Best FosterCare Podcasts (2024)

1
Ecclesiastes and Impact 40:08

1h ago40:08

40:08

All is futility! Even in Christian nonprofits? We're changing it up a little for episode 265 as Brandon does a solo dive into the book of Ecclesiastes to gather wisdom from Solomon that can inform what we do and more importantly how we do the work of global justice. In an age of Big Impact, this is a word for the nonprofit leader that cares about t…

1
106. I Fostered A Teen and Her Baby With Jaymi 55:10

2h ago55:10

55:10

One of the problems with foster care is that the cycle tends to repeat itself. A child who doesn't have a consistent family has a child of their own and then isn't equipped or supported to care for that child. But you know what can help break that cycle? A loving family. This is why Jaymi and her husband continue to say yes to fostering teens.…

1
Personal Trust Communities in Adoption with Mike Thorne - Ep 163 33:53

6h ago33:53

33:53

"When I was nine years old,...my parents just looked at each other and looked back at me and said, Michael, we just want to tell you that we love you very much and that you're adopted." -- Mike Thorne =============== 📘Get our new book Adoption and Suicidality: amazon.com/Adoption-Suicidality-Healthcare-Professionals-Unraveling/dp/B0DCBCTSLL 📆 Commu…

1
Fan Favorite: The Birth Parent Perspective—What It’s Like Having Your Child Removed From You 30:00

2d ago30:00

30:00

It's not as common that we get to hear the perspective and experience of biological parents in the foster care community, but it's such an important perspective for us to hear and understand. My guest, Ashley, found herself caught in addiction after being exposed to narcotic painkillers during a hospital stay for several clots in her brain. When he…

1
Episode 190: Real Talk: Group Homes in Arizona 37:39

3d ago37:39

37:39

Summary: In today’s episode, we dive into the world of group homes for children in foster care. When family or foster families aren't an option, group homes become the next step for many kids. But what is life really like inside these homes? We’re joined by Shevaun Sullivan, Director of Group Home Relations at OCJ Kids, who shares her insights from…

1
The Importance of Adoptee-Led Initiatives with Jessica M. Luciere - Ep 162 23:06

4d ago23:06

23:06

"I tell every adopted person that I meet that their story changes my own story. And it's the truth. It is the absolute truth." - Jessica M. Luciere In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews Jessica M. Luciere, an inter-country, interracial adoptee from Colombia who works at Spence Chapin, a nonprofit adoption agency. Jes…

1
Fan Favorite: Traditional Parenting vs. Trauma-Informed Parenting (w/ Kristin Berry) 41:19

4d ago41:19

41:19

Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It takes work every day to understand how to best love our kids, teach them, and correct them. Add to that learning how to parent a child who has gone through trauma, and you realize you need a completely different set of tools. Strategies that may have worked for our biological children now seem to have the…

1
Eighty Years of Responding to Global Displacement with Myal Greene 1:00:03

16d ago1:00:03

1:00:03

The number of forcibly displaced people in the world are at an all-time high. On every populated continent, we are seeing conflicts and climates that lead to people fleeing their homes. Our guest today is Myal Greene, who is the CEO of World Relief and he says that the global displacement crisis is the most significant issue that we face in the wor…

1
Shedding Light on Children of Priests with Brendan Watkins - Ep 161 28:39

11d ago28:39

28:39

"The Church, of course, is doing everything it can to silence victims." - Brendan Watkins EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, the host, Beth Syverson, interviews Brendan Watkins, an Australian adoptee who shares his emotional journey of discovering his origin story filled with religious intrigue. Brendan found out that his birt…

1
Fan Favorite: Finding the “Perfect” Time to Foster or Adopt (w/ Jason Johnson) 30:58

11d ago30:58

30:58

Have you wanted to foster or adopt but just don’t know if it’s the “right time?” My guest for this episode can relate! Jason Johnson and his wife knew they wanted to become foster parents, but were unsure when they should pursue it or how it might affect their biological children. Jason is a speaker, writer, former pastor, and church planter who en…

1
August 2024: Adoption on MY Terms: Language and Agency For Adopted Persons 29:48

15d ago29:48

29:48

As the school year kicks off, host April Dinwoodie sits down with producer Kyle Ferreira to have a conversation about language as it relates to expressing experiences of adoption. In this episode, April breaks down the reasons for why she refers to her self as an “Adopted Person”. And why she refers to her parents as either “Parents of Origin” or “…

1
Episode 189: Learning & Growing Together - On Location @ FC Training Day 22:21

17d ago22:21

22:21

Summary: Join us on location at Central Christian Church in Glendale, Arizona, for Foster Arizona’s semi-annual Foster Cooperative Training. This episode is packed with insightful talks from experts dedicated to empowering caregivers and community champions. Discover valuable knowledge and practical tools to better support the children who need us …

1
Homeschooling Complexities for Adopted Children with Rae (Adoptee Reclaimed) - Ep 160 29:33

18d ago29:33

29:33

"I never learned the word stress until I was 14 years old. And I can guarantee you I was very stressed well before the age of 14." -- Rae =============== 📘 Order our book Adoption and Suicidality: https://www.amazon.com/Adoption-Suicidality-Healthcare-Professionals-Unraveling/dp/B0DCBCTSLL 📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar ✨Heal…

1
Episode 248: Learning the Language of a Child’s Brain (w/ Cherilyn Orr) 49:33

20d ago49:33

49:33

Does this sound familiar to you? The child in your care comes home from school and after having a snack and telling you about their day, you sit down to help them with their homework. In an instant, it’s like you have an entirely different child. They throw themselves on the floor in rage or even check out entirely at the mere mention of homework. …

1
Luke Perkins - The Great Commission for All Professions 48:23

24d ago48:23

48:23

The Great Commission and making disciples is for all Christians, but do we really live that way? We've had a classic understanding of what missionaries ought to be doing, but is that exclusionary? In episode 263, we have Luke Perkins from Crossworld to help us sort it out. Luke served as a missionary professor in Haiti for several years and today i…

1
The Stolen Legacy of Indigenous Adoption with Pete Patton - Ep 159 28:19

1M ago28:19

28:19

"I really want to focus on the collective nature of being stolen, because it wasn't just me. It was the vast majority of Native adoptees." -- Pete Patton Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, co-hosted by Beth Syverson and her son Joey, they interview Pete Patton,LCSW, an Indigenous Inuit adoptee who shares his experiences of bei…

1
Episode 247: No One Ever Ages Out of Needing Care (w/ Jessica Cawthorn) 36:37

1M ago36:37

36:37

What happens when a child ages out of foster care? In addition to processing the grief of what they’ve lost, children in this circumstance have to navigate the world as an adult sometimes completely on their own. This is the story of my guest today. Jessica Cawthorn and her siblings were cared for by extended family after the death of her parents. …

1
Episode 188: How Art Helps Build Resilience 42:17

1M ago42:17

42:17

Summary: In today’s episode, we’re diving deep into the concept of building resilience, particularly in children. We often hear about the importance of resilience, but what does it really mean? And more importantly, how can we help our kids develop this crucial skill? Resilience isn’t just about surviving challenges—it’s about learning to bounce ba…

1
Adoption and Suicidality with Joey Nakao, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, Bruce Porth, Janell Strube, Laura L. Engel, Lorraine Dusky, Terri Dreismeier, and Melissa Brunetti - Ep 158 1:22:03

1M ago1:22:03

1:22:03

Adoption and Suicidality with Joey Nakao, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, Bruce Porth, Janell Strube, Laura L. Engel, Lorraine Dusky, Terri Dreismeier, and Melissa Brunetti - Ep 158 "Despite working hard on a daily or moment-to-moment basis to stay alive, the poem revealed a thin thread of hope that by turning toward and befriending my pain, I might just …

1
Episode 246: Leaning on Community as a Single Foster Parent (w/ Emma Finton) 40:49

1M ago40:49

40:49

“I may be single and fostering by myself, but I am far from alone.” Community is a crucial aspect of anyone’s journey of becoming a foster parent as you navigate court dates, visitations, doctor’s appointments, school activities, big emotions, and more. When you’re a single foster parent, juggling all of those dynamics can be even more complex. Emm…

1
Steve Kariithi - Community Care in Kenyan Slums 48:33

1M ago48:33

48:33

We're heading to Kenya for episode 262 as we connect with Steve Kariithi who is the Kenya Program Director at Hope's Promise. Steve talks with Brandon Stiver about what it looks like to do kinship based family care in Kenyan communities. We cover the effects of changing child welfare policy on families and juxtapose that with actions of the governm…

1
Rituals and Relationships in Adoption Reunion with Elizabeth Barbour - Ep 157 26:10

1M ago26:10

26:10

"I think my mom, my adoptive mom, was probably scared that she was going to lose me to my birth family." -- Elizabeth Barbour EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews guest Elizabeth Barbour, an adoptee who has been in reunion with her birth parents and 11 siblings since 1999. Elizabeth shares her perso…

1
Episode 245: When You Feel Unlovable (w/ Sheena Wood) 47:07

2M ago47:07

47:07

At four years old, Sheena Wood was told that she had to make herself “adoptable.” She had medical challenges with her eyesight, feeling lost and alone as she navigated the journey of foster care, moving from foster home to foster home throughout her early childhood. She felt rejected and didn’t know if anyone would want her or if she would be able …

1
Crowdstrike, Free Education, Muhammad Yunus and Anti-Corruption 55:12

2M ago55:12

55:12

For our July news and recommendation episode, we're joined by orphan care leader Kristen Lowry of Shelter Yetu to dive into a range of topics including the recent anti-virus update that sent the Blue Screen of Death around the world, the unintended results of making education free in Zambia, the legal trials of the Nobel Laureate father of micro-fi…

1
Understanding The Foster Care to Prison Pipeline with Desmond DeRoo and Sara DeRoo - Ep 156 51:17

2M ago51:17

51:17

“Love is the biggest and best thing that she did — unconditional love." Desmond DeRoo EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of the podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Desmond DeRoo, a 30-year-old currently serving his second prison term in Michigan. Desmond, who was adopted by Sarah DeRoo at the age of five after being in the foster care syste…

1
Episode 244: Finding Security & Identity as an Adoptee (w/ Trisha Priebe) 50:03

2M ago50:03

50:03

Regardless of our place in the foster care community, understanding who we are, who we belong to, and where our sense of security comes from is vital to our confidence in where we belong. It is such an honor to have Trisha Priebe on the podcast. She’s an adoptee and adoptive mom who serves as the Sr. Communications Coordinator for Lifesong for Orph…

1
July 2024: Freedom, Family, & VP Kamala Harris 18:16

2M ago18:16

18:16

With July 4th as a backdrop, this month, producer Kyle Ferreira and host April Dinwoodie have a conversation about thoughts and experiences surrounding freedom and independence. We also discuss representation and the impact VP Kamala Harris.

1
Christopher Muwanguzi, Elli Oswald and Jared Scheppmann - Reforming Care in the Age of Mass Media 1:16:53

2M ago1:16:53

1:16:53

Joining the podcast for episode 260 are global child welfare leaders Christopher Muwanguzi from child’s I Foundation, Elli Oswald from Faith to Action Initiative and Jared Scheppmann from Ekisa Ministries. Our guests speak with Brandon Stiver and Phil Darke about the status of moving people’s mindsets in the west to focus on the need for children t…

1
Episode 187: Behavior Interventions that Work for Us 45:03

2M ago45:03

45:03

Summary: In our last episode, we shared how our family embraces summer adventures. This time, we're diving into the real struggles we face, not just in summer, but every day. Join us as we explore the challenges and interventions that work for us. We tackle road trips and outings, discussing how the struggle is real and how we manage in-car and out…

1
The Impact of Colonization on an Inuit Greenlander Adoptee in Denmark with Kâlánguak Absalonsen - Ep 155 32:55

2M ago32:55

32:55

"We have only ourselves. And when I'm thinking about that, I'm thinking how strong we are. Because we have survived and still live and still create and still talk about our history." -- Kâlánguak Absalonsen Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Kâlánguak Absalonsen, an adopted person from Gree…

1
Episode 243: Uncovering Your Story as a Former Foster Child (w/ Dr. Mary Ann McMillan) 29:02

2M ago29:02

29:02

This week, I have a powerful story to share with you from a former foster child, adoptee, and advocate for human rights. I am honored to introduce you to my guest, Dr. Mary Ann McMillan. She is a passionate advocate for foster youth and adoptees, whose advocacy is deeply personal because it’s inspired by her own experience as an adoptee who spent m…

1
Finding Meaning in Adversity with Stephen Rowley - Ep 154 25:14

2M ago25:14

25:14

"The experience of being stuck is a pretty good place to be, I think, a lot of times in therapy and life." - Stephen Rowley Podcast Episode Synopsis: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Rowley, a school administrator, college professor, and psychotherapist who shared his fascinating journey of adoptio…

1
Episode 242: Defining Success in the Hard Moments of Foster Parenting (w/ Nate and Kristen Crew) 36:08

2M ago36:08

36:08

When foster care feels overwhelming, how do we hold on to hope? How do we define success? How do we find light when so much feels dark? Nate and Kristen Crew are my guests on the podcast today. They have been married for almost 15 years and have 7 children – four adopted through foster care and three by birth. Rather than a specific “calling” to fo…

1
Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst - Integral Mission and Decolonizing Theology 58:18

2M ago58:18

58:18

There is no escaping the reality that much of what we're familiar with in global missions and development has some roots in colonialism. There is no better person to help us disentangle God's work from worldly power structures than Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst. Dr. Padilla DeBorst is the Richard C. Oudersluys Associate Professor of World Christianity a…

1
Episode 186: Vacation Planning & Tips - Vehon Style 41:16

2M ago41:16

41:16

Summary: As summer blazes in Arizona, we’re constantly on the move, seeking cooler escapes to preserve our sanity. Traveling with a family of nine is no small feat, and we’ve gathered a treasure trove of tips and tricks to make it smoother. In this episode, we dive into Intentional Travel. Fresh from a recent timeshare presentation, we discuss the …

1
Unraveling Adoption Update: New Book Launch and Other Collaborations with Beth Syverson - Ep 153 16:06

2M ago16:06

16:06

Podcast Episode Synopsis: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I, Beth Syverson, provide a detailed update on the latest happenings within the Unraveling Adoption community. As an adoptive mom to my son Joey, we are dedicated to delving into the complexities of adoption and providing support to those impacted by adoption. Book Launch Announcemen…

1
Episode 241: Cultivating Independence and Belonging for Teens (w/ Chandler James) 42:38

2M ago42:38

42:38

For teens (and for any child in foster care), how can we create spaces where they are safe, feel belonging, and develop their sense of independence? How can we give them involvement in the development of what that space looks like? My guest today is a dear friend, Chandler James. Chandler used to be an Advocate Coach here at The Forgotten Initiativ…

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