TW: While Joan does not go into specific details, this episode does contain mentions of her experiences of abuse, and we wanted you to be aware of that before listening.
Our guests often share the traumatic memories their experiences in life have left them with. But today’s guest shares what it’s like for there to be pieces missing when she tries to recall her past.
Joan Ulsher is a writer, philanthropist, retired U.S. Army Major, and an award-winning child advocate. During her own childhood, Joan survived abuse and experienced the foster care system firsthand. Today, she says many of her formative years feel like “Swiss cheese” because of all the holes in her memory.
Joan tells her story in a memoir entitled Misplaced Childhood: A True Story of Resiliency and Child Advocacy.
In this conversation, you’ll hear how Joan has navigated her mind blocking out childhood memories, how her advocacy efforts have changed her inner narrative from that of a victim to that of a survivor, how finding Christ has given her life new purpose, and so much more.
Show Notes: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/joan-ulsher-227/
Free Video Resource: Foster Care & the Church -- www.fostercare.church
Episode 249: I Am Not My Parents' Story (w/ Darnella Miller)
Fan Favorite: Prayerful Decisions—Saying Yes and No (w/ AJ and Katrina Nowaczyk)
Fan Favorite: Life in Foster Care—What It’s Really Like (w/ Tori Petersen)
Fan Favorite: The Birth Parent Perspective—What It’s Like Having Your Child Removed From You
Fan Favorite: Traditional Parenting vs. Trauma-Informed Parenting (w/ Kristin Berry)
Fan Favorite: Finding the “Perfect” Time to Foster or Adopt (w/ Jason Johnson)
Episode 248: Learning the Language of a Child’s Brain (w/ Cherilyn Orr)
Episode 247: No One Ever Ages Out of Needing Care (w/ Jessica Cawthorn)
Episode 246: Leaning on Community as a Single Foster Parent (w/ Emma Finton)
Episode 245: When You Feel Unlovable (w/ Sheena Wood)
Episode 244: Finding Security & Identity as an Adoptee (w/ Trisha Priebe)
Episode 243: Uncovering Your Story as a Former Foster Child (w/ Dr. Mary Ann McMillan)
Episode 242: Defining Success in the Hard Moments of Foster Parenting (w/ Nate and Kristen Crew)
Episode 241: Cultivating Independence and Belonging for Teens (w/ Chandler James)
Episode 240: Combining Word and Deed to Provide Belonging (w/ Dr. Krish Kandiah)
Episode 239: Trauma-Informed Sleep Principles (w/ Allison Ezell)
Episode 238: Making the Hard Decision to Stop Being a Foster Parent (w/ Lisa Robertson)
Episode 237: Foster Care & Baseball (w/ Emily Cole)
Episode 236: Navigating the Complexity of Court (w/ Judge Brian Goldrick)
Episode 235: Supporting & Serving TFI Advocates (w/ Jody Vanderburg & Liz Archambault)
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