Send us a textSome days the unknowns feel louder than our confidence. So we’re naming the five big seasons of foster care- the call, the waiting, the daily work, the transitions, and the surprises- and getting honest about where fear shows up, where systems fall short, and where hope quietly grows. I share the moments that recalibrated my own heart: a gas‑station “sign” that nudged a family forward, the paper airplane that carried a thank‑you down our laundry chute, and a room full of professionals learning TBRI to serve kids better.We unpack the practical side of faithfulness, too. Waiting turns into preparation when we build rhythms that hold under stress, from simple sensory and regulation tools to predictable routines that help our kids feel safe. Daily trauma‑informed parenting gets specific...co‑regulation before correction, choices that matter, quick repairs after missteps- because progress often hides inside small, ordinary acts. We also talk about advocating across systems with patience and precision, finding allies in schools, courts, agencies, and community groups who are ready to change how kids are supported.Transitions and surprises test our grip on control, so we walk through reunification, adoption, grief, and the unexpected paths that follow. Trust becomes active: blessing goodbyes with dignity, keeping memory, and practicing flexible presence when plans shift. Through it all, we return to one steady truth- God’s character doesn’t wobble when outcomes do. If this conversation gives you oxygen for the week, tap follow, share it with a foster or adoptive parent who needs hope, and leave a quick review so more families can find this space.Connect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell @nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
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Faith, Trauma, and the Tools That Help Families Heal with Kristin Orphan
Send us a textWhat if trauma-informed parenting isn’t a departure from biblical wisdom but a practical expression of it? That question drives a heartfelt conversation with guest Kristin Orphan, cofounder of Finally Home, a national nonprofit equipping foster, adoptive, and kinship families with education, encouragement, and community. We dig into what trauma actually does in the brain, why “traditional” parenting often assumes preexisting trust, and how compassion and clear values can peacefully coexist. The destination—raising kids who thrive in character and faith—stays the same; the route changes because our children’s starting points are different.We share concrete ways to build trust first—connection before correction—so guidance can land. You’ll hear how to set values-based rules, avoid provoking fight/flight responses, and use developmentally appropriate expectations without compromising standards like honesty and respect. Kristen offers lived-in wisdom on launching young adults, empowering kids to self-advocate, and embracing the long game where outcomes can’t be forced and free will is real. We also talk candidly about the mirror parenting holds up: the shame, the triggers, and the grace that meets us when we admit limits and repair quickly.Self-care takes center stage as stewardship rather than indulgence. From sleep and movement to prayer and Scripture, we outline habits that regulate our nervous systems and model healthy adulthood. Tools like play therapy and parent coaching are framed as provision, not salvation, aligning evidence-based strategies with a faith that remains front and center. If you’ve felt torn between brain-wise approaches and your convictions, this conversation will help you see how they braid together—firm values, soft hearts, steady leadership.If this resonated, share it with a friend, leave a review so other foster and adoptive parents can find it, and subscribe for more faith-filled, trauma-informed conversations that strengthen your home.Links for Kristin:YouTube: https://youtube.com/@teamfinallyhomeInstagram: https://instagram.com/teamfinallyhomeFacebook: https://facebook.com/finallyhome.netFamily Journey Show https://finallyhome.net/category/family-journey-show/Connect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell @nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
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Navigating Bedtime with Trauma-Informed Care with Allison Ezell
Send us a textEvery foster and adoptive parent has found themselves desperately searching for sleep solutions at 2 AM, wondering why traditional methods aren't working and if they're somehow failing their child. Sleep consultant Allison Ezell brings a revolutionary perspective to this universal struggle, explaining why children from hard places face unique challenges around bedtime and offering trauma-informed solutions that actually work.Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience as an adoptive and foster mom, Allison illuminates why sleep represents a perfect storm for children with trauma histories. "Sleep requires two things that are incredibly difficult for our kids – complete surrender of control and separation from caregivers," she explains. For children whose bodies remember neglect, abandonment, or inconsistent care, closing their eyes to sleep can trigger their deepest fears.The conversation delves into why traditional sleep training approaches can be harmful for children who've experienced trauma, potentially reinforcing harmful beliefs that crying doesn't bring help or that adults can't be trusted. Instead, Allison offers practical strategies centered on attachment, felt safety, and meeting underlying needs. From understanding sleep associations (how a child falls asleep is how they'll return to sleep all night) to creating sensory-rich bedtime routines that prepare both body and brain for rest, these approaches honor a child's history while building healthy sleep habits.Perhaps most powerfully, Allison shares how transformative healthy sleep can be for entire families. "People think I'm passionate about kids' sleep, but I'm not. I'm passionate about seeing families choose connection, because it's really hard to choose connection with a kid who kept you up every hour of the night." When everyone starts getting adequate rest, relationships heal, patience returns, and the capacity for joy expands. For many foster and adoptive families, solving sleep challenges becomes the breakthrough that allows them to continue their fostering journey with renewed energy and hope.Looking for trauma-informed sleep support? Visit dwellpediatricsleep.com to explore Allison's resources, including her online course designed specifically for foster and adoptive families. Your path to better sleep—and stronger family connections—starts here.Website: www.dwellpediatricsleep.comTrauma-Informed Healthy Sleep Foundations Course: https://www.dwellpediatricsleep.com/product-page/a-trauma-informed-look-at-healthy-sleep-foundations-courseInstagram: instagram.com/dwellpediatricsleepConnect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell @nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
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Seeing God's Fingerprints in Foster Care with Jessica Mathisen
Send us a textEver feel like your heart is being pulled in a thousand directions as a foster parent? Like you're supposed to be everything to everyone while somehow finding time to breathe? You're not alone.In this soul-nourishing conversation, Jessica Matheson (author of "No Matter When I Go") shares her foster care journey and the freedom she found when she stopped trying to be her children's savior. With refreshing candor, she reflects on starting as a foster parent before having biological children, eventually adopting her teenage daughter, and learning that God's timeline rarely matches our own."Only the Spirit of God can bring healing to their lives," Jessica reminds us. "We can be an agent through which He works, but it's not our job to fix or heal." This perspective shift might be exactly what you need to hear today if you're drowning under the weight of unrealistic expectations.We explore practical ways to help children recognize God's hand in their stories without dismissing their trauma. Jessica shares wisdom about going slow, prioritizing relationship over behavior modification, and showing kids what healthy family life looks like—sometimes that's enough.Whether you're considering fostering, in the thick of placement challenges, or supporting someone who is, this episode offers gentle permission to release perfection and embrace obedience instead. God doesn't need us to overhaul our children's lives overnight; He simply asks us to be faithful with what's before us today.Ready to see your foster parenting journey through fresh eyes? Listen now, and remember: you don't have to do it all. You just have to follow where He leads.You can get to know her at www.jessicanmathisen.com, on Instagram @jessicanmathisen, and through her podcast, The Fullness of Joy.Connect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell @nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
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Understanding FASD in Foster Care & Adoption with Sandra Flach
Send us a textSandra Flach shares her family's journey with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and provides essential knowledge for foster and adoptive parents raising children with prenatal alcohol exposure.• FASD affects 1 in 20 children in the United States—more prevalent than autism• Only 10% of children with FASD display the facial features needed for diagnosis• Prenatal alcohol exposure permanently alters brain structure and function• There is no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy and no safe time to drink• Symptoms often intensify during teenage years as executive function demands increase• Children with FASD may be chronologically one age but developmentally much younger• Brain-based parenting focuses on understanding behaviors as brain differences• Breaking tasks into smaller steps and creating routines helps children succeed• Helping children understand their diagnosis empowers them to self-advocate• The Justice for Orphans website and "Hope for the FASD Journey" support group provide resourcesIf this episode encouraged you, please share it with someone who may need it and subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.The Link to Sandra's website is JusticeForOrphansNY.orgYou can find her at:Instagram: @afc_journey and @sandraflach_jfoFacebook: @the Adoption & Foster Care Journey and @Sandra Flach Connect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell @nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
Foster Parent Well is the go-to podcast for foster and adoptive parents who are navigating the complexities of parenting children with trauma while trying to stay sane in the process. Hosted by Nicole T Barlow, a foster and adoptive mom of six, parent trainer, and wellness coach, this podcast is where faith, resilience, and practical strategies come together. If you're feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted from the daily realities of foster care and adoption—you're not alone. Here, we have real conversations about the hard stuff: attachment struggles, secondary trauma, parenting beyond behaviors, and the deep emotional weight of loving kids from hard places. But we also talk about you—your health, your nervous system, your faith, and the small, sustainable ways you can care for yourself so you can keep showing up for your kids. Expect practical tips, faith-based encouragement, expert insights, and zero sugarcoating—just real, honest talk about what it takes to foster well, adopt well, and most importantly, stay well in the process. Because parenting kids with trauma is a marathon, not a sprint—and you were never meant to run it alone. 🎧 Subscribe now and let’s do this together!
Österreich