Did you know that hopeful adoptive parents often overlook one of the most important parts of their adoption journey? Hannah Eloge from Kindred + Co. sat down with us for thirty minutes to give us the low down on creating a profile book! We chat about why it’s important and what it should (and shouldn't) include. If you’re in the process of adopting and getting ready to create an adoption profile book, this episode will be invaluable to you. Hannah offers a fresh perspective on the precious oppor...
Mar 20, 2020•32 min•Season 2Ep. 4
As adoptive parents, we know the weight of sharing your kids story with them. There’s no handbook for it, and every story is different, every kid is different, so it makes it impossible to really plug it into an equation. In this episode, we share some findings from research and survey results from over 130 adoptees in the Adopt Well community. We will answer questions around the topic of talking to your children about their adoption story and share advice from adult adoptees on how to do that w...
Feb 14, 2020•39 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In this episode, we interviewed trauma informed, licensed clinical counselor, and transracial adoptee, Cameron Lee Small from Therapy Redeemed. Among other things, Cam shares what a therapy journey looks like and how we as adoptive parents can support our children. During the episode, you’ll hear about several helpful resources. Find more about them here: Therapy Redeemed Cam's online workshop Therapist resources: https://www.growbeyondwords.com/adoptee-therapist-directory/ https://www.mnadopt.o...
Jan 31, 2020•39 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Do you wish you had a way to include your friends & family in your adoption education journey? Are there things you wish you could tell them, but you don't know how? This episode is for you! We asked the Adopt Well Instagram community what they want their friends & family to know, and in this episode we share their responses. This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but we hope you will find this episode helpful to share with your friends and family. Let this be the beginning of open...
Dec 11, 2019•34 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Kiana Bosman was so kind to sit and share with us about her experience as an international & transracial adoptee. She was adopted from Haiti as a toddler and has maintained cultural connections to her home country. We talked through practical ways that Kiana and her family have maintained a cultural connection to Haiti, all the way from Washington. From cooking Haitian meals to attending camps, and even making trips to Haiti. She offers wisdom beyond her years for parents who have adopted tr...
Nov 15, 2019•31 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Maybe you’ve considered adopting for a while, and now you are at the point of wondering if you’re ready to go for it. This episode is for you. The majority of content we share has to do with adoption education, but this episode will focus on one step before adoption. Actually deciding to adopt, are you ready to adopt. Adoption is beautiful and adoption is hard, so before you decide to begin the process - we have listed out quite the gamut of topics to talk through with your spouse (if married) a...
Nov 01, 2019•27 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Adopting well can start much before a child joins your family. Oftentimes when you are hoping to adopt, there is so much to be done leading up to “the wait”. You research, choose an agency, do your home study, etc. Then...you wait. You wait for a child to join your family. This season can be done well, or to be quite honest - it can be riddled with anxiety. In this episode, we share the good and bad things we learned while we waited. If you are in the wait right now, congratulations, you are alr...
Oct 18, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Are you considering becoming a foster parent? In this episode, we talk with Paula from All Things Moms Blog about all things foster care. The intent of foster care is to reunite children with their biological family when possible, but there are also over 100,000 children and youth who are legally free for adoption. Paula and her family have adopted two of their children through foster care and have had over a dozen children spend time in their home. She shares with us some practical tips, and op...
Oct 11, 2019•42 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Expectant mother expenses is a loaded topic of conversation. Talking about money is always a sensitive topic, but it’s necessary to understand. Oftentimes, the season that hopeful adoptive parents are paying these expenses, is the same season that they’re building a lifelong relationship. Understanding these expenses legally, ethically, and emotionally is crucial for a healthy start. We sat down with Ashley Mitchell from Lifetime Healing and had a great conversation on expectant mother expenses ...
Sep 20, 2019•49 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Imagine your child is 16, 25, or even 59 years old and reading your timeline - is there anything you would change? Social media has such potential for good, but with that comes a downside too. Knowing how to share (or not share) your child’s story well takes some navigating! In this episode we will give you some things to think about before you post and share some tips for navigating online groups. Our kids stories, and their birth family’s story, is not ours to share. None of us post anything w...
Sep 06, 2019•28 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Are you new to the adoption process? The home study is one of the first things hopeful adoptive parents check off the list. The idea of someone coming to “study your home” can feel a bit intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! We sat down with a licensed clinical social worker, Erin Nasmyth, and she answered all of our questions and then some. We talked about things like: What to expect when a social worker comes to your house. What happens if you move? Who actually sees the home study? Erin of...
Aug 23, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Dr. Lucretia Berry from Brownicity: Many HUES. One HUEmanity! offers such a rich understanding of race and ethnicity. From discussing our subconscious biases to the historical man-made constructs of race, this conversation is loaded with topics to ponder and practical ways to discuss skin color with our kids. If you are a hopeful adoptive family open to adding a child from a different racial category to your family, this episode is a great tool for you to further understand what it means to be a...
Aug 09, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Did you know you can adopt and give birth to the same baby? It’s called embryo adoption! Tune in to hear more about logistics, as well as a very personal story of what embryo adoption now looks like for one family. Rebekah Heilman sat down with us to give us a peek into her life as an adoptive Mama through embryo adoption. Rebekah’s daughters have an open relationship with some members of their biological family. If you have adopted embryos or are considering it - this podcast is packed with pra...
Jul 25, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Adoption is a big deal in the church, as it should be. As Christians, we believe that we should strive to do things well - and ethically. We sat down with Shane and Kasi Pruitt to discuss adoption and christianity. Shane and Kasi are parents to five cute kiddos, three of whom joined their family through adoption. With years of Biblical study and ministerial careers, the Pruitt's have a clear understanding of what the Bible says about adoption. This podcast covers topics like: - "adoption is the ...
Jul 12, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Today we chatted with a good friend of ours, Sharday Dufresne. Shar is a transracial adoptee who grew up in a closed adoption. She has spent the last year walking through reunion with members of her birth family, and today she was kind enough to share some of the ups and downs of that journey with us. This episode is especially valuable to adult adoptees who are considering reunification and offers adoptive parents a peak into what their child may experience. Sharday Dufresne: @shardayrenee Amy ...
Jun 28, 2019•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Today one of our hosts, Amy Bagwell, is sharing about her experience in adopting a toddler. She briefly tells her story, then gives many valuable tips for adding a toddler or adolescent to your family. She talks about surviving the first night home, finding an adoption competent pediatrician, cocooning, and more. We hope you will feel prepared & armed with helpful tips after this episode. This episode will be valuable to those who are open to adopting a toddler or adolescent, and even to fos...
Jun 14, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, we talk with Christa Jordan about navigating a closed adoption. Her son Kai joined their family by way of international adoption from Japan at five months old. We discuss the struggles and complexities of a closed adoption, as well as some practical tips to navigate it all. If you are an adoptive parent or adoptee who finds yourself in a closed or semi closed adoption where limited information is accessible, this episode will be helpful for you! Christa is also the author of the...
Jun 05, 2019•23 min•Season 1Ep. 3
A note from your hosts: Content in this podcast may be triggering due to circumstances around placing a child for adoption. In this episode, we talk with Ashley Mitchell about the grief cycle of a birth mother. As a birth mother of 13 years, her vulnerability and transparency is refreshing and so helpful to so many of us in the adoption community. Understanding what a birth mother experiences after placing her child with another family is a key piece of education for each member of the triad, an...
May 24, 2019•33 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome to the first episode of the Adopt Well podcast! We’re your hosts, Macie and Amy. Adopt Well is an educational community for those touched by adoption. In this brief episode, hear a bit about our story, how we became friends, and the heart behind the Adopt Well podcast. We’d love to get to know you! Connect with us on social media: Macie: @AdoptWell @MrsPerreault Amy: @toddleradoption @ahbagwell Before you go, please leave an honest review and share your thoughts on social media with #Ado...
May 17, 2019•17 min•Season 1Ep. 1
