ADOPTION STRUGGLES AND SUPPORT | Adoption Trauma, Safety, Peace of Mind, Biblical Encouragement, Respite, Journaling

“I try to give them space, especially on a day that they are having a really bad day, that they can’t function in the classroom. Perhaps they’ve thrown a book across the classroom and a teacher calls me to come in. And I need to get that child away from that situation as quickly and as calmly as I possibly can.” 

Hi Neighbor,

Joining me is my neighbor from Indiana, Sherry Green. Sherry is an educator with over 30 years of experience serving junior high students with disabilities. She understands the challenges of trauma in the classroom.

In this episode, Sherry will discuss the effects of trauma on learning and share some of the tools she uses to support children with trauma and help them feel safe.

Grab a pen and paper. This is a very tactical conversation.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Contact Sherry: [email protected]

Books mentioned in this episode:

Disclaimer: Some of the links I include in my emails may be affiliate links. That means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I could earn a small commission. I will only promote products I believe in and think you will enjoy. Thank you for being in my community.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter why, because it doesn’t change the fact that it hurt. I think we do get invested in why people do what they do and why people turn on us… as if we could answer that question. But there’s not an answer to that question or an explanation that’s going to make it hurt less.

Hi Neighbor,

Joining me again is my neighbor from Alabama, Jane Baker. Jane was one of the individuals responsible for helping my son Johnny navigate the challenges of his adoption trauma while he was in residential.

Adoption trauma is very difficult, not only for the adopted child but the adoptive family. Unfortunately, there can be other challenges too because of adoption trauma.

That’s what Jane is going to talk with us about in this episode. It’s something she sees in her practice. It’s something that I have experienced myself. The topic for today is “When Friends Fail You.”

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Listen to Jane’s previous episodes.

Contact Jane Baker

P.S. If this podcast has given you the courage and confidence to face storms in your life, the number one way you can thank me is to leave a written review on Apple Podcasts. 

Tell a friend about the show. Take a screenshot of this episode, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag me @TimMaudlin. 

You can also connect with me on my free and private Facebook Group: Anchors of Encouragement

Contact: [email protected]

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always consult your healthcare provider with your health questions and concerns.

As is the case with anyone that I bring on the show to talk to you, I encourage take notes and listen to the information. Then do your due diligence and use what you can in your adoption journey to parent your child the best way you can.

Most people attack things like anxiety or any sort of grief or an adoption process or anything that we’ve all been through. They try to go to the skills first. And that’s what I talk about in Bad Apples, I flip it around. 

No, we have to work on our anchoring first and get our mindset right before we even think about implementing a skill and hence an anchor. So that’s the importance of it.

Hi Neighbor,

Joining me again is my neighbor from Hawaii, Dr. Lisa Hartwell. Dr. Hartwell is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in anxiety assessment and treatment. She is also a published author. 

In her latest book, “Cultivating Professional Success: Grow Even When High Functioning Anxiety Drives You To The Edge,” Dr. Hartwell proves once again why she is a trusted authority on anxiety and personal growth.

She takes many of the concepts from her earlier book, “Bad Apples: How to Feel Good Even When Rotten Things Happen,” and goes much deeper to show individuals how to work with their high-functioning anxiety.

Her expertise, combined with her compassionate approach, makes this book a must-read for anyone who wants to harness the power of high-functioning anxiety and achieve professional success while prioritizing their well-being.

If you’re someone who wants to embrace personal growth, achieve professional success, and conquer high-functioning anxiety, you need to check out “Cultivating Professional Success,” available now.

It’s an absolute game-changer! Enjoy the interview.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Get Dr. Hartwell’s books at these links:

Cultivating Professional Success

Disclaimer: Some of the links I include in my emails may be affiliate links. That means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I could earn a small commission. I will only promote products I believe in and think you will enjoy. Thank you for being in my community.

“I could not picture myself being exposed to trauma again. I just couldn’t. And you're talking to somebody who was very adept at managing exposure to trauma as an emergency nurse, as a flight nurse, and as a psychologist in prisons… So I’m pretty good and adept at it. But boy, it emptied my cup!”

Hi Neighbor,

Returning as a guest on this episode of Anchors of Encouragement is my neighbor from Hawaii, Dr. Lisa Hartwell. Dr. Hartwell is trained to identify and help others heal from their trauma. But even she personally understands how emotionally draining trauma can be.

I hope you’ll listen to our conversation as Dr. Hartwell shares her story, defines secondary trauma, and shows us 3 ways you can begin to navigate the challenges it presents.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

P.S. If you found the information in this episode helpful, please share the podcast with a friend. Thanks, Neighbor!

Dr. Hartwell was also a guest on Episode 50 – How to Understand Grief In Your Adopted Children and How To Love Them

Get Dr. Hartwell’s FREE Anxiety Assessment and connect with her on her website.

Disclaimer: As I said, Dr. Hartwell is a licensed professional. However, on this podcast, she is not providing therapy or medical treatment. The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always consult your healthcare provider with your health questions and concerns.

Hi Neighbor,

Welcome to Day Four of our birthday celebration for Anchors of Encouragement. This bonus series began in Episode 80. In that episode, I shared with you ten of the more popular episodes from the first year of this podcast. 

In Episode 81, we talked about the mantra for this podcast… Biblical Mindset Support for Adoptive Parents. 

In Episode 82, we talked about how you can support yourself through journaling.

Today, I want to share with you 3 reasons why your voice matters. I’ll do that by first sharing 3 reviews left for this podcast by listeners like you. And then I’ll share the way you can share your voice for the show.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

P.S. Here is a short video to show you how to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Anchors of Encouragement Trailer

You can think a feeling. You can speak a feeling. But if you want to touch a feeling, you need to write.

Hi Neighbor,

Welcome to Day Three of our birthday celebration for Anchors of Encouragement. In Episode 80, I shared with you ten of the more popular episodes from the first year of this podcast. 

In Episode 81, we talked about the mantra for this podcast… Biblical Mindset Support for Adoptive Parents. I showed how you can use Psalm 77 to navigate the challenges you face in life.

Today, I would like to focus on one of the BEST ways you can support yourself. Not only can you receive biblical mindset support, but you can also offer support for yourself anytime and anywhere you need it. It’s as simple as W-R-I-T-E.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Episodes About Journaling:

EP 47 – How Journaling Helped My Son Like Himself Again with Jonny Maudlin

EP 4 – 3 Benefits of Taking Out Your Frustrations On Paper?

EP 28 – Want Hope & Healing? 2 Journaling Prompts for Struggling Adoptive Parents

EP 32 – 3 Journaling Prompts to Help Adoptive Parents Become a Conduit for Kindness

The adoption journey is very rewarding, but at times, it can be very challenging, especially when you factor in adoption trauma.

Hi Neighbor,

Welcome to Day Two of our birthday celebration for Anchors of Encouragement. In the previous episode, Episode 80, I shared with you ten of the more popular episodes from the first year of this podcast. 

In this episode, I would like to look back to the very beginning of this podcast and to the reason and purpose it exists.

Please consider with me, Biblical Mindset Support for Adoptive Parents from Psalm 77.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

P.S. If this podcast has given you the courage and confidence to face storms in your life, the number one way you can thank me is to leave a written review on Apple Podcasts. This short video shows you how.

This is the one-year anniversary of this podcast. And because of that, I wanted to do something special for you, Something special for the next few days as we celebrate this one-year anniversary.

Hi Neighbor,

I want to take a moment to thank those of you who have been here from Day One. There are several of you who encouraged me to do this podcast. You’ve listened to these episodes. You’ve shared them with others, and you’ve even left reviews for the show. 

Thank you so much. You are true anchors of encouragement for me.

In this episode of Anchors of Encouragement, I would like to share with you a list I put together. A list made up of 10 of the more popular episodes from this past year. 

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Here’s the list:

EP 8-9 – Adoption Trauma Defined! Parts 1 and 2: How to Understand Its Causes and Effects with Jane Baker

EP 53 – Want to Resolve Conflict? Empower Your Adopted Child With This Simple Tool with Erich Nelson

EP 17 – Struggling Adoptive Parents? 3 Ways To Restore The Sparkle In Their Eyes

EP 20 – When Adoptive Parents Feel All Alone? 7 Reasons Why To Grab An Anchor

EP 40 – 7 Ways for Adoptive Parents to Find Support and Achieve Respite

EP 47 – How Journaling Helped My Son Like Himself Again with Jonny Maudlin

EP 16 – The $89,000 T-Shirt: How One T-Shirt Inspired and Healed a Broken Community

EP 50 – How to Understand Grief In Your Adopted Children and How To Love Them with Dr. Lisa Hartwell

EP 14 – 10 10 10: An Effective Tool for Adopted Children with Jonny Maudlin

The reason this is important for us as adopted and foster families is this is so prevalent in our homes. And we don’t talk about it. We don’t know about it. 

One in twenty children has some form of FASD. That’s a lot of kids. It’s two and a half times more than autism. And we DON’T talk about it!

Hi Neighbor,

Joining me on this episode of Anchors of Encouragement, is my neighbor from Dallas, Texas, Laura Hernandez. Laura is a wife and mama to ten amazing people. 

She is the founder of Mama Systems, a coaching business that helps Mamas bring peace to their homes through systems, so they can be intentional with their people and show up as the best mama possible.

Laura is going to talk to us today about a topic she knows and lives with every day, FASD, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.

It’s a conversation that’s really needed today.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always consult your healthcare provider with your health questions and concerns.

As is the case with anyone that I bring on the show to talk to you, I encourage take notes and listen to the information. Then do your due diligence and use what you can in your adoption journey to parent your child the best way you can.

In those moments when you’re overwhelmed and you can feel the stress rising, oftentimes that can lead to the temptation to yell or to parent inappropriately.

As an adoptive or special-needs parent, what do you do?

Hi Neighbor,

Joining me on this episode of Anchors of Encouragement is my neighbor from Washington D.C. Katie Keene. Katie is the wife of a military officer (ret.), and mama of 5 treasures. Some of which are special needs.

She is also the host of Her Home and Heart Podcast, a Top 1% globally-rated show designed to teach Christian Homeschooling Moms with a special needs kiddo in the bunch how to live a holistic life of home stewardship that is filled with joy and peace.

In those moments of overwhelm and stress, Katie knows, and more importantly, her family knows exactly what she will do.

Listen as Katie describes the systems she has developed so her family can have a solid, peaceful, and joyful foundation at home.

Hope and Healing are on the way.

Your Neighbor,

Contact Katie:

Listen to Katie interview Tim on Her Home & Heart Podcast