Tracy | Accept the Love: A foster turned adoptive mom navigating mental health

Hey mama. Motherhood is really really hard. Medical motherhood, foster motherhood, adoptive motherhood…motherhood in all of its many forms is hard. Regardless, every journey to motherhood is unique, and yet so very similar. What do medical motherhood and foster/adoptive motherhood have in common? We're so glad you asked.

This week's guest, Tracy shares her unique journey into motherhood. From foster mom, to no kids at home, to adoptive mom. She opens up about the challenges she has faced navigating mental health needs for her children and leaves us with a very important takeaway, and glimmer of hope.

Tracy has five children, who came into her family in different ways. She has one stepson and four adoptive children who joined her family initially through foster care. Additionally, her family has touched the lives of several other foster children throughout the years. We bonded over our shared understanding of trauma and the importance of finding support with mental health.

"Trauma is real early. Childhood trauma is real and you can't love that away, you just can't. The older children…when they come into care, the more trauma they've actually seen and experienced. " – Tracy

In this episode, Tracy shares her story from fostering to adoption and her family's navigation through trauma and mental health.

Here's what Tracy shared, be sure not to miss:

• Welcoming Tracy (2:38)
• How does fostering work? (4:43)
• Fostering children with different needs (7:08)
• The journey from fostering to adoption (8:45)
• Grief in the journey (14:56)
• Reaching out through Facebook (17:02)
• Childhood trauma (18:41)
• Judgements from others (21:18)
• Navigating mental health (28:41)
• A glimmer of hope (37:27)
• Advice for new moms (39:57)
• What gives Tracy hope (42:33)
• How to find a community (43:52)

Foster parenthood and adoptive motherhood are emotional journeys as you strive to love your children and help them navigate trauma and change. This journey is challenging and messy at times, but also filled with joy and hope. I hope that Tracy has helped to show that even throughout the challenge, the messy, the scary, there is support, there is hope for the future. Do you have experience with fostering or adoption? Do you have experiences you would like to share with other mothers? Let me know in the When Autumn Comes Society or send me a DM on Instagram! I'd love to hear about how this helped you.

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Top 3 tips from this episode:

• Find your squad
• Make it ok to talk about mental health
• Accept the love