Many people enter foster care with the hope of adoption, but is that wrong?

This question has sparked discussion and even some controversy in the foster care community. For some, the desire to adopt stems from infertility or simply wanting to grow their family. In this episode, we discuss the realities of fostering with the heart to adopt and what it means to balance that desire with the primary goal of foster care—family reunification.

We discuss the process of dual licensing, the differences between being a foster parent and an adoptive parent, and the importance of providing stability for children in care. There is often stigma or shame around wanting to adopt through foster care, but it’s not inherently wrong.

Adoption actually is a beautiful outcome. But we must also keep our heart in check, ensuring we are also supporting reunification efforts for the child in our home.

Join us for an honest conversation about navigating these emotions and expectations while fostering with love and purpose.

Episode Highlights:

• Fostering to Adopt
• Dual Licensing
• Infertility
• Prioritizing Reunification
• Adoption
• Stability matters

Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about Trisha White Priebe
• Schedule Coffee with a Hope Bridge Team Member

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this episode, we discuss the heart behind our Single Moms Program and the vital support it provides. Our approach focuses on prevention, intervention, and restoration, with this program serving as a key piece of prevention—offering resources, encouragement, and community to help single moms thrive.

We also explore the stereotypes single moms often face and how quickly circumstances can shift, making it easy for a capable mom to become vulnerable. Many people don’t realize the challenges single moms navigate daily, from financial struggles to social stigma, and the importance of having a strong support system.

Join us as we discuss why this work matters and how we can all help lift up and empower single moms. Tune in now to learn more about how you can become involved in the prevention-focused programs at Hope Bridge that make a lasting impact!

Episode Highlights:

• The Importance our Single Moms Program
• Stereotypes of Single Moms
• Empower U Support Group

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Check out the Support Groups at Hope Bridge
• Learn more about our Single Moms Program
• Single Mom Connection Form
• Register for Empower U
• Volunteer for Childcare at Empower U
• Donate a Meal for a Single Mom (Louisville)
• Donate a Meal for a Single Mom (Akron)
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this heartfelt episode of the ReStoried Podcast, we sit down with Sarah Sikora—a dear friend, former foster youth, adoptee, and adoptive mama—whose life has come full circle.

Born addicted to drugs, Sarah faced many challenges growing up in foster care, navigating life with multiple siblings and a longing for stability. Now, as a wife and mother to her own biological children, she has also pursued adoption, and this month, she is officially welcoming two daughters into her family.

Sarah shares the emotional complexity of adoption—her joy in growing her family, but also the deep empathy she feels for her daughters’ birth mother. She candidly discusses the weight of grief, the bittersweet beauty of adoption, and the importance of acknowledging both the hard and the hopeful.

With a powerful message of resilience, Sarah encourages us all: You can break family cycles. No matter where you come from, healing and restoration are possible.

Tune in to hear Sarah’s inspiring journey and the wisdom she has gained along the way.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Sarah & her background story
• You can break family cycles and create a new path.
• Adoption is both beautiful and bittersweet.
• Empathy for birth families is essential.
• Resilience leads to healing and restoration.
• Full-circle moments bring hope and redemption.
• Family dynamics in foster care can be complex.
• Embrace both the hard and the hope.
• You can make a difference in a child’s life.

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Register for Mobilize Ohio!
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this week’s compelling episode of the ReStoried Podcast, we welcome Curt Thompson, MD, a renowned psychiatrist, speaker, and author, who masterfully weaves together neuroscience, faith, and the power of storytelling.

Curt Thompson, MD, shares how our deep longing to be known is connected to telling truer stories about ourselves. He explores how embracing authenticity can lead to deeper relationships, greater meaning, and a more integrated, creative life.

We also discuss the profound need for hope, connection, and Jesus—especially in the hard spaces of foster care. His wisdom and insights will inspire you to pursue healing, transformation, and lasting change in your life and community.

Mark your calendars! Curt Thompson, MD, will be a mainstage speaker at the Mobilize Ohio Conference on March 15, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear him in person!

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Curt Thompson, MD
• The Need to Be Known
• Hope in Hard Spaces
• Living an Integrated Life
• Jesus in Our Stories
• Deeper Relationships
• Mobilize Ohio

Find more on Curt Thompson. MD:

• Being Known Podcast
• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• X

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Register for Mobilize Ohio 2025!
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this episode, we sit down with Lisa C. Qualls—author, speaker, and adoptive mom—to discuss the complexities of adoption, parenting, and connection. Lisa brings a wealth of wisdom from her personal experience as both a birth mom and adoptive mom, as well as her expertise as a TBRI Practitioner and Christian spiritual director. She is the co-author of The Connected Parent (written with Dr. Karyn Purvis) and the host of The Adoption Wise Podcast. Through her work, Lisa equips parents with practical tools and compassionate insight to navigate the joys and challenges of adoption and foster care.

During our conversation, Lisa shares her personal journey of adoption and the lessons she has learned along the way. We discuss the importance of attachment, practical ways to build trust and connection with children, and the role of faith in parenting through difficult moments. We also dive into blocked care—what it is, why it happens, and strategies to overcome it. Lisa provides encouragement and actionable tools for parents who may be feeling emotionally drained or disconnected, offering hope for restoring connection and strengthening relationships.

Lisa and her husband, Russ, live in Idaho, where they have raised twelve children and are now proud grandparents. In addition to her writing and speaking, she offers coaching, retreats, and resources for parents seeking support.

To connect with Lisa, check out the links listed below.

If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review ReStoried!

Episode Highlights:

• Lisa’s personal journey as a birth and adoptive mom
• Lisa’s Books
• What is Blocked Care?
• 10 Signs of Blocked Care
• The realities of adoption and the importance of attachment
• Practical ways to build trust and connection with children
• The role of faith in parenting through hard moments
• Resources and tools for adoptive and foster parents

Find more on Guest:

• Check out Lisa’s Website
• Follow Lisa on Instagram
• Follow Lisa on Facebook
• The Adoption Wise Podcast

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram
• Buy The Connected Parent: Real-Life Strategies for Building Trust and Attachment
• Buy Healing for Every Heart in Adoption: Redemptive Prayers and Strategies for Adoptive Parents, Adoptees, and Birth Parents
• Buy Reclaim Compassion: The Adoptive Parent's Guide to Overcoming Blocked Care with Neuroscience and Faith

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this episode, we’re sharing the story behind The Willow House, an exciting new hub created to support foster, adoptive, and kinship families in Carroll County.

The Willow House provides essential resources and spaces designed to make a meaningful impact in the lives of these families. Some of the key features include a clothing closet, a welcoming space for visits with biological families, a support group meeting area, a freezer meal prep kitchen, and space for care bag assembly and storage.

We’ll dive into how the vision for The Willow House began, the purpose behind each resource it offers, and the transformative role it will play in Carroll County.

This episode is a celebration of community support and the difference we can make when we come together. Join us to learn more about The Willow House and its mission to provide hope and resources for families in need.

Episode Highlights:

• How the Willow House Came to Be
• What the Willow House Offers
• Foster Care in Carroll County
• Open House
• Comfort & Care Bags
• Support Groups
• Following God’s Call

Find More on Hope Bridge/Links from this Episode:

• Donate to Our Comfort and Care Bags
• Sign Up to Volunteer
• Support Groups
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this episode, we speak with Jesse Coontz, founder of Moms on Target: A Safe & Supportive Community for Moms to Raise Happy, Healthy Children. Jesse shares her journey and the inspiration behind creating a nonprofit dedicated to empowering single moms. We explore how providing meaningful support to moms can help prevent family involvement in the child welfare system and foster healthier communities.

Jesse discusses the challenges single moms face and how a supportive community can break generational cycles. She shares how her personal experiences shaped her mission to create a space where moms can connect, share their struggles, and receive the resources they need to thrive.

Through Moms on Target, Jesse aims to address the gaps she witnessed in her own upbringing by offering single moms the support, encouragement, and opportunities they deserve. Her work highlights the power of proactive solutions to strengthen families and create lasting change.

Learn more about Moms on Target and how you can support their mission at MomsonTarget.org. Tune in to hear Jesse’s inspiring story and discover the impact of supporting moms in your community.

Episode Highlights:

• Jesse Coontz’s journey and the inspiration behind Moms on Target.
• Supporting single moms to prevent child welfare involvement.
• Breaking generational cycles through community support.
• The mission and impact of Moms on Target.
• Challenges single moms face and how support helps.
• Proactive solutions for stronger families and communities.

Find more on Guest:

• Moms on Target Website
• Moms on Target Facebook
• Moms on Target Instagram
• Moms on Target TikTok

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

In this episode, we’re excited to sit down with Daniela Coats, a speaker at our upcoming Mobilize Ohio Conference, founder of With Siblings, licensed social worker, and children’s book author. Daniela’s passion for serving foster families focuses on supporting the often-overlooked biological children in foster and adoptive families.

As a “birth kid” in a foster family, Daniela experienced the challenges and rewards of being a temporary sibling to many children. Her parents eventually adopted her youngest sibling, shaping her dedication to supporting the ‘entire foster family’. Now, Daniela and her husband have six children—four through adoption and two by birth.

Through With Siblings, Daniela equips parents and professionals with resources and training to support birth children in foster and adoptive families. Her work as a licensed social worker and therapist at Be Still Counseling and Consulting in Texas is informed by her personal and professional experience, offering valuable insights for families navigating these dynamics.

Join us at Mobilize Ohio 2025 to hear Daniela Coats speak in person about supporting biological children in foster and adoptive families.

Register now to secure your spot!

Episode Highlights:

• Learn more about Daniela Coats
• Founder of With Siblings
• Challenges for Birth Kids in a Foster Family
• Mobilize Ohio 2025

Find more on Guest:

• With Siblings Website
• With Siblings Facebook Page
• With Siblings Resources
• Children’s Books written for Birth Kids

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Register for Mobilize Ohio 2025!
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.