Foster Parent Well

Jonna Stein's "Untangling Hope" beautifully captures the intricate emotions of a foster child navigating trauma and the longing for belonging. In our discussion, we explore themes of empathy, understanding trauma, and the importance of fostering conversations about these experiences among parents, children, and their communities. • Exploring the journey of a foster child in "Un...

Chef Kibby shares how he uses food and hunger as a language of connection, drawing from 25 years of culinary expertise and 16 years as a foster and adoptive dad. Discover his unique perspective on how the simple act of cooking can bridge gaps and build lasting relationships. With personal anecdotes and biblical insights, we explore how food has been historically used as a relational tool and how y...

Every holiday season as a foster or adoptive parent is a rollercoaster of joy and chaos. I've been there, feeling the duality of laughter and meltdowns, and I'm here to share how embracing these mixed emotions can actually enrich our lives and families. In this episode, I reflect on the past year, celebrating the laughter, acknowledging the meltdowns, and setting intentions for a more ba...

Could gratitude truly be the key to transforming the chaos of foster and adoptive parenting into moments of peace and resilience? Join me, Nicole T Barlow, as we challenge the conventional approach to parenting stress by embracing gratitude as a divine stress reliever. This episode explores how consciously choosing gratitude, even in the toughest seasons, can not only rewire our brains but also st...

Rebecca Radicchi joins us from Georgia Kids Belong to share her incredible journey and the transformative power of community in supporting foster care and adoption. As an adoptive mom and passionate advocate, Rebecca offers an inside look at Georgia Kids Belong, a chapter of America's Kids Belong, and their innovative I Belong project. This initiative crafts advocacy videos for children in fo...

Lying is more than just a fib; it’s a complex dance of cognitive development and survival instincts, especially in children who have faced trauma. Join me, Nicole T Barlow, on Foster Parent Well as we unravel the nuanced reality of lying in  children who have experienced trauma. This episode is a heartfelt exploration into how lying can be a natural developmental milestone rooted in cognitive grow...

Imagine embarking on a journey that challenges every preconceived notion you had about family and faith. That's exactly the path Bruce and I found ourselves on, navigating the landscape of foster care and adoption. In this episode, we share our story of overcoming initial fears and uncertainties, and how our unique personalities helped us find a harmonious balance.  Marriage plays a pivotal r...

What if the key to thriving as a foster or adoptive parent lies in how you care for yourself? Join me, Nicole T Barlow, as we shift the focus to self-care and wellness, an often overlooked yet crucial component of trauma-informed parenting. In our latest episode of Foster Parent Well, we explore how nurturing your body and spirit can empower you to better navigate the unique challenges of parentin...

What happens when welcoming a new child into your home brings both immeasurable joy and profound heartbreak? Journey with me, Nicole T Barlow, as I recount my personal experience with the unpredictable waves of fostering and adoption. I open up about the bittersweet reality of forming new bonds and routines, only to face the heart-wrenching process of reunification. This episode uncovers the uniqu...

What if you could transform your sleep quality and wake up feeling truly refreshed? Discover the secrets to healthy sleep habits and routines that can make this a reality. Nicole dives into the importance of sleep for foster and adoptive parents by creating routine like morning activities like walking outside and getting sunlight, as well as evening habits such as limiting food intake after certai...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build resilience and hope amidst the complexities of the foster care and adoption system? Join us as we sit down with the inspiring Raquel McCloud, who opens up about her incredible journey from a child in kinship care to a kinship adoptive mom. Raquel’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, healing, and hope, and she shares invaluable insights...

Have you ever wondered how fostering can transform a family's dynamics and individual lives? Join us on today's Foster Parent Well podcast as we welcome Daniela Coates, a licensed master social worker from Texas with a profoundly personal connection to the world of foster care. Daniela's unique upbringing in a foster family, inspired by her father's volunteer work, offers rare,...

Living out your faith means that you are going to live differently. It means that our main purpose is to love God and love others well. So what does that look like in foster care and adoption? What are the ways that we can share hope and grace to people that are hurting? Today we discuss just that...we talk about practical ways that we take our beliefs and put them into action. Join me as we talk...

This episode uncovers the profound importance of fostering healthy relationships with birth families in foster and adoptive care. Through stories of my own struggles and experiences, we highlight the need for trust, genuine intentions, and respect in building positive dynamics. Inspired by Jonah's story, we explore how offering hope and love to birth parents, irrespective of their past, can s...

What if the very challenges you face in foster care and adoption could transform you into a stronger, more compassionate person? This week, join me, Nicole T. Barlow, on the Foster Parent Well podcast. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of how upheavals in our routines can open up new paths for self-care and growth. Drawing on insights from a recent marriage retreat and the biblical story of...

What if recognizing when you're living in survival mode could transform your parenting journey? Join us as we welcome Tatiana Szulc, LMHC a licensed trauma and somatic therapist, who shares how the body-oriented approach of somatic experiencing changed her life. Tatiana's personal story of overcoming burnout in 2020 serves as a powerful parallel to the high-stress lives of foster and ado...

Can fostering hope transform your life? Join us as we welcome the incredible Melissa Smallwood, a counselor, family coach, and former foster youth, who opens up about her powerful journey from middle school foster care to becoming a foster and adoptive mother. Discover essential strategies to combat and prevent burnout in foster and adoptive parenting. Melissa stresses the importance of honesty ab...

Join me, Nicole T. Barlow, as I share some exciting news and give you a sneak peek into what to expect from the next season. Season 1 has been a rollercoaster of incredible stories and invaluable lessons on foster care, adoption, and dealing with trauma—thank you for being a part of it. As we gear up for Season 2, which kicks off on Tuesday, August 6th, I’m thrilled to share that we’ve lined up an...

Ever wondered how continuous training can transform your journey as a foster or adoptive parent? Join us as we sit down with Katrina Campbell, the Director of Training at FaithBridgeU, to uncover the complexities of children's suffering and its profound impact on their behavior and emotional development. Katrina opens up about her personal journey into foster care and emphasizes the role of d...

How does one nurture hope and resilience in children who have faced profound trauma? Join me on this heartfelt episode of the Foster Parent Well podcast as I share intimate and candid reflections on the emotional complexities of fostering and adopting traumatized children. Through personal stories from my own family, we confront the lingering effects of trauma, especially during life's critic...

Navigating the stormy waters of foster and adoptive parenting with grace and strength is no small feat. Join me, Nicole T Barlow, as I share  experience as a mother of six, the transformative power of maintaining calm and regulation in the face of our children's trauma-induced turmoil.  I will give you seven key strategies  to a way to keep a sense of calm that is essential for guiding our ch...

It's not about you- and that's a good thing. As we observe National Foster Care Month, I delve deep into the heart of foster parenting and adoption, confronting the misconception that this path is a means to fill our voids, and instead, frame it as an opportunity to pour out our love for children in need, a true embodiment of selfless service. Throughout our conversation, the contours of...

Struggling to steer through the unpredictable journey of foster care and adoption, I've often grappled with the need to keep a tight grip on every turn and decision. It's a road marked by both yearning and anxiety, where the desire for control often feels like the only seatbelt we have. Throughout our deeply personal conversation, I open up about how this quest for control mirrors the be...

Every heart has the capacity for deep connections, but what happens when a child's early experiences have tarnished their ability to bond? Join me, Nicole T Barlow, as we navigate the tender journey of building bridges to attachment with foster children. In an exploration, we delve into the attachment cycle and how it paves the way for trust, safety, and the vital development of young minds a...

Discover the transformative power of nurturing both mind and body as Stefanie Armstrong, a respected mental health therapist and health coach, joins us to unravel the complex tapestry of parenting within the foster care and adoption. Together, we explore the profound ways in which wellness practices can anchor parents amidst the turbulent waters of raising children with traumatic histories. Stefan...