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 219: The Pain of Entering Foster Care (w/ DREION)
Episode 218: Deeper Than Sunday (w/ Desiree Jacobs)
Episode 217: We Need Dads (w/ Joey Eells)
Episode 216: Beyond Our Control (w/ Michael & Lauren McAfee)
Episode 215: Giving God Your “Yes” (w/ Jenn Hand)
Episode 214: My Identity Isn't Found in a File (w/ Melinda Melo)
Episode 213: Life After Reunification: Becoming an Agency Worker (w/ Brenna Hunter)
Episode 212: The Power of the Sibling Bond (w/ Aimee Cervantes)
Episode 211: Building Trust Between Foster and Biological Parents (w/ Cheyenne Dillon & Amanda Stonesifer)
Episode 210: Supporting Reunification Even When It’s Hard (w/ Jillian Kellenberger)
Episode 209: Developing Empathy & Renewing Your Calling to Serve the Vulnerable (w/ Herbie Newell)
Episode 208: The Impact of Secondary Trauma on Social Workers (w/ Blake Boyer)
Episode 207: A Journey From Addiction to Advocacy (w/ Jody Golston)
Episode 206: Waiting for a Place to Call Home (w/ Darien Karenbauer)
Episode 205: Navigating Hardship & Pursuing a Dream (w/ Kate Wilson & Secilia Bedolla)
Episode 204: Refugee & International Foster Care (w/ Jamie Bartlett)
Episode 203: Creating Connections Through Advocacy (w/ Abby Callison)
Episode 202: Holding Onto Hope After Aging Out of Care (w/ Antonio Grate)
Episode 201: Practical Support for Parenting Children from Hard Places (w/ Kayla Moffitt)
Episode 200: Celebrating The Forgotten Podcast (w/ Jami Kaeb & Holly Gnuse)
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