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Kandace and Callie answer listener questions in this season 4 FINALE!  We talk attachment, 2nd adoptions, how covid is impacting the adoption world, talking with siblings about adoption details and much more! Thank you to all of our listeners this season, we so appreciate the support and community!  Find Us: instagram.com/adoptionhacks facebook.com/adoptionhacks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

This is such an important topic! Todays guest is Cara Peper. It was so wonderful to get to chat with Cara, she’s an adoptive mom of 2 little ones. as you’ll hear she’s so honest and vulnerable about her story. Something that I know I didn’t anticipate after placement was post placement guilt and anxiety. We’ve talked this show before about post placement depression but this is a little different. And we’re going to get into what it is, and if its something you are experiencing I hope this helps you know you are not alone.  We have a Q&A episode coming up! So send us ALL your questions! You can DM us on Instagram or Facebook @adoptionhacks email us at [email protected] or send us a voice memo that could be featured on the show! anchor.fm/adoptionhacks This weeks episode is sponsored by Kindred + Co! Kindred + Co. is a brave adoption community that lifts stories from all sides in the adoption triad. Kindred believes that sharing stories is a powerful way to understand and education on the complexities of adoption. Kindred and Co. desires to see relationships built within the adoption triad. Kindred hosts online coffee hours, in person retreats and hopefully will be launching their first conference in the near future. Weekly, you can find blogs written by all sides of the triad at www.kindredand.co/blog Kindred + Co. also creates modern, custom adoption profile books for prospective adoptive parents. Kindred + Co. was the first profile book provider to have a birth mom on their team that educates clients on language and best practices for making your profiebook. Kindred helps you make a book that you can feel proud to present - while making sure that every expectant mom that flips through your book feels seen and respected. To learn more you can visiting www.kindredand.co - and following Kindred + Co.  on instagram @kindredand.co Find Us: instragram.com/adoptionhacks facebook.com/adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

On todays show we are talking with Sharon from Gift of Adoption. Gift of Adoption (GOA) is a national charity that provides grants to complete the adoptions of vulnerable children – giving them permanent families and the chance to thrive. Founded in 1996, GOA is celebrating 25 years, $11.5 million in adoption funding and 3,900 children home for good (as of June 2021). If you are new to this adoption world there are usually so many questions surrounding fundraising and adoption grants, so we wanted to talk with an organization to hear how it works, what are they looking for, and how to apply.  Find out more of what Gift of Adoption is doing and your local chapter here:  https://giftofadoption.org/ In a couple weeks we are going to do a Q&A episode! So send us ALL your questions! You can DM us on Instagram or Facebook @adoptionhacks email us at [email protected] or send us a voice memo that could be featured on the show! anchor.fm/adoptionhacks Find Us: instragram.com/adoptionhacks facebook.com/adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

Today on the show, Kandace interviews JT Olsen, founder and executive director of Both Hands. Both Hands helps families fundraise for their adoption by coordinating a service project fixing up a widow's home. Their mission is to fulfill James 1:27 by serving widows, orphans and adoptive families simultaneously.  If you are fundraising fr an adoption, this is a must listen! Hear the heart behind this organization and get inspired to do your own project. And even if you are not currently fundraising, this episode is wrth the listen to hear JT's own story of loss and how it led him to create Both Hands.  Check out all Both Hands is doing Here:  https://bothhands.org/ In a couple weeks we are going to do a Q&A episode! So send us ALL your questions! You can DM us on Instagram or Facebook @adoptionhacks email us at [email protected] or send us a voice memo that could be featured on the show! anchor.fm/adoptionhacks  Find Us:  instragram.com/adoptionhacks facebook.com/adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

Kasi Pruitt is with us today and WOW it is so incredible to hear her adoption journey and her perspective. She is a mom of 5, soon to be 6 kids. In this episode we talk about navigating unknowns. What do we do when life looks different from what we imagined? Maybe that is medical needs or simply starting an adoption in the middle of a pandemic. Most adoptions at some point hit things we just did not expect. Kasi talks us through what that was like for her family and walks us through some things she has learned along the way.  Find Kasi on Instagram:  @pruittkasi  Email Us:  [email protected] Find Us FB/IG: @adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

On this episode we have some very practical and helpful advice about profile books from the amazing Kindred + Co. Team! Profile books are used by domestic infant adoptive parents and it can be overwhelming to know how to create one of these books and what you should and shouldn’t include. So Hannah Eloge and Jessie Mattos are here to walk us through it all! Kindred + Co. creates modern, custom adoption profile books for prospective adoptive parents. Kindred + Co. was the first profile book provider to have a birth mom on their team that educates clients on language and best practices for making your profile book. Kindred helps you make a book that you can feel proud to present - while making sure that every expectant mom that flips through your book feels seen and respected. Kindred also hosts online coffee hours, in person retreats and hopefully will be launching their first conference in the near future. Weekly, you can find blogs written by all sides of the triad at www.kindredand.co/blog To learn more you can visiting www.kindredand.co - and following Kindred + Co. on instagram @kindredand.co Email Us:  [email protected] Find Us IG/FB:  @adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you will join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

As a child Peter Mutabazi ran away from an abusive home and was helped by the kindness of strangers. As an adult he found  himself in a position of being able to help foster children, so he began taking children into his home years ago to give back what was so freely given to him. It's his mission to give back as much as he can to the vulnerable among us. That's what drives Now I Am Known: to bring a message of hope to the hopeless, the same message Peter needed so badly to hear as a child. He and his son will be partnering with foster care agencies to give away a plush puppy with the message "Now I Am Known, Seen, and Heard" to at-risk children across the country. Hear his incredible story of becoming a foster dad, and how he is reaching so many children with the affirming message that they are known and loved.  Find Peter Here: www.NowIAmKnown.com YouTube: @nowiamknown Instagram: @fosterdadflipper Facebook: @fosterdadflipper Email Us:  [email protected] Find Us FB/IG: @adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you will join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

This week we get to talk with Whitney Runyon from The Archibald Project! Whitney and her husband are adoptive parents who are passionate about empowering others to care for orphaned and vulnerable children. In this episode we get to hear Whitney’s personal adoption story and what the Archibald Project is and how it began. Then we dive into a deep discussion of ethics in adoption. What can we do as prospective and current adoptive parents to ensure that we are promoting ethical adoptions? What are some of the typical ethical downfalls in this process and how can we spot the red flags? We know this talk is Heavy! But its sooo important for us to have. Check out all The Archibald Project is doing here: TheArchibaldProject.com And on Instagram at @TheArchibaldProject Email Us: [email protected] Find Us IG/FB: @adoptionhacks Guest views and opinions are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Adoption Hacks. We strive to create a space for adoptive parents to learn and grow from a variety of perspectives, experiences and opinions from all sides of the triad. We hope you will join us in honoring the unique backgrounds and stories of our guests. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

Lanaya Graham is with us this week! And of course we are talking about BOOKS!  You may know Lanaya from her instagram account @adoption.books where she shares her honest, detailed book reviews- not just recommendations. She speaks out about how the complexities of adoption really need to be reflected in Children’s books, and that adoptees need appropriate representation in literature. Her reviews include children’s literature, biographies, and adoptive parenting books. Resources Mentioned in Episode:  Adoptee Reading: http://adopteereading.com/ Frankie and Friends Talk Adoption by Pam Kroskie Motherbridge of Love by Xinran Growing Grace by Erin Mason Star of the Week by Darlene Friedman Through Adopted Eyes by Elena Hall The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier Find her on IG at adoption.books and her website www.lanayagraham.com This weeks episode is sponsored by Kindred + Co! Kindred + Co. is a brave adoption community that lifts stories from all sides in the adoption triad. Kindred believes that sharing stories is a powerful way to understand and education on the complexities of adoption. Kindred and Co. desires to see relationships built within the adoption triad. Kindred hosts online coffee hours, in person retreats and hopefully will be launching their first conference in the near future. Weekly, you can find blogs written by all sides of the triad at www.kindredand.co/blog Kindred + Co. also creates modern, custom adoption profile books for prospective adoptive parents. Kindred + Co. was the first profile book provider to have a birth mom on their team that educates clients on language and best practices for making your profiebook. Kindred helps you make a book that you can feel proud to present - while making sure that every expectant mom that flips through your book feels seen and respected. To learn more you can visiting www.kindredand.co - and following Kindred + Co.  on instagram @kindredand.co Find Us on IG/FB:  @adoptionhacks Email Us:  [email protected] --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

Michelle Batten is with us this week to talk about the Power of Play! Michelle is a TBRI® Educator, SSP Practitioner,  and ACPI Parenting Coach. Michelle is a a trauma responsive parenting coach who helps exhausted adoptive and foster parents explore needs behind difficult behavior, find hope again, and bring healing to their family.  In this episode we discuss the the healing power of play time with our children. What happens in our child's brain while we play and some practical games and tools to build in connection times to our daily lives.  Find out more about Michelle at HopeParenting.com Find Us on IG/FB: @adoptionhacks Email Us:  [email protected] --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

We talk about EVERYTHING in this episode! Whatever stage of adoption you are in, this episode has something for you. Ligia shares her personal story of loss and how it led to adoption. We also discuss what it's like to adopt as a person of color and finding community. Ligia shares where things stand with racial justice and the adoption community and what the future of trainings could look like. And she talks about personal stories of her adoption journey and how we can love our children well.  Check out Ligia's website and book here:  https://www.ligiacushman.com/ More about Ligia: Inspired by her very deep and personal connections to adoption, fueled by being the daughter of immigrants and motivated by the realities of a complex society, Ligia has become a fierce advocate for adopted children and multiracial families. Her ability to have authentic conversations about her Afro-Latina experience, adopting a mixed race child, and being married interracially is genuine and insightful. Part of her personal mission is to address how differences in class, culture, and race impact adoption in today's world. Ligia is also dedicated to changing the narrative by introducing a modern understanding of adoption through her own professional and personal story. Earning a Masters Degree in Professional Counseling and with over 18 years of experience as a social worker, Ligia recently stepped into the role of  National Child Welfare Consultant at AdoptUSKids. n 2019, Ligia published her first book "Heard: How Loss Led Us to Love" which was recognized as one of the top 20 books on adoption by Book Authority. In 2020, Ligia’s blog was named one of the best adoption blogs of 2020 by Healthline Parenthood. Her hope is to raise awareness and change the narrative of what it means to be a transracial adoptive family in a world that often wants to put you in a box. Find Us on IG/FB @adoptionhacks Email Us [email protected] --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support

Check out Part 1 from yesterday!  Co-hosts Kandace and Callie have recorded the podcast they wish they had in the early days of adoption! The goals of attachment are to create a connection, build trust and let the child know they are safe, understood and their needs are being met. We go through many different ways to ease in connection and attachment through Eye Contact, Physical Touch, Closeness, Language, Food, Smells and Sleep.We want this episode to give you hope that attachment is a journey with ebbs and flows and provide you with very very practical ways that we found helpful. Email Us: [email protected] Find Us on IG/FB: @AdoptionHacks --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adoptionhacks/support