Dr. Mary Susan McConnell holds her doctorate in special education, is the host of the popular Mama Bear Podcast, a coach to fellow women raising kids in extreme circumstances, a writer, a nearly textbook Tauras, and a firm believer in (basically) doing whatever you want.
Mary Susan’s mission in her writing, her podcast, her coaching, and her courses is to help women around the world hear other people say the things they are already feeling. As the mom to a child with profound disabilities, she knows the power of connecting with other people who get it. The world of caregiving can be both isolating and overwhelming. It is Mary Susan’s mission to help women feel seen, breathe deeper, acknowledge their innate badassery, and approach their lives with a sense of bravery, excitement, and perhaps a little bit of humor.
In this school you will find her introspective courses that guide women into a place of noticing themselves again- amidst the magical and also very often all-consuming nature of caregiving.
"I reached goals, and discovered dreams working with Mary Susan. She guided, coached and motivated me to let go of the guilt. My outlook and perspective have shifted to a more positive, and confident approach. Having the opportunity to work with Mary Susan was an incredibly rewarding experience".
- Fellow caregiver / coaching client
Hi, my name is Mary Susan McConnell. I go by Mary Susan.
After becoming the mama to my amazing gal (who happens to have profound disabilities), I quickly found out how easy it is to get lost in the minutia and the seemingly incessant duties of full-time caregiving. I also learned the power of speaking with people who get it. After completing my doctorate in special education, publishing over 130 episodes on my top-rated Mama Bear Podcast (my show has been in the top 20 parenting podcasts on Itunes and named the Number 1 Podcast to Love for Special Needs Parents in 2020), interviewing women raising children with all different stories and circumstances, completing over 75 coaching calls with fellow caregivers from all over the world, writing my ebook "We're Going to Have Fun, Damnit" and speaking to both audiences of educators and parents (Including giving a Becoming Statement at the final stop of Michelle Obama's book tour), I am using all that I've learned to make badass courses for badass women.
My goal is for women to climb out of the fog, acknowledge the value of their own skillsets, pursue the power of their own passions, and to not feel swept away by the duties of caregiving (that can be both beautiful and extremely intense). I always say on my Mama Bear Podcast that I hope listeners feel like they're hanging out on my porch having a beverage of their choice with some friends. Same goes for here. Welcome.