The Empowered to Connect Podcast a place where we come together to discuss an attachment rich, healing centered approach to engagement and well being for ourselves, our families and our communities.
As our good friend Robyn Gobbel shared with us back in episode 25, there really is no such thing as self regulation (without co regulation as a precursor)...so forgive us for the double meaning in the title, but today we talk about the role parents play in their child's self regulation learning process. Spoiler alert - it's a big role and it hinges on parents being fully present AND aware of how to self regulate on their own. Have no fear, though, Jesse Faris and Becca McKay joined us to talk all about that process, share some stories of triumph AND failure as well as leave with some practical steps that can help you in that process no matter where you are in it. If you've been having a tough time with meltdowns and "you're too old for this" kind of behaviors, this is your episode (and none of us are ever too old for big emotions, by the way)! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
What do I do when I meet resistance to this style of parenting? For many of us, when we make the change to parent in a more connected, attachment-centered way, it can be a jarring change to those around us. For many people, there is never a second thought about continuing in the parenting style and practices they were raised in. For lots of us, however, parenting in the style we were raised in presented major complications, especially when met with kiddos who have experienced early trauma, stress or adversity in life. Becca McKay and host JD Wilson sat down to talk about how to navigate the resistance many of us face in this way of parenting. We address everything from "Isn't it permissive parenting?" to "that's not how we raise our kids" to "I'm trauma informed, I watched a slideshow on trauma the other day." If you're needing a reminder of why we do things the way we do, or you just need to know how to handle the questions that come as a result, today's your episode! Lastly - Big News! Applications to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator CLOSE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 23rd!! We are taking applications now for our May - July Facilitator training and we'd love for YOU to be a part of it. We deeply believe that this content, taught peer-to-peer, in communities, transforms those communities. Want to help nurture and build a supportive community of trauma-informed parents? Here is your chance. Head to empoweredtoconnect.org and apply NOW for our next round of Facilitator training. Training begins online in May and wraps up with 3 incredible days in Memphis, Tennessee with the ETC Team. If you, or someone you know, needs to be bringing this content to your community, apply now on our website! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
As the War in Ukraine passes the one year anniversary of its' bloody start, we sat down with 3 very special individuals who have been on the front lines of caring for the Ukrainian people. Part 3 of our series features our friend Raya Shelashska. Raya is a Ukrainian, a PhD Student at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (KPICD) and a mom working to begin bringing hope and healing to her country's people. She talks with us about life in Ukraine, what family and friends are facing in major cities like Kiev as well as small villages being targeted by Russian shells daily. Raya also shares her vision for helping bring therapeutic, trauma-informed care to families and individuals in post-war Ukraine and her thoughts on why Ukrainians are SO inherently resilient. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
As the War in Ukraine passes the one year anniversary of its' bloody start, we sat down with 3 very special individuals who have been on the front lines of caring for the Ukrainian people. Madison and Yuriy Perekotiy, missionaries to Ukraine, are stateside at the moment helping bring awareness to the acute needs on the ground of families and individuals in crisis. As a Ukrainian national, Yuriy explains the history of Ukraine and why its' people are so resilient. He and his wife, Madison, an American, share their stories of relief efforts in the war and why Ukrainian people are so resilient here in part 2. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
As the War in Ukraine passes the one year anniversary of its' bloody start, we sat down with 3 very special individuals who have been on the front lines of caring for the Ukrainian people. Madison and Yuriy Perekotiy, missionaries to Ukraine, are stateside at the moment helping bring awareness to the acute needs on the ground of families and individuals in crisis. As a Ukrainian national, Yuriy explains the history of Ukraine and why its' people are so resilient. He and his wife, Madison, an American, share their story of foster care, mission work and war relief efforts in part 1 of our series here. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
Today we bring on two therapists we love dearly to talk about transracial adoption. Why did we bring these two therapists to talk about this topic? Glad you asked! Anteelah and Teressa currently lead a therapeutic support group for transracial adoptive parents at the Memphis Family Connection Center. As we've caught wind of what is happening in that group, we wanted to give their work and their wisdom a broader audience. Teressa and Anteelah talk about everything from what has been the most common themes emerging from their group, how they advocate for parents talking about race with their kids and so much more - don't miss this episode! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
Is meal time a source of constant stress in your house? Have you wondered why your kids just can't bring themselves to try a certain food or texture? This can seem small on the surface, but often we forget that eating is one of the very few activities in life that involves all five senses. Today we wanted to bring in an Occupational Therapist and Speech Pathologist to walk us through an intro into the world of feeding and food issues. Courtney Mitchell and Katherine Byrd work at the Memphis Family Connection Center and walk us through not just WHY kids sometimes struggle but also how to begin walking through this struggle with them. Also - WE HAVE SOME BIG NEWS! As you know if you're a regular listener, we empower Facilitators to take our parenting course, Cultivate Connection to their local communities. We are so grateful and proud of the work our Facilitators are doing to provide life on life support for parents near them. Over the years, MANY of you have reached out asking for a course online, especially those of you who do not have a Facilitator near you. First, a reminder: We've currently got an opportunity to sign up to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator, so check our website for those details if YOU want to become part of our growing network! We'd love to consider your application! If you are wanting to take the class, however, and for whatever reason the opportunities available haven't worked out for you - WE ARE OFFERING CULTIVATE CONNECTION ONLINE for the first time ever!!!!! As a special limited time offer, YOU as an ETC Podcast Listener get 20% off with the Code ETCPOD-23 . SIGN UP FOR OUR ONLINE COURSE TODAY if the dates and times line up with your schedule! This class will be LIVE not recorded, and it starts Sunday, March 12th! Again, that's ETCPOD-23 for 20% off the parenting course! We'd love to see you there!
Do you have siblings who seem to be in conflict constantly in your home? Good, none of us do either! For the people who DO have sibling conflict happening often, this episode is for you! While we joke, the reality is, when dealing with consistent sibling fighting/conflict, it can feel like there's no end in sight. That's why we brought Dr. Matt Smith and Therapist Lauren Wantz on to discuss how to approach this type of issue. While there's no quick fix or instant solution, the great news is that there is a lot to examine and try when it comes to addressing sibling issues. Dr. Smith and Lauren give us an inside look at what could be happening philosophically as well as some very practical tips and tools for you to have at your disposal as you address these issues going forward! Also - WE HAVE SOME BIG NEWS! As you know if you're a regular listener, we empower Facilitators to take our parenting course, Cultivate Connection to their local communities. We are so grateful and proud of the work our Facilitators are doing to provide life on life support for parents near them. Over the years, MANY of you have reached out asking for a course online, especially those of you who do not have a Facilitator near you. First, a reminder: We've currently got an opportunity to sign up to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator, so check our website for those details if YOU want to become part of our growing network! We'd love to consider your application! If you are wanting to take the class, however, and for whatever reason the opportunities available haven't worked out for you - WE ARE OFFERING CULTIVATE CONNECTION ONLINE for the first time ever!!!!! As a special limited time offer, YOU as an ETC Podcast Listener get 20% off with the Code ETCPOD-23 . SIGN UP FOR OUR ONLINE COURSE TODAY if the dates and times line up with your schedule! This class will be LIVE not recorded, and it starts Sunday, March 12th! Again, that's ETCPOD-23 for 20% off the parenting course! We'd love to see you there!
It's a problem. My child is constantly using manipulation and control to get whatever they want and I don't know how to stop it. In our most watched YouTube video in our channel's HISTORY, Dr. Karyn Purvis reminds us that this narrative is WRONG. What if your child is not a 'bad kid' who is manipulative and controlling? What if your child has endured some early trauma, stress and adversity and these strategies are survival strategies, not problematic patterns? Join Tona Ottinger, Becca McKay and host JD Wilson as we take a deep dive into Dr. Purvis' framework for how to handle manipulation and control. You'll leave with some practical philosophies and practices to transform your view of your child and help them negotiate their needs in a healthy, connected way! Also - WE HAVE SOME BIG NEWS! As you know if you're a regular listener, we empower Facilitators to take our parenting course, Cultivate Connection to their local communities. We are so grateful and proud of the work our Facilitators are doing to provide life on life support for parents near them. Over the years, MANY of you have reached out asking for a course online, especially those of you who do not have a Facilitator near you. First, a reminder: We've currently got an opportunity to sign up to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator, so check our website for those details if YOU want to become part of our growing network! We'd love to consider your application! If you are wanting to take the class, however, and for whatever reason the opportunities available haven't worked out for you - WE ARE OFFERING CULTIVATE CONNECTION ONLINE for the first time ever!!!!! As a special limited time offer, YOU as an ETC Podcast Listener get 20% off with the Code ETCPOD-23 . SIGN UP FOR OUR ONLINE COURSE TODAY if the dates and times line up with your schedule! This class will be LIVE not recorded, and it starts Sunday, March 12th! Again, that's ETCPOD-23 for 20% off the parenting course! We'd love to see you there!
It's time to talk about sleep issues. Admittedly, this is one of the toughest aspects of parenting to tackle. There are SO many variables and SO few universal practices, it can be hard to know where to start when you or a kiddo are struggling to sleep. We brought in speech therapist Annie Cornell and occupational therapist Luz Wolf for just that reason today! Annie is a single foster mama and Speech Therapist at the Memphis Family Connection Center and Luz Wolf is an Occupational Therapist with 20+ years of experience. They talk with us about why sleep can be so difficult to tackle and what may be happening emotionally and in the body at bedtime, preventing sleep. Tona Ottinger also joins us to talk about the complications that enter the picture when your babies have experienced trauma, adversity and early stress in life. The CDC Sleep Stage Chart that Luz references can be found here and the American Academy of Pediatrics Resource page she listed can be found here. Lastly - Big News! Applications to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator are open now! We are taking applications now for our May - July Facilitator training and we'd love for YOU to be a part of it. We deeply believe that this content, taught peer-to-peer, in communities, transforms those communities. Want to help nurture and build a supportive community of trauma-informed parents? Here is your chance. Head to empoweredtoconnect.org and apply NOW for our next round of Facilitator training. Training begins online in May and wraps up with 3 incredible days in Memphis, Tennessee with the ETC Team. If you, or someone you know, needs to be bringing this content to your community, apply now on our website!
Part of the late Dr. Karyn Purvis' brilliance was teaching people to see beyond what was right in front of them. What's going on behind these behaviors? Today, we take a deep dive into one of our most watched teaching clips on our YouTube Channel from Dr. Purvis. In this video, she asks 'How Do I Handle Lying?' and with the help of ETC Co-Founder Michael Monroe, helps us to understand the issue while giving some practical supports as we address lying in our homes. Tona Ottinger and Becca McKay join us to do some group therapy and go beyond the video to unpack the strategies and supports given by Dr. Purvis and Michael. Want more on the topic? Check out our episode with Robyn Gobbel on lying here: https://youtu.be/5Mx2Ye7J508 Lastly - Big News! Applications to become a Cultivate Connection Facilitator are open now! We are taking applications now for our May - July Facilitator training and we'd love for YOU to be a part of it. We deeply believe that this content, taught peer-to-peer, in communities, transforms those communities. Want to help nurture and build a supportive community of trauma-informed parents? Here is your chance. Head to empoweredtoconnect.org and apply NOW for our next round of Facilitator training. Training begins online in May and wraps up with 3 incredible days in Memphis, Tennessee with the ETC Team. If you, or someone you know, needs to be bringing this content to your community, apply now on our website!
Anxiety is a hot button issue these days - but what is it, really? Glad you asked - we brought two amazing therapists, Jill Stockburger and Teressa Davis, to dive into all things anxiety and share how you can support your kids, your peers and yourself when you feel anxiety creeping in. We talk about when to think about professional help, practical tools for battling anxiety and so much more in today's episode! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
ADHD has been a hot button topic in the parenting world for years - what is it? How do we support our kids living with ADHD and how do I know if we should use medication? Are there ways I can support my kids with ADHD outside of medication? All of these questions are hard to navigate as parents. That's why we decided to bring in Dr. Matt Smith, Clinical Director of Counseling at Memphis Family Connection Center to help us walk through all of these questions. Check out one of the resources Matt mentioned here: https://www.additudemag.com/ To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
Occupational Therapist Marti Smith didn't set out to be what she is today. In fact, all she was trying to do was help kids - but mentors Bruce Perry and Karyn Purvis had other plans! In today's episode hear how Marti's professional work and personal passions collided and formed an opportunity she wouldn't have dreamed of. Marti is an occupational therapist, author, speaker and so much more! She joins us to tell the story of first getting connected to Bruce Perry and Karyn Purvis, how her work with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development has transformed her private practice and what she's working on now to help therapists everywhere collaborate in trauma informed work. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
In case you didn't know, for nearly all of us reading this, the holiday season is in full swing. For those of you who feel the fearful holiday twitch coming on, don't worry - we're here to help you out! Mo and Tona Ottinger join us today to talk about the imporance of making memories and the role the brain and our sensory systems have to play in that process. It is a fascinating conversation and one that is a necessity for all parents! To read the article that Mo referenced in the podcast, click here! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
Well it's THAT time of year again - traveling, decorating, celebrating and freaking out because you're not sure how Aunt so and so will do when one of your kids needs a minute to calm down. Fear not! We've talked about this before and are replaying one of our most helpful holiday episodes to help you navigate this season! Today we joined forces with ETC Parent Trainer Jesse Faris and Tona Ottinger to talk about how to prepare for the holidays before, during and after your interactions with family. Have no idea how to prep for meltdowns? Wondering how your kids are processing their time together? We've got you covered. We've also linked a blog here below that was written a few years ago (pre-Covid) that could be some help as well - check it out! https://empoweredtoconnect.org/tis-the-season/ To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
We have a special gift for you today as we head into December - our first ever ETC Podcast Mini-Series! A surprising connection to ETC's own Tona Ottinger led us to booking Brad Ewell as a podcast guest. When we sat down to talk, his story was so unbelievable, we decided the only way to capture it all was in the form of a five-part series. A Texas Police Officer minding his own business, Brad got a Facebook message at age 48 that completely changed his life. As he pulled the threads of his own life story, even he couldn't have predicted the twists and turns that emerged. This Episode is the finale, Part 5: Life Without Parole? Wanna talk more about this series and all things parenting? Want to find a community of likeminded peers with no judgment or shame? Join our new, free online ETC Podcast Community here! #family #familysecrets #adoption #podcast #empoweredtoconnect #latediscoveryadoptee #nonpaternityevent #mpe #npe #ancestrydna #domesticadoption #adoptionjourney
We have a special gift for you today as we head into December - our first ever ETC Podcast Mini-Series! A surprising connection to ETC's own Tona Ottinger led us to booking Brad Ewell as a podcast guest. When we sat down to talk, his story was so unbelievable, we decided the only way to capture it all was in the form of a five-part series. A Texas Police Officer minding his own business, Brad got a Facebook message at age 48 that completely changed his life. As he pulled the threads of his own life story, even he couldn't have predicted the twists and turns that emerged. This Episode is Part 4: Pop Wanna talk more about this series and all things parenting? Want to find a community of likeminded peers with no judgment or shame? Join our new, free online ETC Podcast Community here! #family #familysecrets #adoption #podcast #empoweredtoconnect #latediscoveryadoptee #nonpaternityevent #mpe #npe #ancestrydna #domesticadoption #adoptionjourney
We have a special gift for you today as we head into December - our first ever ETC Podcast Mini-Series! A surprising connection to ETC's own Tona Ottinger led us to booking Brad Ewell as a podcast guest. When we sat down to talk, his story was so unbelievable, we decided the only way to capture it all was in the form of a five-part series. A Texas Police Officer minding his own business, Brad got a Facebook message at age 48 that completely changed his life. As he pulled the threads of his own life story, even he couldn't have predicted the twists and turns that emerged. This Episode is Part 3: Family Ties Wanna talk more about this series and all things parenting? Want to find a community of likeminded peers with no judgment or shame? Join our new, free online ETC Podcast Community here! #family #familysecrets #adoption #podcast #empoweredtoconnect #latediscoveryadoptee #nonpaternityevent #mpe #npe #ancestrydna #domesticadoption #adoptionjourney
We have a special gift for you today as we head into December - our first ever ETC Podcast Mini-Series! A surprising connection to ETC's own Tona Ottinger led us to booking Brad Ewell as a podcast guest. When we sat down to talk, his story was so unbelievable, we decided the only way to capture it all was in the form of a five-part series. A Texas Police Officer minding his own business, Brad got a Facebook message at age 48 that completely changed his life. As he pulled the threads of his own life story, even he couldn't have predicted the twists and turns that emerged. This Episode is Part 2: Family Lies Wanna talk more about this series and all things parenting? Want to find a community of likeminded peers with no judgment or shame? Join our new, free online ETC Podcast Community here! #family #familysecrets #adoption #podcast #empoweredtoconnect #latediscoveryadoptee #nonpaternityevent #mpe #npe #ancestrydna #domesticadoption #adoptionjourney
We have a special gift for you today as we head into December - our first ever ETC Podcast Mini-Series! A surprising connection to ETC's own Tona Ottinger led us to booking Brad Ewell as a podcast guest. When we sat down to talk, his story was so unbelievable, we decided the only way to capture it all was in the form of a five-part series. A Texas Police Officer minding his own business, Brad got a Facebook message at age 48 that completely changed his life. As he pulled the threads of his own life story, even he couldn't have predicted the twists and turns that emerged. This Episode is Part 1: Ancestry.com Wanna talk more about this series and all things parenting? Want to find a community of likeminded peers with no judgment or shame? Join our new, free online ETC Podcast Community here! #family #familysecrets #adoption #podcast #empoweredtoconnect #latediscoveryadoptee #nonpaternityevent #mpe #npe #ancestrydna #domesticadoption #adoptionjourney
Natalie Bergstrasser is a Cultivate Connection Facilitator, Social Worker, Mom and more. She experienced the foster care system from the inside as a biological child in a foster family and then later as a child in the foster care system. She now is working from multiple angles to affect change in the system and make sure that children and families have what they need to thrive and you're going to love hearing from her! Natalie is brilliant, thoughtful and the kind of person everybody wants on their team - tune in to hear why! To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
We're joined today by one of our favorite guests of all time - Carissa Woodwyk is a licensed professional therapist, mom, adoptee advocate and adult adoptee herself (among lots of other things). 10 years ago Carissa took the stage at the Created for Care Conference and sparked a complex conversation about the many nuanced sides of the adoption conversation. Carissa speaks often of the "both and" within adoption and unpacks that thought and so many more with us today. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
We are throwing it back to one of our most impactful episodes of the year for this moment. It's National Adoption Awareness Month and the perfect time to revisit this conversation between a Birth Mother (Ashley Mitchell), Adoptee (Carissa Woodwyk) and Adoptive Mother (Tona Ottinger). What if instead of being separated into our corners of the triad focusing on what makes us different we found ourselves drawn together through our similarities? Join us on this episode where Tona is joined by her dear friends Carissa Woodwyk and Ashley Mitchell. Together they represent the three parts of the adoption triad in all of its brokenness, beauty, pain and possibility. This conversation is courageous, bold, heartfelt, and raw as it invites us to reimagine moving TOGETHER towards connection, hope, healing and wholeness. To learn more about Empowered to Connect, visit us on our website, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram or check out all of our podcast episodes and video resources on YouTube!
Remember that social media post you made years ago? The one that just popped up in your timehop or Facebook memories and reminded you of just how ignorant you USED TO be? We all have those posts and today on the show we have a brilliant guest to remind us that we can celebrate the gift of growing, learning and changing perspectives. Ashley Mitchell, or @bigtoughgirl as she's known on Instagram, is a leader in the adoption advocacy space and a fierce defender of birth mothers in the adoption constellation (or 'triad' - more on that in today's episode), of which she is one herself. Today, Ashley joins us to share about the incredible work being done in a variety of sectors in the adoption world, how she's working to bring an end to human trafficking of adoptees and so, so much more. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Ok we admit - the title is a little 'click-baity', but don't we all want the secrets to caring for our tweens and teens without losing our minds!? We brought Scott Watters from Arms of Hope in today to tell us how we can do that and let me tell you - he did not disappoint! Over the years Scott has worked with Arms of Hope but also with our great friends at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development as a TBRI mentor and he brings a refreshing, thoughtful and experienced voice to the show to help us all have hope that we can parent through these teen years while still building connection with our kids. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Sheila Wise Rowe is a brilliant author, speaker, thinker and guest on today's episode! She is the author of two incredible books: Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience and Young, Gifted and Black, a Journey of Lament and Celebration (both incredible books that you should add to your library right now). Sheila joins us to define racial trauma and speaks to how we need to understand racial trauma in our own history as parents before we can lead our children to healing. We cover a LOT in this episode and whether it's talking about her own experience being part of bussing integration efforts in Boston or giving advice to transracial adoptive families, you won't want to miss what Sheila brings to the episode today! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We hear people talk about doing 'the work' all the time. In different contexts, it holds different meanings, but generally, this phrase refers to the work needed that cannot be substituted. Today, we add to our conversation about attachment from a parenting standpoint to discuss what it means and how to begin doing 'the work' as parents. To hear our episode on Attachment with Dr. Jamie DeLuna, listen here, To hear our episode on Attachment and Attachment Styles with Dr. Casey Call, listen here and as always, to check us out on YouTube, head to our channel!
Our latest animated video helping explain attachment cycles is live on YouTube and it got us thinking about something. For all of us here at ETC, learning about attachment theory and the attachment styles was a game changer. We all know that when it comes to parenting, there's no miracle button that makes everything easy - there are, however, pieces of information that make a radical difference in how we parent. This is one of those topics. Becca McKay, Tona Ottinger and JD Wilson discuss the personal and parenting implications for their own lives once they began learning about the attachment cycle and attachment styles. To hear our episode on Attachment with Dr. Jamie DeLuna, listen here, To hear our episode on Attachment and Attachment Styles with Dr. Casey Call, listen here and as always, to check us out on YouTube, head to our channel!
Today we hear from one of our favorite people and recurring guests, Jocelyn Lee. Jocelyn is a Licensed School Social Worker and joins us today to elaborate on a statement she made at an ETC event years ago. We'd invited Jocelyn to give her perspective as part of a panel discussion on Transracial Adoption and she shared this thought: Don't make your child's race a field trip. Hear the reason Jocelyn said this, ways she suggests transracial adoptive parents take steps toward embracing their child's culture and so, so much more in today's episode! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Today we welcome on Angie Grant and Jess Aaron, two of our newest ETC Cultivate Connection Facilitators! Angie and Jess join us to talk about the absolute non-negotiable importance of finding people to have community with as parents. They share personal stories of the moment they knew they needed help, how they began finding people to walk with and even the importance of seeking out therapeutic/professional help as you navigate parenting challenges. Necessary listening - we hope you enjoy it! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Today we welcome on Angie Grant and Jess Aaron, two of our newest ETC Cultivate Connection Facilitators! Angie and Jess join us to talk about the absolute non-negotiable importance of finding people to have community with as parents. They share personal stories of the moment they knew they needed help, how they began finding people to walk with and even the importance of seeking out therapeutic/professional help as you navigate parenting challenges. Necessary listening - we hope you enjoy it! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Dr. Karyn Purvis had a goal. A big, audacious goal. A goal so big, the staff at TCU repeatedly attempted to convince her to pare it down - and we've all benefited because she didn't. Daren Jones, the Associate Director of Training and Consultations at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development joins us to talk about WHAT that big audacious goal was and why we should all care about it. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Dr. Karyn Purvis had a goal. A big, audacious goal. A goal so big, the staff at TCU repeatedly attempted to convince her to pare it down - and we've all benefited because she didn't. Daren Jones, the Associate Director of Training and Consultations at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development joins us to talk about WHAT that big audacious goal was and why we should all care about it. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We all hear stories growing up of who we're like: 'oh, you've got your grandfather's charm', 'you're tall just like your mom', etc. We tend to understand those sorts of generational traits being passed down, but for some reason, the idea of generational trauma has escaped the public consciousness until recently. We wanted to know more about generational trauma and how to mindfully begin to break those cycles, so we brought friend of the program Ms. Jacque Rowe Fields back in! Jacque talks with JD and Becca about what generational trauma is, how to understand it and how to begin healing from it on today's episode of the ETC Podcast! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We all hear stories growing up of who we're like: 'oh, you've got your grandfather's charm', 'you're tall just like your mom', etc. We tend to understand those sorts of generational traits being passed down, but for some reason, the idea of generational trauma has escaped the public consciousness until recently. We wanted to know more about generational trauma and how to mindfully begin to break those cycles, so we brought friend of the program Ms. Jacque Rowe Fields back in! Jacque talks with JD and Becca about what generational trauma is, how to understand it and how to begin healing from it on today's episode of the ETC Podcast! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guest today may be one of the kindest humans on the face of the planet. It seemed fitting, of course, that we would have her on to talk about being kind to ourselves. Christy Edwards has spent the vast majority of her professional life as a Counselor. She joins us today to discuss the reasons it is so vitally important to our wellbeing (and to those we're in relationship with) to learn how to show ourselves kindness. This conversation spans a wide array of situations and perspectives, so grab a notebook and join us for a powerful conversation with our good friend Christy Edwards! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guest today may be one of the kindest humans on the face of the planet. It seemed fitting, of course, that we would have her on to talk about being kind to ourselves. Christy Edwards has spent the vast majority of her professional life as a Counselor. She joins us today to discuss the reasons it is so vitally important to our wellbeing (and to those we're in relationship with) to learn how to show ourselves kindness. This conversation spans a wide array of situations and perspectives, so grab a notebook and join us for a powerful conversation with our good friend Christy Edwards! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
What do we do when things that happened in our past affect the way we operate today? We asked friend of the program Dan Coley and Executive Director of Empowered to Connect Mo Ottinger to come talk with us about that very thing today. Over time, without intentionality it is nearly impossible to keep your past from affecting how you operate today. Neuroscience tells us this, therapists tell us this, our own experiences tell us this...so what does it look like to walk through our past and process it, rather than continue to stuff it and avoid it? Dan and Mo are here to share a picture of that today. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guests today have been caring for parents for years through their organization called "The Adoption Connection". Lisa Qualls and Melissa Corkum together represent all sides of the adoption triad and join us today to talk about what happens when our compassion runs low. Lisa, Melissa, Tona and JD talk about compassion fatigue, blocked care and share their own experiences in both. Lisa and Melissa have a ton of amazing resources on their website that you should check out here. You can also follow them on social media @onethankfulmom and @melissacorkum_ and you can follow the adoption connection @postadoptionresources. Listen to their podcast, The Adoption Connection, here. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guests today have been caring for parents for years through their organization called "The Adoption Connection". Lisa Qualls and Melissa Corkum together represent all sides of the adoption triad and join us today to talk about what happens when our compassion runs low. Lisa, Melissa, Tona and JD talk about compassion fatigue, blocked care and share their own experiences in both. Lisa and Melissa have a ton of amazing resources on their website that you should check out here. You can also follow them on social media @onethankfulmom and @melissacorkum_ and you can follow the adoption connection @postadoptionresources. Listen to their podcast, The Adoption Connection, here. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We talk about the effects of trauma a lot on the ETC Podcast - in fact - it's woven into almost everything we talk about at Empowered to Connect. One question, though: what IS trauma? How and why does it infiltrate humanity the way it does? We brought Becca McKay and Tona Ottinger on the show today to discuss that very thing and you're going to love this episode. An introduction to trauma and all that goes with it, today on the ETC Podcast. We also recently launched our monthly donor program at Empowered to Connect - listen to the intro to the show to hear all about it and head over to our donate page to become a monthly donor and score our super soft new ETC Tee for your monthly gift of $20 or more! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We talk about the effects of trauma a lot on the ETC Podcast - in fact - it's woven into almost everything we talk about at Empowered to Connect. One question, though: what IS trauma? How and why does it infiltrate humanity the way it does? We brought Becca McKay and Tona Ottinger on the show today to discuss that very thing and you're going to love this episode. An introduction to trauma and all that goes with it, today on the ETC Podcast. We also recently launched our monthly donor program at Empowered to Connect - listen to the intro to the show to hear all about it and head over to our donate page to become a monthly donor and score our super soft new ETC Tee for your monthly gift of $20 or more! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
We talk about the effects of trauma a lot on the ETC Podcast - in fact - it's woven into almost everything we talk about at Empowered to Connect. One question, though: what IS trauma? How and why does it infiltrate humanity the way it does? We brought Becca McKay and Tona Ottinger on the show today to discuss that very thing and you're going to love this episode. An introduction to trauma and all that goes with it, today on the ETC Podcast. We also recently launched our monthly donor program at Empowered to Connect - listen to the intro to the show to hear all about it and head over to our donate page to become a monthly donor and score our super soft new ETC Tee for your monthly gift of $20 or more! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guest today has lived a life that is nothing short of miraculous.Tori Hope Petersen grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in a confusing and volatile world. Growing up with a mentally ill mother and living in twelve different foster homes, nothing was in her favor. And yet, even with a minuscule chance of graduating college and a great risk of being homeless, jobless, and on drugs, Tori overcame every negative stereotype and assumption that attacked her identity. Tori joins us today to talk about everything from her story, how she learned to navigate the foster care system and how now, as an adult, she's trying to open all the doors she can that were closed to her as she grew up. Her new book, 'Fostered: One Woman's Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family Through Foster Care' releases August 30th and we could not be more excited to read it. Listen to the end of the episode to hear how you can win a pre-order of Tori's book and be sure you're following her and her initiatives on social media: - @torihopepetersen on Instagram- @fthefile on Instagram- @belovedinitiative on Instagram- Pre-Order her book here- Learn more about Tori and book her to speak at your next event here To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Our guest today has lived a life that is nothing short of miraculous.Tori Hope Petersen grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in a confusing and volatile world. Growing up with a mentally ill mother and living in twelve different foster homes, nothing was in her favor. And yet, even with a minuscule chance of graduating college and a great risk of being homeless, jobless, and on drugs, Tori overcame every negative stereotype and assumption that attacked her identity. Tori joins us today to talk about everything from her story, how she learned to navigate the foster care system and how now, as an adult, she's trying to open all the doors she can that were closed to her as she grew up. Her new book, 'Fostered: One Woman's Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family Through Foster Care' releases August 30th and we could not be more excited to read it. Listen to the end of the episode to hear how you can win a pre-order of Tori's book and be sure you're following her and her initiatives on social media: - @torihopepetersen on Instagram- @fthefile on Instagram- @belovedinitiative on Instagram- Pre-Order her book here- Learn more about Tori and book her to speak at your next event here To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Today two of our favorite people on earth join us - ETC parent trainers Tom and Dawn Jordi from Johannesburg, South Africa! They join us to talk about Tom's work in schools as a trauma informed school counselor and Dawn's homeschooling of their 4 kiddos during Covid, their journey into connected parenting and how the strategies and tools they learned in ETC classes and TBRI training over the years have helped them to build up and support the adoptive community in Johannesburg. They also tell us about unique opportunities that emerged during the pandemic as their ETC Parent Classes began expanding not just throughout South Africa, but throughout Africa and as far out as Hawaii and the Philippines! They're two of the most enjoyable people you'll ever talk to, follow their podcast here, Tom's work as a Trauma Practitioner here and their community work in adoption here ! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Today two of our favorite people on earth join us - ETC parent trainers Tom and Dawn Jordi from Johannesburg, South Africa! They join us to talk about Tom's work in schools as a trauma informed school counselor and Dawn's homeschooling of their 4 kiddos during Covid, their journey into connected parenting and how the strategies and tools they learned in ETC classes and TBRI training over the years have helped them to build up and support the adoptive community in Johannesburg. They also tell us about unique opportunities that emerged during the pandemic as their ETC Parent Classes began expanding not just throughout South Africa, but throughout Africa and as far out as Hawaii and the Philippines! They're two of the most enjoyable people you'll ever talk to, follow their podcast here, Tom's work as a Trauma Practitioner here and their community work in adoption here ! To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
When it comes to parenting (and being in any kind of human relationship) - one of the most insanely humbling and difficult practices is repairing a rupture in the relationship. Maybe you've wronged the other person - maybe you were the one wronged - either way, the process of repairing often requires more than an 'I'm sorry'. Compound this difficulty with previous experiences with trauma, adversity and stress and you've got yourself a recipe for...well...being a human in this world. It's difficult. It's complicated. It's absolutely essential if you want to build or maintain a trusting, real relationship in this world. That's why we brought ETC training specialist Jesse Faris and co-writer of Cultivate Connection Becca McKay in to talk about how we repair relational ruptures with our kids and each other. There are some invaluable practical stories of how this plays out as well as a road map for a process to begin those repairs. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
When it comes to parenting (and being in any kind of human relationship) - one of the most insanely humbling and difficult practices is repairing a rupture in the relationship. Maybe you've wronged the other person - maybe you were the one wronged - either way, the process of repairing often requires more than an 'I'm sorry'. Compound this difficulty with previous experiences with trauma, adversity and stress and you've got yourself a recipe for...well...being a human in this world. It's difficult. It's complicated. It's absolutely essential if you want to build or maintain a trusting, real relationship in this world. That's why we brought ETC training specialist Jesse Faris and co-writer of Cultivate Connection Becca McKay in to talk about how we repair relational ruptures with our kids and each other. There are some invaluable practical stories of how this plays out as well as a road map for a process to begin those repairs. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
Today we talk about the importance of giving our kids voice. For all humans, knowing how to negotiate to get needs met, to express to others what we need and when is a VITAL skill for survival as a human being. That is a learned skill - one that takes time, nurture and lots of practice with a trusted adult. For those of us and those of our kids who have experienced trauma, adversity and toxic stress at a young age, it can be insanely challenging and today Stela Sinanaj and Tona Ottinger join us to explain why that is and walk through exactly how to do this with our kids. To learn more about ETC, follow our Youtube Channel, like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram!
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