Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

So many of us so much time ruminating on the past or worrying about the future. What Do You Need Right Now? The question can shock us into the present and unleash our wisdom. Listen in as Rebecca shares how that question changed everything and could do the same for you.

Rebecca Harvin is the founder and Executive Director of Haven. Rebecca, and her husband Brad, began fostering in 2017 and in July of 2022, they adopted a sibling set of four. They also have 2 biological children. Haven Retreats was born from a season of caregiver burnout and the...

We all want to be our best selves, not just for ourself but for our family. So what does that mean? How do we do that? Listen in as adoptive dad, adoption attorney, social worker and adoption agency executive director Rob shares his learnings on self worth, expectations and much more.

Rob has been in the adoption field since 1996. He has worked in both the public and private sectors in child welfare and has experience in both intercountry and domestic adoption. Rob earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Wheaton College, MA (1994). He has a Master’s De...

Do you suspect you may be playing life small? Do you want more? Perhaps something is holding you back? Listen in as adoptee Karyn explores growing beyond what she thought was possible, doing that afraid and more...

Find out more at

 https://www.facebook.com/karyn.kunst.9

https://www.instagram.com/karynellenk/

Check out her book on Amazon

https://a.co/d/1LN1a4l

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if y...

Grief touches us all. Sometimes we resist it, but what we resist persists. So what do we do? Marcia has experienced a lifetime of grief including the unbelievable loss of  2 sons. Listen in as she shares her take on embracing grief, thriving with joy and how her faith empowers her. Poignant and powerful. You're going to love this.

Here's a bit about Marcia:

Marcia has been married to her best friend, Scott, for 35 years, and together they raised five incredible children—four sons and one daughter. Their family is a beautiful reflection of love and div...

How does being adopted into God's family shift our ideas on family and identity? What role does faith play? Listen in as Alice and I dive into riding the emotional rollercoaster with more grace.

Here's Alice's previous interview https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/leaning-on-30-years-learning-with-alice-murray-adoption-attorney-writer-tezpvkd

And her new book https://www.amazon.com/God-Adopted-First-Attorneys-Adventures/dp/1563097818

To find out more at her work check out:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-h-murray-174521157/

https://aliceinwonderingland.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alicemurraywriter

https://www.instagram.com/alice.h...

Fear & Faith. Two words we don't usually hear together. How does fear hold us back, how does faith spur us on? Listen in as Matthew and I dive deep into how we grow and help our kids do the same.

In September 2006, Matthew co-founded the Heart Gallery of Broward in response to the need he observed in his community for this service. During its short tenure, Heart Gallery of Broward has achieved an above-average success rate of 40 percent, having already helped place 70 children in loving, permanent homes. Recognizing the benefits a national network of Heart Galleries could...

 What help us feel that we are thriving? Feeling it. Not thinking it. Not judging it. Feeling it. Listen as Jodi and I dive deep into the feeling of thriving. Insights aplenty on peace, purpose, people and more. You are going to love this...

Jodi loves being a wife to Jerry and mom to her large family of world-changers, including eight children, five adopted.  In 2009, as she faced the orphan crisis worldwide, God gave her the dream to unite the women everywhere who love and serve the orphan.  She served twelve years as Global Director of Orphan Sun...

How do we celebrate ourselves when we don't know how we came about, feel unwanted or an accident? Listen in as adoptee, adoptive parent and adoption professional Anita shares profound insights on finding meaning, a reason for being and more. She also shares how following Christ has helped her along the way.

Find out more about Anita here:

https://www.brookhills.org/staff-elders/anita-bucher/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-bucher-a8233725/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice...

So many of have so much going on we can't see the wood for the trees. Today's interview is a chance to stand back and see the big picture - what helps us thrive, what helps our kids thrive and much more. Listen in - adoption professional Cindy really knows her stuff!

https://www.allforkids.org/

https://www.facebook.com/AllForKids.CA/

https://www.facebook.com/AllForKids.CA/

https://x.com/AllForKidsCa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-stogel-2a1093171/

Guests and the host are not (unless...

How do we free ourselves from the past? By seeing that it doesn't define us. Listen in as Krystal, adopted in her 30's talks about getting stronger through adversity, processing tough emotions and more.

Connect with Krystal here https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-trocki-1372321a3/

Find out about her employer here https://26health.org/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

What if there's part of us that's not traumatised? Because it can't traumatised? Wouldn't that be a great place to find and live from? Listen in as we dive deep into thriving, touch on religion and explore the part of us that's beyond trauma.

Adoptive mother Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC, is a seasoned health professional with over 25 years of experience in trauma-informed care. Before becoming a counselor, she spent nine years as an educator, building a foundation of compassion and connection that continues to guide her work today. Dana is the owner of a thriving private...

What happens when your search for belonging leads to both love and heartbreak? Listen in as adoptee Lisa shares what she's learned from her rollercoaster ride of reunion including lovebombing, jet black darkness and, eventually, light. Very powerful. Deeply profound. Listen with big ears.

Find out more about Lisa here:

https://www.instagram.com/drmommypoppins/?hl=en-gb

https://www.theadoptednurse.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lisa.astalos.chism/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek q...

Do you feel disconnected from your cultural heritage or identity? Tami did - even though she wasn't adopted. She was determined her daughter who was born in Ethiopia would feel connected with her heritage. Listen in as we dive into cultural heritage, identity and more.

Here's a bit about Tami from her website:

I grew up disconnected from my Dominican and Jamaican roots, always feeling like I wasn't “enough” of anything—not Latina enough, Caribbean enough, not even Black enough. I carried shame, confusion, and uncertainty about whether I even had the right to claim a heri...

Can we thrive despite what happened in to us? If so how? Listen in as Wilson describes how he turned his life around after some difficult years in his mid-teens. It's an incredibly uplifting interview from the youngest guest we've ever had on the show. Wilson is just 19!

Here's a bit about Wilson..

"Hi! I’m Wilson. I’m a transracial international adoptee with a deep appreciation for history, tradition, and the values that shape us. Growing up, I was always told I was an “old soul,” and honestly, they weren’t wrong. My love for classi...

Looking for inspiration? Andrew, father of three - including one through adoption - shares his insights on igniting our passion, finding meaning and community. A powerful and empowering episode.

Andrew is a passionate supporter of foster care and adoption. Andrew launched the KPMG National Foster Care and Adoption Network in 2021, which has now grown to more than 45 of KPMG’s US offices. Focused initially on mentoring and coaching opportunities for new and prospective foster and adoptive parents, the network has grown to serve as a platform for connecting foster and adoptive parents, adult adoptees, birth parents, and ad...

Looking for more peace and less pain? Listen in as Korean adoptee Tanya shares her learnings so far.  We dive into healing, freedom with painful emotions and much more.

Tanya is a Korean adoptee and former academic. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology and an M.S. in Student Affairs in Higher Education with a focus on intercountry adoption, identity formation, emotion work, advocacy, and agency. Prior to Ties, she worked 20 years in higher education supporting students, teaching sociology, and conducting evaluation research. She has spoken at multiple Heritage Camps and first started working with Ties a...

What if thriving is being comfortable with where we are on our journey? Comfortable with what we don't know? Comfortable in our own skin? Listen in as adoption professional Meredith dives into comfort and lots more...

Meredith Shepard joined Heart of Adoptions in August 2013 as the Adoptive Parent Coordinator. She works closely with waiting adoptive families handling day-to-day needs and assisting with matching adoptive families to birth families. In July of 2020 Meredith became the Director of Programs for the agency.  As of April of 2022 Meredith is the Executive Director for Heart of Adoptions. She is responsible to c...

What if you could choose to thrive? Forgive others more easily. Feel spontaneous gratitude from within. Rise above your circumstances. Listen in as adoptee Sharla talks about choosing, her birth mother and much more. This is a truly incredible episode. Listen in with big ears.

https://www.facebook.com/sharla.kinman

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Some believe that some kids and adults broken. That's downright demoralising, depressing and disheartening. There's no hope. Listen in as Morganne brings hope as we explore life beyond fear, finding new identities and more.

www.facebook.com/people/Kaleidoscopes-Consulting/61575749055036/

www.instagram.com/kaleidoscopesconsulting/

www.linkedin.com/in/morgannecrouser

https://jri.org/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Some say change is hard. What if believing that is keeping us stuck? Even if it's change for the better? What if we were open to change? Held our expectations more loosely? Questioned our beliefs more? Saw that our beliefs are made of thoughts so we can see them crumble? Listen in as we dive into changing expectations, giving up regrets and coming to a greater understanding.

Irene Steffas is the founder of St. Nick’s Kids and served as the agency’s first Executive Director from 2019 to 2024. Currently, she is the Director of Domestic Adoptions and Glob...

If we want adoptees to thrive, adoptive parents and birth parents all need to thrive. Listen in as we dive into thriving across the adoption triad. And how openness helps us thrive.

Adoptive mother Linda R. Sexton is an open adoption pioneer who seeks to educate on today’s practice of open adoption where the biological parents and adoptive families know each other and remain in contact after the adoption is finalized.

https://www.lindarsexton.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lindarsextonauthor#

https://www.instagram.com/lindarsextonauthor/

https://x.com/li...

Guilt is feeling bad about what we've done. Shame is feeling bad about who we are. And it's the feeling that fuels imposter syndrome. What if there was another way? Listen in as adoptive mother Anna talks about owning our own story WITHOUT shame.

Anna Schocket, a single adoptive mother, embarked on a heartfelt journey to pen this book as a way to open a dialogue about adoption with her young daughter.

With a career as a senior executive in Talent Development, Anna leveraged her learning background and her belief in the power of teachable...

Are you looking for more ease and flow in your life? Who isn't? Listen in adoptive mother and coach Francine shares her insights on flow helps us thrive. We also explore how meaning enriches our lives.

Here's a bit about Francine from her website:

Adoption is a way some of us are called to grow our families, and I’m here to support that journey however I can.

I’m Francine Apy, an adoptive mom of three, a writer, speaker, and coach who believes in the power of encouragement, clarity, and faith to move...

Left for dead in a war zone. Now Jackson Terkeurst is speaking to the world. Listen in as this truly inspirational adoptee shares what helped move from stuck to thriving. 

Jackson is an entrepreneur and leader who continues to defy the odds as a first-generation immigrant from West Africa who owns and runs a small business. The adopted son of bestselling author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst, Jackson is passionate about drawing together people from diverse backgrounds to experience authentic community. He lives with his wife and their two children outside Nashville, Tennessee.

https://www.facebook.c...

If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always got. We need new solutions if we are going to move forward with the tough stuff. Listen in as Kelly shares learnings on persistence, creativity and much more.

Kelly Henderson, Ph.D. is Executive Director of Formed Families Forward.

A special educator by profession, Kelly is a former public school teacher of students with emotional and behavioral disorders, and has worked in national and federal special education policy and research settings. Kelly’s family is formed in part through public foster ca...

How do we grow? What kind of environment helps us grow? How do we harness our mistakes for growth? Listen in to this empowering, metaphor rich dive into all things growth. Powerful and insightful. Just as we love our episodes here on Thriving Adoptees.

Jenifer Jarriel is Board President & Chief Executive Officer of Depelchin. Jesse Booher is Chief Operations Officer and Senior VP. 

DePelchin Children’s Center supports and sustains children and the families who care for them. Some of our programs, such as parenting classes and counseling, preserve and strengthen families. Other services, such as...

FASD is caused by exposure to alcohol in utero. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition with lifelong cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges. Listen in as Brian shares his learnings on how families thrive with FASD.

Brian Is Director of Education & Well-being for the National Organisation for FASD and has been the lead author and co-ordinator for the Me & My FASD project and leads our training team. Brian has been a Local Authority foster carer for over 30 years. Along with his wife they have provided long term foster care for large sibling groups. They have been...

How does lifelong learning help us show up better with our families, friends and the rest of the world. Dr Rick's passion is palpable. Listen in as we dive into his learnings from raising 3 kids adopted internationally and a huge Italian Mastif. Humility, self awareness and God play their part in a great episode. We both hope you love it.

As Vice President of Engagement, Rick Morton shepherds the ministry’s outreach to individual, church, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and...

Finding out she was adopted at 38 caused a seismic eruption for Diana. The world disappeared from under her feet. Everything she'd believed about herself was lies. And the lies continued as she searched for her truth. Settle back for a masterclass in stubborn, persistence, acceptance and finally, peace.

DIANA KAYLA HOCHBERG is an accomplished photographer with over twenty-five years of experience in retail management and twenty years as an educator. Her life is a testament to the power of self-discovery and perseverance.

Diana was born in Montreal, Canada, and raised in New York. She holds...

How much are you enjoying life? The more deeply we can see that joy  is an inside job the more we can enjoy life. Listen in as we dive into accepting missing pieces of our story, finding joy and more.

Leigh Lincoln is an author whose narratives resonate deeply with the human experience. With a passion for storytelling that touches hearts and provokes thoughtful reflection, she has carved a path that intertwines her love for writing with her dedication to advocating for the homeless and those living in poverty. Her journey as an author is a testament t...

Want to be in  our new book for adoptive parents? Listen in as fellow adoptee and friend Jude interviews me about the book.

 I'm gathering wisdom from across the adoption constellation for a book on how adoptive parents can help their kids thrive. The ebook will be available widely and free. Any profits from the printed book will go towards supporting a post-adoption charity. 

Contribute here https://forms.gle/93u641bZf2DzXDGs6

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if...

Unlimited potential. A tantalising idea isn't it? One that seems a long way from our experience. So what brings it closer? What takes it further away. Listen in as we explore realising that unlimited potential, getting out of our own way and more.

Meghan Anderson has been the director of Connecting Hearts (now Adoption Life), since 2018 and has worked in adoptions in various roles for over 12 years.  She has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Social Work degree from Columbia University and thoroughly enjoyed her experiences at both schools.  Me...

What does thriving mean to you? Everyone has a different definition. One that feels authentic to them. Giving ourselves grace, feeling safe and being vulnerable help us see our true self and being true to who we truly are. Listen to a lovely, deep dive into authenticity.

Jenn Hook, MA  is Founder and Executive Director of Replanted Ministry

Jenn received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College. She previously worked as a trauma therapist for children and adolescents in foster care. She speaks frequently on topics related to adoption and foster care sup...

Do you feel you belong? Do the ones you love feel they belong? Listen in as we explore belonging, grace and the power of unconditional love. Profound and poignant. A conversation we both hope you love.

Amiee earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. She also has a Master’s in Conflict Management from Lipscomb and is a Certified Nonprofit Profesisonal.

https://miriamspromise.org/

https://www.facebook.com/miriamspromise

https://www.instagram.com/miriamspromise/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amieem...

"We act how we feel" what a truthbomb! But how do you feel? How do you feel about yourself? Listen in as we dive deep into acceptance, gratitude so we relish ourselves.

Kelly has extensive experience as a Family Support Coach with Children’s Home Society and has also served as the co-leader of Bellis' innovative Tuesday morning peer-support group for women addressing the grief of no longer parenting their children. She was recently appointed to the inaugural State Board of Appellate Counsel and Training in MN. Kelly has an M.Ed. degree with licensure in Parent an...

We all have trauma. Infertility traumatises and miscarriage takes that to a different level of pain. For Anna Maria miscarriage prompted depression. Listen in as she shares her learnings from bouncing back from that, raising her daughters and finding peace.

Anna Maria DiDio, MSW is a writer, speaker and educator who has devoted her time and talents to organizations focusing on women, girls and families. She is also the mother of two wonderful women. Her younger daughter joined the family through adoption. Here's more about Anna Maria from her website:

"Twenty years ago, the myth...

Who do you prioritise? Whose needs come first? Putting ourself first is seen as selfish and therefore, bad. Listen in as Abby and I discover constructive selfishness. Abby also shares her reflect, release and re-invent process that's empowered her as a transracial adoptee.

Dr. Abigail Hasberry splits residence in Texas and Maryland. Her work focuses on examining and developing a person's identity, experiences, passions, and support networks. Abby prides herself on being able to support people as they plan to meet and exceed their potential. She provides a safe and supportive space where her clients are guided...

Thriving starts with us. If we want our kids to thrive, we need to be thriving. And that all starts with self awareness. Listen in as Annette shares insights into self awareness and how it helps us tackle the tough stuff and thrive.

Annette Williams, PhD, M.Ed., LPC, RPT, CAS is a Professional Member of the Association of Play Therapy and is a National Certified Counselor through the NBCC.

Find out more about her here:

https://www.williamscounselingplaytherapy.com/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists...

How fast are you living your life? Today's frantic pace of life means opportunities to learn, grow and connect with the people we love the most pass us by. Listen in as David shares his learnings on slowing down, becoming a better parent and much more.

Rev. David Melber is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina (BCH) effective January 1, 2025. David is responsible for casting the overall vision for the nonprofit as well as overseeing all aspects of its many ministries throughout NC, SC and internationally. His desire is to ensure th...

Trauma can be so painful that we back off it. We numb it. We suppress it. And so it lingers. What if we did the opposite? We embrace it. When do so, miracles and magic can happen. Listen in as Stacey and I dive deep into pain and cures.

Darren and Stacey Gagnon are passionate advocates for children in the areas of special needs, adoption, and foster care. They both have degrees in education and have a combined 25 years in the classroom. Stacey is also a licensed RN and has mostly worked in public health and pediatric...