Get the picture of the Family Wellness House Kristin talks about here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hc5YKcrj0XJuIr1IvVW-z6W7QqaYO9OB/view?usp=sharing Connect with Kristin here https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-orphan-5b2a8113a/ Finally Home is a non-profit whose mission since 2008 is to equip foster, adoptive and kinship families to build healthy homes where kids can heal. Over the years all kinds of families have benefited from Finally Home's programs and products which are designed to giv...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 89
Here's a bit about Kaycee and her family from their website "With a love for Jesus, kids, and stories, Kaycee and her husband Pete had always planned to adopt. In 2016, while Kaycee was working as a youth pastor, they began dreaming about how to change the narrative around foster care adoption, especially within faith communities. Five months later, The Reel Hope Project was born and they began telling the stories of Minnesota’s waiting kids. In 2019, they adopted their son, whom Kaycee met thro...
Oct 13, 2021•47 min•Ep. 88
Here's a bit about Eric from his team's website: "Trisha and I have been married since June 26, 1999. We have six kids Madison, Isaac, Robert, Kale, Kelsey, and Halle Jo. We had the joy of serving full time in student ministry from 2000 to 2012. We served for two years in the Dallas/Fort Worth area as youth pastors. Then we moved to Ozark, Missouri, and served as the junior high directors at James River Church for almost 10 years. In September of 2011, God called us out of local church ministry ...
Oct 11, 2021•52 min•Ep. 87
Pam and her husband Dan are the adoptive parents of two children, a daughter who was born in Korea in 1986 and a son who was born in India in 1989. Her children catapulted Pam into life and career interests she never imagined. Pam’s position as Executive Director has evolved over the past 20 years as she was a volunteer Executive Director for the first 7 years, then the only part-time paid staff person, then a full-time paid position, and finally to overseeing with the Board of Directors the a...
Oct 07, 2021•51 min•Ep. 86
Here's a bit about Suzy from her website Hello, I’m Suzy creator of We Made a Wish. I’m an adoptive mum to two beautiful girls who crept into our hearts four years apart. We Made a Wish grew from my desire to create beautiful things to celebrate adoption and families. It brings together my love for adoption, shopping and writing. Magazine We Made a Wish is a free digital adoption magazine, which raises awareness about adoption and shares experiences from all sides of the triangle. I created a bl...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 85
Joanna Ivey is an adoptee and adoptive parent and has been working in the field of adoption for 16 years. In her work with adoptive families, she meets couples/singles early in their adoption journey and is privileged to get to know them and learn about what brought them to adoption. She writes, “I often read hopeful adoptive parents write “We feel called to adopt,” and while I’m not here to judge anyone’s faith or how they came to choose adoption, I will share with you why this, as an adoptee, ...
Oct 05, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 84
Hillary Merryfield, M.S.W., L.S.C.S.W., L.C.S.W., Founder, and Director, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Kansas and Missouri. She is a Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work and approved Mediator in the core and parent/adolescent areas as well as a Clinical Hypnotherapist. In addition to her adoption services and counselling, she has a general psychotherapy practice offering services to individuals, couples, and families. https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-merryfield-13821750/ Here...
Sep 30, 2021•54 min•Ep. 83
Candy McVicar is an author, inspirational speaker, and devoted advocate for families who are grieving a baby or child. Candy and her husband Stephen have been married and serving in ministry together for twenty-one years. After the stillbirth of their daughter Grace in 2001, they founded Missing GRACE Foundation which provides support, resources and a place of healing for families grieving a pregnancy or infant loss, infertility or adoption challenges. Candy serves as the Executive Director. Can...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 82
Holly Marlow is a British author and parent to biological and adopted children. Holly strives for a gentle/therapeutic parenting style and this has led her to create stories to help children to understand some of the emotional and practical complexities of adoption. https://hollymarlow.com/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holly-Marlow/e/B099V6HQ1K https://www.amazon.com/Delly-Duck-adoption-children-therapeutic/dp/1739916808/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=delly+duck&qid=1632817752&sr=8-1 https...
Sep 28, 2021•54 min•Ep. 81
In 2008 Zara finished directing and producing an adoption documentary entitled “ROOTS: UNKNOWN” This educational and informative film focuses on the emotional influence adoption has on the adoptee and their families. Interviews and sound bites with adult adoptees, their families and children are mixed with artistic images of their art and creative expression. The film won Best Homegrown Documentary at The Garden State Film festival in New Jersey. In addition, Zara is also an author. Her book, ‘M...
Sep 27, 2021•49 min•Ep. 80
Evan has been in the field of social work for nearly a decade. Early in his career he gained experience working in child welfare and mentoring where he witnessed the powerful impact that one consistent adult could have on a young person’s life. Moved by this experience, he went on to receive his MSW where he focused on child welfare, LGBTQ youth, trauma and attachment. In addition to his MSW, Evan is also a LICSW and a has a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. Evan brings a diverse ski...
Sep 24, 2021•58 min•Ep. 79
Steve Kalb, director of post adoption services, is an adult adoptee from the Midwest. He received his masters of social work in 2009 and is currently pursuing his Ph. D. in social work and social research, focusing on adoptee community and empowerment models. Since 2005, Steve has worked directly with hundreds of adoptees through the adoptee camps and birth search counseling. He has seen the need for, and benefit of, a strong adoptee community; that experience guides his adoptee advocacy work at...
Sep 23, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 78
Norman E. Thibault, PhD, LMFT graduated with his BS in Family and Human Development (FHD) in 1994. He went directly into his Master's program in FHD and Marriage and Family Therapy and graduated in 1998. He completed his PhD in Counseling Psychology in 2006. Norm has worked extensively in residential treatment, in his former private practice, and as the Clinical Director of At the Crossroads, an innovative young-adult transitional program in St. George. Throughout his nearly-20 years of clinical...
Sep 22, 2021•50 min•Ep. 77
Find out more about Brian and his incredible work: https://thebrianstanton.com/ https://www.facebook.com/brian.stanton3 https://www.atghostkingdom.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thebrianstanton/ https://www.facebook.com/ATghostkingdom https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-stanton-63141a24/ 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....
Sep 21, 2021•49 min•Ep. 76
Darren received his bachelors degree in visual fine arts. Since university, he has worked varying graphic design and social media management positions. He's an imaginative foster/adoptive parent that can get children to go to bed by inventing a detailed story about small, friendly creatures living throughout the house that only come out at night. Darren helped co-found Community Kids, a resource and networking 501(c)3 created to assist foster/adoptive families. https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren...
Sep 20, 2021•46 min•Ep. 75
Connect with Kerry https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-bocook-34261b83/ Heart to Home Adoption Agency, LLC (HTH) is a licensed Kentucky adoption agency that provides home studies, post placement visits, adoptive and foster parent education and referrals to other professional agencies to prospective adoptive/foster parents in Kentucky seeking to adopt domestically. We offer face to face meetings to support our adoptive families and our placing parents. HTH also provides birth parent services such a...
Sep 16, 2021•55 min•Ep. 74
Isaac Etter is an activist and social entrepreneur. Isaac was transracially adopted at the age of two. He recently founded Identity a startup focused on providing accessible, diverse, and ethical adoption and foster care education. Isaac also co-founded an education and advocacy organization, SafeHouse Lancaster , where he was the co-executive director. SafeHouse Lancaster merged with YWCA Lancaster in July of 2021 and Isaac went to found Identity. Isaac also serves on the board of directors for...
Sep 15, 2021•50 min•Ep. 73
Herbie is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Accounting from Samford University. He worked with WAKM Companies, LLC, a prominent accounting firm, for several years as an independent auditor before being led to Lifeline in 2003 as Executive Director. From January 2004 to December 2008, he served as the president of the Alabama Adoption Coalition and was chosen as a Hague Intercountry Adopt...
Sep 14, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 72
Sarah works as a therapist with foster and adoptive families in a private practice in Manhattan. She was formerly the Executive Director of the Coalition, the Associate Director of AdoptUsKids, and a Senior Policy Analyst at Children’s Rights. She holds a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University. Her child welfare policy and practice experience includes research and publication on a range of foster care and adoption issues as well as presentations at national and international con...
Sep 13, 2021•51 min•Ep. 71
Karl shares his family's story with humility, honesty and great insights. There's a big learnings around how his own perspectives on raising Catie have changed over time and how those changes have helped his daughter overcome some challenges to thrive.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.
Sep 09, 2021•49 min•Ep. 70
David and Susan Durovy fostered 27 kids and adopted 4 from the Virginia foster care system at ages 6, 16, 17, and 21. He was the President of The Post Institute for 10 years and now writes articles for parents and professionals with adopted/foster children in their care. He is the Director of The LoveMore Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people learn to love one another, no exceptions. This requires an evolutionary move toward becoming more fully human by enlarging our capacity to lov...
Sep 08, 2021•55 min•Ep. 69
Adrienne Elliott has worked in all aspects of the child welfare system including intake, child protection, permanency and adoption. She was an adjunct faculty member for the University of Denver and Metropolitan State University and taught courses in Family Social Work, Foster Care and Adoption and co-taught a college level course for caseworkers and mental health professionals in Adoption Competence. Adrienne holds her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver and her Bachelor of Scie...
Sep 07, 2021•40 min•Ep. 68
Tamekia Swint founded Styles For Girlz, NFP, in 2010 after teaching a hair braiding class on a Missions Trip to Poland to a group of students at an English Language learning camp. Upon returning to the United States, an associate introduced her to a transracial adoptive mom who needed hair care for her two daughters. Pleased with Tamekia's work, Mary referred her to a network of adoptive parents, who also required hair care services for their little ones. They found a safe place to learn how to ...
Sep 07, 2021•39 min•Ep. 67
Fiona is responsible for service delivery and development across Scotland. Fiona manages a team of skilled and experienced staff members who have personal and professional experience allowing them to offer information, advice and support to adoptive families in Scotland. With a degree in Sociology and a qualification in Speech and Language therapy, Fiona comes from a child focussed professional background. Previous roles involved developing and coordinating family support services for children a...
Sep 03, 2021•41 min•Ep. 66
Xinthia was adopted from China and grew up in the Netherlands. She works in IT and volunteers with Adoptiepedia. Connect with her here https://www.linkedin.com/in/xinthiakrielaart/?originalSubdomain=n l The Adoptiepedia Foundation is the first interest group for all Chinese and Taiwanese adoptees in the Netherlands. The target? Provide support, aftercare and safety to Chinese and Taiwanese adoptees. Adoptiepedia does this by means of projects, activities and a website to create as many possibili...
Sep 02, 2021•55 min•Ep. 65
Here's what Meaghan says about about herself: "I am a Master Therapeutic Counsellor (registered) and Late-Discovery Adoptee. A survivor of trauma and abuse. A wife and mother. For many years, I worked as a Birth Doula, and later as a Shantala Baby Massage Instructor. Our family has fostered teens, and been a perspective adoptive family at one time. In my counselling work, I use art, writing, and play as a primary means of emotional processing and healing in my work with youths. The work I do is ...
Sep 01, 2021•55 min•Ep. 64
Born in 1969, leading international foster care expert, consultant, and TED Talk speaker Dr. John DeGarmo has worn many hats throughout his life. Singing and dancing while touring around the world in the international super group, Up With People, serving as a D.J. at four different radio stations on two different continents, working in the professional wrestling industry, teaching English and Drama at the high school and college level, director of The Foster Care Institute, and founder and natio...
Aug 31, 2021•40 min•Ep. 63
St Elizabeth Foundation is a non-profit adoption agency in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Find out more about them at https://stelizabethfoundation.org/ https://www.facebook.com/stelizabethfoundation/ https://www.instagram.com/saintelizabeth88/ https://twitter.com/stelizabeth88 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5a1SigRo4vOyKJPBNUlIjQ/featured #adoption #adoptionawareness #adoptionevent #adoptionislove #adoptionjourney #adoptionlove #adoptionresponsable #adoptions #adoptionstories #adoptionstory #adopti...
Aug 30, 2021•40 min•Ep. 62
Connect with Angie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-brunhart-8a1b246/ Adoption Services are a licensed private, non-profit Wisconsin Adoption agency with offices in Appleton, Milwaukee, and Waukesha. They serve adoption needs throughout Wisconsin. Find out more about agency at https://www.adoptionservicesinc.com/ https://www.facebook.com/adoptionservicesinc https://www.instagram.com/adoptionservicesinc/ #adoption #adoptionawareness #adoptionevent #adoptionislove #adoptionjourney #adoptionlov...
Aug 27, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 61
Heather originally joined the DPA family in 2011 and served as the Child Placement Supervisor for six years. After living out-of-state for a year, she was thrilled to re-join the team in 2018 as Executive Director. Heather has long had a heart for children and families and became interested in adoption during college through an internship at an adoption agency. Throughout her career, she has worked in many areas of the field, including infant and older child adoptions as well as international ad...
Aug 26, 2021•49 min•Ep. 60
