Let's Talk: A Foster Adopt Minnesota Podcast

Dr. Kelly McGonigal, health psychologist, author, and lecturer at Stanford,  joined us to talk about her new book out this month, Joy is a Risk Worth Taking . She shared about her journey into studying joy, why joy is important for humans, and some of her favorite strategies to notice and cultivate joy in our everyday lives. (67 mins) October 21, 2026 This podcast is eligible for a Certificate of...

October is National Book Month and we’re celebrating with Hachette Speakers Bureau! How do we find some of the presenters and authors our listeners love hearing from? Today, we’re getting a behind-the-scenes look with Jayme Boucher, Director at the Hachette Speakers Bureau, part of Hachette Book Group. We’re excited to talk with Jayme about how her team discovers authors, matches them with t...

As a new school year is underway, Natalie Larson, MA, LPCC-S, RPT-S shares what it means to build trust, connection, and emotional safety in relationships with children and youth. This conversation offers thoughtful insights for foster, adoptive, and kinship families as they support healing, belonging, and stronger bonds over time. 27 min This episode is eligible for a Certificate of Completion. T...

We go shoulder to shoulder with Dr.  Adam  McCormick to explore what relational repair can look like for boys and young men in foster care who have learned that vulnerability may not be safe. Trauma-informed care requires more than better techniques. It begins with understanding what may be beneath behavior: the stories youth carry, the survival strategies they have developed, the ways trauma and...

How to tell the difference between healthy motivation and a goal that may be consuming too much of who we are.

The transition from summer break to school in the fall can be challenging for any child. It can be even more difficult for children who have a hard time with change given trauma and attachment issues and their placement in foster care or being adopted. In this episode, we are joined by  Emily  Johnson, who has years of experience supporting kids in going back to school.  Emily  is a foster caregiv...

Please listen to Part 1, You Don’t Always Have the Words , before listening to this episode. In Part 1, Madilyne and her birth mother Aimee  describe from their unique perspectives their experiences of Madilyne and her siblings being removed from  Aimee ‘s care and living with their grandparents, then a foster family, and eventually an adoptive family. In this episode,  Aimee  and Madi...

In this episode, we are joined by Madilyne and her birth mother Aimee . Because of  Aimee ‘s untreated mental health concerns that led to addiction, Madilyne and her brother and sister were removed from  Aimee ‘s care and placed with their grandparents. Later, they were placed into foster care with a non-relative and then adopted by members of their church. Madilyne and  Aimee share th...

The Immigrant Experiences Reading & Resource Guide was created by Kelly Hooker, an avid book reviewer @kellyhook.readsbooks, alongside  Rawand  Amedi, mental health therapist and refugee from Kurdistan. Hear how they created this guide to foster understanding, build empathy, and open meaningful conversations across ages. Kelly and  Rawand  carefully selected stories for both children and adult...

 In this episode, your co-hosts Bridget and Kris interview each other about what they love (and don’t love) about hosting the podcast, favorite episodes, what’s they’ve learned along the way, and what they are looking forward to for the future of the Let’s Talk podcast. (27 mins) June 17, 2026 The post Our 150th Episode: Looking Back, Looking Forward appeared first on Foste...

Olivia Allery shares the historical and systemic factors contributing to violence in Indigenous communities. By exploring the impacts of colonial history, intergenerational trauma, and legal frameworks, we look at why certain cycles persist and what changes are necessary for progress. This episode is eligible for a Certificate of Completion. (27 mins) June 2, 2026 Resources from Olivia Allery The...

Hear from child welfare professionals, Brianna and Stephanie Coleman, about their years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults with marginalized identities.  They  share the various types of safe care supports available in our communities and you will leave feeling encouraged to open your heart and home to LGBTQ+ youth. Next up is Mariah Rooney.  Mariah will share how to brin...

Whether you’re a parent, foster or adoptive  care giver, or a professional supporting families, this conversation invites you to pause, reflect, and walk away with a deeper understanding of how  culture , connection, and  care  come together in everyday parenting. Dr. Siek and Rawand Amedi bring their expertise in child development and mental health, while sharing insights rooted in cultural aware...

Since the end of World War II, over 500,000 children have been adopted from abroad by U.S. citizen parents with the promise of a secure life.  Yet, for many, that promise was broken by a legal oversight that denied them automatic citizenship.  Amanda Cho and Rachel Koelzer will share how this loophole started, the impacts and why it persists to day.  We will take an inside look at the  Protect Ado...

Youth  self – harm  is an increasing mental health challenge. Foster youth are especially susceptible to engaging in  self – harm . Charley Joyce, MSW, joins us to discuss the different forms of  self – harm , why foster youth  self – harm  and some considerations in how foster parents might respond to a youth that is  self – harm ing. (40 mins) April 8, 2026 This pod...

In this episode, we are joined by Heather  Van Brunt , Permanency Services Director at Foster Adopt Minnesota. She answers all of our burning questions about the HELP program and shares why it’s such a vital service to families in the adoption, kinship, and foster care community. (30 mins) March 25, 2026 This podcast is eligible for a Certificate of Completion if you complete a Post Podcast...

Pat Monson, JD & Charley Joyce , MSW are here to talk about the importance of preventative and attentive health care. This March, during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month , Pat shares the tragic story of her daughter Rachel Ellingson. At age 33, Rachel was living her best life; yet for some time, she was suffering from bowel symptoms. Several doctors said she was too young for colorec...

Growing Together At Every Stage Part 6 – Ages 16 – 25: Guiding Them Toward Their True Selves In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author Meg  Flynn, who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life,  Meg  reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy...

Growing Together At Every Stage Part  5 -4th to 9th Grade: Sense of Belonging and Healthy Community In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author  Meg Flynn , who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life, Meg reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy in eac...

In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author  Meg Flynn , who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life, Meg reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy in each stage, and focus on what really matters–safety, connection, and growth. Growing Together at...

In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author  Meg Flynn , who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life, Meg reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy in each stage, and focus on what really matters–safety, connection, and growth. In Part 3 – Pr...

In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author  Meg Flynn , who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life, Meg reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy in each stage, and focus on what really matters–safety, connection, and growth.   Part 2-Toddle...

In this six-part series, we are joined by family therapist and author  Meg Flynn , who brings us a wealth of knowledge from her work with families and kids for over three decades. In this era of high-pressure parenting and busy family life, Meg reminds us of how we can slow down, find the joy in each stage, and focus on what really matters–safety, connection, and growth.   Part 1- Babie...

Adoption is a unique experience, both enriching and challenging. Adoptive parents Dawn and Truman share how their practical, actionable strategies and lots of compassion for themselves and their children helped them navigate unique challenges, reduce stress, and create a calmer, more connected home life. From attachment to education, this conversation will help keep your world manageable. We&#8217...

Children in foster or adoptive care often carry invisible burdens of anxiety, trauma, or disconnection. In this episode, children’s mindfulness teacher Veronica  Moya  shares how soul-centered practices can help kids tap into resilience, self-love, and emotional intelligence. With practical tools and a fresh perspective,  Veronica  shows how mindfulness is not therapy, but mental hygiene that help...