If the college admissions process feels overwhelming… you’re not alone.

And if you’re a foster or adoptive parent? There are even more layers to navigate.

This week on What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Cynthia Nash, a college admissions and financial aid coach with over 20 years of experience at top-tier universities like Northwestern and Vanderbilt- and friend, this conversation is packed with gold.

Cynthia has helped students earn millions in scholarships and grants, including: • Five students admitted to Vanderbilt- four on full rides • Three students at Johns Hopkins- two attending completely free • A Posse Scholar at Middlebury- with all four years fully covered And that’s just the beginning.

Whether you’re parenting a child from foster care, adoption, or not—you’ll walk away from this episode equipped with tools and insight to help your teen step into a future they didn’t think was possible.

In this episode, we talk about: • How to navigate the college admissions process with clarity • How foster and adoptive kids need different support • Where to find scholarships and financial aid that most families miss • The power of vision, mentorship, and strategy in shaping a child's future • And why education can be one of the most powerful generational tools of healing

Whether your child is in 9th grade or nearing graduation- this episode will give you real steps, renewed hope, and a fresh vision for what’s possible.

Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

💕 Join Our Community! After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it.

Join us here: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting

Get Cynthia’s Free College Admissions Guide: Download now: www.amazingjourneycollegecounseling.com

Contact Cynthia Nash Email: amazingjourneycc@gmail.com

Learn About Her Coaching Programs: • Group Coaching for rising seniors (starts 6/1/25) • Elite Coaching for pre-med & engineering students (Junior–Senior year) Email Cynthia for details and availability.

This week on What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with April Ficklin, a TBRI® Practitioner, adoptive mom, and the Director of Family Support Services for Flourishing Families of South Carolina.

April brings both professional wisdom and personal experience to this conversation. Her work is centered on helping adoptive families find real connection, healing, and hope through Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and her heart for trauma-informed care is nothing short of powerful.

In this episode, we talk about: • The realities adoptive families face behind closed doors • How trauma impacts connection and what we can do about it • Why adoptive moms often feel unseen, and how to change that • How April is equipping families and organizations across South Carolina • And how faith plays a vital role in every part of this healing journey

Whether you’re new to adoption or knee-deep in the hard parts, this conversation will remind you that healing is possible and you don’t have to do this alone.

☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

💕 Join Our Community! After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it. Join us here: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting

Connect with April Ficklin: Instagram: www.instagram.com/april_ficklin Facebook: www.facebook.com/april.ficklin Learn more: www.flourishingfamiliessc.org Email: april@flourishingfamiliessc.org

In this episode of What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I’m sitting down with my friend Rebecca Del Pozo- an adoptee, an adoptive mom, and a fierce advocate for families who’ve walked this road from every angle.

This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and deeply encouraging.

Rebecca doesn’t just talk about adoption- she’s lived it in every form. From the unexpected twists and tender moments to the hard decisions and holy perspective shifts, she shares how the Lord has used adoption to shape her family, her faith, and her purpose.

If you’ve ever wrestled with the "why" behind your story, or wondered if you’re the right person for the calling in front of you, Rebecca’s story will meet you right where you are- and lift your eyes higher.

☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

💕 Join Our Community! After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it. Join us here: facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

🎙️ More from Rebecca: Ready to stop winging it and start leading your life on purpose? Grab her book here: https://amzn.to/3XyAqWv Moms in Real Estate—join her community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionairerealestatemoms Want Rebecca to train your team? Email: https://www.facebook.com/Rebecca.Volden.DelPozo Website: www.RebeccaDelPozo.com

Welcome back to the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast! I’m Christine Marie — adoptive mom, former foster parent, and biblical mindset coach — and today’s guest is someone whose voice and impact in the foster care space cannot be overstated.

I’m honored to sit down with Dr. John DeGarmo, founder and director of The Foster Care Institute, international speaker, best-selling author of 10 books, and foster/adoptive dad to over 60 children. Dr. DeGarmo has worked alongside child welfare agencies across the globe and is a leading voice for system change and trauma-informed parenting.

In this conversation, we dive into the realities of foster care that few are willing to talk about — from the mental health crisis and over-medication of foster youth to the growing burnout among caregivers. We also talk about practical tools and mindsets that can help foster and adoptive parents stay grounded, effective, and full of hope even in the hardest seasons.

Whether you’re currently fostering, considering it, or simply want to better support foster families in your community, this episode is packed with insight, encouragement, and truth.

☕ So grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in.

XO, Christine Marie

🎧 In this episode, we cover:

• The over-medication crisis in foster care

• How trauma shows up in children and how to respond with connection

• The importance of mental health support for foster families

• What foster parents need most (and why many are walking away)

• Dr. DeGarmo’s personal journey and why he still believes in the system, despite its flaws

About Dr. John DeGarmo:

International keynote speaker and trainer Best-selling author of 10 books on foster care and parenting TED Talk presenter and media contributor Expert witness for foster care and child welfare legal cases Recipient of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award and the Heroes of the Homeless Award

Connect with Dr. DeGarmo: Website: www.drjohndegarmofostercare.com More Resources: The Foster Care Institute

💕 Join Our Free Community of Christian Foster & Adoptive Moms: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen 🎥 YouTube Channel

This one is for the foster and adoptive parents carrying the weight no one sees—who keep showing up, even when it feels like everything is falling apart.

Today, I’m sitting down with Devin Schubert—an adoptive dad of three—for a conversation about the cost of obedience, the depth of trauma, and the God who restores what we thought was lost forever.

After adopting his son, Devin walked through five years of chaos: -Explosive trauma -Daily police calls -System after system that failed -And the heartbreak of watching his marriage fall apart

When his wife left, Devin stepped into solo fatherhood, determined to fight for his son—alone. Until the fight nearly killed him. Diagnosed with trauma shock Given 3 months to live

Flat on his back, ready to give up, Jesus walked in and said: “You left the 99 to save the 1. Now I’m giving you the 99 to tell your story to the nations.”

And now—four years later—his son is being reunited with him and moving back home in just 4 months.

This episode is a story of resilience, radical love, and full-circle redemption for every parent who’s ever wondered, “Is it worth it?”

Tune in now and be reminded: God sees your sacrifice. He restores what was lost. And the story isn’t over yet.

☕ Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in. XO, Christine Marie

📌 Connect with Devin: www.facebook.com/schubertdevin www.storiestostages.com

🎥 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting 💕 Join our community: facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

Today, I’m joined by the incredible DJ Noble, a former radio host, teacher, and long-time foster parent with a powerful 15-year journey that spans across Virginia and Kansas. In this episode, we’re talking about the REAL side of foster care—the emotions, the relationships, the red tape, and the redemption.

Together, we unpack: ✨ What it’s like navigating two different state systems ✨ How to honor and embrace biological families ✨ The impact fostering can have on your own bio kids ✨ Practical advice for navigating relationships, grief, and growth

DJ brings so much wisdom—not just from his professional background in sociology, urban affairs, and theology—but from living this life every single day. With his wife, Sanna, they’ve raised two biological sons and fostered dozens more. Right now? They’ve got three boys in their home and are still showing up with heart, humor, and purpose.

This conversation is full of real talk, practical insight, and encouragement for anyone currently fostering or considering the call.

Listen now to hear how DJ balances faith, family, and fostering—and why the way we view biological families could change everything.

Check out DJ’s podcast “Off The Grid” at www.IndiesCollective.com for more of his powerful voice and mission.

☕ Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

📌 Follow for more faith-based foster care conversations: @cortisol_coach 💕 Join the community: facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting

Welcome back to the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast — a Christ-centered space for foster and adoptive moms navigating the complex, beautiful, and often messy journey of parenting children from hard places. I’m Christine Marie, an adoptive mom and certified Biblical mindset coach, and I’m so thankful you’re here.

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Nicole Barlow — fellow adoptive mama of six, Host of Foster Parent Well podcast, TBRI® practitioner, and wellness coach — as we dive into the heart of trauma-informed parenting. Nicole shares her family’s story of adopting through foster care and how Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) became the game-changer in helping her children heal.

If you’re new to TBRI, it’s a trauma-informed, connection-centered parenting model designed to meet the needs of children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma. It helps parents build trust, strengthen attachment, and bring safety and regulation to kids from hard places.

Nicole offers practical tools, mindset shifts, and powerful encouragement for adoptive and foster moms who are feeling overwhelmed or unsure of how to help their children heal. Whether you're considering foster care, currently fostering, or in the thick of post-adoption life, this episode will bring hope, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose.

☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

💕 Join Our Community!

After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of Christian foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is full of real talk, support, prayer, and resources for women walking this road. Join us here:

facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting

Connect with Nicole Barlow: Instagram: @nicoletbarlow Podcast: Foster Parent Well

***SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING.***

In this powerful episode of the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast, I sit down with Joseph Pedroza, a man whose story will leave you speechless. His journey is one of pain, resilience, and divine transformation—a true testimony to the power of God’s redemption.

Joseph’s childhood was marked by deep trauma—placed in foster care, experiencing horrific abuse after adoption, and facing multiple arrests both as a youth and as an adult. He endured some of life’s darkest moments, but his story didn’t end there. A life-changing encounter with the Holy Spirit radically transformed his life, setting him on a path of healing, faith, and restoration.

Together, we dive deep into faith, healing, and the adoption journey. Joseph opens up about discovering his true identity in Christ and how that revelation brought him incredible breakthrough. If you’re navigating the complexities of foster care, adoption, trauma, or your own healing journey, this episode is for you.

✨ Get ready for a raw, eye-opening conversation about faith, resilience, and stepping into the fullness of who God created you to be.

🎧 Don’t miss this episode! Hit play now and be inspired.

☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!

XO, Christine Marie

💕 Join Our Community!

After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it. Join us here:

👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

📺 Subscribe on YouTube for more faith-filled encouragement: https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting

💬 Want to connect with Joseph Pedroza personally?

🔗 Book a breakthrough session with Joseph: https://calendly.com/ephesians6coaching/breakthrough

📺 Follow his journey on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ephesians6coaching?si=7vdR4IDUsWmzxtvM

📍 Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BWnMP83FU/