Episode 10 From Hidden to Held: When Your Deficit Became My Medicine
In this episode, Xander Peer Keller welcomes Chantalle, a dancer, writer, mover, adventurer, and facilitator whose work is rooted in co-creation and the belief that everyone has something to learn and something to offer.
Content warning for mentions of suicidality in this episode.
What begins with a photograph of Xander's disabled grandmother unfolds into a deeply personal exploration of disability, survival, intimacy, and the power of being witnessed.
Together, they explore:
- disability, chronic illness, and the hidden stories that shape our lives
- surviving shame, depression, and suicidal ideation through care, community, and connection
- how dance, embodiment, and song became pathways to healing and belonging
- reimagining intimacy, interdependence, and the ways we hold one another through struggle
This is a conversation about moving from hidden to held. Through friendship, love, vulnerability, and years of learning together, Xander and Chantalle explore how our deepest struggles can become sources of connection, growth, and belonging.
Stay tender. Stay tangled. Stay held together.
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Find Xander Peer Keller:
Instagram: @xanderpeerkeller
TikTok: @queercripmagic
Substack: xanderpeerkeller.substack.com
Website: disabilitycreativity.com
Listen to Sirona Isle's music on Spotify
Email us at: heldtogetherpod@gmail.com
