Adoption Wise

This week we answer listener questions such as:

How do you talk about love from birth parents when there's been extensive abuse?

How do you address psychosomatic symptoms in your child?

Is the new book helpful for other caregivers who interact with my child?

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Body work episodes

#160: Essential Oils and Mental Health with Dr. Danielle Daniel

Reclaim Compassion

Is your adoption journey turning out differently than you imagined? You had so much love to give, but now you feel ashamed and bewildered by your lack of compassion.

You may be experiencing blocked care—a self-protective mechanism in your nervous system that makes it difficult to connect with your child and maintain compassion. When it happens, it’s like your heart seems to have left the relationship. But the good news is you are not a bad parent. You can heal from blocked care, and compassion can be rekindled in your heart.

Written by @lisacqualls and @melissacorkum_ who have themselves overcome blocked care, the book, Reclaim Compassion, answers the questions, “How did this happen, and will it ever get better?” You’ll recognize yourself in the honest stories from the authors and other parents and come to realize that you’re not at all alone.

Rooted in faith and backed by neuroscience, this practical and powerful guide offers a simple step-by-step process for reclaiming compassion for your child and yourself.

This week, enjoy an audio preview of Chapter 1.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Reclaim Compassion Website

Your attachment style impact ALL relationships in your life - including your relationship with God. Learn how your attachment style impacts your spiritual life, and how to take steps toward increased attachment security with God.

Krispin Mayfield, LPC has a background in full-time ministry and now practices an attachment based therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, with individuals and couples. He lives in Oregon with his wife D.L. and their two children.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Attached to God* by Krispin Mayfield

Connect with Krispin on Instagram

Join Reclaim Compassion for access to Q&A

*This is an affiliate link

Hannah Strege is the first adopted frozen embryo in the world, adopted through the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption program at Nightlight Christian adoptions. She shares about the importance of adoptees knowing their origin story, how she navigates her open adoption, and how adoption impacts her identity. Hannah is a graduate student at Baylor University working on a Masters of Social Work degree. She hopes to some day open a private practice to counsel adoptees, placing families, and adopting families/couples throughout the lifelong adoption process.

Hannah Strege is the first adopted frozen embryo in the world, adopted through the Snowflakes Embryo Adoption program at Nightlight Christian adoptions. She shares about the importance of adoptees knowing their origin story, how she navigates her open adoption, and how adoption impacts her identity. Hannah is a graduate student at Baylor University working on a Masters of Social Work degree. She hopes to some day open a private practice to counsel adoptees, placing families, and adopting families/couples throughout the lifelong adoption process.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Connect with Hannah on Instagram

Nightlight Christian Adoptions

A Snowflake Named Hannah* by John Strege

*This is an affiliate link

This week we answer listener questions such as:

When do you give consequences in your home?

What do we do when the simple act of setting a boundary is a guarantee of conflict and disrespect?

How can start facilitating a healthier attachment and decrease separation anxiety?

What do we do if our son is sneaking out to spend time with his birth family?

This week we answer listener questions such as:

When do you give consequences in your home?

What do we do when the simple act of setting a boundary is a guarantee of conflict and disrespect?

How can start facilitating a healthier attachment and decrease separation anxiety?

What do we do if our son is sneaking out to spend time with his birth family?

Click here to download the transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Join Reclaim Compassion

As Dr. Karyn Purvis famously said, "You cannot lead a child to a place of healing if you do not know the way yourself." Making sense of our histories is essential to helping our children heal. In today's episode, Lisa reads portions of Chapter 2 of The Connected Parent, the book she co-authored with Dr. Karyn Purvis.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

The Connected Parent* by Purvis and Qualls

Join Reclaim Compassion

*This is an affiliate link

Food challenges are common for children with early adversity. We often get questions regarding undereating, overeating, picky eating, hoarding, and sneaking.

In this workshop you will:

Learn relationship-building strategies to address common issues such as picky eating, power struggles, and weight worries.

Understand the health benefits of felt safety and how it helps children do their best with eating.

Katja Rowell MD is a family doctor, author and childhood feeding specialist who helps parents and caregivers help children to heal their relationship with food and their bodies, and do their best with eating.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Connect with Dr. Rowell on Instagram

Love Me, Feed Me* by Katja Rowell M.D.

Felt Safety Handout

Get more help at Reclaim Compassion

*This is an affiliate link

A lot of children shut down when you try to directly correct behaviors or address fears and past experiences. Story, imagination, and play are great ways to tackle tough issues without starting a control battle with your kids. Join Imagination Specialists and veteran parents, Darren and Margie Fink to learn the four steps of bibliotherapy.

Click here to download a transcript for this episode.

Relevant Links

Transfiguring Adoption

Buy Magical Creatures resources

Join Reclaim Compassion