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 70: Journeying Through the Hard Goodbyes in Foster Care
Episode 69: Fostering Teen Moms: Finding Success in Faithfulness
Episode 68: Walking Through Grief With Hope
Episode 67: The Power of a Surrendered Heart
Episode 66: Traditional Parenting Vs. Trauma-Informed Parenting: Pursuing Connection with Your Child
Episode 65: When Mental Health and Trauma Intersect: Finding the Path Towards Healing
Episode 64: My Parents are Foster Parents: Honest Reflections from Teens in a Fostering Family
Episode 63: Lessons Learned from Growing Up in a Fostering Family
BONUS: The Father’s Loving Pursuit of His Daughter
ENCORE: Making an Indelible Difference in the Lives of Vulnerable Children
Episode 62: Supporting, Loving and Going Above and Beyond for Biological Parents
Episode 61: Staying the Course in Foster Care: “It’s What We Do”
Episode 60: Creatively Conquering Fears: How Art Became a Means of Healing
Episode 59: Foster Care and Higher Education: One Man's Story of Beating the Odds
Episode 58: More to Me: Foster Care Through the Eyes of a Teen
Episode 57: Confidentiality in Foster Care: Why It Matters
Episode 56: Single Foster Parenting – Real Strategies from Real Moms
Episode 55: A New School Year -- Advocating for Our Kids from Trauma Backgrounds
Episode 54: Mentoring Can Make a Difference in the Life of a Foster Child
Episode 53: The Search for Identity Leads to Foster Care Ministry
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