Helping Parents First - With Melissa & Lisa from Adoption Connection

In this episode hear from Melissa and Lisa from the Adoption Connection. The Adoption Connection provides post adoption resources and friends who understand. You will gain confidence in your parenting and hope for your family's future.

They offer hope, share wisdom, and mentor you foster and adoptive parents.

In this episode there are three major take aways:

1. Go Big or Go Home, but know when to go home
Foster and adoptive families typically go big or go home by accepting many, many children into their homes. It is okay to say no, or set boundaries for your family. If you have a current foster or adopted child, or if you have had one in your home in the past, you have ALREADY followed your calling. It's okay to focus on the family you have now, whatever that may look like. 

2. Peer to Peer support works!
It's difficult for or may not feel safe for parents to reach out to the agency for support when they fought so hard to get a child placed in their home. Real moms have a greater capacity for empathy and real life experiences that inform practical advice.

3. Parents have to be helped first. 
All the therapeutic, trauma-informed tools in the world aren't helpful, if the parent's needs aren't met. Parents need empathy and people to advocate for them before they are given or can be open to tools and teachings.

Lisa and her husband Russ are parents of twelve by birth and adoption (ages 11-31), and more through foster care. As a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner, she walks alongside families with kids from “hard places.” Lisa also co-wrote the book The Connected Parent with Dr. Karyn Purvis being released this July. This will be Dr. Karyn Purvis' last published works.
Visit Lisa's Website
Pre-order The Connected Parent

Melissa and her husband Patrick are parents to six by both birth and adoption (ages 11-20). Our open door policy has blessed us with lots of honorary family members along the way. They are Empowered to Connect Parent Trainers, but we mess up more than we get it right.
Visit Melissa's Website