We had the opportunity to sit down with Lauren Lawson who grew up living with various family members and then eventually went into the foster care system at age 12. Lauren shares her story and offers insight into some of the issues and behaviors that might exist in adolescents within the foster care system. Now a foster mom, she shares wise guidance that encourages us to consider what might be behind some of the behaviors of the children in our families.
We are then joined by Ryan North, the Executive Director of Tapestry, the Adoption and Foster Care Ministry of Irving Bible Church and leader of Empowered to Connect. Ryan and his wife Kayla train others from around the country to help couples tend to the hearts of children from hard places. In this episode, Ryan offers practical advice for foster parents on how they can learn to address and meet the needs that sometimes occur beneath the behaviors.
Download the free companion PDF to this series—“Seven Insights about Foster Care from Those Who’ve Been There”–and share these types of insights with others in your community!
Download the free companion PDF to this series—“Seven Insights about Foster Care from Those Who’ve Been There”–and share these types of insights with others in your community!
Key Quote
“If I see one of my little guys and they’re lashing out, sometimes it’s easy just as a parent, want to jump on that, squash the behavior, and tell them to knock it off. When the reality is, I don’t know what’s going on in their hearts. That may be their only coping mechanism because they miss mom and dad today.”
Former Foster Youth and Foster Parent
Resources and Guests
Ryan and Kayla North spent 10 years as foster parents and learned many of the things they share with families, churches, and schools living what they have learned.
They are co-founders of One Big Happy Home and are considered experts on childhood trauma. Together they have developed training materials and programs for churches, schools, and parents educating them on trauma and its impacts.
Together they have trained and mentored ministry leaders and trainers across the United States and Canada in trauma-informed care and crisis intervention.
They are both TBRI Practitioners and speak at churches, schools, conferences, and retreats nationwide.
Ryan and Kayla have had the privilege of working with some of the most respected voices in the fields of Developmental Trauma and Attachment including; Dr. Karyn Purvis, Dr. David Cross, Dr. Curt Thompson, Dr. Tina Payne-Bryson, Cindy Lee, and Jayne Schooler.
You can hear them on The Empowered Parent Podcast and read their writing at One Big Happy Home.
Ryan and Kayla live in the Dallas area with their six children, three dogs, and two sugar gliders.
