Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

Born in India, Kirti Pickard was abandoned as a baby and spent her three and a half years in an orphanage. She was adopted at four. She is the host of When I Grow Up, a podcast sharing extraordinary stories of everyday people. Kirti also leads Mission 143. https://mission143.net/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578275794926 https://www.facebook.com/kirti.pickard 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.

What if discovering and sharing our uniqueness drives our thriving? How does that help us tough times. Chris is dad to 10 including 7 through  adoption from foster care. Listen as we dive deep into our diamond nature how his beliefs power his thriving. Chris Johnson serves as the Sr. Director of Church Partnerships & External Advocacy at Lifeline Children’s Services. With over two decades of pastoral experience and a background as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community Based Initiatives, Chris is a seasoned leader and advocate for vulnerable children and families. As a consultant and frequent speaker, Chris has inspired audiences at conferences, churches, and community gatherings across the nation. He passionately shares his family’s journey and challenges others to respond to the gospel call to care for the most vulnerable in society. A native of metro Atlanta, Georgia, Chris now resides in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife, Alicia. Together, they have 10 children, seven of whom were adopted from foster care, and are proud grandparents, including two grandchildren adopted through foster care. Their commitment to serving children extends to fostering over 40 children throughout the years, embodying their dedication to family and community. Chris holds a B.A. in Church Ministries from Trinity Baptist College and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Regent University. His passion for equipping churches and individuals to make a lasting impact continues to shape his ministry and advocacy efforts. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjohnsondoz/ https://www.facebook.com/lifelinechild https://lifelinechild.org/ https://www.instagram.com/lifelinechild/ https://twitter.com/lifelinechild https://vimeo.com/lifelinechild 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.

What would it do for you to find your superpower? What if your difference IS your superpower? Listen in as adoptee Wes dives into difference, superpower and more. Wes has more than 40 years of experience working in social care, primarily in services for children and young people as a qualified social worker.  He worked for many years in local authorities including Luton, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire as the head of services and was director of services for children and young people at the NSPCC until 2011.   He has a special interest in the support of vulnerable children and families and in safeguarding which included chairing a local children’s safeguarding board and being a board member of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Service (CEOP).   Wes chairs the Hertfordshire Adoption Panel and, having been adopted as a child, has a lifelong interest in and commitment to the role of adoption in transforming the lives of children.  He lives with his wife in Woburn and has two grown up children and grandchildren who live in the USA. Wes is a keen long distance walker, sailor, trombone player and fly fisherman and loves to travel.  Find out more about Wes and the charity he chairs at: https://www.pactcharity.org/ https://www.facebook.com/pactcharity https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-cuell-547b623a/     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.

Handling tough emotions is human's biggest challenge. And it's particularly tough for adoptees and adoptive parents given the complex emotions around adoption. So what helps us do this? Listen in as we dive deep and explore powerful learnings... Find out more about Rhiannon and her organisation at: https://mofosteradopt.com/ https://www.facebook.com/FosterandAdopt https://www.instagram.com/cmfcaa https://www.linkedin.com/company/cmfcaa/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannon-franklin-b498ba239/ 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.

Hope. The hope that the past doesn't determine the future. A positive outlook. Life as an adoptive parent and as an adoptee can be tough. What keeps us going? Love, for sure. And hope! Listen in as we dive into overcoming trauma, abuse and other tough stuff. Robin Sizemore, Executive Director of Hopscotch Adoptions Inc., was recognized in 2012 by the Winston-Salem Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc as a person who has “Transform Lives and Impacted the Community”. Among five other recipients, Robin Sizemore, was recognized in the area of “International Awareness” for her work and advocacy of children through international adoption and aid.  Robin was also the recipient of the “Angels in Adoption” award in 2008, in recognition of her service to children since 1995. She is an adoptive mother and has been an adoption professional since 1995. In addition to placing children in forever families, Robin has been involved in both national and international levels regarding policies and regulations impacting child welfare: she has brought educational opportunities to a variety of officials in Georgia and Armenia, spearheaded cooperative humanitarian efforts, and hosted numerous international delegations through the U.S. State Department and Ministries in other countries which are associated with institutionalized children. Robin has a warm rapport with the wide range of individuals involved with children in need, including government officials, orphanage directors and staff, hospital and humanitarian aid administrators, and adoptive families and children alike. Robin volunteered as a Council on Accreditation Hague Accreditation evaluator and team lead from 2016- 2020 and earned a Certificate of Nonprofit Executive Director Academy Institute/ Nonprofit Executive Director Academy Institute -Center for Creative Leadership – Guilford County Nonprofit Consortium 2014 and a Certificate of Nonprofit Management Nonprofit Management – Guilford Nonprofit Consortium – High Point University 2013. Robin and her husband James are the adoptive parents of the first internationally adopted child from Georgia and, with their second adoption, of the first direct “birthmother to adoptive mother” international placement in Georgia. In addition to their two beautiful children from Georgia. Robin and James have also been blessed with the surprise birth of their youngest and third child. Robin’s work is well regarded and highly respected within the country programs and she is considered a valuable resource and thoughtful orphan advocate by U.S. and international officials as the result of her dedication to children and families through humanitarian assistance programs over more than a decade. Robin has developed direct programs for Hopscotch with highly experienced and reliable partners in Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Ghana, Guyana, Morocco, Pakistan, Serbia, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, and appreciates the uniqueness of complex Kinship cases in need of a provider, when called upon. Robin graduated in 1986 from Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, with a Bachelor of Science from the School of Communication and Media Arts, with a Concentration in Public Relations and Minor in Marketing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-ellington-sizemore-a4188a7/ https://www.instagram.com/hopscotch_adoptions/ https://www.facebook.com/HopscotchAdoptions/ https://hopscotchadoptions.org/ 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.

The Altman family was formed by a unique set of circumstances that no-one could have predicted. This episode is a little different to honour that. A profound dive into deep topics. Claire and Stan along with their daughter Stefanie share their learnings on unconditional love, growth and changing life for the better. Find out more about them and the book they've written together at: www:TwiceBlessed.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefaniemercadoaltman/ https://www.instagram.com/stefandrepeat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-altman-145b5512/ 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.

Raising kids - adopted or not - isn't a sprint. It's a journey. And the more we learn, the easier we can navigate the bumps along the way. Listen in as adoptive mother Kim shares her learnings along the way - including why she's still learning. Kim Smith is  also the Founder and Executive Director of Cradled In Grace, find out more here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-smith-3912b5164/ https://cradledingrace.com/ https://www.facebook.com/cradledingrace.adoptionconsultants/ https://www.instagram.com/cradledingrace/ 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.

Is love with rules really love? Probably not. And yet so many of us have only felt conditional love. Having her first daughter taught adoptee Jenn love without rules. Unconditional love as a felt experience. Not an idea. Listen in as we go deep on feeling loved and whole... Jenn works in adoption. Here's a bit about her from her agency's website: Jenn has been working with children and their families for almost thirty years, with eighteen of those years spent focusing on the needs of children in the foster care system and on providing adoption-related services. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Jenn spent several years as a foster parent and worked in a residential program for adolescent girls. Jenn then returned to school, earned a Master’s degree in Counseling, and spent fourteen years working for Deschutes County Behavioral Health as a therapist on the school-based health clinics team. A few months ago, Jenn transitioned to a school counselor position so she can spend summers working at her favorite camp. As an adult adoptee herself, Jenn believes that every child deserves a loving, stable, forever home and she works diligently to ensure that the families who adopt through Choice Adoptions understand this responsibility. Her superpower is the “ability to micro-edit written work,” and she uses this skill to ensure that the home studies, post-placement reports, and adoption profile books that represent Choice families are of the highest quality possible. She loves meeting new families when she writes their home studies and visiting them once their adopted child arrives home. When she is not working, Jenn enjoys caring for indoor and outdoor plants, hiking, searching for waterfalls, playing tennis, riding her bike, listening to Sea Shanties, browsing antique stores, and spending time with her husband and five (mostly grown) children. https://www.choiceadoptions.org/ https://www.facebook.com/choiceadoptions/ https://www.instagram.com/choiceadoptions/ 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.

What matters more than loving ourselves? And yet...so many of us believe that voice in our heads that doesn't love us. Listen in as Melissa shares her learnings on self love , helping others love themselves and more... Find out more about Melissa and the agency she works for at: https://www.forever-families.org/ https://www.instagram.com/foreverfamiliesmi/ https://www.facebook.com/ForeverFamiliesLivonia/ https://www.facebook.com/melissa.butkovich https://www.instagram.com/melbutkcarr/ 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.

When we know better, we do better. Experienced adoption professional got a second chance at parenting after adopting her grandson when she was 55. Listen in as she shares what she's learned about going beyond basic needs to helping her son thrive despite trauma. Big insights on integrity, moral standards and expectations.Gladys is Senior Director of Foster Care and Adoption at The Children's Shelter, San Antonio, Texas, USA.Find out more about her and the Shelter  here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gladys-foster-blackwell-155194b4/https://www.facebook.com/TheChildrensShelterhttps://www.instagram.com/thechildrensshelterhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-children%27s-shelter/https://childrensshelter.org/ 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.

What if we could have a fabulous life, whatever our story? Thriving doesn't look like an option for some. But what if it is? Listen in as adoptee, adoptive parent and adoption professional Anna dives into doing the work, empowerment and much more.Here's a bit about Anna from her website:"I’m an adoptee, raised in a loving family, and I grew up knowing there was more beneath the surface of my story than anyone talked about.Like many adoptees, I learned how to be grateful, how to be “fine,” and how to keep the harder questions quiet. It took years to understand how much adoption shapes a person’s sense of identity, safety, and belonging. Not just in childhood, but across a lifetime.Today, my husband and I are parenting four children, all adopted through foster care. Our family story includes joy and deep connection, but it also includes trauma, mental illness, grief, and seasons that look nothing like what we imagined when we said yes to adoption.Parenting children with complex needs has changed me. It has humbled me, stretched me, and forced me to let go of easy answers in favor of deeper understanding."https://annabernacki.com/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557459094817https://www.instagram.com/anna.bernacki/https://www.parentingdifferent.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bernacki-048a50387/ 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.

Finding our place - our home and our place in the world - is profound. Listen in as Matt who's fostered and adopted shares his learnings on self worth, relationships and much more...deep and highly empowering.Matt Waller, MS is the Director of Community Impact for One Accord for Kids. Matt and his wife, Jen, founded The Attic Foster Network, a Permian Basin based nonprofit that serves children and families of the local foster system and invites churches to do the same. Matt moved to Midland, with his family, to teach for Midland Classical Academy. Prior to that, Matt worked in Christian Camping. His emerging career in child welfare is a direct result of the West Texas grassroots movement to see the local community care for local foster children. Matt earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University. He holds a graduate degree in nonprofit management and leadership from Walden University.https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-waller-aa2b6819/https://oneaccordtx.org/https://www.facebook.com/oneaccordtx/https://www.instagram.com/oneaccordtx/https://x.com/oneaccordtx/ 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.

Adoptees often start life at a disadvantage. How do we level the playing field so they can enjoy the same opportunities as others? Listen in as Karen shares her learnings and insights. Karen is an adoptive mother and the Head of Service for One Adoption South Yorkshire.https://www.oneadoption.co.uk/south-yorkshirehttps://www.facebook.com/oneadoption/ 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.

 Does the desire for validation hold us back? How do you react when you or your beliefs are challenged? Listen in as adoptee Angie talks about surfacing and busting beliefs in this particularly empowering episode.Here' a bit about Angie and the organisation she leads from their website:"To serve as the President and CEO of CASA San Antonio is a privilege. It is also an honor to work with the dedicated team and Board to serve children in the San Antonio area.My history as a foster, then adopted child, is what drives my motivation to let displaced children and youth know they are treasured, worthy and can overcome difficulties to become all they want to be. I believe all children have the absolute right to be loved and raised in a safe home.Most of my career had been in the corporate world, and as in all roles, relationships and collaboration are essential. I previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Home, and the COO of Chosen. The not-for-profit sector is challenging and worth every minute of the dedication it takes, as you truly know you are making a difference.Again, I am humbled to serve CASA and look forward to the future as we continue to support children experiencing foster care with amazing volunteer advocates."Find out more about Angie and CASAhttps://www.casa-satx.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/drangie/https://www.facebook.com/ChildAdvocatesSanAntoniohttps://www.instagram.com/casa.satx/ 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.

Life can feel pretty scary. But what if we felt differently about that fear? What if faith felt bigger than that fear? Listen in as mother of 6 including 2 by adoption points us to big insights to seeing ourselves and our fear differently.Here's a bit about Wendi:"I am a wife. A mom. A mother-in-law. A Jaja (AKA: grandma). A missionary. A teacher. A speaker. And a cheerleader for Jesus. I love God, my husband, my family, and people of all nations. I also love to travel, meet new friends, and have fun wherever I go. I am the director of xHope, Inc., a non-profit that exists to empower at-risk youth by providing hope, love, education, and forever families. I am also the director of Redeemer House Ministries in Uganda where we rescue, rehabilitate, and reunify children into forever families."https://www.wendicross.com/https://www.facebook.com/wendi.neelycrosshttps://www.instagram.com/wcross8/?hl=enhttps://www.xhopemissions.org/https://www.instagram.com/xhopeinternational/https://www.facebook.com/RedeemerHouseOrphanage 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.

What we resist persists. Especially our feelings. So what if we could be open to our feelings? Be openhearted. Ride life's emotional rollercoaster with more ease. Listen in as Cindy talks about vulnerability, openness and much more...Ms. Cindy Sarai is the Founder and Executive Director for Adoption Dreams Come True, a non-profit domestic adoption agency based in Fort Collins, Colorado. With 23 years in the field of Social Work and 15 years in the adoption arena, her passion is clear. Her belief that every child deserves a home that is loving, safe and permanent is the foundation for the work her agency does for birth parents, adoptive parents and children. As a result of her focus, Cindy has been a part of over 500 placements of children into permanent happy homes.Cindy created a diverse agency that was not exclusive in any aspect, but served all birth parents and adoptive families regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. Cindy provides free life-time counseling for all birth parents regardless of their final choice and often meets with birth moms whom she met years ago. Adoptive family fees are based on a sliding scale, using annual income, so that adoptive families are not taken out of the adoption process based solely on income. Adoption Dreams Come True has always mirrored our diversity rich world and values the uniqueness of every client who comes through its doors.https://www.adoptiondreams.org/https://www.facebook.com/AdoptionDreamsComeTruehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdlTbJSW7UtYqHBNZWK8X6A 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.

Raising adoptive children and teens is an art not a science. It's something you get a feel for. Listen in as adoptive father of 10 Dr Ray shares his insights on getting a better feel for this art. Packed with humour and humility.Dr. Ray Guarendi is a clinical psychologist and adoptive father of ten children who provides guidance on adoption, dispelling myths and offering practical advice from his personal and professional experience, emphasizing that love and commitment create family bonds, even across different ages or races, and encouraging adoption as a rewarding path. He's known for his books, radio shows, and talks, addressing concerns about the adoption process, fostering, and integrating adopted children into the family.Find out more here:https://www.drray.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-guarendi-233042291/https://www.youtube.com/@dr.rayguarendihttps://www.facebook.com/Dr.RayGuarendi 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.

Shame is a big obstacle to our thriving. So how do we say goodbye to it? How is shame different to guilt? Listen in as Penny dives deep into shame, guilt and more...Here's a bit about Penny from her agency's website:"I have been a qualified social worker since 1991 and have worked with children and families in the safeguarding arena and as a therapeutic social worker. I qualified as a play therapist in 1999 and have worked independently as both a social worker and play therapist over the years. In 2003, I coordinated the development and delivery of mental health services for Looked After Children across social care, health and education for two years.I love sharing knowledge and deliver training to a wide range of professionals, foster carers and adoptive parents on areas such as attachment, child development, the impact of trauma and abuse and communicating with children. I joined Adopters For Adoption in 2015 and have enjoyed every minute of my time working with our adopters and their children, when they have arrived! I live in Sheffield with my husband and two boys."https://www.adoptersforadoption.com/https://www.facebook.com/AdoptersforAdoptionhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-rowntree-26a47382 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.

How often do you realise that you're wrong? It's incredibly freeing. It's the ultimate lubricant for life. It reduces frustration and oils relationships. But if you're like me, your beliefs can get way of humility. Listen in as Arnie dives into humility, change, making a difference and much more. Truly empowering.Arnie and his wife Donna have been foster parents for over 20 years and are the parents to three daughters and three sons, four of which are adopted into his family from the foster care system.Arnie currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Foster Parent Association (NFPA). NFPA is a non-profit organization representing thousands of foster, adoptive and kinship parents, established to provide opportunities for advocacy, networking, and education.Arnie’s role includes developing partnerships and building relationships that benefit foster parents by providing the resources, services and support they need to provide care for children in need.He serves on multiple national, state, and local government committees, and strives to provide one voice in advocating for core needs for family-based care.https://www.facebook.com/NFPAonlinehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/nfpaonline/https://nfpaonline.org/ 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.

Are we going to rise above trauma or to succumb to it? Perhaps one of the most profound questions we can ask. Listen in as foster/kinship parent Joanna's profound and powerful take on thriving.Joanna is president of the Maryland Resource Parent Association.Connect with her or them here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-a-961369176/https://mrpa.org/https://www.facebook.com/mdresourceparents/https://www.instagram.com/mrpa_md_resource_parent_assoc/ 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.