Host Sandra Flach is a mom of 8 children, 5 through adoption—one kinship and 4 international. Her youngest 2 are teens diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). With over 30 years of parenting experience and 20 plus years as an adoptive and kinship parent, she’s made mountains of mistakes and learned loads of lessons. She understands the difficult road of parenting children with trauma histories—and she is still in the trenches! The Adoption & Foster Care Journey is a podcast to encourage, educate, and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care, and kinship care. We aim to support adoptive and foster families by sharing encouraging real-life stories and equipping them with modern-day research and parenting techniques.
Episodes
Monday Feb 20, 2023
Monday Feb 20, 2023
"Search me, O God, and know my heart." Psalm 139:23
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with Dr. Douglas Waite, MD, FAAP for Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics at BronxCare Health System in NY. Dr. Waite specializes in diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders such was developmental delays, autism, intellectual disability and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Listen in as Dr. Waite discusses FASD—diagnosis, resources, and advocacy.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Feb 13, 2023
Monday Feb 13, 2023
"God sets the lonely in families..." Psalm 68:6
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach chats with Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. For more than 30 years, Rita has worked on behalf of abused, neglected and vulnerable children.
Listen in as Rita shares about the Dave Thomas Foundation’s mission, through their signature program Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, to dramatically increase the number of adoptions from foster care and provide resources for adoptive families.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We are thrilled to bring you a series of bonus episodes featuring special guest. Dr. Jerrod Brown PhD. In each of these bonus episodes, Dr. Brown will share what every adoptive and foster parent needs to know regarding FASD, trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
On this week’s bonus episode, the 20th in our series, Dr. Brown and host, Sandra Flach discuss Sluggish Cognitive Tempo. Listen and and discover the symptoms, causes, and how to support individuals with possible SCT.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Monday Feb 06, 2023
Monday Feb 06, 2023
In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach unpacks another primary characteristic of FASD—difficulty predicting outcomes.
Listen in as Sandra shares the dangers of this symptom, what it can look like in real-life situations, and possible accommodations for safety.
“Planning, prevention, and protection are actually accommodations we must make to keep our kids safe.” —Sandra Flach
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
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Monday Jan 30, 2023
Monday Jan 30, 2023
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach catches up with adoptive mom and host of the FASD Hope podcast—Natalie Vecchione.
Listen in as Natalie shares about the recent ups and downs of her journey and what she’s learned along the way.
“We must prepare for the road ahead, pray daily, and pivot as needed.”—Natalie.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Friday Jan 27, 2023
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We are thrilled to bring you a series of bonus episodes featuring special guest. Dr. Jerrod Brown PhD. In each of these bonus episodes, Dr. Brown will share what every adoptive and foster parent needs to know regarding FASD, trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
On this week’s bonus episode, the 19th in our series, Dr. Brown and host, Sandra Flach discuss attachment disorder and how and why adoptive, foster and kinship caregivers must be trauma and attachment informed.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Monday Jan 23, 2023
Monday Jan 23, 2023
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." -Psalm 34:18
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach speaks with adoptive mom Laura Hernandez, a Dallas-based mom of 10 kids—3 adopted with an FASD.
Listen in as Laura shares how her family was just surviving life with 4 kids under 5 years old along with the challenges of being a special needs parent. Then she began implementing systems to tackle tasks and peace returned to her home. Now she coaches and offers resources for other moms through her business, Mama Systems.
“Mom, you’re doing a good job and it’s ok to ask for help.” -Laura Hernandez
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Monday Jan 16, 2023
Monday Jan 16, 2023
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." -Proverbs 15:22
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach breaks down the Primary Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and focuses on difficulties with abstract concepts—like time and money.
“Abstract reasoning deficits like problems with time management, math, or money matters can actually be a symptom of an FASD”
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Friday Jan 13, 2023
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
We are thrilled to bring you a series of bonus episodes featuring special guest. Dr. Jerrod Brown PhD. In each of these bonus episodes, Dr. Brown will share what every adoptive and foster parent needs to know regarding FASD, trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
On this week’s bonus episode, the 18th in our series, Dr. Brown and host, Sandra Flach discuss Theory of Mind—the understanding of the feelings and perspectives of others which develops during childhood. Early trauma and prenatal exposure to alcohol and other drugs impacts Theory of Mind.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Monday Jan 09, 2023
Monday Jan 09, 2023
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach breaks down the Primary Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and focuses on memory problems—a common symptom.
“Memory problems can look like disobedience, defiance or even laziness if we don’t understand the brain and how it’s impacted by prenatal exposure to alcohol.”
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode: