Podcast by The Elephant Mum
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Each episode will feature a conversation between host Rebecca Harvin and foster/adoptive caregivers or members of the community who support foster care and adoption.
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Constellation Conversations: Adoption, Adoptee Voices, and Trauma-Informed Care
Sarah Harper and Brenda Chapel
Adoption is complex, and understanding its impact begins with centering adoptee voices. Join Sarah Harper, a trauma therapist and adoptee, and Brenda Chapel, an open-adoption adoptive parent, as they explore adoption’s nuances with guests from across the adoption constellation—including adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and professionals. Together, they facilitate meaningful conversations that uncover adoption truths, promote trauma-informed care, and inspire a more compassionate an ...
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Girl Lost (and Found): Kate Angelo's Journey From Foster Care to Bestselling Author
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54:37Kate Angelo shares her transformative journey from foster care to bestselling author, revealing how small interventions changed her life trajectory and shaped her mission to help others heal from trauma. • Experiencing stability when a friend's family took her in through an independent living program after facing placement in a group home • Develop…
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Former Foster Care Youth Turned Bestseller: Kate Angelo's Story of Resilience
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38:16In part one, Kate Angelo shares her extraordinary journey from a chaotic childhood with exotic pets, parental kidnappings, and neglect to finding purpose after aging out of foster care. • Former foster youth who became a bestselling author and now runs a nonprofit for strengthening marriages and families • Grew up in extreme chaos with exotic pets …
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A Look at Foster Care Through the Lens of a Former Foster Youth: Brianna’s Journey
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1:10:57Brianna Groah and her former case manager Kinsey Howell share the raw reality of foster care from the perspective of a child who lived through it. With honesty and vulnerability, they reveal what makes the difference between mere survival and genuine healing in the system. • Life before foster care included living in tents in the Florida woods afte…
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Breaking Down IEPs: A Foster Parent's Guide to School Advocacy
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54:50Educational advocate Trina Middleton shares her 30+ years of special education experience to help parents navigate the complex world of school advocacy for children with special needs, particularly in foster and adoptive families. • Recognizing red flags in struggling students: lack of motivation to learn, resistance to reading, and inability to co…
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When Friendship Meets Fostering: The Power of Having Someone Who Gets It
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1:02:10The Jantoyas, Elizabeth Janssen and Lisa Montoya, share their journey as best friends, foster and adoptive moms, and tireless advocates for children in the foster care system. They discuss how their friendship formed over fostering challenges and evolved into a community-building partnership that supports other foster families while creating meanin…
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Breaking Cycles, Building Support: How Safe Families Helps Families in Crisis
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22:57This episode is Part 2 of Rebecca's conversation with Tammy Pulsifer. Here is the link to go back and listen to Part 1: Part 1 with Tammy Pulsifer Tammy Pulsifer, Director of Community Engagement at Safe Families for Children Tallahassee, shares how their organization builds support systems for vulnerable families to prevent children from entering …
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Safe Families: Preventing Foster Care Through Community Support
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33:19Tammy Pulsifer, Director of Community Engagement at Safe Families for Children in Tallahassee, shares how their organization prevents children from entering foster care by supporting families in crisis through community intervention and radical hospitality. • Born to missionary parents and raised internationally in Guam, Saipan, Korea, Hawaii, and …
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120 Kids Later: What Loryn Smith Learned About Faith
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51:10Loryn Smith brings 30+ years of child welfare experience as owner of Finally Home Christian Adoption Services, sharing her journey of fostering 120 children and adopting many into her family. • Service without sacrifice is a counterfeit • Being faithful is our responsibility; outcomes belong to God • Finding freedom in being "just a character" in G…
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Rebecca and Olivia explore the concept of "trying softer" and how loosening our grip on control can transform our lives, especially in the demanding world of foster care and adoption. • Recognizing when we're trying too hard from a place of insecurity or fear of being "found out" as not good enough • Understanding how our tendency to meet everyone …
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Single Foster Motherhood: Journeying Alone But Never Lonely
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34:54Stephanie Miller shares her journey as a single foster and adoptive mom to three young children, revealing both the exhausting challenges and profound joys of parenting alone. • Adopted a five-year-old last December and a 16-month-old around Halloween, while currently fostering another five-year-old • Drew inspiration from her cousin who fostered a…
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Rebecca shares how intentionally noticing positive moments and seeking connection opportunities with her children is transforming her summer parenting experience, despite the challenging start. • Summer began with significant struggles, including a moment when Rebecca needed to leave the house after a lawn chair broke in her hands • Progress with o…
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Tips and Tricks for Successful Road Trips
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52:54Rebecca Harvin and Courtney Studard share their hard-won wisdom on traveling with children of all ages, from essential packing strategies to entertainment tips that really work. We offer practical advice for making family travel more enjoyable, less stressful, and filled with meaningful memories rather than meltdowns. • Start children traveling you…
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A Journey to Motherhood Through Faith, Infertility, Foster Care and Adoption
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47:09Jenn Ditges shares her powerful journey from infertility to motherhood through foster care and adoption, revealing how she came to mother six children after experiencing twelve pregnancy losses. • Always dreamed of being pregnant since witnessing her mother's pregnancy at age 8 • Received a spiritual promise of having six children while walking in …
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Foster Care: The Altar of Motherhood
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47:03Jessica Miles shares her raw, powerful story of loving through the hardest seasons of foster care, demonstrating how her own difficult childhood prepared her to show up authentically for children experiencing trauma. She offers profound insight into what it means to love intentionally when behaviors are extreme and systems are failing. • Loving chi…
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Single, Fostering and Figuring it Out: One Foster Mom's Journey into the Unknown
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37:09Kate shares her journey from teacher to single foster parent, reflecting on the profound identity shift that occurs the moment a child enters your home and the unique challenges of navigating the system alone. • Background in early childhood and special education creating a strong foundation for advocacy • Building a house with kids in mind before …
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Rebecca Unedited: Motherhood Unfiltered
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25:18Welcome back to season two where we dive into the complicated reality of Mother's Day for foster and adoptive moms, exploring how joy and grief often coexist in our parenting journey. I share my personal struggles with balancing celebration, complicated emotions, and the mantra that helps me navigate it all: "two things can be true." • Mother's Day…
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Rebecca Unedited: Unknotting Our Stories
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37:06Vulnerability and authenticity are explored through personal experiences of motherhood, therapy, and relationships. By unpacking the burdensome narratives around love and acceptance, the episode inspires listeners to reflect on their own stories and choose healthier paths toward autonomy. • Navigating the complexities of vulnerability in relationsh…
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Empowering Change: Child Advocacy, Foster Care, and Finding Your Voice with Olivia Smith
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58:39This episode focuses on the vital role of advocacy in supporting children, particularly in foster care and educational systems. We touch on personal experiences, the importance of knowledge about rights and relationships, and strategies for effectively advocating within complex systems. • Understanding the role and significance of PACE • Navigating…
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Journeying Through Family Dynamics and Resilience
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56:09The episode delves into the transformative journey of foster care and adoption, highlighting the emotional complexities and realities faced by families involved. Megan Hampton-Pusey shares her experiences as a foster mother, addressing the importance of community support, the challenges of attachment, and the often-overlooked struggles of fostering…
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Finding Joy in the Everyday of Adoption
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40:37Our conversation today dives deep into the joys of foster care and adoption, sharing heartfelt stories of connection and triumph amidst the challenges. We explore the significant moments that define our experiences as foster parents, offer practical parenting strategies, and celebrate the little victories that shape our family narrative. • Navigati…
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Nurturing Connections: Trust-Based Relational Intervention in Adoption and Foster Care with Jennifer Lake
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56:12This episode highlights the transformative impact of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) on families navigating foster care and adoption. By understanding emotional needs behind behaviors, caregivers can build stronger connections and foster healing, while also addressing their own emotional challenges in the process. • Introduction to TBRI …
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Episode 7: More Than a Flower Transplanted: An Adoptee's Perspective on Roots and Growth
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28:33Join us for Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Liliana, an international and transracial adoptee, as she continues to share her journey of self-discovery, cultural reconnection, and healing. In this episode of Constellation Conversations, Liliana dives deeper into the complexities of navigating identity and belonging as an adoptee. She opens …
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Rebecca Unedited: Answering Questions from Our Listeners
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57:21Rebecca and Courtney answer questions submitted by listeners. This episode is off the cuff, unedited and offers an unfiltered view as Rebecca answers those questions. We discuss various aspects of adoption, including timelines, processes for domestic and international adoptions, advocacy for children, and ways to support families in this journey. •…
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Stepping Out of Comfort Zones: Sarah Graves on Therapy, Foster Care, and Building Supportive Communities
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56:04Through a conversation between Rebecca Harvin and Sarah Graves, listeners explore the essential support needed in foster and adoptive families’ journeys. The episode stresses the importance of vulnerability, empathy, and community involvement to help these families thrive amidst challenges. • Explores Sarah's background and journey into therapy and…
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Episode 6: Liliana's Journey: Unveiling the Complexities of Transracial Adoption
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24:24Join us for a powerful conversation with Liliana, an international and transracial adoptee from the indigenous community of Ecuador, as she shares her journey of complexity, self-discovery, and cultural reconnection. In this first part of a two-part episode of Constellation Conversations, Liliana opens up about the complexities of growing up adopte…
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Lori Serber's journey into foster care is a testament to the power of calling and the evolution of family dynamics. Lori had always felt drawn to fostering, though her husband Larry needed time to embrace the idea. Eventually, their family of five welcomed the transformative experience, navigating the multifaceted challenges and joys that fostering…
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Trials and Triumphs of Fostering the Whole Family
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1:03:23What does it mean to truly support a birth family while fostering? In this episode, we uncover the complexities with the insightful Jordan Whitmarsh, whose journey from teen mom to foster parent offers a fresh perspective on empathy and community support. Her candid stories about navigating these challenges without a safety net highlight the incred…
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Episode 5: Holiday Reflections for Adult Adoptees and First Families
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16:03The holidays can be a time of joy, but also a time of complex emotions for those touched by adoption. In this episode of Constellation Conversations, we shift our focus to the adults in the adoption constellation – adult adoptees and first families. Join Sarah, an adult adoptee and trauma therapist and Brenda, an adoptive parent in an open adoption…
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Episode 4: Unwrapping Adoption- Supporting Adoptees During the Holidays
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34:30In this episode, Sarah, an adoptee and trauma therapist, shares her unique perspective on how the holidays can bring up a mix of emotions for adoptees. Brenda and Sarah discuss practical tips and insights on creating a supportive holiday experience for adoptees. Guided Learning: Want to dive deeper? We've created a set of reflection questions based…
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Balancing Hopes and Realities in Adoption
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41:32On this episode we'll share personal insights on maintaining the delicate balance between accepting our children for who they are and the natural urge to shape their world. The heart of our discussion lies in the emotional tug-of-war between hopes and reality. Feelings of loss and sadness come into play when all the love and effort poured into crea…
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Episode 3: Bridging Two Worlds: Open Adoption and Family Connections
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26:53Description: In this episode of Constellation Conversations, Sarah and Brenda explore the complex dynamics of open adoptions, focusing on the challenges of reunion and the critical importance of biological family connections. Brenda shares her personal experiences navigating open adoption and reaching out to biological family, while Sarah provides …
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Forging Lifelong Bonds: Navigating Foster Care and Adoption Through Friendship with Danielle Browning
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57:35How does a missed meeting at Starbucks transform into a lifelong friendship that helps navigate the challenges of foster care and adoption? Join us as Danielle Browning and I share the story of our unique bond, forged through shared experiences and mutual support. We open up about the unspoken rules of friendship that have been our lifeline as we j…
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Building Bridges in Foster Care
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1:06:04Embark on an unexpected journey with Ted Stackpole, a pastor who, alongside his wife Angie, opened their hearts and home to foster care and adoption, transforming their lives and those of the many children they've welcomed. Initially hesitant, their adventure began through a connection with a church family and an exploration of adoption ministry. T…
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Episode 2: Adoption is an Existential Trauma: Living a Story Written By Others
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29:16Description: In this episode, we explore the unique and often misunderstood trauma of adoption and its impact on identity. Sarah Harper, an adoptee and trauma therapist, shares her personal and professional insights on how adoption can shape one’s sense of self through narratives crafted by others. We discuss the existential loss adoptees experienc…
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Navigating Parenthood and Partnership Together
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52:40Imagine embarking on a journey that fundamentally reshapes your notion of family. That's what my husband, Brad Harvin, and I, Rebecca Harvin, experienced when we decided to embrace foster care and adoption. Through raw and heartfelt exchanges, Brad opens up about the surprise and commitment he felt when I first shared my unwavering intention to fos…
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In this debut episode, we introduce ourselves—Sarah Harper, a trauma therapist and adoptee, and Brenda Chapel, an adoptive parent in an open adoption—and share the inspiration behind launching Harper-Chapel: The Constellation of Adoption. We explore how our personal experiences within the adoption constellation have shaped our perspectives and stre…
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Empowering Voices: Navigating the Complex Emotions of Birth Kids in Foster Care
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59:34What happens when a birth kid grows up in a foster and adoptive family and becomes an advocate for others in similar situations? Daniela Coates, a licensed social worker, adoptive mother, and foster parent, shares her personal and professional journey with us. Through her organization, With Siblings, Daniela is doing groundbreaking work by focusing…
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Surrendering to the Journey: Faith and Foster Care with Danae Bunso
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43:14How do you find the strength to open your heart and home to children in need? Danae Bunso, the Florida State Director for Isaiah 117 House in Duval County, joins us to share her and her husband Carl's incredible journey of fostering and adopting children. With 30 foster experiences and two adoptions alongside their six biological children, Danae pr…
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Embracing Imperfection: A Journey Through Motherhood, Foster Care, and Adoption with Tanya Hardaker
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58:55What happens when the pursuit of perfection meets the messy reality of motherhood and adoption? Join us for an intimate conversation with Tanya Hardaker, who opens up about her journey through foster care, adoption, and self-discovery. Tanya's raw honesty sheds light on the societal pressures faced by women, especially in the Southern evangelical c…
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S01E07 Jesse, adoptive parenting by chance
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20:05After an unexpected break, I am back with a new episode. Hear from Jesse, a father living in Finland, who found himself in the world of adoptive parenting when his family blended with his wife's and he met his step-son, a lovely boy adopted internationally.بقلم The Elephant Mum
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S01E06 Bridget Gordinier, birth mother in reunion
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1:11:15Welcome to the latest episode of Adoption Conversations. This week's episode is longer than usual, yet I'm sure you will not regret it. I met Bridget on social media, where she is active promoting adoptees' rights in United States. Bridget gave birth to her first daughter about forty years ago and she was pressured by family, social services, and l…
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S01E05 - The voice of adoptees with Haley Radke
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48:40This week I am hosting one of the inspiring figures in the world of adoption, adult adoptee and Adoptees On podcast host Haley Ridke. Adoptees On (www.adopteeson.com) is in my personal top 3 resources about adoption and if you don't know it, you absolutely have to check it out. Haley is an inspiration as podcaster for me. If I will learn to have ha…
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