Welcome to From Foster to Forever: Inspiring Foster & Adoption Stories!

Episodes

Jan. 27, 2026

Foster Care Reality: Trauma, Love & Burnout with Emily Ellet

This episode is a deep dive into the world of foster care - specifically, fostering a teen as a single woman. Our guest, Emily Ellett, shares her personal journey as a foster parent with candor and insight, shedding light on ...

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Jan. 20, 2026

Embracing the Unexpected in Foster Care with Nikki Zakocs

Flexibility and openness are the name of the game when it comes to fostering and adopting, and our guest, Nikki, really drives that point home today. She’s got a heartwarming story about her journey through foster care, navig...

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Jan. 13, 2026

The Cosmic Library: Akashic Records for Family and Personal Guidance

Kanika Vasudeva joins us today to dive into the mystical realm of the Akashic Records and the art of energy expansion. We kick things off by exploring what the Akashic Records really are—think of them as a cosmic library fill...

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Jan. 6, 2026

From Heartbreak to Hope: Martha's Foster and Adoption Stories

Martha Chaput drops some real talk with us today about the rollercoaster of fostering and adopting children. She shares her heart-wrenching experiences of loving and letting go, highlighting how important it is to make decisi...

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Dec. 30, 2025

Adopting Six Kids: Buckle Up with Bonnie Johnston Butler

This week, we’re diving deep into the whirlwind journey of foster care and adoption with our guest, Bonnie Butler. She shares her story of going from contemplating stepping back from the foster system to unexpectedly adopting...

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Dec. 23, 2025

Growing Up in Foster Care, Trauma Recovery, and Finding Hope with Mar…

Mary Fields shares her deeply personal journey of resilience and healing on the podcast, emphasizing that kindness can be a powerful tool for change. Growing up in the foster care system, she faced immense challenges that cou...

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Dec. 16, 2025

Adopting an Older Child with TEDx Speaker Hilary Crowley

In this powerful and heart-opening conversation, I sit down with Hilary Crowley — foster-to-adopt mom, holistic health practitioner, energy healer, TEDx speaker, and author of The Power of Energy Medicine . Hilary shares the ...

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June 26, 2025

Hey Fam! Quick Catch Up on the show!

Life's a wild ride, isn't it? Kind of like fostering and adopting, which is the heart and soul of our podcast, From Foster to Forever. We dive into the ups and downs of non-traditional families, sharing heartfelt stories that...

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May 2, 2025

Mentorship: The Power of Being a Big Brother or Sister

Dennis DJ Quinn joins Rachel to share some seriously heartwarming wisdom from his years of mentoring through the Big Brother program. Right off the bat, he dives into the real deal about what it’s like to step into a kid’s li...

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April 15, 2025

Too Autistic for Dance Class? Not Here!

In continuation of our celebration of Autistic voices, we're diving deep into the world of dance and neurodiversity with Amanda Trisdale and Leta Rundell, the dynamic duo behind the Autistic Wings Dance Company. Right off the...

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April 2, 2025

Neurodiversity, Special Needs and Foster Care with Christopher Wyatt

Today’s chat dives deep into the nitty-gritty of parenting while navigating the complexities of autism and ADHD. Our guest, Christopher Wyatt, shares his personal journey of becoming a foster parent, which took a serious turn...

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March 25, 2025

Educational Rights & Trauma Informed Parenting with Sharon Dunlevy

Sharon Dunleavy joins Rachel in this enlightening episode to shed some serious light on the critical role of educational advocacy for kids in foster care. With around 20,000 youth aging out of the system each year, Sharon div...

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March 4, 2025

Hair Care for Black Kids: Tips for White Parents from Terria Roushun

Terria Roushun joins me today to dive into the heart of hair care and its cultural significance, especially for transracial adoptive parents of Black children. She emphasizes that caring for a child's hair is not just about s...

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Feb. 25, 2025

Transforming Lives Through Foster Care: A Conversation with Dr. John …

Rachel Fulginiti sits down with Dr. John DeGarmo, a powerhouse in the world of foster care and adoption, to dig into the importance of providing every child with a forever family. Dr. DeGarmo shares his heartfelt journey into...

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Feb. 18, 2025

From Cancer Survivor to Mom: Heather Keller's Adoption Journey

Actress and cancer survivor Heather Keller joins us today, sharing her inspiring journey as a foster-to-adopt mom in a transracial family. Heather shares what led her to fostering and how she managed to begin the journey whil...

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Feb. 11, 2025

Family Dynamics: Therapist Jeanette Yoffe on the unique needs of adop…

Jeanette Yoffe dives deep into the complexities of foster care and adoption in this enlightening chat. As an adult adoptee, she shares her personal experiences, revealing how her journey through the foster system shaped her c...

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Feb. 4, 2025

Navigating the Emotional Rollercoaster of Foster Care

Maryanne shares her compelling journey as a foster parent navigating the complex and often tumultuous world of foster care. She emphasizes the emotional rollercoaster that comes with fostering, highlighting the unique challen...

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Jan. 28, 2025

Empowering Foster Families: Brittany Viebrock on Support and Community

Brittany Viebrock, the Program Success Manager at Austin Angels, joins Rachel Fulginiti to discuss the vital support system for families and youth navigating the foster care system. The mission of Austin Angels is to walk alo...

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Jan. 21, 2025

The Power of Kinship: How Naika Became a Foster Mom

The heartfelt discussion between Naika Andre and Rachel Fulginiti delves deeply into Naika's profound journey as a foster mom, focusing on her experiences caring for her godson amidst challenging family circumstances. The epi...

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Jan. 14, 2025

Adoption, Sobriety and Resilience: a conversation with Beth Dubber

In this episode, we welcome Beth Dubber, a busy still photographer and an adoptee who later became a foster-to-adopt mom. Beth shares her multifaceted story, including her experiences with IVF, adoption, and navigating life a...

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Jan. 7, 2025

Young, Queer and Suddenly Dad: Billie Oh's Unexpected Foster to Adopt…

I found my way to Billie Oh via a beautiful article in the Huffington Post about their experience with Single Foster Dad Adoption . Billie began the foster journey with no intention of adopting, but life had other plans. No s...

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Dec. 14, 2024

Using Your Sphere of Influence with actress Jen Lilley

Days of Our Lives and Hallmark Channel star Jen Lilley is a foster-to-adopt mom and philanthropist who donates tons of her time, money and energy to championing the cause of foster youth. In this episode she takes time out of...

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May 7, 2024

Quick Season 1 Update

Just a quick message of thanks and gratitude for supporting the show and an update on what's next. We're currently working on a Season 2. I am also finishing up an offering that I hope to have out in early summer: Two new boo...

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April 2, 2024

Unconditional Love: A teacher adopts her student

I couldn't think of a better way to close out Season One than by sharing Stacey and Demi's unique story. It begins when Stacey was a new teacher in her first job. Demi was a pre-teen with a challenging family life. At school ...

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