This week, I have a powerful story to share with you from a former foster child, adoptee, and advocate for human rights.
I am honored to introduce you to my guest, Dr. Mary Ann McMillan. She is a passionate advocate for foster youth and adoptees, whose advocacy is deeply personal because it’s inspired by her own experience as an adoptee who spent many years in foster care. Mary Ann serves as a professor and administrator at Jessup University in California and has previously served as a missionary in Ukraine and the Czech Republic, leading trainings in nearly 30 countries.
In this episode, you’ll hear Mary Ann’s personal experience in the foster care system, the importance of understanding and processing your past, the important role therapy has played in her story, and much more.
Listen in!
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TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Adoption doesn’t solve everything.
Adoption doesn’t mean a child’s challenges go away. There are many wounds a child may carry from their past that they need to process and heal, which can take a significant amount of time. As foster or adoptive parents, it’s important to have patience, trauma-informed training like TBRI®, and a strong support system.
“I didn’t start calling someone ‘mom’ until I was adopted.”
2. Take the time to heal the wounds of your past.
This goes for everyone, not just children in foster care and adoptive children. The wounds of our past require time, therapy or counseling, and effort to move towards healing. The first step is to become aware of what wounds we carry.
“I do struggle with abandonment issues, but I am also blessed to have been adopted.”
3. You have the right to know your story.
You have a right to uncover the past. Even if you do remember it, your memory may not be what actually happened. Mary Ann shared that knowing your past can help you process what occurred, but you need to carefully do it at your own pace.
“I was finally able to piece together my full story based on what was shared and what I read in my file.”
Meet Our Guest
Dr. Mary Ann McMillan is a professor and administrator at Jessup University in California. She has a Degree in Law and Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Intercultural Studies, and a Doctorate in Education focusing on global affairs. Mary Ann’s background as a former foster child and a black adoptee drives her passion for advocating for human rights. She always has a sweet tea in hand and enjoys reading, traveling, and photography.
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