With all of the negative, and often untrue, headlines that surround foster care and adoption, it's refreshing to read a story that uplifts and brings hope.  That's exactly what this week's podcast guest is on a mission to do. Dagmara Sitek is a children's book author, who is turning tragedy into hope and bringing encouragement and empowerment to children in foster care, and their caregivers, all over the world.  A Little More About Dagmara... Dagmara Sitek is a Canada-based mother of two, who is committed to children’s education and emotional well-being. Originally from Poland, she i ..read more

If you're anything like us, last year was a really difficult year. We stepped out of it, into 2024, feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and fearful that the New Year would turn out just like the old year. The biggest aspect of this journey to take a hit was our mental health.  Anyone out there with us on that one?  But, it doesn't have to be this way. There are practical steps we can take as caregivers, to drastically improve, even transform, our mental health. It begins by creating a Mental Health Decree.  This past week, we hosted a 3-part workshop entitled, Overcoming Isolation ..read more

Happy New Year! We're kicking off the 31st season of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast and this is episode 299. We are absolutely BLOWN away that we have produced 31 seasons of this show since October, 2015! Thank you for being part of this amazing journey.  We're kicking off the brand new season with an amazing interview with our good friend Rob Scheer from Comfort Cases and author of A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child At A Time. A Little More About Rob... Rob entered the foster care system as a child who had lost both parents. He was brought into a house with all of his belongin ..read more

2023 was a combination of fulfilling, overwhelming, sometimes defeating, but most importantly, a year of growing for us. We learned so many important things this past year.  As we bring this year to a close, we take a moment to look back and discuss the important things we learned as caregivers.  These include... The value of time and space Focusing on the need before the behavior Setting healthy boundaries with our adult children Making the most of the time we have with the people who are with us and sooo much more!  Pull up a chair and join the conversation!  Also on th ..read more

Once we've aligned our expectations, and leveled them to a manageable place, we need to establish boundaries with our children. This is not an easy task, especially if you're parenting children who become triggered easily. And sometimes the boundaries will be very hard to explain.  How do you do this?  In this episode of The Resilient Caregiver Podcast we dive into a conversation around boundaries, what they may need to be, how to set them and, most importantly, how to maintain them.  Also On The Show.... Check out the TRC website Browse our free resources Learn about the Resil ..read more

In the words of Ellen Griswold (from Christmas Vacation), "I know how you build things up in your mind, Sparky. You set standards that no family event can live up to."  That might not fully be the case for you, but we often do struggle with our expectations. Especially when it involves the Holidays and situations that can go south quickly with meltdowns, triggered behaviors, overstimulation, and more.  How do we navigate through this?  More importantly, how do we set expectations that don't set us, or our families, up for failure?  That's what we're diving into in this week ..read more

For caregivers of a multi-racial families, hair care can be stressful and overwhelming. How do you provide the best care for your daughter or know what products to use?  If you've had these questions, or felt overwhelmed and defeated by this topic, we have good news. Tony Award Nominated Acress Shalita Grant from the shows NCIS: New Orleans and You most recently, joins our show to discuss her new brand, Four Naturals Hair and provides a TON of hope and insight for caregivers just like you! About Shalita... Shalita Grant was raised in Petersburg, Virginia and attended high school at the Ba ..read more

Diversity is a central aspect of the foster and adoption journey. But often, it's overlooked or taken for granted. That's precisely why we have crucial guests like our good friend Maria Hansen-Quine.  She's a wealth of knowledge and expertise, particularly when it comes to the celebration of diversity in foster care and adoption.  A Little More About Maria... Maria passionately believes in the value of children. So much so that she has devoted the past 22 years to working with children, currently working as a school counselor in a beautiful inner city community.   Maria has work ..read more

We're excited to welcome Marna Pacheco from CapeAble Weighted Products to The Resilient Caregiver Podcast to discuss how weighted products (blankets, vests, wraps, etc) can help your children who have sensory needs. Through their patented Smart Weight Technology, CapeAble Weighted Products is changing the game in the weighted products field. And good news...the products she shares are NOT just for children. Adults can benefit too! (Just ask Kristin...?). Check out the CapeAble Weighted Product store here.  Also on the show... Don't miss The 5-Day Resiliency Challenge AND The 7-Day Consis ..read more

You may be thinking, "Wait, they're talking about the holidays already?" That's right!  We're entering the season known as the holiday vortex- From Halloween through New Years it's a season of overstimulation, grief-magnified, and loss-intensified for our children.  How in the world can we nagivate this season and live to tell about it? If you're a caregiver who's wondering this, we have good news. Deborah Gray joins the podcast for an amazing throwback episode all about helping our children through the holiday season (Halloween through New Years!).  A little more about Deborah ..read more