Foster Care Issues

Children and teens who come into foster care carry extreme trauma, attachment wounds, and have experienced great loss. I help prepare families for adoption, foster families to provide safe spaces for their the children and teens in their care, and for kids and teens to prepare for adoption, reunification, and/or independent living.

I have worked with all aspects of foster care, including foster children, parents of children in foster care and foster parents. I understand the complexities of foster care and the issues surrounding separation, abuse, trauma and adjustment. Adults who were in foster care as children often struggle with the impact that foster care has had on their lives. Understanding trauma and the effects of family disruption is key to providing therapy.

I have training and experience in trauma-informed care along with TBRI (trust-based relational intervention) to help transform the way you're connected to your foster kids and how they're connected to you. I am EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Trained and experienced in identifying the negative core beliefs that are lingering from the trauma that being in foster care can leave on a child.

I have worked with foster care related issues in various arenas including crisis intervention and treatment. I have had the privilege of working with some incredible children and youth who have experienced horrific tragedy to a degree of which many will not experience even in an entire lifetime. I have also presented on foster care related topics.

I have worked with all aspects of foster care, including foster children, parents of children in foster care and foster parents. I understand the complexities of foster care and the issues surrounding separation, abuse, trauma and adjustment. Adults who were in foster care as children often struggle with the impact that foster care has had on their lives. Understanding trauma and the effects of family disruption is key to providing therapy.

I have extensive knowledge and experience in my professional life working with the child welfare system. I also have personal experience as a foster and adoptive parent. Foster care is not for the faint of heart. Whether you are a parent working your case plan, a kinship relative caring for your family members, a foster parent, or a professional working within the system, I am here to support you.

I worked in many different capacities in the foster care field; office manager, case manager, trainer/recruiter, and always an advocate. The foster parents I most connected with are the ones that help solidify that becoming a counselor was my next step, and most importantly all of the children I worked for. I have worked with a lot in foster care, from failed reunifications to failed adoptions- and yes the best things in the world are good reunifications and perfectly matched adoptions.

I have over 20 years of experience working in various foster care programs.

Having experience working as a contractor and supervisor for Child Welfare has provided me with an insight, empathy, and passion that those outside of the system do not often possess.

I have over 10 years experience working with foster-youth in various roles including therapist, case manager, and residential staff. stages of the foster-care process. I am knowledgeable about the foster-care system, case planning process, and Katie A services. I am knowledgeable about the specific challenges families and youth experience as a result of foster-care and am very experienced in supporting families with the reunification process. I am also trained as an adoption competent therapist.

Foster care/Adopting can be one of the most beautiful experiences you and your family go through together. Whether your family is thinking about FC/adoption or you already have and are having a hard time with attachment and behaviors I would be honored to help you explore this together. Using Karen Purvis' TBRI model you can build very strong attachments with children in blended families especially with kiddos coming from extremely difficult situations.

Foster parenting is more than caring. You must be able to de-code each child's needs and experiences. Better understanding is needed to zero in on that child's outlook so you can guide them from that point. The foster care experience shapes a person all their life. Processing earlier events as an adult may help you understand the impact of those events without them defining your whole life.

As an in-home therapist as well as working at an acute care residential unit, I have often worked with families of foster children. The experience of being a foster child is such an incredibly difficult experience to go through. I have helped both children and parents reunite with each other and have also helped foster families transition towards adoption. I am able to provide the needed support and empathy that such a grueling and challenging experience requires.

I have 13 years working as a therapist in the therapeutic foster care system and was a therapeutic foster mom for over 23 years . As a result, I have 9 children through brith and adoption. For over 10 years, I trained therapists nation wide to work with children and families dealing with attachment issues as a result of foster care and adoption experiences.