- They Are Not Problems to Be Fixed"When a child struggles, we have to ask a different question: What is this child trying to communicate? Not: What’s wrong with them? But: What do they need right now? > Many of our children—especially those impacted by adoption, foster care, and kinship care—carry invisible stories of loss and uncertainty. Their bodies remember what their words often cannot express. We must remember that regulation is not a reward—it’s a prerequisite. Healing doesn’t happen in a single session; it happens in the rhythm of everyday life through repeated, positive experiences that build new pathways of safety and belonging."
- The Quiet Power of PartnershipAdolescence is a season of expanding independence — but for teenagers with disrupted attachment histories, connection remains central. When caregivers and school professionals communicate openly and consistently, stability strengthens and growth unfolds with greater confidence. Partnership between home and school does more than support behavior; it reinforces permanency, trust, and the secure base adolescents still need.
- Veronica’s StoryVeronica’s Story Veronica’s feeding journey as told by Jill Rabin, a licensed speech-language pathologist with deep expertise in early development, attachment, and feeding/communication. Sometimes joyful engagement with food is the priority in therapy versus oral intake. Veronica, age 20 months adjusted. She has struggled with self-limiting, vomiting and weight gain… Read more: Veronica’s Story
- Nora and Leon’s StoryOur Family’s Adoption Story: Guided by Love and Loss Adoption has always been in our hearts. After having three biological children, we felt called to grow our family through adoption. Our journey ultimately began after the heartbreaking loss of our oldest daughter, Kathleen, in 2023 from complications of a rare… Read more: Nora and Leon’s Story
- Kate’s StoryCommunities That Understand Their Stories Children who are adopted—whether through foster care or directly into families—need more than homes; they need communities and schools that understand their stories. Parenting an adopted child begins with humility: the courage to admit you don’t know everything. That simple truth opens the door to… Read more: Kate’s Story
The Power of Being Seen
The Power of Being Seen Jocelyn Fetting, BSW Good morning, everyone. I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying your Thursday so far. My name
On This Day
Shaping Policy that Heals Advancing Healing-Centered Schools: Our July 31 Roundtable On the Day History Was Made, Illinois Leaders Gather to Prioritize Mental Health for
Shaping Policy That Heals – August 2025
Shaping Healing Policy: Why HB1806 Matters This school year, the headlines are full of AI innovation—automated tutoring, lesson planning, and even virtual therapy bots. But
When Mainstream Parenting Advice Misses the Mark
Many popular parenting books were written for families built on stability—not for those raising children with histories of loss, trauma, or disrupted attachment. For adoptive, foster, and kinship caregivers, traditional advice to “let go” or “step back” can be harmful. These families need guidance that centers connection, safety, and healing—not hustle and independence. Here’s why a new parenting lens matters.
Dysregulation
For children in adoptive, foster, and kinship homes, healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in relationships. When school staff encounter struggling caregivers, it’s easy to assume resistance. But what if that parent is simply overwhelmed? This article helps school social workers and educators shift from judgment to curiosity, offering five powerful ways to support families through a connection-first, systems-oriented lens.
From the Founder – August 2025
What AI Can’t Teach—and What Truly Changes Everything Dear Friends, At the Fear to Love conference this summer, Bryan Post shared a line that stayed
