
The Different Ability® Podcast
Why am I different? Why do things have to be so difficult? Am I dumb? Why am I scared? Will it be this hard forever? Will I ever find the help I need to succeed? When will being different be accepted? Welcome to The Different Ability® Podcast where we will answer all of these questions and a whole lot more! Each week host Katey Fortun brings you tips and tricks on how to navigate being different, along with inspiring stories of guests that are living an amazing life having Different Abilities of their own. Parents and Educators of kids with Different Abilities share their stories to encourage others that they are not alone and we can all get through this together! Katey, who has dyslexia, shares her personal Different Ability stories to show you that being different is a gift, being different is amazing and using your Different Abilities, you too can create and live the life you have always dreamed about! Katey believes that everyone has Different Abilities and it's time to let our Different Abilities shine bright! You are amazing, you are important, you are strong, you are smart and the world needs you just the way you were made! Are you ready to be inspired and encouraged to be the person you were made to be, Different Abilities and all? We know you're ready, so come along, we are all in this together! "You can do anything you put your mind to, with a lot of hard work, determination and never giving up! It's not your disability, it's your Different Ability®!" - Katey
Episodes
214 episodes
Empowered by sharing and embracing her hearing loss with April
I had such a great time talking with my guest, April, on this episode! She brings such a wonderful persepctive of hearing loss in your early 20s. She is honest and open while sharing her story and I know you'll learn a lot about hearing loss th...
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Season 5
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Episode 213
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1:04:31

BONUS - Design the Life You Love Challenge with Lyndsey Kampen
I received an email from my friend Lyndsey this week and saw she is running a new challenge in May 2025. I quickly emailed her back and wanted to know more and thought, why not make it a bonus podcast episode so you can hear about it too and jo...
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Season 5
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36:00

Book Title Announcement!
The day is finally here, I'm ready to announce the title of my first book! AHHHH it's been a long time coming and I'm so excited to share it with you!If you'd like to join my insiders email list all things about the book and be the first...
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Season 5
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Episode 212
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12:00

Be a Hearing Hero with Teresa Barnes Paulus
Teresa is an amazing story teller and I'm so grateful to have learned so much from her all about hearing loss! It's a must listen!Teresa's BioTeresa Barnes Paulus, RN, is an advocate for hearing awareness. With h...
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Season 5
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Episode 211
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49:47

Book Editing into Round 3!
We are getting there my friends! Editing a book is no joke and I'm finally moving into round three of editing! This episode is an update of my book writing / editing process and what's to come! This episodes ad break:&nbs...
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Season 5
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Episode 210
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12:57

Find A Way, Not An Excuse! with Brittany McCormick
Brittany and I have been trying to get our schedules lined up to this this podcast episode for far too long! I'm so glad we made it happen and I can't wait to have her back on soon! She's my new South African friend and oh does she have an amaz...
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Season 5
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Episode 209
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33:47

RE-RELEASE: Learning to Stay Centered with Shylla Webb
This episode is one of my highest listened to episodes! It was released in 2021, so let's re-release it for many more people to listen to it! This is a great topic to learn about in the time we are living in now. Shylla W...
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Season 5
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Episode 208
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38:08

Heart 4 Advocacy with Rebeka Acosta
Oh my goodness, this episode was SO fun! Rebeka and I met when I was a Keynote speaker last year (2024) in Reno, NV. We became fast friends! Rebeka's story and the work she does is not only inspirational, it's needed now more than ever! Listen ...
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Season 5
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Episode 207
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47:39

RE-RELEASE: Building Confidence
This is a re-realease episode! Confidence is key but you don't just wake up one day full of confidence. It takes practice building self confidence. It's pretty simple but it is not easy, it takes time! In my opinion building confide...
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Season 5
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Episode 206
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11:56

The Book Editing Process Round 2: The Good, the Bad, and the I'm nervous!
A look at how editing my first book is going! Let's say, it's not easy... but it's worth it! Listen in and hear some of what my round 2 editor has to say about the book!This episodes ad break: Jo...
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Season 5
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Episode 205
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14:01

It's never too late to chase your dreams! with Carol Wyllie
The conversation I had with Carol on this episode was nothing short of amazing! We dove into her being an amazing mom to her two incredible girls, supporting them in all that they loved! She's an amazing advocate for her daughters and she talks...
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Season 5
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Episode 204
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53:34

Advocating for himself! with Max Lowe
I had the pleasure of meeting Max in real life at a conference I spoke at in late 2024. He is a vibrant, warm human and is so welcoming! Max is making big changes in his life and I'm so proud of him! He shares some of his story with us today on...
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Season 5
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Episode 203
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35:22

Is Inclusion Enough? Employment for people with disabilites with Heather Hagen
This conversation with Heather couldn't have come at a better time! This episode was recoreded early January 2025 and I'm so happy we had this conversation before everything in the US happened in later January 2025. This is not a time to stop f...
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Season 5
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Episode 202
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57:42

RE-RELEASE: BIG ANNOUCEMENT!
This is a RE-RELEASE episode of my big annoucment I shared in 2024!
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Season 5
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Episode 201
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19:11

200th Episode!
It's the 200th episode of the Different Ability® Podcast! It's not only the 200th podcast episode, it's also the 200th episode on my YouTube channel for my motivation moment videos! I for sure did NOT plan that, I actually realized it when i wa...
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Season 5
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Episode 200
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14:11

The Importance of Early Intervention in Hearing Loss: Shannon Bonardy's Story
Shannon shares her story learning she would need hearing aids at the age of 22 after struggling to hear for years. She shares her story of how she felt when she found out and dives into being a mother to two young children, all while having hea...
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Season 5
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Episode 199
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49:18

Turning Pain into Purpose Through Poetry with Traci Neal
Traci is such a great guest and shares her incredible story! She is open and vaunerable when sharing her story. You don't want to miss this episode! Share with your friends and family! Traci's BioTraci Neal is a neurodivergen...
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Season 5
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Episode 198
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48:25

One New Goal, One Year: How I Achieved My 2024 Goal!
Happy New Year & Happy 2025!In 2024 I gave myself one new goal and I only focused on that new thing, not the million things I normally am doing... and it worked! Listen in and hear all about the goal I gave meyself and how I accompl...
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Season 5
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Episode 197
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17:32

Almost full circle: disability diagnosis and the doctor who diagnosed me!
While writing my book I really wanted to know who the doctor was who diagnoised me... we are almost full circle! I not only got his name, I have my diagnosis paperwork! I hope to be able to connect with the doctor soon!This episodes...
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Season 5
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Episode 196
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13:34

The Main Motivation for Writing My Book: The Book Edition
There's many reason why I'm writing my book, but on this episode I'm sharing the main reason.I do have this episode on my youtube chanel as well. There are a few spot in the episode where I'm sharing pictures, if you'd like to see those...
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Season 5
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Episode 195
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13:15

Beyond Vision: Empowering a More Inclusive World with Lois Strachan
Living a somewhat "normal" life in South Africa for 21 years, Lois found herself facing a major life change at the age of 21. She was told she would be fully blind for the rest of her life. Lois shares her story on today episode and she's remar...
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Season 5
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Episode 194
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51:23

Relationships and Boundaries: Thriving with Disabilities with Katie Thune
This epsiode Katie dives into teaching safety, boundaries and saying no for people and children with disabilties. This is such an important topic we need to talk about, teach our children and continue to learn for ourselves! Tune in and share t...
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Season 5
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Episode 193
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47:37

Breaking Barriers: How her Disability Became a Career Superpower with Dana Stubbs
Dana and I had a wonderful conversation in this episode! Her story is inspiring, and she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to thinking about your health in a not so western medicine way. She shares how her disability is her gift and how sh...
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Season 5
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Episode 192
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55:40

Learning about Autism and loving her family! with Wendy Whitcomb Marsh
Wendy is such a breath of fresh air and we had such a great time talking on this episode! She brings a weath of education knoweledge from her 40+ years in the education world. She not only retired from the education world, but she has created a...
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Season 5
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Episode 191
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1:00:55

Diagnosed with Dyslexia to Children’s Book Author! with Sasha Saidman
I had so much fun talking with Sasha on this episode! We discussed growing up struggling in school and being diagnoised with dyslexia in elementary school. It was so much fun talking to someone that has been through what I have been through, of...
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Season 5
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Episode 190
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59:54
