Jami and Jamie welcome Mia Arrington, a therapist and former foster youth, to discuss the complex intersection of personal history and professional service. Mia shares her journey of "surrendering" to a career in social work despite her initial vow to never deal with foster care again. She explores how personal "triggers" can actually be a gift, indicating a deep level of empathy for the lives being served. The episode provides a roadmap for workers to recognize when they are burnt out, the importance of "Sabbath" and disconnection, and how to appropriately share one's story to humanize the therapeutic process.

About the Guest

Mia Arrington is a wife, mom, therapist, and social worker. As a former foster youth and adoptee, she is the founder of A Fostered Love, a faith-rooted space providing trauma-informed support for foster alumni, adoptees, and parents to help them understand and heal their stories.

In This Episode

• Navigating the "obedience" of returning to the foster care field after personal trauma.

• Seeing adoption and foster care as a "celebration" of image-bearers, even amidst loss and trauma.

• Normalizing triggers: Why being impacted by a client's story is a sign of a healthy, feeling heart.

• The ethical balance of "judicious disclosure"—sharing parts of your own story to benefit the client.

• The life-changing gift of Sabbath: 15 years of prioritizing a "non-negotiable" day of rest.

• Building a "toolkit" for grounding your nervous system, from cozy blankets to fiction books.

Resources + Links

Listen to Mia's episode of The Forgotten Podcast

Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative