In this powerful episode of Adoption & Beyond, Alyse and Nicole sit down with Dr. Nancy Grechko, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Grechko Training & Consulting. She explores the deeply personal and professional sides of fertility struggles — the grief, the hope, and the complicated decisions that often follow.
Dr. Grechko shares her own experience with fertility and how that journey has shaped her clinical work. From navigating emotional burnout to knowing when it’s time to consider alternatives like adoption, this conversation offers validation, insight, and real-world guidance for anyone touched by reproductive challenges.
Whether you're a mental health professional, a hopeful parent, or someone supporting a loved one through this journey, this episode offers an informative look into what it really means to support people through fertility challenges.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, Alyse and Nicole step out from behind the mic as hosts and into the spotlight to share their personal and professional journeys as social workers at Adoptions From The Heart. They open up about what led them to the field of social work, their experiences supporting birth and adoptive families, and the challenges and rewards of working in adoption.
From the emotional highs of creating families to the complexities of guiding people through difficult decisions, Alyse and Nicole give an inside look at the realities of being an adoption social worker. They also reflect on how this work has shaped their personal perspectives and share advice for those considering a career in adoption social work.
Join us for an insightful and heartfelt conversation about the people behind the process—because adoption is more than just paperwork, it’s about the connections that change lives.
Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review! Follow along for more adoption stories and insights.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, we sit down with Angela Tucker, a transracial adoptee, educator, and advocate, to discuss her journey growing up as a Black adoptee in a white family. Adopted through a closed adoption and raised in a predominantly white town in Washington, Angela always longed for connection to her roots but faced systemic barriers, including state laws requiring her to be 21 before accessing adoption records.
Angela shares how her perspective on transracial adoption evolved, particularly after leaving the "umbrella" of her white adoptive parents to attend college. She reflects on color evasiveness in adoption, the pressures of overachievement and people-pleasing, and the importance of listening directly to adoptees rather than allowing adoptive parents to speak for them—even into adulthood.
Through her work, Angela has created a virtual mentoring program to support adoptees and developed an inclusive family support model that emphasizes openness and authentic relationships between adoptees and birth parents. She discusses the need for white adoptive parents to actively cultivate anti-racist family environments and ensure that extended family members are also engaged in this learning.
For more information about Angela go to www.angelatucker.com or find her on Instagram @angieadopteeTo learn more about AFTH services you can go to www.afth.org or email us at adoption@afth.org
2025 podcast season with a special episode reflecting on our journey over the past four decades. This milestone episode will explore how AFTH has grown, adapted, and evolved to meet the changing needs of adoptive families, birth parents, and adoptees.
Joining us is AFTH's visionary Founder and adoptee, Maxine Chalker, who will share her inspiring story of establishing AFTH and her experiences in the world of adoption. We'll also hear from Heidi Gonzalez, AFTH’s current Executive Director, who will provide insights into the organization's present-day impact and goals for the future. Stephanie Capriotti, AFTH's longest-serving social worker, will reflect on the changes she’s witnessed in adoption practices and the meaningful moments that have defined her career. Finally, Adoption Attorney Debbie Spivack will discuss her role in supporting families through the legal aspects of adoption.
This episode is a tribute to the incredible growth of AFTH, the lives touched by our mission, and the dedicated individuals who have made it all possible. Tune in for heartfelt stories, reflections, and a celebration of 40 years of creating connections that last a lifetime.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, Nicole and Alyse are joined by Dr. Michael Stokes, a licensed professional counselor with Doctorate in Professional Counseling and Supervision and the CEO of Stokes Counseling. Dr. Stokes is also an adoptive father, having adopted twice through AFTH with his husband.
During this conversation, Dr. Stokes shares his personal adoption journey, offers professional insights on managing the emotional ups and downs of the waiting process, and provides valuable advice for families navigating their feelings during the holiday season. Additionally, he delves into the concept of duality in adoption, offering a thoughtful perspective on balancing joy and grief. Don’t miss this engaging and heartfelt episode!
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, Nicole and Alyse sit down with Isaac Etter, a transracial adoptee, social entrepreneur, and the founder of Identity, a groundbreaking organization re-imagining post-placement support for adoptive and foster families.
Isaac shares his personal adoption story and the experiences that inspired him to become a passionate advocate for adoptees and their families. He dives into the complexities of navigating race and identity as a transracial adoptee, offering powerful insights into how parents and professionals can better support children in their journeys.
Listeners will also learn about Identity’s innovative approach to helping adoptive and foster families thrive and hear practical advice on fostering open conversations about race, culture, and belonging.
Whether you’re a parent, adoptee, or child welfare professional, this episode is packed with inspiration, education, and resources to help you better understand and navigate the unique challenges and joys of transracial adoption.
To learn more about Isaac and Identity you can go to https://isaacetter.com/ or https://www.identitylearning.co/.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, hosts Alyse and Nicole sit down with experienced social workers who have worked in both the foster care system and private adoption agencies. Our guests share unique insights into the differences between these two systems, explore common myths, and discuss the challenges families may face when deciding between foster care and private adoption. They also address sensitive topics, like the process of non-newborn placements and options for those who may already have an open case with the state. Whether you’re a prospective adoptive parent, a birth parent, or simply curious about the inner workings of child welfare, this episode offers valuable perspectives to help you understand these important choices.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, Alyse and Nicole sit down with Chelsea and Randi of Grands Stepping Up, an organization dedicated to supporting kinship caregivers—grandparents and other relatives who step up to care for children within their families. They share invaluable insights into the unique challenges and rewards of kinship adoption, the resources available to help these families thrive, and the vital role of community and collaboration in supporting kinship care. To learn more about Grands Stepping Up you can go to: www.grandssteppingupinfo.com To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart and our services, you can go to: www.afth.org To listen to Taylor Shennet's podcast episode you can go here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Azj...
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond Podcast we sat down with Amanda Aliberti and Sheila Kowit , AFTH social workers, to talk about pregnancy options counseling and placing non-newborn children for adoption. For more information about AFTH services for expecting and birth parents you can go to afth.org/pregnant.
In this episode of Adoption & Beyond we were joined by Jessica Anne Pressler and Jennifer Conn. Jessica is an author, psychotherapist and social worker and Jennifer is a psychotherapist and licensed social worker who specializes in working with young people.
During the episodes Jessica and Jennifer shared about their experience growing up as an adoptees and how their adoption impacted their lives growing up and as adults. They also touched on ways that parents can support adoptees in their journey of self discovery and provide a safe space for them to speak when they need support.
You can learn more about Jessica and her work as a psychotherapist on her website www.jessicaannepressler.com You can also follow her journey on social media @jessicaannepressler.
You can learn more about Jenn and her work with Adoptees on her website www.bloomtherapypa.com
To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart you can go to www.afth.org
In this enlightening episode of Adoption & Beyond, we delve into the crucial topic of supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. Join us as we welcome Phii Regis from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and All Children-All Families, the largest LGBTQIA+ advocacy group in the United States.
Phii brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our discussion, offering valuable insights on how parents can create a supportive and affirming environment for their LGBTQIA+ children. We also highlight community resources that can offer additional assistance.
Whether you’re a parent, educator, or ally, this episode is packed with essential information to help you better understand and support the LGBTQIA+ youth in your life. Tune in to learn how to be a stronger advocate and ally, and discover how we can all contribute to a more inclusive and accepting world.
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In this episode of Adoption & Beyond, Nicole and Alyse sat with Kristy, AFTH's Director of Marketing and Communications to speak about their experience as mothers. They spoke frankly on their highs and lows of motherhood. Some of the topics discussed are: postpartum depression, post partum anxiety, how being a mother affects their work in the adoption field and much more.
In this episode episode of Adoption & Beyond Podcast, we interviews three people who went through infertility and then decided to move on to adopting children. During this episode our guests speak about the raw emotions, the ups and the downs, and their grief journeys through their #infertility, as well as the adoption process.
Welcome to our new and improved podcast Adoption & Beyond. On this episode of the podcast we introduce our new name and new segments of the podcast. We are also now on VIDEO! If you would like to see the episode head over to our YouTube Channel @Adoption&BeyondPodcast.
In celebration of March being National Social Work Month, we got together with three amazing guests: Jackie, Christian and Emily. They are all adoptees who now work at Adoptions From The Heart as adoption social workers. During this episode they discuss the ups and downs of working in the adoption field, their story as adoptees and how they ended up in social work, importance of work-life balance, and much more.
To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart, head over to our website at www.afth.org.
Grief is a natural response to loss, but it can be a difficult emotion to navigate. In this podcast episode, we are joined by grief counselor Jenn Oglesbee to discuss misconceptions about grief, coping strategies, and healthy ways to process emotions.
You can learn more about Jenn Oglesbee and the work she does by visiting her website at www.jennoglesbee.com
Subscribe to her newsletter, "The Comfort Corner," a free weekly newsletter designed to help you feel seen and supported in your grief: www.jennoglesbee.com/comfort
Follow Jenn on Instagram@JennOglesbee
Follow us on all social media platforms @AdoptionsFromTheHeart
TW: This episode has topics of pregnancy loss and transracial adoption. If these topics trigger you, please feel free to skip this episode.
In this episode of a Heart to Heart with Adoptions From The Heart podcast, we invited Emily Hogar. Emily is an adoptive mother from our Central PA office and a midwife. Emily adopted her daughter in 2019 with her husband. We want to take time to talk to Emily to hear more about her professional experience working with expecting parents as well as how that has impacted her on her journey as an adoptive mother. In this episode we will discuss birth mother support, open adoption, midwifery, transracial adoption and racial advocacy.
To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart, please visit www.afth.org.
In This episode, we sit down with Vaughn and Marvin, two adoptive dads, as they share their journey as a same-sex couple navigating the open adoption process. We discuss their experiences, similarities, and differences in adopting a newborn vs. an older child placement(a two-year-old). We also dive into the many hurdles faced with finalization, navigating transitions from one household to another, identity, addressing the importance of inclusion and diversity, how to deal with the opinions of others, and how they overcame personal challenges. To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart and the services we provide you can go to www.afth.org or call 800-355-5500. Please make sure you subscribe and rate our podcast!
On this episode of A Heart-to-Heart with Adoptions From The Heart, we are excited to welcome Leya, a Senior Social Worker at ChristianaCare in Delaware who provides supportive services to expecting parents. We are also joined by Amanda Aliberti who is an Adoption Counselor and Supervisor as well as the Expecting and Birth Parent Services Manager at Adoptions From The Heart.
Adoptions From The Heart has the honor of working alongside incredible medical professionals to provide information and support to expecting parents wanting to explore their options. Leya shares more about her role at ChristianaCare and how she advocates for patients' needs and provides support and resources as they navigate their pregnancies. Amanda discusses the importance of developing relationships and trust between AFTH and hospital staff to be able to provide seamless care to expecting parents and advocating for clients' needs is the priority whether or not they choose to move forward with an adoption plan.
On this episode of A Heart-to-Heart with Adoptions From The Heart podcast we wanted to take a time a highlight the voices of people in the military community with ties to adoption. May is Military Appreciation month, so on this episode we talked the challenges of placing a child for adoption, adopting a child or being an adoption social worker while being a service member or a military spouse. During our conversation we spoke about the raw experiences of the our service men and women who have chosen adoption.
During the episode we touch on important subjects like post-partum depression, metal health, the process of adopting while in the military, maintaining openness in the adoption plan, and much more. We want to thank all Katie, Brittny and Tiffany for being open and honest about their experiences.
To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart pleas visit www.afth.org or call 800-355-5500.
In this episode of a Heart-to-Heart with Adoptions From The Heart podcast, we are joined by two couples: Jim & Racheal and Rob & Sam. They joined this episode to share about their infertility journey and ultimately choosing adoption to build their family. In this episode, we touched on infertility diagnosis, impacts on infertility on a persons mental health, supporting your partner through the process, choosing adoption to grow their family, disruptions, open adoption and relationships with birth parents and much more. We thank Jim, Racheal, Rob and Sam for being vulnerable and open about their stories.
To purchase Jim's book "Why Is Light So Damned Capricious? " you can go here: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Light-So-Damned-Capricious/dp/0692050736
To learn more about Adoptions From The Heart and the services we provide you can go to www.afth.org. Please make sure you subscribe and rate our podcast!