#111: Jillana Goble: Reflections on Fostering, Adoption and FASD

fasd success show Jun 11, 2022
 

 Have you ever wanted to share your story and experience with the world? Let others in on your lessons learned and hope they find comfort knowing they aren’t alone in their journey? That’s exactly what my guest, Jillana Goble has done – for a second time, with her new book: A Love Stretched Life, Stories on Wrangling Hope, Embracing the Unexpected and Discovering the Meaning of Family. 

Jillana Goble is a speaker, author, advocate and founder of Every Child Oregon. Together with her husband, Luke, she parents five children (including one with FASD) ranging in age from 10 – 18 years old. She has written two books (No Sugar-Coating and A Love Stretched Life).She’s passionate about getting people to link arms with the state’s overburdened child welfare system to uplift vulnerable children in foster care and those who serve them. 

I am thrilled that they gave me the opportunity to shed a spotlight on FASD. I am thrilled for...

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#110: What is Behind Aggression in FASD and What to Do

fasd success show Jun 04, 2022
 

Aggression is one of the biggest concerns I hear from caregivers. Why does it happen, how to respond and how to manage or stop it. It is such a concern that researchers have noticed and are now looking at it. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Jacqueline Pei, Dr. Mansfield Mela, and Jessica Joseph about a systematic review they published: Aggressive behavior and violence in children and adolescents with FASD: A synthesizing review. 

Jessica Joseph has a Master of Education and is a Doctoral Student in School and Clinical Child Psychology in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. 

Dr. Mansfield Mela is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan. Hisclinical practice is out of the Forensic Outpatient Clinic at the University of Saskatchewan and the Forensic Inpatients Services at the Regional Psychiatric Center, Saskatoon. 

Dr. Jacqueline Pei is a Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and...

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#109 Olga and Serhii:  A New Chapter for this FASD Family From Ukraine

fasd success show May 28, 2022
 

Life as an FASD Caregiver is challenging enough – but what about when you have to leave everything you have ever known, first to seek immediate safety, then as a refugee to another country, and then apply as a refugee yet again – all in the space of three months, while raising two daughters, one with FASD.  

We first met Olga and Serhii Bolshova, a family I interviewed days after Russia invaded Ukraine in Episode 97:  Olga and Serhii: An FASD Family on the Front Lines in Ukraine. Olga is an alumnus of our CKS! The caregiver Kick-start Coaching Program and was beginning her journey to help build an FASD community in her homeland when war was declared. You may remember on the night they were to flee from their home, Olga had Serhii and the girls waiting in the car as she wrapped up an FASD training session on Zoom! 

It’s been a few months and their adventures continue. Many of you wondered how they are, so once I found out they were in...

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#108 Part 2 of Candid Conversation with Jessica Birch

fasd success show May 21, 2022
 
 
In Part 1 of my conversation with Jessica Birch, an FASD advocate, and adult on the Spectrum, we covered her advocacy and journey to get a diagnosis. In Part 2 we talk about life after the diagnosis. She gives us insight into how she copes with her symptoms and what you can do as a caregiver to help your loved ones. 
 
 
I had to learn to be ok withneeding and asking for help because I thought I was a failure if I couldn’t do it on myown. 

In Part 2 we cover: 

  • interdependence, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and expectations 
  • struggles to be taken seriously as an advocate and receive accommodations 
  • importance of a diagnosis and consequences of not getting one

The way I look and speak undermines the experience I am having. People don’t want to give it to me (the accommodations). I am not FASD enough. I am not worthy of the support. And it even gets reinforced by clinicians. Even people in the know are...

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#107 Candid Conversation with Jessica Birch: an Advocate and Adult with FASD

fasd success show May 16, 2022
 

Imagine feeling like the world doesn’t want you. No matter what you do, or try, no one wants to be your friend. You are misunderstood and dismissed by medical professionals. You are hurting so much physically and emotionally that you start to think you no longer want to live. That is the dark place my guest, Jessica Birch, found herself in before receiving her FASD diagnosis. 

I saw Jessica featured in a segment on an Australian show called The Project (link in Show Notes). Her ability to articulate her experience with authenticity I knew would resonate with caregivers and individuals with FASD.  

In addition to appearing in media and as a speaker at conferences and workshops, Jessica is a lived experience advisory group/committee member for several organizations including NOFASD Australia, the Foundation for Alcohol and Research and Education (FARE) and FASD HUB. She is also a guest presenter/speaker at the...

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#106 Judy Pakozdy Lessons Learned from a 40+ Year FASD Journey

fasd success show Apr 30, 2022
 
 
Would you agree the best learning comes from caregivers who have walked the FASD journey? Today, I’m talking with Judy Pakozdy, who has 45 years’ worth of FASD knowledge, training, and caregiving experience.
 
 Judy was a pediatric head nurse in Whitehorse (Yukon, Canada). While her nurse training didn’t cover FASD, she was fortunate to become a research assistant for Dr. Kwadwo Asante, retired Medical Director from the Asante Centre (British Columbia, Canada) who visited the hospital as a doctor, trainer and a diagnostician. Upon her retirement from nursing, Judy became a founding member of the FAS Society of Yukon and served as its Executive Director for 12 years. 
 
 
I think most of us thought as soon as people hear and know what it (FASD) really was, they would just automatically accommodate the kids and understand that this has nothing to...
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#105 Talking FASD with Oshay’s Maryelen and Paula Mcphail

fasd success show Apr 23, 2022
 

Today’s show is an inspirational story of what determination, advocacy and drive can achieve! It is the story of Maryelen Mcphail, a foster and adoptive mom and her daughter Paula, co-founders of Oshay’s, an FASD organization, in Scotland.  

Maryelen, with her husband Bill, are parents to 6 children, 3 with FASD. They have also fostered over 50 children. With her daughter Paula, they founded Oshay’s, an organization to further their mission to educate professionals, the community, and families on what FASD is and how it affects everyone. Their Centre provides a library of resources for brain-based disabilities and a sense of community.They offer a variety of classes for all ages in sensory, fussy eating, messy play and more. 

 

When you see your child as a problem, you don’t get it. When you see your child as having a problem, it’s completely different. My goal is to make every parent understand that. 

Caregivers...

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#104 Dr. Catherine Lebel: New Study on low levels of prenatal alcohol exposure

fasd success show Apr 17, 2022
 

We know prenatal alcohol exposure is a risk factor for FASD. We have studies on high levels of prenatal alcohol exposure - but what about low levels? Up until now, we have not had a study to share showing how low levels of prenatal alcohol exposure can affect the brain and behaviour. 

My guest today, Dr. Catherine Lebel, discusses a recently released study that examined altered brain structure and function in children with low levels of PAE.

 

We don’t have a lot of prior studies looking at low levels. Sometimes it’s hard to detect effects when you have a smaller study so it may not find anything so people might interpret that as it’s fine to drink.

In this episode, we break it all down so you can understand the information to use in your advocacy. We have the who, what, where  why and how:

  • Who and how many the study involved?
  • Why this study is needed.
  • What the study examined and what the results were.
  • Where this will lead us.
  • How you...
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#103 Jeremy and William: When Pro Wrestling Meets FASD

fasd success show Apr 09, 2022
 

This is an interesting and inspirational episode with my good friend Jeremy Elliott and his godson William. It is a unique tale of how a family bond, love of sports, and a mentoring mindset, made a positive difference in the life of an individual with FASD.  

Jeremy is a martial arts champion and owns United Family Martial Arts in Niagara Falls. He is also a pro wrestler, having won 2 world championships on his own and been part of 24 others in the circuit. Pro Wrestling Insider has listed him as one of the Top 500. But his greatest achievement is helping others. He recently combined these interests. His first step was wearing red wrestling boots as a take on the red shoes rock campaign, which developed into a logo, which has grown to the launch of their FASD awareness campaign:  Embrace Our Journey. 

Anything is possible. If you dig deep and work through all of your challenges, obstacles, fears, and opposition...Anything. Is. Possible. All you have to...

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#102 Bryan Post: How to Move from Control to Connection with your Child

fasd success show Apr 02, 2022
 
 

This is a big episode! In fact, my guest in today’s episode is affectionately known as “Big Poppa”. That’s right – I finally made a connection with Bryan Post and I couldn’t be more stoked to bring his message to my audience.  

Bryan is a child behavior expert and founder of the Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy. The Post Institute works with adults, children, and families struggling with early life trauma and the impact on the development of the mind/body system. A renowned clinician, lecturer, and author, Bryan has traveled throughout the world providing expert treatment and consultation.  

He holds three degrees in the field of social work: a bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degree. A retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Bryan continues spreading his loved based parenting message through his lecturing and writing. He lives with his family in Oklahoma.

We can’t control other people,...

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