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 152: Acknowledging a Child's Unique Life Journey
Episode 151: Forming Habits for Your Family and Yourself (w/ Justin Whitmel Earley)
BONUS: Our Favorite Moments From Season 12
Episode 150: Entering Into Flexible Fatherhood
Episode 149: The Gospel of Place (w/ Paul Tripp)
Episode 148: When You Have to Do Something: How TFI Fits Into the Foster Care Community
Episode 147: God’s Faithful Pursuit: From the Perspective of a Former Foster Child
Episode 146: When Hope Feels Dangerous: From the Perspective of a Biological Parent
Episode 145: A Lasting Impact: From the Perspective of a Foster Parent
Episode 144: Moment by Moment: From the Perspective of an Agency Worker
Episode 143: Following the Passion in Your Heart
Episode 142: Navigating Transition & Alternative Outcomes in Foster Care
Episode 141: Encouragement, Hope, & Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent
Episode 140: Family Matters: Changing the Story for Teens in Foster Care
Episode 139: Cultivating Identity, Healing From Trauma, & the Bravery of Telling Your Story
Episode 138: Tending to the Pain of the Past
Episode 137: If God is Calling You, You Can Do It!
Episode 136: Foster Care 101: Becoming a Middle Family
BONUS: Our Favorite Moments From Season 11
Episode 135: When God Opens Unexpected Doors
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