Advance the Conversation

Steve Over with Patrick and Karen

If you want to see Self Determination in action, this is the episode you need! Today you’ll meet Steve Ober, who works at the University of Cincinnati. Steve also invited his brother, Patrick (who’s been on the podcast once already!), and his mom, Karen, to our interview. Steve, Patrick, and Karen model Self Determination as we learn about Steve’s experiences in employment, independent living, transportation, and more. This episode will pull you closer to tools needed to drive Self Determination, including systems of support in families, work places, communities, homes, and more!

Stephanie Bare

Today we welcome the incredible Stephanie Bare to the podcast. Stephanie is an outpatient Speech Language Pathologist who also works as the Young Adult Coordinator at the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and is the sibling to an adult with cerebral palsy. Together, we walk through several topics with Stephanie, including the impact of language skills on Self Determination, how assistive technology can assist with self advocacy, and what strategies exist to yield better engagement and buy in from self advocates and to infuse Self Determination into planning for independent living. Stephanie’s work is innovative, hands on, and timely, making this a can’t-miss episode.

Sara Bitter

Sara Bitter is the mom of two children who have disabilities, an attorney, a school board member, and an all-around extraordinary advocate. Join us in this episode where we talk with Sara about her own Self Determination journey, which includes a healthy dose of resiliency and grit, and which deliberately influences that way she parents. We talk about how experiences, exposure, relationships, and so many other factors weigh into Self Determination. Then, we switch gears and dive deep into Inclusion, a topic that Sara has spent a lot of time researching, as well as how to effectively advocate for more inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Sara gives us so many real-life examples of how Self Determination has influenced her own life and those of her sons.

Patrick Ober

“The support system around someone is the reason why someone can determine those Self Determination skills and embrace Self Determination. I make the direct connection to my brother, Steve, who has autism.” Today we talk with Patrick Ober, Director of Programs and Operations at Stepping Stones, a Cincinnati non-profit organization that provides programming and supports to people with disabilities.  Patrick walks us through his own Self Determination journey, comparing it to Steve’s Self Determination, as deliberately fostered by his family. He talks candidly about the struggles and stretches that his family and others experience and gives such beautiful insight into the many benefits of that commitment.

Mary Helen Richer

“The only way you can help someone else be Self Determined is to understand your own Self Determination.” Today we talk about being vulnerable with our own experiences in self determination (and so much more) with Mary Helen Richer, the CEO of Autism Connections in Cincinnati, Ohio. Your hosts and Mary Helen sort through how our own Self Determination and our identities as “helpers” intersect with our ability to support others in their Self Determination journeys. This important episode brings a healthy dose of introspection and self help to our conversation.