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Things I Can't Say
Annie Willems
13 episodes
1 week ago
In this heartfelt and candid clip, Annie shares her struggles and insights as a parent raising children who have experienced severe trauma. She discusses the challenges of balancing accountability and compassion, acknowledging the difficulty in holding children accountable when their brain function may not allow them to fully control their actions. Annie reflects on the societal expectations placed on her children, who appear "fine" externally but require significant support to manage their b...
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Mental Health
Health & Fitness
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All content for Things I Can't Say is the property of Annie Willems and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this heartfelt and candid clip, Annie shares her struggles and insights as a parent raising children who have experienced severe trauma. She discusses the challenges of balancing accountability and compassion, acknowledging the difficulty in holding children accountable when their brain function may not allow them to fully control their actions. Annie reflects on the societal expectations placed on her children, who appear "fine" externally but require significant support to manage their b...
Show more...
Mental Health
Health & Fitness
Episodes (13/13)
Things I Can't Say
Episode 13: Trauma Brain
In this heartfelt and candid clip, Annie shares her struggles and insights as a parent raising children who have experienced severe trauma. She discusses the challenges of balancing accountability and compassion, acknowledging the difficulty in holding children accountable when their brain function may not allow them to fully control their actions. Annie reflects on the societal expectations placed on her children, who appear "fine" externally but require significant support to manage their b...
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1 week ago
19 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 12: When Church Community Fails
Annie shares her personal journey of navigating faith and mental illness, highlighting the challenges faced by families who don't fit the traditional mold of church communities. She reflects on her deep connection to the church, which was once her entire community, and the subsequent isolation she felt when her family's struggles with mental illness and trauma were not understood or supported. Annie candidly discusses the pain of losing friends and community support, the impact on her marriag...
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3 weeks ago
20 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 11: Advocacy vs Justification
Annie shares her personal journey of navigating PTSD and advocating for her children's mental health needs. She reflects on the challenges faced with her son during middle school and the current struggles with her daughter, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between advocating for necessary supports and excusing behaviors. Annie candidly discusses the emotional toll of revisiting past traumas and the fear of repeating difficult experiences. Support the show
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3 weeks ago
18 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 10: The Cause
Annie discusses the potential causes of her son's behavior, including prenatal drug exposure, early childhood trauma, and the chaotic environment he experienced in foster care. She highlights the difficulties in finding effective psychiatric medications for her son, as many caused severe side effects. She also addresses the impact of marijuana on his mental health, noting its detrimental effects despite its perceived mildness. Support the show
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1 month ago
24 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 9: Minimizing Risk
This episode features Annie, who shares her struggles as a parent dealing with a challenging situation involving her son. She describes the difficult transition from protecting her child to protecting others from him, highlighting the emotional turmoil and societal judgment she faces. Annie recounts specific incidents, including accusations against her son and her efforts to minimize harm to others, even when it meant making tough decisions that went against her values.
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1 month ago
19 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 8: Navigating Open Adoption
Annie discusses the complexities of her relationship with her children's birth mother, highlighting the challenges and dynamics of co-parenting in an adoption context. She shares experiences of mediation, the emotional journey of fostering and adopting, and the evolving relationship with their birth mother.
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1 month ago
18 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 7: Regrets
Annie shares her complex feelings about adoption and highlights the challenges and systemic failures she encountered. She discusses the lack of support from the adoption system, particularly in accessing necessary resources for children with special needs. Annie emphasizes the difficulties in navigating a system that often requires situations to reach a crisis point before help is available. Despite her love for fostering and open adoption, she criticizes the current system for not being desi...
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1 month ago
17 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 6: Finding Grace
Do I have regret? Wish I would have done things differently? Annie shares her deeply personal and challenging experiences as a parent navigating a tumultuous family life. She describes the overwhelming stress of managing multiple responsibilities, including her work and family, while dealing with her children's mental health issues. Annie recounts a particularly difficult night that highlighted the ongoing struggles within her family.
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1 month ago
10 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 4: New Options
Annie shares the challenging journey of moving her son into a group home, hoping for a positive change. Initially, things seemed promising, but quickly deteriorated as her son's behavior worsened, leading to frequent runaways and substance abuse. Despite efforts to secure a safe environment, the situation remained dire. Annie grappled with hope and fear, uncertain about the future.
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1 month ago
15 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 5: Escalation to Independence
The clip features a heartfelt and challenging narrative from Annie, who shares the journey of her son approaching adulthood amidst significant behavioral and mental health challenges. Annie discusses the complexities of her son's past actions, including inappropriate behavior and the impact on their family. She reflects on the struggle to find proactive solutions and the emotional toll of feeling powerless as her son becomes an adult.
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1 month ago
16 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 3: High School Crisis
Annie shares a deeply personal and challenging journey with her son, who faced significant mental health struggles during his high school years. The family dealt with the stress of managing psychiatric medications, unexpected behaviors, and episodes of psychosis. Despite efforts to find the right treatment, including hospital stays and day treatment programs, the situation escalated with substance use and behavioral issues. The family faced difficult decisions, including moving their son to a...
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1 month ago
16 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 2: Middle of Nowhere
Annie shares a deeply personal and challenging experience about her son, who began exhibiting uncontrollable and destructive behavior shortly after moving into a new home. Her son experienced episodes of anger, causing significant damage to their home. The family, unable to find a diagnosis or effective help, faced daily struggles, involving paramedics and police to manage the situation. As her son started high school and entered a new relationship, the situation seemed to stabilize briefly, ...
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1 month ago
14 minutes

Things I Can't Say
Episode 1: This Will Be A Movie
The podcast features Annie sharing a deeply personal story about her family's adoption journey and the challenges they faced. She recounts adopting her son from the foster care system and the complex behaviors that led to one crisis after another. Despite the difficulties, Annie emphasizes her commitment to transparency and authenticity, sharing her experiences to shed light on the realities of adoption and trauma.
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1 month ago
14 minutes

Things I Can't Say
In this heartfelt and candid clip, Annie shares her struggles and insights as a parent raising children who have experienced severe trauma. She discusses the challenges of balancing accountability and compassion, acknowledging the difficulty in holding children accountable when their brain function may not allow them to fully control their actions. Annie reflects on the societal expectations placed on her children, who appear "fine" externally but require significant support to manage their b...