Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

Don't we all want to feel we belong? It's so painful when we don't. Listen in as Jyotika shares insights on belonging, origin stories and more...

Jyotika is the Executive Director of St. Nick's Kids, where she leads the organization’s mission to support children and families through adoption services. Previously, she served as the Director of Adoptions, overseeing all intercountry adoptions. Jyotika earned her Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University in New York in 2019. Since 2006, she has worked in adoption services, beginning her career at Steffas & Associates, P.C., where she assisted with both dome...

How would your life be if you find joy whatever your circumstances? Joy, and even contentment, were completely alien to Doris growing up. She's one of those adoptees who got very, very unlucky with her adoptive parents. Now 58, Doris shares profound insights on joy no matter what - following terrible parenting, cancer and more. An incredibly empowering episode. I shouldn't have favourite interviews, but this is one because of the transformation it encapsulates. 

Here's a bit about her...

Doris Cardwell leads with a heart for foster families and the children they serve. Adopted herself, she be...

When things get tough raising your kids, what do you do? Listen in as Barb, Clinical Social Worker and adoptive mother to 3, shares her take on thriving and delighting in our kids.

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.

Would you like to be triggered less? More resilient when you are triggered? Listen in as Jenn and I dive deep into resilience for insights on how you react, bouncing back faster and more...

Jenn is Director of Kansas Caregiver Training & Support and brings a unique blend of academic expertise and lived experience to her work at the Children’s Alliance. She holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in education, with a focus in her graduate studies on neuroscience and trauma. As a former foster parent and current adoptive parent, Jenn brings a personal and compassionate lens to...

It's a trap we all fall into. Thinking that others will change. Waiting for others to change. But we have to change first. Listen in as Mercedes shares her insights on change for the better...

Mercedes is a compassionate leader dedicated to supporting grandfamilies in Texas. As a grandmother of eleven and great-grandmother of four, Mercedes’s journey into grandparent caregiving began in 2011 when she adopted five of her grandchildren. Recognizing the lack of resources for grandparents like herself, she founded Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (TXGRG) to fill this gap. Under her guidance, TXGRG has become a vi...

Born in India, Kirti Pickard was abandoned as a baby and spent her three and a half years in an orphanage. She was adopted at four. She is the host of When I Grow Up, a podcast sharing extraordinary stories of everyday people. Kirti also leads Mission 143.

https://mission143.net/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578275794926

https://www.facebook.com/kirti.pickard

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 discovering and sharing our uniqueness drives our thriving? How does that help us tough times. Chris is dad to 10 including 7 through  adoption from foster care. Listen as we dive deep into our diamond nature how his beliefs power his thriving.

Chris Johnson serves as the Sr. Director of Church Partnerships & External Advocacy at Lifeline Children’s Services. With over two decades of pastoral experience and a background as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Based Initiatives, Chris is a seasoned leader and advocate for vulnerable children and families.

What would it do for you to find your superpower? What if your difference IS your superpower? Listen in as adoptee Wes dives into difference, superpower and more.

Wes has more than 40 years of experience working in social care, primarily in services for children and young people as a qualified social worker. 
He worked for many years in local authorities including Luton, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire as the head of services and was director of services for children and young people at the NSPCC until 2011.  

He has a special interest in the support of vulnerable children and...

Handling tough emotions is human's biggest challenge. And it's particularly tough for adoptees and adoptive parents given the complex emotions around adoption. So what helps us do this? Listen in as we dive deep and explore powerful learnings...

Find out more about Rhiannon and her organisation at:

https://mofosteradopt.com/

https://www.facebook.com/FosterandAdopt

https://www.instagram.com/cmfcaa

https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmfcaa/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannon-franklin-b498ba239/

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

Hope. The hope that the past doesn't determine the future. A positive outlook. Life as an adoptive parent and as an adoptee can be tough. What keeps us going? Love, for sure. And hope! Listen in as we dive into overcoming trauma, abuse and other tough stuff.

Robin Sizemore, Executive Director of Hopscotch Adoptions Inc., was recognized in 2012 by the Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc as a person who has “Transform Lives and Impacted the Community”. Among five other recipients, Robin Sizemore, was recognized in the area of “International Awareness” for her work and advocacy...

The Altman family was formed by a unique set of circumstances that no-one could have predicted. This episode is a little different to honour that. A profound dive into deep topics. Claire and Stan along with their daughter Stefanie share their learnings on unconditional love, growth and changing life for the better.

Find out more about them and the book they've written together at:

www:TwiceBlessed.org

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

https://www.instagram.com/stefandrepeat/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-altman-145b5512/

Guests...

Raising kids - adopted or not - isn't a sprint. It's a journey. And the more we learn, the easier we can navigate the bumps along the way. Listen in as adoptive mother Kim shares her learnings along the way - including why she's still learning.

Kim Smith is  also the Founder and Executive Director of Cradled In Grace, find out more here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-smith-3912b5164/

https://cradledingrace.com/

https://www.facebook.com/cradledingrace.adoptionconsultants/

https://www.instagram.com/cradledingrace/

Guests and t...

Is love with rules really love? Probably not. And yet so many of us have only felt conditional love. Having her first daughter taught adoptee Jenn love without rules. Unconditional love as a felt experience. Not an idea. Listen in as we go deep on feeling loved and whole...

Jenn works in adoption. Here's a bit about her from her agency's website:

Jenn has been working with children and their families for almost thirty years, with eighteen of those years spent focusing on the needs of children in the foster care system and on providing...

What matters more than loving ourselves? And yet...so many of us believe that voice in our heads that doesn't love us. Listen in as Melissa shares her learnings on self love , helping others love themselves and more...

Find out more about Melissa and the agency she works for at:

https://www.forever-families.org/

https://www.instagram.com/foreverfamiliesmi/

https://www.facebook.com/ForeverFamiliesLivonia/

https://www.facebook.com/melissa.butkovich

https://www.instagram.com/melbutkcarr/

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

When we know better, we do better. Experienced adoption professional got a second chance at parenting after adopting her grandson when she was 55. Listen in as she shares what she's learned about going beyond basic needs to helping her son thrive despite trauma. Big insights on integrity, moral standards and expectations.

Gladys is Senior Director of Foster Care and Adoption at The Children's Shelter, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Find out more about her and the Shelter  here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gladys-foster-blackwell-155194b4/

https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrensShelter

h...

What if we could have a fabulous life, whatever our story? Thriving doesn't look like an option for some. But what if it is? Listen in as adoptee, adoptive parent and adoption professional Anna dives into doing the work, empowerment and much more.

Here's a bit about Anna from her website:

"I’m an adoptee, raised in a loving family, and I grew up knowing there was more beneath the surface of my story than anyone talked about.

Like many adoptees, I learned how to be grateful, how to be “fine,” and how to kee...

Finding our place - our home and our place in the world - is profound. Listen in as Matt who's fostered and adopted shares his learnings on self worth, relationships and much more...deep and highly empowering.

Matt Waller, MS is the Director of Community Impact for One Accord for Kids. Matt and his wife, Jen, founded The Attic Foster Network, a Permian Basin based nonprofit that serves children and families of the local foster system and invites churches to do the same. Matt moved to Midland, with his family, to teach for Midland Classical Academy. Prior...

Adoptees often start life at a disadvantage. How do we level the playing field so they can enjoy the same opportunities as others? Listen in as Karen shares her learnings and insights. Karen is an adoptive mother and the Head of Service for One Adoption South Yorkshire.

https://www.oneadoption.co.uk/south-yorkshire

https://www.facebook.com/oneadoption/

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.

 Does the desire for validation hold us back? How do you react when you or your beliefs are challenged? Listen in as adoptee Angie talks about surfacing and busting beliefs in this particularly empowering episode.

Here' a bit about Angie and the organisation she leads from their website:

"To serve as the President and CEO of CASA San Antonio is a privilege. It is also an honor to work with the dedicated team and Board to serve children in the San Antonio area.

My history as a foster, then adopted child, is what d...

Life can feel pretty scary. But what if we felt differently about that fear? What if faith felt bigger than that fear? Listen in as mother of 6 including 2 by adoption points us to big insights to seeing ourselves and our fear differently.

Here's a bit about Wendi:

"I am a wife. A mom. A mother-in-law. A Jaja (AKA: grandma). A missionary. A teacher. A speaker. And a cheerleader for Jesus. I love God, my husband, my family, and people of all nations. I also love to travel, meet new friends, and have fun wherever I...

What we resist persists. Especially our feelings. So what if we could be open to our feelings? Be openhearted. Ride life's emotional rollercoaster with more ease. Listen in as Cindy talks about vulnerability, openness and much more...

Ms. Cindy Sarai is the Founder and Executive Director for Adoption Dreams Come True, a non-profit domestic adoption agency based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With 23 years in the field of Social Work and 15 years in the adoption arena, her passion is clear. Her belief that every child deserves a home that is loving, safe and permanent is the foundation for t...

Raising adoptive children and teens is an art not a science. It's something you get a feel for. Listen in as adoptive father of 10 Dr Ray shares his insights on getting a better feel for this art. Packed with humour and humility.

Dr. Ray Guarendi is a clinical psychologist and adoptive father of ten children who provides guidance on adoption, dispelling myths and offering practical advice from his personal and professional experience, emphasizing that love and commitment create family bonds, even across different ages or races, and encouraging adoption as a rewarding path. He's known for his...

Shame is a big obstacle to our thriving. So how do we say goodbye to it? How is shame different to guilt? Listen in as Penny dives deep into shame, guilt and more...

Here's a bit about Penny from her agency's website:

"I have been a qualified social worker since 1991 and have worked with children and families in the safeguarding arena and as a therapeutic social worker. I qualified as a play therapist in 1999 and have worked independently as both a social worker and play therapist over the years. In 2003, I coordinated the development and...

How often do you realise that you're wrong? It's incredibly freeing. It's the ultimate lubricant for life. It reduces frustration and oils relationships. But if you're like me, your beliefs can get way of humility. Listen in as Arnie dives into humility, change, making a difference and much more. Truly empowering.

Arnie and his wife Donna have been foster parents for over 20 years and are the parents to three daughters and three sons, four of which are adopted into his family from the foster care system.

Arnie currently serves as the Executive Director of the...

Are we going to rise above trauma or to succumb to it? Perhaps one of the most profound questions we can ask. Listen in as foster/kinship parent Joanna's profound and powerful take on thriving.

Joanna is president of the Maryland Resource Parent Association.

Connect with her or them here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-a-961369176/

https://mrpa.org/

https://www.facebook.com/mdresourceparents/

https://www.instagram.com/mrpa_md_resource_parent_assoc/

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

Rejection can tear us apart. How do we put ourselves back together? Where does the strength come from? Where do we find the hope before we find that strength. Listen in as Niemah shares her learning on hope, healing and more...

Niemah Scherlacher was born to a 15-year-old Palestinian girl in Jerusalem at a time when formal adoption was forbidden. Her birth mother was hidden and protected from honor killing, and Niemah was placed in a Jewish Baby Home to ensure her safety and survival. She was late adopted by American Christians and raised in the United...

Holding on to anger holds us back. It stops us thriving. And it yet we all do it to some extent. It's part of the human condition. Listen in as Rachel shares her learnings and practice on releasing anger, forgiveness and more.

Rachel is the Director of the CAFO Institute for Family-Centered Healing & Health.

She has a background in physical therapy and holds a Master’s in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health from King’s College London, specializing in early adversity. Rachel has served on multiple boards supporting vulnerable children and helped found Tyndale Chri...

Rumi once said “Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I wanted to change myself.” One of the most profound things we can see is that tough stuff helps us change. It creates space to grow. Listen in as Jenny shares her realisations on growth.

Jenny grew up in a small town with her siblings and in foster care. Later, as an adult, she became a kinship home that provided permanency through adoption. These experiences have given Jenny a unique way to see solutions and connect in an unde...

Hope is sometimes in short supply within adoptive families navigating tough stuff. Why is that? How can we overcome fear, choose hope and enjoy a brighter future? Listen is as Carly talks faith, truth and helping kids be who they want to be. 

Carly Souza is an adoptive mother and Fostering Hope Director at The Hub in Las Vegas.

Find out more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-souza-aa9a382b/

https://thehublv.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thehublv

https://www.instagram.com/thehublv/

Guests and t...

How do we enable ourselves and others to thrive? Big question! Listen in as Damon shares what helps him thrive and empower his colleagues, foster youth clients and others to do the same.

One Hope United (OHU) is a nonprofit organization that has been serving children, youth, and families for 130 years. We provide early childhood education, child and family services, behavioral and mental health resources, and residential programs, reaching more than 10,000 children and families each year across Illinois and Florida. Through our evidence-based and trauma-informed practices, we empower children and families to see and create a future...

Raising adopted kids isn't about fixing them, it's about growing us. Doing Our Own Work is one of those themes that comes up again and again on Thriving Adoptees. Listen in as mom of 4 girls - 2 through adoption - Laura shares her learnings on empathy, shaming, relational loss and more.

Laura Adams is a visionary educator, speaker, and systems-change advocate focused on strengthening how schools and communities support children in adoptive, foster, and kinship families.

As the Founder and President of iCARE4 Adoptive And Foster Families, Laura leads statewide and national efforts to bring practical...

How open are you to learning? When we know more we do better. So lifelong learning isn't something to be shunned by our impatience, but welcomed in. Listen in as Rashunda who adopted three teens from the welfare system shares her learnings on learning.

Rashunda Williams joined the CHRIS 180 team in 2023 as the Director of Foster Care and Adoptions, before being promoted to the role of VP, Community Residential Services.

Williams is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of our community and residential programs that serve children, young adults and families, including CHRIS 180’s ado...

Are you suffering right now? It probably - or definitely - doesn't feel like it, but finding the purpose in that pain somehow makes it more bearable. The earlier we can see that purpose the sooner the pain can ease. Join Donna and I as we dive in life changing insights and shifts in perspective. Donna is an adoptive mother, executive director of an adoption agency and podcaster.

Here's a bit about Donna from her agency's website:

Donna is an irreplaceable member of our adoption agency, dedicated to aiding women who are contemplating placing their...

Tough stuff feels, well, tough. But with hindsight it becomes clear that the tough stuff prompts our biggest learnings. What if we could see the gift of the tough stuff earlier? Be more grateful for it when we are in it? Listen in as adoptive mom Jacee shares her insights on grace, grief and learnings. Powerful.

Here's the interview with Jacee's mother.

https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/our-spirit-isnt-traumatised-with-dana-hargus

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.<...

If you're going through tough stuff, this one's for you. Truly inspirational. Adopted at 9 months Sharon grew up in an alternative universe. One that felt completely alien to her. Her adoptive mother kicked her out of the house when she got pregnant at 18. Life got tougher until she found herself at rock bottom and attempting suicide. How did she turn it around? Listen into profound learnings from a remarkably resilient lady.

Find out more about Sharon here:

https://giftfamilyservices.com/about-gift-family-services/our-coaches/sharon-butler-obazee/

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

https...

If you're in hell keep going. But how? Listen in as Adoption Permanency Director Alaina dives into digging deep, what empowers us to persist through the toughest of tough stuff and more...

Find out more about the company Alaina works for here:

https://www.enniscenter.org/

www.enniscenter.org 

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

Find out more about adoption support in Michigan here:

www.mare.org 

Listen to the podcast with Jaycie on secondary trauma herehttps://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/healing-for-them-jaycie-bias

Guests an...

Vince's mission is to add value to everyone he meets. Listen in and let him add value to you with his insights, learnings and wisdom. Vince and his wife have six kids, three of whom are adopted. He's also Executive Director at Keystone Family Alliance.

Keystone Family Alliance is comprised of representatives from different churches around the state of Pennsylvania. We aim to educate, motivate, and equip every Christian in the state of Pennsylvania on the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, both locally and globally.  Everybody can do something to positively impact these children, and the A...

If things are looking tough right now, here's some hope for you...According to one of my mentors - Richard Wilkins "The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence" The past may explain the present but it needn't dictate the future. Join Erin and Megan as we explore hope, healing and more as we look forward to a brighter future.

Erin Argue is Heart Galleries of Texas Post-Permanency Director

Erin Argue first came to TACFS as an intern in 2022 during an MSW program at Texas State and returned as the Heart...

Secondary trauma can build up within us without us noticing. Even veteran therapist Bessel van der Kolk who's the author of the bestselling book The Body Keeps The Score wasn't aware of his secondary trauma until very  recently. And secondary trauma is common amongst adoptive parents. Do you want to heal for your kids? Be triggered less often? At peace more? Listen in as adoptive mother Jaycie and Executive Director shares her learnings on healing secondary trauma, choosing love over grief and much more.

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

https://www.facebook.com/WVFosterParents/

Are you advocating for your child or change? As every parent knows systems can be very tricky to navigate and change. The better we can understand them, the better we can relate with the people we deal with and more likely we are to get what we want. Listen in as

Director of Foster Care and Permanency Michelle shares her inside knowledge on systems, change and more.

Here is a bit about Michelle from her website:

"I'm often asked what brought me to this work; child protection, public service, and anti-oppression efforts. The...