**Warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual abuse.

Veronika Kramer is not your typical RAD mom. Her RAD child is her biological child. Veronika openly shares about her own experience being born in a prison, growing up with an abusive father, her own trauma and bouncing between homes in her early teens. Veronica was also a teen mom and her daughter was conceived from a sexual assault. She raised her daughter alone and has had to navigate the world of RAD in a very different way than most.

Genie and her husband are a military family and adopted 2 children. Genie talks about the benefits and challenges of raising children while in the military. She shares about her son, the death of his biological mother, and their trip to Manitoba, Canada to attend her funeral. Genie also talks about her daughter's adoption story, her biological family, and how the frequent moves being in the military affected her. She explains what she went through as a mom of children with trauma and RAD and how they're all doing today.

Gina Heumann and her husband adopted 2 children from Guatemala with very different results. One of their sons had Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Gina shares her story about being a RAD mom and how her son and family "conquered" RAD. She talks about a camp for adoptive children and families, how interns were crucial to their success, and the psychotherapy center that made it all happen. Gina also talks about what she calls "flipchart therapy" and credits that therapy as the "turning point" for her son. Gina is also the author of a book called, Love Never Quits.

**Warning content contains discussion of abuse and sexual abuse**

Samuel Christian and his siblings were born in a Romanian orphanage and were adopted out to a family in the U.S. His adopted family went on to adopt 21 children. Samuel talks about what it was like growing up in this family, his struggles forming a relationship with his adoptive mom, and growing up with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Samuel's story has a happy ending and now he helps other children like himself.

Christine Gautreaux, MSW is many things including a social worker who worked within the adoption and foster care system. She is now a life coach and acknowledges and works with caregivers to "help the helpers" reclaim their health and happiness. Christine is also the author of the book Stillpoint - A Self Care Playbook for Caregivers to Find Ease, Time to Breathe, and Reclaim Joy.

www.christinegautreaux.com

Meet Landon and Legend. These two brothers, one with RAD, share their story about growing up together and where they are now.

Talking with RAD mom Heather Houze is like talking with an old friend. She is refreshingly honest, open, and candid about her experience raising a son with RAD and surviving it. Heather discusses everything starting with the evolution of bringing her son home, discovering RAD, fighting for therapy, finding the right therapy, and eventually a happy ending.

Amy VanTyne always wanted to be a mom. In this episode, she shares her dreams about becoming a foster parent, adopting, and how she unexpectedly found herself in crisis raising a child with RAD. Amy talks about her personal and painful experience raising a daughter with RAD, including how it affected her other children, her marriage, her psyche, and her most vulnerable moment and breaking point.

Amy VanTyne always wanted to be a mom. In this episode, she shares her dreams about becoming a foster parent, adopting, and how she unexpectedly found herself in crisis raising a child with RAD. Amy talks about her personal and painful experience raising a daughter with RAD, including how it affected her other children, her marriage, her psyche, and her most vulnerable moment and breaking point.

Join me in this once in a lifetime, one-to-one talk with leading RAD expert, Forrest Lien. Forrest is a guru in the field of attachment and trauma. He shares his expertise and knowledge about RAD, children with RAD, and what it’s like for parents raising RAD kids. Forrest has worked with RAD kids and families for his entire career which spans over 40 years. He is also the founder of Lifespan Trauma Consulting.

This is part two of my interview with RAD mom and nurse, Cheryl Ruzzo. In this episode, part-two, RAD mom and nurse Cheryl expands on her story about raising her daughter Ella. She opens up about Ella’s extreme and frightening behaviors, the trauma it caused, where they found support, and where they are now.

Even the strongest and most prepared families get blindsided by RAD. Cheryl Ruzzo and her husband Joe were skilled and more prepared than many parents when they adopted a child who was diagnosed with RAD. But even they couldn’t have predicted what they would go through. In this two-part interview, Cheryl talks about raising Ella, what happened, and everything in between.