Ep. 136 - Adoption Doesn’t “Save” Anyone — It Changes Everyone with Nancy McMurtry

What if the system isn’t broken — but just missing heart?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Nancy McMurtry, Director of Development at Courage Rains — a nonprofit in Highland, Utah, that’s rewriting the rules of healing through equine-assisted therapy.

Nancy opens up about the raw, beautiful, and often complicated journey of adoption — including the emotional depths of adopting her sons, Liam and Eli. She doesn't shy away from the hard parts: the wait, the uncertainty, the heartbreak. But she also reveals the unshakable power of open adoption, and why her family’s decision to become certified foster parents wasn’t heroic — it was human.

We also dive into the life-changing work happening at Courage Rains, where therapy isn’t done in sterile rooms — it’s done in pastures, alongside horses, hope, and holy ground. As they gear up for their annual fundraising gala, Nancy reminds us: healing looks different than most people expect — and sometimes the most overlooked methods are the most miraculous.

This episode is a challenge to conventional thinking — and a love letter to every child, every family, and every horse who's been part of the healing.