with the dangers we were facing, I needed to create some form of pivot.
I spent much of December reaching out to people with disabilities in other countries and getting a sense of the similarities and differences to US programs. I already had a bit of a sense from conversations I’ve had over the years with friends, but this concerted effort helped me to expand on these differences and similarities and reminded me of just how global the challenge of ableism actually is.
With my pivot, things finally came together more organically. The book is structured around the major challenges that people with disabilities face, with an explanation of why we face them and why these challenges are so socially acceptable.
The book is now in copyediting(Leesa is reading it over to make sure spelling, grammar, and all that good stuff checks out), and so I’m shifting into sales mode, rather than writing mode!
What does the book cover?
It’s now divided into four sections, though the final section is just a chapter long.
The first section “Putting Things Into Perspective” does just that. I discuss disability history, bias and discrimination(especially ableism and classism), impacts of disability on relationships, the stress of having a minority identity, and a bit about disability culture(and stereotypes around disability).
I also discuss ways to manage and mitigate these stresses, and powerful tools to help yourself through tough times, like pacing, mindfulness, and mentally reframing situations. These are basically the costs associated with disability and the tools for you to balance your mental, emotional, and energetic expenses.
The second section is entitled “Disability Fiances And You”, and it starts with how poverty is defined, and why that matters when you live in a welfare state(such as the US, the European Union, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand to name a few).
The chapters that follow discuss your rights, protections, and equalizing forces that help you to navigate the challenges of living with a disability in an ableist society. This includes a deep discussion of employment and work culture, various forms of insurance(including health and disability insurance), programs to help if you can’t work, navigating a return to work if you take substantial time off due to your disabling condition, housing, and transportation.
These are the big, life-altering challenges you may be facing once you become disabled, and how to survive in a world that is simply not designed with disabilities in mind. I discuss specific laws and programs in the US, and preface them with a conversation on how other welfare states handle these challenges, with guidance on where to start looking!
The third section, “Rebuilding your life” is divided into two parts: financial and personal. It’s more focused on life milestones and ways to thrive, once you get through the worst of the survival stresses.
The financial chapters include bankruptcy, banking options, improving and protecting your credit score, ABLE accounts, and taxes.
The personal section starts with a discussion on our right as disabled people to exist(and ways countries have worked to prevent our birth or shorten our lifespans), then goes onto less controversial topics like citizenship and immigration, education, marriage and the decision to have(or not have) children. The section closes with a discussion on how to schedule joy into your life.
The final section, “Creating a better future” is a chapter on different mindsets, organizations, philosophies, laws, and personal decisions that can help you as a person with a disability, and society as a whole, break out of ableist beliefs and ideas, and create a better, safer world for all people(including those of us with disabilities) to inhabit.
I WANT IT – now what?
The book is currently available for preorder!
If you want a physical book, it’s available in both hardcover and paperback through Barnes and Nobles (Nook version also available)!
If you’d prefer Kindle format, that’s available on Amazon.
Wherever you preorder it from, it will be sent to you on Saturday, April 12. That is the day before another day that’s rather important for me, FND Awareness Day!
I’m also planning on creating a community support space in the near future, so join my email list to stay up-to-date on this! I’m excited about what this is going to lead to and I hope you’ll join me on this journey from surviving to thriving with your disability (whatever it may be).
If you like what I’m doing, I also have a variety of trainings available to help you get through the struggles you’re currently facing on the disability front, and am always happy to offer more!
I have programs to help you apply for disability, understand the rules around working while on SSDI or SSI so you’re in control, and would be happy to be your medical BFF and help you recognize and work around the ableism you might be facing in your medical care(and create a plan to switch that work from full-time to part-time). I’m here to help!
I’ve also got several virtual masterclasses to help you understand and navigate the challenges you may be facing. Again, if there’s anything I don’t offer that you’re wondering about, feel free to email me and ask!
My primary goal is to help you protect your mental health while finding your next step towards thriving, despite the ableism that makes all of this an uphill battle!
