PODCAST · kids
The Forgotten Podcast
by The Forgotten Initiative
We want to see people everywhere supporting the foster care community and experiencing Jesus together. So, in this podcast, we are sharing the stories of the foster care community to bring awareness that leads to action!
Episodes
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Working Together to Build Resilience (w/ Mary McMillan) Ep. 302
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes back Dr. Mary Ann McMillan, a former foster youth, adoptee, author, speaker, and follower of Christ. Rejoining the show after previously sharing her story on Episode 243, Dr. Mary Ann dives deep into the concept of resilience—a…
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Finding Sacred Rest (w/ Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith) Ep. 301
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine physician, bestselling author, and internationally recognized expert on rest, resilience, and wellbeing. Together, they explore the critical concept of sacred rest and…
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Prioritizing Your Marriage in Times of Crisis (w/Chris & Alicia Johnson) Ep. 300
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes Chris and Alicia Johnson to discuss caring for and prioritizing marriage during seasons of crisis and hard foster care placements. Chris, Vice President of Church Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services, and Alicia, a former...
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Equipping Parents Caring for Kids with Drug & Alcohol Exposure (w/Dr. Dusty Hess) Ep.299
On this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes Dr. Dusty Hess, a nationally recognized functional medical doctor, speaker, author, and founder of Upstream Health. Together, they explore a critical topic for foster and adoptive families: understanding and supporting children who...
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Connecting With Your Child Through Stories (w/Sarah Mackenzie) Ep. 298
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes back Sarah Mackenzie, author, podcast host, and founder of Read-Aloud Revival. Sarah brings her deep passion for storytelling and family connection to address a challenge that foster and adoptive parents often face: how to build...
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Navigating Tech & Pornography Issues (w/ Trent Taylor) Ep. 297
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami Kaeb sits down with trauma consultant Trent Taylor from Watch Me Rise to tackle a critical and pervasive issue facing youth today: navigating tech and pornography. Rejoining the show after previously sharing his redemptive foster care story on…
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Coping With A Dangerous Child (w/Vania Ferreira) Ep.296
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Vania Ferreira to address a sensitive and profoundly challenging topic that foster and adoptive families occasionally face but rarely discuss: what to do when your child hurts another child. Vania opens up about her family's lived...
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Overcoming Fears of Saying Yes to Autism (w/Candace Smouse) Ep. 295
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Candace Smouse, a TFI advocate from Spokane, Washington, who is a foster, adoptive, and birth mom to six kids. Fostering as a family for five years, Candace shares her journey of opening her home to children with special needs and...
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Supporting My Child's Sensory Needs (w/Melissa Murphy & Chandler Edge) Ep.294
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Melissa Murphy and Chandler Edge from Beyond Measure Pediatric Therapies to discuss Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). As occupational therapy professionals, they share how this frequently undiagnosed condition impacts children in…
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Introducing In Case You Forget
From The Forgotten Initiative comes a brand-new series created specifically for the Foster Care Caseworker. At The Forgotten Initiative, we’ve always believed that you shouldn’t have to carry the weight of this calling alone. For years, The Forgotten Podcast has been a place for our whole…
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Helping My Child Thrive Post-High School (w/Jonathan Brush) Ep. 293
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb sits down with Jonathan Brush, CEO of Unbound and a foster and adoptive dad of eight, to discuss how to help young adults—especially those not pursuing a college degree—successfully transition into adulthood and thrive. The conversation...
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Loving My Distanced Adult Child (w/Renaut van der Riet) Ep. 292
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Renaut van der, Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church in Orlando, Florida, to discuss the difficult and often unspoken challenge faced by adoptive and foster parents: what to do when your adult child rejects you. Renaut and his wife, Brooke…
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Strengthening GenZ Mental Health (w/Stephanie Shackelford) Ep. 291
In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Jami sits down with Dr. Stephanie Shackelford, a Senior Fellow at Barna Group, to talk about the power of relationships, purpose, and tech-free spaces for improving kids' mental health. Dr. Shackelford shares insights from her recent Barna report, Gen Z,...
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Understanding the Court Process (w/Cari Huddleston) Ep. 290
Court is one of the most intimidating parts of the foster care journey—but you are not powerless in the process. Today, a Guardian ad Litem shares insight into how the court system works, how “best interest” decisions are made, and why your voice matters more than you may realize. Be encouraged:...
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Obeying with Action Where You Are (w/Mary Perdue) Ep. 289
On this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes Mary Perdue—wife of former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue—to share her journey into foster care and her years as the First Lady of Georgia (2003–2011). Mary shares how fostering newborns awaiting adoption in the late 1990s opened…
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Encouraging Foster Parents to Persevere (w/Tony Mitchell) Ep.288
On this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, Host Jami Kaeb interviews Tony Mitchell, who entered foster care as a newborn, was adopted at age two into a loving but impoverished farm family, and grew up learning work ethic, faith, and integrity. Tony shares learning about his adoption around age…
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Addressing Fears About Teen Placements (w/Missy Bell) Ep. 287
Our guest, Missy Bell, is the Director of San Diego for Olive Crest, an organization dedicated to preventing child abuse by strengthening, equipping, and restoring children and families in crisis one life at a time. In this conversation with Jami, she brings wisdom and insight into common fears...
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Answering FAQ's About the Advocate Role (w/Jami + Holly) Ep. 286
In this episode host Jami Kaeb and Holly Gnuse sit down together to talk about all things Advocates. What does it mean to be a TFI Advocate? They answer all of our frequently asked questions about the role including things like what's the time commitment, is training provided, and how do I start....
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Linking Trauma Informed Care and the Gospel (w/Tera Melber) Ep. 285
Join host Jami for a powerful conversation with experienced foster parent and trauma-informed care expert, Tera Melber. Tera, the founder of Resound Trauma Education, brings her extensive background—including a master’s degree in human services counseling and a commitment to integrating faith…
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Episode 284: Celebrating 10 Years of The Forgotten Podcast (w/ Jamie Finn)
In this very special episode, our usual host, Jami Kaeb, is taking a turn in the guest seat. Stepping in to act as the host is our dear friend (and repeat guest) Jamie Finn! The Forgotten Podcast is celebrating 10 years of creating content that serves, equips, and encourages those in the foster...
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Episode 283: Fourteen Children, One Family (w/ Beth van der Wel)
My guest for this conversation didn’t set out to have fourteen children in her home. But through every step of her journey, she boldly trusted in the Lord and kept stepping out in faith. Beth van der Wel is not only a biological mom to three, but she is also an adoptive and foster parent to an...
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Episode 282: How to Serve When Your Home is Full (w/ Hanna Thrower)
What should I do if I have a heart for the foster care community, but I can’t open my home to foster right now? We hear this question often. Sometimes it comes from individuals who have fostered before and are simply in a season where they need to pause. Other times we hear it from people who…
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Episode 281: Behind the Scenes with an Agency Worker (w/ Abraham Choate)
It’s no secret that the child welfare system can be frustrating for children, their biological families, and foster families alike. More often than not, agency workers are the people who have to carry the brunt of this frustration. Yet, if we were to take a look behind the scenes, we would see...
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Episode 280: Working Together to Support and Redeem Families (w/ Norm Suire)
The child welfare system is far from perfect. However, numerous individuals, agency workers, and organizations like us are working faithfully to help support and uplift the children and families within that system. Our guest today knows this system intimately, as he has worked within it for over…
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Episode 279: Space in Our Hearts and in Our Homes (w/ Crystal Paine)
Foster care has a way of changing how we see the world. It asks us to step into hard places, stay present, and let God reshape our perspective. For our latest guest, that’s meant gaining a richer perspective on biological parents, a deeper appreciation for the beauty and challenges of caring for...
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Episode 278: Looking Back at Our Trauma to Move Forward (w/ Byron Kehler)
“When trauma is our teacher, we are ill-equipped to live healthy lives in healthy environments. What we learn, we live.” We know that trauma often accompanies children when they enter the child welfare system. Usually, we talk about the effects of trauma and how caregivers can respond with…
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Episode 277: Pursuing Reckless Faith (w/ Beth Guckenberger)
Whether it’s across the world or in all four corners of her home, my guest today has over two decades of experience in the foster care and adoptive community. Beth Guckenberger lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, Todd. Together, they serve as the Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back...
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Episode 276: More Than How Your Story Began (w/ Hope Watts)
Adoption and foster care are often depicted in dramatic ways in the media. Whether it’s an adult suddenly discovering the truth that they were adopted or a depiction of constant conflict between a child involved in the foster care system and their caregivers, media can easily give us a skewed...
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Episode 275: Finding Your Role in the Foster Care Community (w/ Thomas Dent)
If you’re listening to this, chances are it was passion that first pulled you into your role in the foster care community—whether you’re a professional, a caregiver, an advocate, or a faithful supporter. But here’s something you might not have realized yet: just because you started in one role...
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Episode 274: Everything’s in His Hands (w/ David and Julie Zimmer)
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” – James 1:27 (ESV) You’ve probably heard this verse if you’ve ever been to an adoption or foster care training, attended a conference...
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Episode 273: Finding Hope While Healing from a Painful Past (w/ Destini McAlister)
Content / Trigger Warning: This episode does contain mentions and descriptions of abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse. If any of this may be triggering for you, we recommend you either listen carefully, listen with someone else, or you may even consider skipping this episode. Unfortunately, so many...
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Episode 272: Striving for Racial Equity in the Child Welfare System (w/ Shanelle Dupree)
The child welfare system can be confusing and complex. Families are often expected to navigate administrative systems, the criminal justice system, the legal system, and the social system—all at the same time and with no prior instruction. Our guest today knows the child welfare system inside and...
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Episode 271: Foster Fathers (w/ Chris Easley & Kyle Seick)
Note: In this episode, Jami talks about her pregnancy—but don’t worry, you didn’t miss another baby announcement! If you’re part of our TFI family, you know her sweet little one has already arrived. This episode was recorded back in January! Sometimes, it can feel like the conversation within the...
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Episode 270: Recovering from Addiction to Achieve Reunification (w/ Jacob Jackson)
There are many requirements that a biological parent must meet in order to reunify with their children. While these requirements are necessary to ensure that children are being reunited with parents who can provide a safe and stable environment, many parents struggle to overcome the circumstances...
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Episode 269: Opening Your Heart and Home to Those in Need (w/ Sarah Hott)
Foster care is both rewarding and challenging. It’s happy at times and sad at others; it brings hard days as well as beautiful moments. If you are in the foster care community, you’ve likely seen (or experienced) this firsthand. But what do we do when we come to the end of ourselves? How do we...
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Episode 268: Building Compassion for Those Struggling with Addiction (w/ Christina Dent)
Substance use is a major factor in foster care cases; in 2017 alone, more than half of the children who entered care under age 5 did so because of parental drug use. Addiction is an issue that runs parallel to the foster care community, and it’s a struggle that agency workers and foster parents...
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Episode 267: Beauty Woven in the Brokenness (w/ Austin Ludwig)
Trigger Warning: We want to let our listeners know that this episode includes mentions of physical abuse. If you are sensitive to this topic, we recommend you listen with caution. Trauma is one of the hardest challenges to navigate in life. Whether it’s impacting you or someone you love, it can…
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Episode 266: Advocating for Whole Family Care (w/ Esther Sherrard)
The child welfare system is not perfect. Not only is it subject to the types of challenges all government programs can face—such as a lack of funding, policy gaps, and inefficiencies—it’s also very overloaded. As a result, many biological parents don’t receive the best resources to help them...
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Episode 265: Walking Through the Heartache of "Blocked Care" (w/ Eric & Diana Powell)
Like so many families, Eric and Diana Powell entered into adoption with the best intentions. After their first international adoption from Thailand, they quickly started the paperwork for their second, knowing that the process is often long and fraught with delays. What they couldn’t know is that...
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Episode 264: The Reality of a Caseworker’s Role (w/ Brittni Hodges)
Foster care caseworkers often feel forgotten, isolated, and alone. From managing stressful workloads to coping with secondary trauma and sometimes facing frustration from families in crisis, it’s not hard to understand why caseworker turnover is so high. But here at The Forgotten Initiative, we...
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Episode 263: Learning How to Serve the Foster Care Community (w/ April Hobbs)
How much do you know about the foster care community where you live? Many people—both individuals and organizations like churches—want to support their vulnerable neighbors. But few are aware of the many practical ways they can help the children, biological families, foster families, and agency...
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Episode 262: Hope for Healing from Adverse Childhood Experiences (w/ Angela Paganelli)
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can affect children from any background, but those in foster care are especially vulnerable. There are ten main types of ACEs that have been identified—ranging from abuse to neglect to household dysfunction. All of them have the potential to negatively impact...
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Episode 261: Helping Children Develop Positive Relationships with Food (w/ Madison Tyler)
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 13.5% of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2023. Unfortunately, food-related trauma is a common challenge for many children who have entered the foster care system. Whether it’s an aversion to a particular type of food, fear…
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Episode 260: Transforming Despair Into Hope (w/ Keristein Fox)
For our very first episode of 2025, we’re bringing you another great conversation that sheds light on the real people of the foster care community. In this episode, we are talking to Keristein Fox. Today, she’s a happily married stay-at-home mom who loves watching her three children grow and...
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Episode 259: Born into Foster Care (w/ Lucy Baker)
Trigger Warning: We want to let our listeners know that this episode includes mentions of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and thoughts of suicide. If you are sensitive to any of these topics, we recommend you listen with caution. From the day she entered the world, Lucy Baker felt as though she...
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Episode 258: Learning How to Care for a Child’s Hair (w/ Authrine T.K. Singleton)
When a child enters our home, there are many factors we consider to ensure their comfort and safety. However, one important aspect of a child’s well-being can often be overlooked—their hair care. This is especially true if the child comes from a different racial background, where hair care needs...
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Episode 257: Uncovering Your Identity (w/ Kyle Bullock, Ellyn Bullock, & Michelle Hubble)
It’s natural to wonder who your birth parents are. In fact, this is a question that many foster and adoptive children wrestle with. For children, teens, and even adults who have never known their biological parents, curiosity about their identity often goes hand in hand with a fear of the…
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Episode 256: The True Story of Possum Trot (w/ Bishop and First Lady Donna Martin)
Over the summer, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot hit theaters across the country. This film tells the powerful true story of Donna and Bishop Martin as they ignited a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace children in foster care who needed a home. Their East Texas community...
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Episode 255: Processing Your Emotions After a Placement Disruption (w/ Kamrie Smith)
When you decide to become a foster parent, you are asked a wide range of questions about what kind of placements you are willing to accept. What ages will you take? What ages won’t you take? Are there any special needs you will or won’t be able to accommodate? What about sibling groups? Even when...
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Episode 254: What It’s Like Becoming a TFI Advocate (w/ Justin Meehan)
It’s that time of year again! As you may know, we open applications to become a TFI Advocate only a couple times each year, and this November is one of those opportunities. If you’re considering applying, today’s episode is the perfect chance to learn more about what becoming a TFI Advocate…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Forgotten Podcast have?
The Forgotten Podcast currently has 324 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Forgotten Podcast about?
We want to see people everywhere supporting the foster care community and experiencing Jesus together. So, in this podcast, we are sharing the stories of the foster care community to bring awareness that leads to action!
How often does The Forgotten Podcast release new episodes?
The Forgotten Podcast publishes regularly with 324 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Forgotten Podcast?
You can listen to The Forgotten Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Forgotten Podcast?
The Forgotten Podcast is created and hosted by The Forgotten Initiative.
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