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Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
Are you thinking about adopting or fostering a child? Confused about all the options and wondering where to begin? Or are you an adoptive or foster parent or kinship caregiver trying to be the best parent possible to this precious child? This is the podcast for you! Every week, we interview leading experts for an hour, discussing the topics you care about in deciding whether to adopt/foster or how to be a better parent. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are the national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them. Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: weekly podcasts, weekly articles, and resource pages on all aspects of family building at our website, CreatingaFamily.org. We also have an active presence on many social media platforms. Please like or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).
Episodes
784 episodes
The 2025 Adoption Tax Credit
Let us know about your adoption journeyDid you finalize an adoption in 2025 or within the last several years? Are you eligible to claim the Adoption Tax Credit? Listen to this...
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Season 20
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Episode 6
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51:43
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Dealing with the Emotional Roller Coaster of Trying to Adopt - Weekend Wisdom
Question: An aspect of adopting that we didn’t hear about was how your mental health is challenged throughout the process. It’s a roller coaster of emotions, and this isn’t discussed as often as organic issues such as drug or alcoho...
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Season 20
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Episode 5
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7:34
How to Afford Adoption
Are you considering adoption this year but concerned about how to swing the cost? Join us for a practical conversation about managing the expenses of adoption with Ryan Hanlon, PhD, former president of the National Council for Adoption, an adop...
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Season 20
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Episode 4
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42:28
What If My Partner Doesn't Want to Adopt? - Weekend Wisdom
Question: How do you deal with the emotions of not being able to adopt or foster because your husband doesn't share the desire?Resources:
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Season 20
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Episode 3
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15:12
How to Adopt in 2026
Are you considering adoption to create your family this year? We’ve got answers to all (or most) of your questions. Join our discussion with Molly Berger, MSW, who has been with the Adoption Center of Illinois for 12 years as an adoption social...
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Season 20
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Episode 2
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49:46
My Adopted Child Is Rejecting Me - Weekend Wisdom
Question: Hello, thank you sincerely for your podcast and the work you do. It has helped me feel less alone and allowed me to better navigate foster parenting and adopting from foster care. My husband and I have two amazing boys; th...
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Season 20
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Episode 1
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18:02
Rituals to Build Strong Families
Join us to learn about family rituals—how to create and why they can help build strong families. Our guest will be Elizabeth Barbour, the author of a new book, Sacred Celebrations: Designing Rituals to Navi...
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Season 19
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Episode 105
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46:54
Should We Let Our Adopted Babies Cry It Out? - Weekend Wisdom
Question: We have been matched with an expectant mom due in a couple of months. She is having twins. As we are preparing for the next steps, sleep training has come up frequently in newborn care books. What research is there on the cry-i...
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Season 19
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Episode 104
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18:53
Healing & Strengthening Your Family Dynamics
Are you looking for practical ways to build your child's resilience and sense of safety, and to strengthen your family's connectedness? Listen to this conversation with Ginger Healy, MSW, LCSW, director of programs for the Attachment & Trau...
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Season 19
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Episode 103
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54:34
Adoptive Parent Profiles, But for Foster Care Adoption - Weekend Wisdom
Question: I would love to hear about family profiles for adopting older teens. Resources:
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Season 19
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Episode 102
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15:46
Between Cultures: One Transcultural Adoptive Family's Story
What is it like to be the only biological child in a large transracial adoptive family? Our guest, Elaine Duncan, shares her story of how transcultural adoption impacted her identity and resilience. She is a writer, speaker, and strategist whos...
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Season 19
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Episode 101
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54:49
Expert Advice for Handling Sexual Abuse by a Sibling - Weekend Wisdom
Question: I have a friend whose 12-year-old adopted son (adopted at age 6) has been sexually abusing his younger siblings. She self-reported to CPS and law enforcement, but they have not done a formal removal yet, and their so...
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Season 19
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Episode 100
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5:28
Introducing Our New Executive Director, Linda Fiore
We're thrilled to introduce you to our new Executive Director, Linda Fiore. Listen to today's conversation about her journey to Creating a Family and where we're heading in this next chapter under her leadership.In this episode, we di...
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Season 19
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Episode 99
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45:38
Help! My Foster Child Is Being Bullied! - Weekend Wisdom
Question: Help for a youth dealing with being bullied because they are in foster care?Resources:5 Steps to Effectively Advocate for a Child...
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Season 19
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Episode 98
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12:33
Healing Your History to Help Your Kids Heal Theirs with Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, Ph.D.
Do you feel like raising a child with a history of trauma has stirred up your own traumatic past? If you wonder how to parent from a position of healing, listen to this conversation with Dr. Robyn Koslowitz. She is a psychologist, trauma expert...
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Season 19
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Episode 97
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58:01
Am I Right in Not Letting My Grandchild's Mom Visit? - Weekend Wisdom
Question: I have been fostering our grandchild since March. It is now almost September. Both biological parents had drug addiction. Bio mom was on a trial home visit, but used this as the reason our grandchild is with us. After the trial...
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Season 19
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Episode 96
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18:28
A Conversation with Emily Cole from Bananas Foster
Join us for a fun and inspiring conversation with Emily Cole, co-founder and co-owner of Banana Ball, the new sports phenomenon sweeping the country. We're talking with her about Bananas Foster, their no...
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Season 19
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Episode 95
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32:31
Tips for Transitioning a Child from Foster Care to Adoption - Weekend Wisdom
Question: Do you have trainings for children transitioning from foster care to adoption?Resources:Transitioning a Child to Your Home<...
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Season 19
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Episode 94
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19:29
Taking Care of Yourself When Parenting Harder to Parent Kids
Do you sometimes feel that self-care is an impossible goal when you are parenting kids who have experienced trauma? There isn’t enough time in the day to do it all, much less take care of yourself. Or is there? Join us to talk about how to find...
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Season 19
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Episode 93
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37:52
Open Adoption and Healthy Boundaries - Weekend Wisdom
Question: We adopted our son at birth, and he is about to turn one already. I deeply care about his birth parents and have tried very hard to maintain a relationship with them. Even during many months of no contact, I think about th...
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Season 19
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Episode 92
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13:07
Navigating the Holidays With a Trauma-Sensitive Approach
Why do our kids melt down, act out, or regress during the holiday season? Listen to our conversation with Dr. David Adams to learn what is going on and what you can do about it to make this holiday season more enjoyable for you all. He is an ad...
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Season 19
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Episode 91
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58:49
My Child's Birth Parent Contacted My Child - Weekend Wisdom
Question: My adoptive child was contacted by the birth mother, never contacted us, it has caused chaos in our family. The parents that adopt kids are never considered after raising a child for over 20 years to give them back.
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Season 19
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Episode 90
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16:51
Sleep Issues with Adopted, Foster, or Relative Children
How do you handle sleep struggles when raising a child who has been impacted by trauma, prenatal substance exposure, or other challenges? Listen to our conversation with Dr. Chris Winter, a sleep researcher and neurologist who has practiced sle...
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Season 19
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Episode 89
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1:03:15