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
Jun 29, 2026
Jun 29, 2026
1 hr 30 min
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:13
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode host Sandra Flach talks with Michael Gaither. Michael is a Black adoptee raised by a white family in Lincoln, Nebraska. He spent 49 years living the transracial adoption experience before reuniting with his biological family and finally understanding what it meant to see himself in someone else. With 30 years in education as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and executive leadership coach, Michael founded Beyond the Moment Adoption Studio, a digital resource for white parents raising Black children.
Listen as Michael shares his story and recommends 7 Conversations Every White Parent Must Have With Their Black Children on Episode 538 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
https://beyondthemomentadoptionstudio.com/
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
Jun 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
1 hr 16 min
“I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten…” -Joel 2:25
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode host Sandra Flach talks with Lainie Hartley. Lainie is an author, speaker, foster and adoptive mom, and former foster youth whose voice carries the weight of lived experience and the hope of redemption. Through raw and deeply personal storytelling, she speaks about childhood neglect, trauma, grief, survival, and the God who still restores what was never supposed to be broken.
Listen to Lainie’s powerful story of healing and redemption on Episode 537 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
https://www.instagram.com/authorlainiehartley/
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
Jun 15, 2026
Jun 15, 2026
45 min
“Call on Me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know!” -Jeremiah 33:3
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode host Sandra Flach celebrates foster and adoptive dads with Jerry Tucker. Jerry is the father of eight children, five of whom were adopted. He is also grandfather of nine with a tenth on the way. A real estate professional, Jerry is husband of Jodi Jackson Tucker, founder of Second Mothers, an organization that supports foster and adoptive mothers. Together, Jerry and Jodi created the Renew Retreat, an annual respite for foster and adoptive parents. Jerry is also part of a team that is seeking to launch a Second Fathers initiative in the coming months.
Listen in as Jerry highlights the critical role fathers play in foster and adoptive families and why encouraging and equipping men is so important.
Find Episode 536 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
Jun 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
1 hr 4 min
“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” -Psalm 143:8
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach continues her FASD Q & A by answering three questions she is frequently asked:
- Is getting an FASD diagnosis important?
- What about medication?
- What therapies help with FASD?
Listen in as Sandra unpacks these questions from her personal experience raising two young adult sons with diagnosed Fetal Alcohol Syndrome as well as from her professional experience as a national FASD trainer.
Find Episode 535 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
Jun 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
1 hr 10 min
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” -Zephaniah 3:17
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with Brandy McCombs. Brandy is a follower of Christ, a wife, an adoptive mother, and mom to three biological sons. She serves as a college professor with a PhD focused on the intersection of the brain and high-level stress.
Listen to Sandra’s conversation with Brandy as they discuss:
- The impact of trauma and prenatal stress on brain development
- Why traditional behavior management often falls short
- The overlap between ADHD, trauma, and FASD
- The importance of accommodations and connection
- How faith and community sustain foster and adoptive families
- Brandy’s personal adoption story and parenting journey
Find Episode 534 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
May 25, 2026
May 25, 2026
1 hr 2 min
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -Corinthians 12:9
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach wraps up National Foster Care Month with former foster youth and adult adoptee, Reuben Watson.
Reuben serves as the Director of Unity in Action at the Lexington Leadership Foundation, where he works to support families and address the child welfare crisis across Kentucky. A graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in Communication Studies, he is passionate about community engagement, mentorship, and empowering others through collaboration and hope.
Drawing from his own experiences overcoming adversity, Reuben uses his story to inspire resilience, healing, and renewal in the lives of children, families, and communities. He believes in creating pathways for people of faith and goodwill to take steps toward the renewal of the city of Lexington.
Listen to Sandra’s conversation with Reuben Watson as he shares his redemption story and offers hope to foster and adoptive parents and youth.
Find Episode 533 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
Lexington Leadership Foundation
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
May 18, 2026
May 18, 2026
1 hr 6 min
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” -Proverbs 19:21
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach continues the foster care conversation with foster and adoptive mom Kirsten Smith.
Kirsten is a Daughter of the King, follower of Jesus, sinner saved by grace, wife of Josh, mama to nine kiddos and one pup. She shares her journey of marriage and parenting through challenges, including infertility and fostering multiple children.
Listen to Sandra’s conversation with Kirsten Smith where she encourages parents to look at the big picture and trust that God is working through our experiences for a greater purpose, potentially impacting future generations.
Find Episode 532 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
May 11, 2026
May 11, 2026
1 hr 22 min
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” -Psalm 107:28-29
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach continues the foster care conversation with foster and adoptive mom and FASD expert, Dr. Ryan Jolly.
Dr. Jolly is a Kansas-based psychiatric nurse practitioner and nationally recognized advocate focused on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. As the founder of Brain First Family Center, she leads a specialized clinic dedicated to the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of FASD and related neurodevelopment conditions, with a strong commitment to Medicaid access and eliminating long waitlists for vulnerable families.
Ryan’s advocacy is grounded in both clinical expertise and lived experience as a single foster and adoptive parent to children with FASD and complex brain-based disabilities. Utilizing her role as a Doctor of Nursing Practice she engages in research to advance understanding of brain-based differences, trauma-informed systems of care, and increase recognition of FASD within child welfare and education systems. Dr. Jolly strives to reimagine systems of care to ensure all individuals are supported to thrive within families and communities rather than being misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or institutionalized.
Listen in to Sandra’s conversation with Dr. Ryan Jolly on Episode 531 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
May 4, 2026
May 4, 2026
42 min
"I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:13
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach kicks off National Foster Care Awareness Month with foster dad, Corey McKinney.
Corey is an author and international speaker who specializes in conflict resolution and principles of success. A former Division 1 basketball player and mentor at the Steve Harvey Mentoring Camp, Corey is adamant about steering youth away from violence, peer pressure, and bullying. He is the author of, Faster Dad, based on true stories depicting his family’s eight years fostering children.
Listen in to Sandra’s conversation with Corey McKinney on Episode 530 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon
Apr 27, 2026
Apr 27, 2026
1 hr 1 min
“Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” -John 15:4
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with adoptive mom, Melanie Villalta. Melanie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Lifeline Children’s Services in Athens, Georgia. She has over a decade of experience working with the adoption constellation, including birth families, foster families, and adoptive families.
Melanie is trauma informed and enjoys walking alongside each member of the adoption constellation as they heal from the pain of their past. She works from an attachment framework and strives to meet clients where they are in their current season of life. Melanie recognizes that in order to live the life we hope to live, we must heal from past hurts and unmet needs while also taking responsibility for the choices we make today. She is passionate about helping parents create the “felt-safety” their children need in order to heal and thrive.
Melanie is also certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), has completed training to become an Adoption Competent Therapist and has received training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and Theraplay. Melanie specializes in working with children, adolescents and young adults dealing with trauma, complex trauma, dissociative disorders, depression, anxiety and attachment needs.
Listen in to Sandra’s conversation with Melanie Villalta on Episode 529 wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
The Adoption & Foster Care Journey
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on Amazon