208 - Mindfulness, MS, and Breaking Through Disability Barriers with Regina Beach

In this episode of The Inclusive Dad podcast, host AAron welcomes Regina Beach, a disability advocate, writer, and wellness educator living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Regina shares her journey from being an active classroom teacher to navigating life with an acquired disability and redefining what participation, accessibility, and inclusion truly mean. Together, they discuss the realities of living with MS, the importance of designing spaces with access in mind, and how mindfulness, meditation, and adaptive yoga can support mental and physical well-being. Regina also offers practical ways anyone can create more inclusive environments while embracing possibility over limitation.

Key Takeaways:

Access First - Inclusion starts by designing spaces with accessibility in mind and encouraging people to share their needs.

Ask, Don’t Assume - Simple questions about comfort and accommodations can make people feel seen, respected, and included.

Redefine Participation - Activities like yoga, dance, and recreation become accessible when we focus on what people can do.

Mindful Resilience - Meditation and mindfulness help manage stress, self-criticism, and the emotional challenges of disability.

Possibility Mindset - Disability may change how things are done, but it does not eliminate opportunities for meaningful experiences.

Regina Beach’s definition of inclusion:

Inclusion means making space for everybody's access needs. Building a space where people feel comfortable articulating, “I need this, can we have this?”

Regina Beach’s Bio:

Regina Beach is a disabled poet and essayist. Originally from the American midwest, she now calls the Welsh Valleys home. She is a freelance writer and editor passionate about accessibility in the arts. She is the founder of the literary magazine Lesions | Art + Words featuring the work of creators living with chronic conditions. She hosts Writers’ Hour and is the editor of the London Writers' Salon’s Writing in Community anthology. She facilitates creativity workshops for the MS-UK charity and is the producer of the Living Well with MS podcast.

Connect with Regina Beach:

Website: https://www.reginagbeach.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginabeach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaBeachCreativeWellbeing/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reginabeach_creativewellbeing/

Substack: https://reginagbeach.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@reginagbeach

SPAM© Count:

Host:

Yes

Current Guest:

No

Cumulative Guest Stats:

Yes - 91

No - 115

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