In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Brooke Brown—a passionate advocate, spiritual wellness guide, and founder of Brooke’s Butterfly Touch. Brooke, who lives with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, shares how her journey led her to discover Reiki, energy healing, and the power of self-connection.
As an Ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona and host of the Rolling in Grace podcast, Brooke empowers others to live with purpose, embrace their uniqueness, and become their own biggest advocates. She shares her message of accessibility, inclusion, and disability visibility, along with the importance of assuming competence in every interaction.
💜 Brooke’s mission is simple but powerful: help others reconnect with their spirit, lead fulfilling lives, and see disability through a lens of strength, not limitation.
🎧 In this episode:
- Brooke’s journey with cerebral palsy
- Discovering Reiki and spiritual healing
- The story behind Brooke’s Butterfly Touch
- Her role as a UCP Ambassador
- The Rolling in Grace podcast and disability advocacy
- Why we must always assume competence and bless our differences
📹 Watch Brooke speak at Life Recovery Church:
Always Assume Competence – Blessing Our Differences
🦋 Learn more about Brooke:
https://brookesbutterflytouch.com/
👩🦼 UCP Ambassador Profile:
https://ucpofcentralaz.org/ambassadors/brooke-brown/
🎧 Listen to Rolling in Grace:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rolling-in-grace-podcast/id1674482810
If you’re passionate about disability advocacy, spiritual growth, or building a more inclusive world, this episode will uplift and inspire.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
Dr. Carmen Elliott, the new President and CEO of the Amputee Coalition, joins Mike Bolland for a conversation about community, advocacy, and helping people with limb loss and limb difference find the support they need. Carmen shares how her family’s experiences with healthcare access and limb loss shaped her commitment to this work. Together, they explore the value of peer support, access to prosthetics, and including families and caregivers in the conversation. They also discuss support groups, certified peer visitors, AC Connect, and the upcoming “Fireside Connections” conference.
How do you move forward when vision loss changes your career, independence, and plans for the future? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland speaks with Jennifer Frederick about living with permanent vision loss and learning to advocate for herself along the way. Jennifer explains how changes in her vision eventually forced her to leave a career in crisis management. She also discusses the challenges she now faces while looking for work, including interview practices that have left her questioning whether she is being treated fairly as a person with a disability. The conversation explores Jenn’s decision not to undergo surgery for her detached retinas, the importance of seeking medical attention when your vision changes, and the need to take ownership of your healthcare.
What happens when we stop deciding what someone is capable of—and give them the opportunity to lead? In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike Bolland speaks with Nathan Kennedy of Upstream Fitness, Chris Kocurek, and Chris’s son, Coach Cameron “Coach Cam” Kocurek. Cameron, who has Down syndrome, began gymnastics as a child and went on to compete through Special Olympics and unified gymnastics. Today, he is using the confidence and skills he developed as an athlete to help coach others at Upstream Fitness. Nathan explains how Upstream Fitness uses movement, games, coaching cards, and step-by-step instruction to make exercise accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chris shares Cameron’s journey from athlete to assistant PE coach—and now toward meaningful employment and greater independence.
