Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

So many of us are challenging other people's narratives, but what if we challenge our own? This invariably leads to the insights that power our growth, fuel our relationships and succeed. Listen in as Kareemah shares her biggest insights to catalyse insight in yours. Kareemah Harris-Baker’s story is one of resilience. As an adoptee who lost both her adoptive parents by the age of nine, Kareemah’s...

Time isn't the greatest healer because if there's no change, there's no healing. So what IS the greatest healer? Realisations. Those profound insights that help us see differently, more clearly and better. Listen in as we talk realisations, grace and space... Cheryl Fix is Executive Director of the Alberta Foster and Kinship Association, find out more at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-fix-4b7...

Healing, Wholeness & Growth. What do they mean? How do they fit together? How can we enjoy more of all three? Listen in as adoptee and social worker Lynda shares powerful insights and strategies. Lynda is an Adoptee, Registered Social Worker (MSW, RSW) Director of the International Association for Journal Writing, IAJW.org and Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) Find out more at: https:/...

Going through tough stuff? Really tough? Tomorrow's going to be better...Listen in as Richard shares insights on hope, optimism and persistence... Richard is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FosterVA and Extra Special Parents, organisations he established to strengthen foster care services and improve outcomes for children, young people, and families across Virginia. With a strong backgr...

When we can see that our past and our trauma don't define us, we leave victimhood behind. Listen in as clinical social worker Jane shares learnings on what helps us move on...looking at what's going on in our heads, hearts and bodies. Jane Baker, LICSW is a clinical social worker with concentration in trauma, attachment, and family systems. With her beginnings in the field of foster care and adopt...

Raising kids challenges all parents. The more trauma, the bigger the challenges. Listen in as adoptive mother Renée shares her learnings on commitment, sticking with it and being unflappable as we raise our kids to thrives Here's an extra thought from Renée... "Of all the things that I said that children need to thrive, I wish I had added fun! Children need the opportunity to explore who they are...

Do you want more joy in your life? Who doesn't? How is joy possible despite the tough stuff - like failed adoptions? Listen in as adoptive mother and adoption coach Valerie jumps into joy... Valerie is the owner of A Step Ahead Adoption Services and has many roles within ASA. As an adoption coach, she walks alongside families as they navigate their adoption journey, as well as oversees all of the...

Sensitivity oils relationships like nothing else. Listen in as adoptive dad and adoption lawyer Greg and I dive deep into sensitivity, compassion and communication so we cal all thrive. Adoptions and assisted fertility make up 90% of Greg's legal practice.   An adoptive parent himself, Greg Franklin understands the challenges and joys of adopting a child. Adoptions involve a highly emotional area...

Could you do with higher self worth? Do you put yourself down? Do you see yourself as bad? Good enough? Rob aged out of foster care homeless at 18. He struggled to see his self worth. Listen in as he shares his learnings on seeing our essential goodness. At any given time, there are more than 330,000 youth in foster care in the United States. An estimated 700 children enter the system each day, an...

Adoption can present us with many challenges. But how do we rise to those challenges? Listen in as Ella shares insights on dealing with the unexpected, coming from love and much more... Ella Smith is Executive Director for Adoption Choices.  Originally from Colombia, Ella moved to the USA 23 years ago to the DFW area where she has strong connections and friendships.  Married to a loving husband fo...

Being told to just raise your kids doesn't sound like a great piece of advice. But it landed profoundly for Susan. She heard it as a pointer to stop trying to think too far ahead. To listen to wisdom in the moment. To stop overthinking. Who doesn't need less overthinking right? Listen in for your own aha moments. Founder and Executive Director, Susan Silverman grew up in a family that fostered old...

We want our kids to grow. We know we have to nurture them to make that happen. So how do we do that? Listen in as Jenny who has 4 kids including her youngest who's adopted shares what she's learning about nurturing and more... Connect with Jenny here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-fridge-413047134/ https://www.facebook.com/jenny.fridge https://www.instagram.com/jennyfridge/ Guests and the host...

Our most profound learnings often come from the toughest moments. Born in Ethiopia, adopted by an American family at 5, Isaac shares his most transformative learnings. Inspirational! Born in Ethiopia, Isaac spent time in an orphanage following the tragic loss of both parents. He was adopted at age 5 by an American family and made a profession of faith at age 7. Here's a bit about Isaac from his we...

What if it's true. That we're fundamentally whole despite trauma. No, really. Listen in as previous guest and friend Marcy puts me on the spot. Make up your own mind... Here's Marcy's interview https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/the-other-side-of-shame-with-marcy-pusey Here's more about that...and Marcy... We've all felt shame - it's part of the human experience. But beyond it lies...

What does healing mean to you? It means something different to everyone. Getting clear on what it means to you is profoundly helpful. Knowing how we heal is even more powerful. Listen in as Aysha and I dive deep into what helps us heal and what doesn't.  "As a New York native, I am thrilled to lead Healing New York as the nation's oldest child-serving agency and help chart the way ahead to create...

We humans have a funny relationship with change. What if change was for the better? A change in how we think, how we feel, how we see ourselves? Listen is adoption leader and therapist Lisa shares insights on growth, learning and change... Here's a bit about Lisa from her organisation's website: Lisa Dominguez stepped into the CEO role in 2024, yet has a longstanding history with Paths for Familie...

Where are you living from? So many of us spend so much of our living from fear, worry and anxiety. How does this change? Listen in as adoptee Carmen shares her insights into living differently. Living from love. Here's a bit about Carmen from her website: Carmen is happily married for 40+ years. She is the mother of four and grandmother of six. She loves all things outdoors and anything related to...

How much control do we have? How does humility help us see control more clearly? Adoptive mother and adoption professional Tina shares what she'd have done differently if she'd had a time machine including.. reading the Connected Child by Karyn Purvis. https://lfcsmo.org/ https://www.facebook.com/LFCSMO/ https://www.instagram.com/lfcs.mo/ Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed psc...

Connection. We all want don't we? And we want our kids to feel connected to. How well are parents connected with us can influence how we connect with our kids. Listen in as adoptive mother of 4 Lenette talks about connection, raising kids with prenatal opioid and substance exposure and more... Lenette Serlo is the Founder & CEO of Generation O, The National Organization for Opioid-Exposed Children...

So many of us adoptees start believing there's something wrong with us it's embedded deep in our psyche. Until it comes to the surface and starts to diminish - sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly - often on the back of getting hold of new information. Validation from fellow adoptees helps greatly. Turning our pain into something that helps others can be transformational too. Listen in as Sheila sh...

Is unprocessed grief eating you up? It did for Neb. But how on earth can a 2 year old  handle the death of their mother? Neb's challenges continued...moving from home to a children's home and then a new home with an American family 9000 miles away from his homeland - Ethiopia. Neb blamed God, until he didn't. Listen in as he shares the epiphanies that got him back on the rails and thriving. Connec...

Do you feel grounded? All the time? Some of the time? Life tests our grounding daily. So what helps us hold our ground more often and find it more quickly when we've lost it? Listen in as mom and leader Jami talks grounding, faith and much more. Deep and profound. Empowering Foster care and adoption were not part of Jami’s dreams for her life, but God changed her heart when He made her aware, and...

What can we learn about from someone who advocates for us from within the system? What life is really like for today's young adoptees?  Listen in as Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central shares her insights and vital research. The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence (APPGAP) was established in February 2019 and aims: to amplify the voices and experiences of adoptees and those...

What if we are whole despite all that's happened to us? How does connection help us heal? Listen in as Anna, Donna and I dive deep into two profound questions.... Here is Anna's first interview: https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/anna-jinja Anna used to spread hate about herself being adopted and did everything she could to avoid talking about it. Now she runs a podcast and discusse...

Unconditional Love. We only crave it because we don't feel it. Trauma gets in the way. Listen in as Jay, adopted from Costa Rica at 3 shares his journey to find it through therapy, soul searching and connection. Here's a bit about Jay from his website Jay Barbanel is a writer and creative based in Los Angeles. Born in Costa Rica, raised somewhere in between. His past didn’t arrive all at once.  It...