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 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)
Episode 234: Finding Forever Families for Every Child (w/ Kaycee Stanley)
Episode 233: You Don't Have to Foster to Care (w/ Maddie Box)
Episode 232: Advocating for Children in Foster Care as CASAs (w/ Travis & Stephanie Johnson)
Episode 231: Lessons from a 30-Year Career in Social Work (w/ Carmen Nance)
Episode 230: From Foster Care to Motherhood: A Redemption Story (w/ Tash Haynes)
Episode 229: How a Foster Mom and Birth Mom Became Family (w/ Jillana Goble & Jennifer Bracken)
Episode 228 - Family Discipleship: A Guide to Guiding Your Kids (w/ Sarah Cowan Johnson)
Episode 226: Supporting Workers in the Foster Care Community (w/ Brian Gazdziak)
Episode 225: Becoming an Emotional Safety Net For Your Child (w/ Michelle Nietert)
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