In the second part of this three-part series, Joy talks about how building trust with your foster/adopted child should be priority before addressing their mental health issues. The traumatized brain is tender and delicate, and remembering to listen before you speak is incredibly vital to the healing process.

This is the first part of a three-part series on mental health. In this episode, Joy talks about how you can’t just fix mental health, but how it’s a process and a journey. With patience and dedication, you can help your foster or adopted child work through the trauma and mental health challenges they are […]

Hear from a couple who has fostered many siblings and has walked through the struggle of having to make a call to split up siblings. Joy discusses with Melinda and Eric the value in keeping siblings together as well as, sometimes, the need to split up siblings. They also discuss some helpful, practical ways they […]

In this episode, Joy speaks with Carrie Davis about her and her husbands current adoption journey. What has seemed to be a never-ending whirlwind of legal processes, paperwork, lots of “no’s” and a few “yes’s”, they’ve finally been matched with a child they expect to adopt in May. God’s timing does not always align with […]

In this episode, Joy catches up with Elizabeth Shelt – the CASA worker that was appointed to Joy when she was in the system as a little girl. CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocate. This is a volunteer program where you have the opportunity to be a voice for foster children. And as you’ll hear […]

In this episode, Joy talks about the challenges and struggles that foster teens deal with when it comes to education and schooling.

Joy shares her personal story with mental health diagnoses and IEPs during her foster care journey back in April of 2000. Maybe you or your child has been dealt the same cards. The most important thing to remember is that doctors, educators, and diagnoses are only a chapter of your book – but YOU are […]

In this episode, Joy tells the story about how she found her birth father when she was 28 years old. She discusses the emotions that come along with meeting a parent that has been missing from your life for many years, and how to navigate through those emotions.

In this episode, Joy discusses how to navigate birth family visitations with foster/adopted children. It can often be a tricky road to navigate, but a necessary one. And supporting your child through the process is important before, during, and even after the visitation happens.

In this episode, Joy defines adverse trauma and discusses helpful ways to broaden your perspective on what it is. She also talks about how we can advocate for children who are struggling to overcome trauma in their own lives by sharing research based tips, as well as her own personal experience.