Imagine being consumed by addiction and isolated within a domestic violent relationship for years. Jackie, our guest this week, was living this exhausting life which ultimately led to her losing her twin boys to foster care. Right away Jackie knew she had to make a change. Her commitment to getting her children back was the catalyst to escaping a toxic relationship and getting sober. Jackie's journey has been tough, but she is a success story. Today, Jackie serves as a beacon of hope for those struggling with addiction and is committed to helping others realize it's never to let to change their life. If you are struggling or know someone struggling with addiction, please point them to itsjackie_polk on Instagram. She is incredibly inspiring, and we hope her story touches someone who needs it.
Welcome back! This week, Maggie, a mama of 7 boys, joins us and shares her journey as a foster mother who worked tirelessly to ensure her boys remained connected and ultimately together forever. Throughout each case Maggie didn't take no for an answer and her relentless efforts resulted in siblings staying together and justice being served. Her family and her boys are lucky to have her, and we are so happy she took time to share her story with us. Follow Maggie on Instagram @the.waxmama
This week we have a special mama, Rachel visiting with us on the podcast. She is an author, a homeschool teacher, and a mama to many. She is a fierce advocate for foster care, and she shares with us the importance of reunification as well as the rollercoaster that can come with being a foster parent. We hope you enjoy our conversation with her!
This week on Filter Free, we have Josie Anderson who talks to us about what led her to foster care, her experience as a medical professional as well as a CASA and her personal foster care experience as a foster mama. Josie is a follower of Christ, a wife, and a fierce advocate for children. We feel so fortunate she said YES to joining us! Go follow her page on Instagram @fosterthevalley as she provides insightful content about so many things!
You may recognize Heather Bell for her bubbly personality on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. If you haven't already, go check her out at @justthebells10 and we can promise she will bring a smile to your face! This week we are so lucky as she joins us on the podcast to discuss her journey of becoming a foster mom, an adoptive mother, and how she is navigating her life as a content creator. Mama Bell is inviting, relatable, and reminds us to simply be kind to one another. We hope you love her episode as much as we enjoyed creating it with her. Please remember to like, share, and rate our podcast on Apple or Spotify!
Welcome back! During this episode, Chelsea tells us what happened after that life changing phone call to the police. Join us as she talks vividly about her experience in foster care, her reunion with her mother, and life now.
TRIGGER WARNING: Assault, Drug Use, & Suicide. The bravest thing someone can do is share their testimony with no reservations. Chelsea, a former foster youth, remembers CPS being in and out of her life from the age of 4. Her detailed recollection of events is jarring, but also a testament to how trauma can impact us. Join us as Chelsea shares her experiences as a child of a drug addicted parent, her outlook on foster care, and how she's built a life she's always dreamt of having. Come back next week to join us for Part 2 of her story. See you then!
This week, Keri and Alexis sit down with Lauren, a current LMSW who has experience in case management, foster care, adoption, and advocacy. She educates us on what an advocacy center focuses on, the importance of reporting, and how to implement self-care in daily life. She also touches on how motherhood has impacted her career and her plans for the future!
Welcome back! This week Keri and Alexis sit down with Shelley Williams, a former foster mother, whose family adopted twin boys and helped care for more than 10 other children. Despite her family's home closing two years ago, Shelley felt called to continue serving kids within the foster care system in a new role. She shares with us her unique perspective from her current job and helps provide insight that everyone can benefit from. We hope you enjoy this episode!
This week Keri and Alexis traveled to visit with a few of their old co-workers. Shelby, Jessica, and Casey share their personal experiences within the foster care community as case managers. As a group, we discuss the importance of self-care, advocacy, and relationships. We also talk about the importance of setting boundaries and reaching out for support. Enjoy! Don't forget to rate and follow the show!
Today we sat down with a friend and former foster mom of 10! Rachel and her husband Josh, have experienced heartbreak over the years but continue to persevere and advocate for children coming into their home. Rachel discusses that even though it's challenging to say goodbye to their foster children, they want to continue to be a positive steppingstone for every child that walks through their doors.
This week we get the privilege of speaking with Tim and Laurie White, former foster parents who adopted 3 beautiful children, but that wasn't without sacrifice. This couple anticipated an adoption for one little girl, but a biological family member found out about her in the 11th hour. We got the opportunity to include this biological family member (now adoptive mother) in the interview to hear about her experience learning her little girl was in foster care. We hope you enjoy listening to this wild ride that is foster care.
This week Alexis and Keri had the privilege of sitting down with Fiona, a former foster youth, who opens up about her personal experience in foster care. Her story is a testament to the bravery of children and their innate desire to be wanted, loved, and well cared for. Fiona is a special girl, and we hope you all feel inspired after hearing her sweet story. *Please note, this week we experienced many unfavorable bumps and bruises throughout our recording. Give us grace as you listen, and we continue to learn and navigate our microphones/set up. Our hope is, it does not take away from Fiona's testimony!*
This week Keri and Alexis sit down to touch base with one another and discuss how each feel the podcast is going. They also highlight the feedback they have been provided thus far and what the plan is for future episodes! In addition, the duo provides a short explanation about how the entire state of Texas is categorized and mention some of the goals each area is working towards. Texas is working hard to keep siblings together, to keep children within 50 miles of their removal address, and to ensure kids are kept safe. Thank you all for your continued support. Don't forget to like, follow, and rate the show. You can also email us at filterfreepod@gmail.com. Also stay tuned next week...we have an incredibly brave teenage girl who is willing to share her story with everyone. You won't want to miss it!
On this episode, Keri and Alexis have a fun conversation with Keri's brother and sister-in-law, Kyle and Jenifer Richardson. The couple was recently licensed as a foster family and spent the last year providing a loving home for two children. During this discussion we dive into the couple's experience working with biological family members and the relationship they were able to build with one mother who has successfully rehabilitated. In addition, Kyle and Jenifer both witnessed and experienced disconnect within each case which caused frustration for them as they tried to advocate for each child. The Richardson's recognize that their needs to be change within the system in order for better outcomes to be achieved. We hope other families find this information beneficial! Don't forget to like, rate, and follow our show. Stay tuned!
On this weeks episode, Keri & Alexis continue talking with Seleena about her experiences as a foster mother who went on to adopt two sons. We discuss the importance of collaborating as a team when it comes to children in foster care, acknowledging when to reach out for help, and setting boundaries within social welfare. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, hurry!
On this episode, Keri and Alexis sit down with Seleena, a biological, foster, and adoptive mother, who spent 6 years as a licensed foster parent. Join us as Seleena revisits some of her unique experiences which includes her thoughts and feelings as she took her first placement and how her family ended up adopting two sons. She will also provide insight as it relates to working directly with biological family members, siblings, case workers, and attorneys. Collectively we discuss the importance of burnout in the social welfare industry while highlighting quality over quantity when it comes to children in foster care. We hope you enjoy everything this episode has to offer! Stay tuned for PT. 2 next week! If you'd like further information regarding Respite Ranch please go to respiteranchtx.org
Surprise! This week, Keri is solo as she offers listeners a quick insight into the different licensing options. This episode is great for those interested in learning more about becoming a foster, adoptive, or kinship caregiver. There are options for everyone, and our hope is that someone out there may find the information they need to begin the licensing process. Next week, Alexis will be back, and we have an exciting guest joining us for our first ever interview! You won't want to miss it! Join us as a former foster mama discusses how her family got started as a foster family, how many children they have served, and their journey through two unexpected adoptions. It's a story that will surely warm your heart and we are so excited she is willing to share it with everyone! See you then!
On this episode of the Filter Free Podcast, Alexis and Keri sit down for the first time to introduce themselves and ramble about "How We Got Here". They discuss who they are, how they landed in social work, and offer up a little bit about what they plan to share within this podcast. This includes their personal experiences with a Child Placing Agency, their work with foster and kinship families, adoptions, and so much more! We hope you join us for this Filter Free chat each week!