Staying Hopeful in the Long Game (w/ Jason Johnson) S1:E9

Staying Hopeful in the Long Game (w/ Jason Johnson) S1:E9

In this episode of In Case You Forget, Jami and Jamie welcome their friend Jason Johnson, National Director of the Pure Religion Project with the Christian Alliance for Orphans, to discuss the long, often unseen nature of foster care work. Drawing from years in church leadership and his family's personal foster care journey, Jason shares how caseworkers can stay grounded, hopeful, and encouraged even when progress feels slow and outcomes are uncertain. The conversation centers on shifting away from measuring impact by standard societal grading systems and instead falling back on the sovereignty of God. Jason offers powerful reminders that true success is not defined by the outcomes we can produce, but by our individual daily faithfulness. About the Guest Jason Johnson serves as the National Director of the Pure Religion Project with the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). In this role, he develops resources, coaches leaders, and teaches on church-based ministry and organizational strategy related to foster care and adoption. He and his wife, Emily, live in Texas with their daughters and care deeply about encouraging and equipping people who serve within the foster care community. In This Episode The vital importance of having people in the foster care space who are committed to sticking around for the long haul. Rejecting the mentality of expending ourselves to the point of exhaustion or "dragging lifeless limbs" across the finish line. Reconciling with the reality that in the work of justice and mercy, results will often feel slow and underwhelming. Moving past standard societal standards of measurement to completely reframe how we view progress and impact. Navigating the extreme tension of implementing systemic decisions that are entirely out of your personal control. Choosing to rest in the sovereignty of God over bad decisions rather than trying to carry the crushing weight of outcomes alone. Understanding neuroscience and transformational thinking: how the things we regularly pay attention to double back on us. Prioritizing small, consistent choices to protect and refresh our minds, bodies, hearts, and souls. Resisting the trap of a savior complex by decoupling your personal identity from your capacity to produce work outcomes. Intentionally inviting trusted community and spouses to "stand guard" around your life to prevent working in isolation. Relinquishing situational urgency and forecasting so you can operate at a pace measured by eternity. Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/ Follow TFI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/

Collaborating to Create a Team Environment (w/Angie Lunow) S1:E8

In this episode of In Case You Forget, Jami sits down with Angie Lunow, a veteran foster care licenser, to explore the life-giving impact of breaking out of professional silos and building a deep culture of collaborative teamwork. Drawing from more than two decades of serving a unique county department, Angie describes what it looks like practically when caseworkers move past the fear of vulnerability to ask for everyday frontline assistance—whether that means coordinating transportation, providing child care during long court hearings, or shifting burdens to meet strict document deadlines. Angie highlights how leaning into shared experiences across different agency roles provides the crucial perspective needed to effectively communicate with foster parents and youth. Reflecting on a poignant, day-long court case, she details how proactive communication and a shared desire to help ensures that systemic limitations and exhausting hours do not compromise a child's care or sense of personal dignity. About the Guest Angie Lunow has spent over 20 years serving Carver County, Minnesota, primarily focusing on the critical work of licensing adult and child foster homes. Driven by a profound respect for the individuals and families who step up to care for the vulnerable, she views her cooperative role within the broader child and family department as a distinct privilege. Outside of her career, Angie has been a devoted wife for 23 years and is a proud mother cheering on her two active high schoolers from the sidelines. In This Episode * Witnessing the tangible impact of a unique agency framework where "many hands make light work" is lived out daily through shared digital communication. * Gaining critical perspective by actively stepping out of your immediate professional bubble to better understand the distinct realities of other departments. * Breaking down a realistic view of court timelines to help defuse the external frustrations of foster families awaiting a placement ruling. * Prioritizing children's physical and emotional needs during volatile court delays by actively removing them from public hallways into child-friendly visitation rooms. * Moving past a desire to immediately fix every system failure, and adopting a supportive "let them" posture that honors the localized expertise of your peers. * Choosing to intentionally insert trust rather than automated suspicion when coworkers miss deadlines or fail to deliver swift case updates. * The strategic benefit of looping the licensing team in early when a case manager recognizes that an emergency placement is likely imminent. * Cultivating a healthy habit of visible, shared appreciation within an organization to validate heavy, collective workloads. * Practical advice for navigating near-burnout conditions by vulnerably asserting your specific operational needs multiple times. Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/ [https://theforgotteninitiative.org/] Follow TFI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/ [https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/]

Nurturing Relationships Outside of Work (w/ Cheryl Nitz) S1:E7

In this episode of In Case You Forget, Jami and Jamie sit down with Cheryl Nitz, a licensed clinical social worker and university department chair, to navigate the unique tension caseworkers face: carrying heavy, profound stories that are not theirs to share. Drawing from her doctoral research on attachment and her decades of clinical and personal experience as an adoptive parent, Cheryl discusses the practice of being 100% present with clients while successfully releasing that burden at the end of the day. The conversation highlights how caseworkers can protect client confidentiality as a sacred trust while still inviting external friends and family to care for their own emotional needs. Cheryl offers profound reminders that while frontline workers cannot control case outcomes, their obedience and presence build lasting, life-changing bridges of hope. About the Guest Cheryl Nitz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 30 years of experience specializing in trauma, attachment, foster care, and adoption. She serves as the Chair of the Department of Social Work at Liberty University, where she helps prepare future social workers to lead with compassion and a commitment to justice. Cheryl brings deep personal insight to her work as a foster and adoptive mother of four and a grandparent of six, with doctoral research focused on attachment and emotional intimacy. In This Episode * Navigating the emotional cost of walking through trauma and pain with families without becoming calloused or distant. * The theological peace of realizing you are not responsible for the ultimate outcome of a child's life, only for your individual faithfulness to the tasks given. * Depersonalizing difficult behaviors by recognizing that biological families and children often respond out of their own historical trauma. * Developing specific personal transition rituals—such as prayer, classic rock, or visual boundaries—to mark the clear separation between work life and home life. * Overcoming the "compulsive caregiver" mindset to communicate personal limitations and accept reciprocity in primary attachments. * Understanding that friends serve different functions: learning when to lean on friends who bring lightness and laughter versus those who speak direct truth. * How to invite personal community to support your heart through heavy seasons without breaking client privacy or sharing identifying details. * Honoring key strategic moments by listening to a client's venting process fully before jumping in with platitudes, Bible verses, or quick solutions. Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/ [https://theforgotteninitiative.org/] Follow TFI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/ [https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/]

Building a Culture of Care (w/LaQuisha White) S1:E6

In this episode of In Case You Forget, Jami sits down with LaQuisha White, Director of Foster Care at WinShape Homes, to discuss how frontline workers can meaningfully influence their agency's culture—even when they feel they lack authority. Having served as both a therapist and a leader, LaQuisha offers a perspective rooted in "open hands" leadership. They explore the reality that caseworkers are the primary influencers of culture because they are the "boots on the ground" representing the agency in homes and courtrooms. LaQuisha provides practical guidance for navigating the "winding road" of reunification and offers specific advice for workers who don't feel supported by their supervisors. The conversation serves as a powerful reminder that while the work is generational and heavy, the individual relationship between a worker and a child is life-changing work that matters regardless of the final outcome. About the Guest LaQuisha White is the Director of Foster Care at WinShape Homes, where she leads program operations and partners with churches to support families through a trauma-informed approach. With a background as a therapist for children in therapeutic foster care and a variety of leadership roles in mental health and adoption, she is known for her steady leadership and passion for strengthening systems while keeping frontline workers at the center. In This Episode * Understanding that frontline workers are the biggest influencers of culture because they are the face of the agency to the community. * Moving beyond an "open door" policy to an "open hands and open heart" posture as a leader. * How to speak about biological families and children as "image-bearers" rather than just case files. * Practical steps for workers who feel unsupported: Finding your "why" and identifying external support systems. * Redefining self-care as a professional responsibility, including "micro-moments" of reflection and setting firm communication boundaries. * Encouragement for new workers: You are changing a child's life simply by being a supportive, consistent presence in their story. Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative [https://theforgotteninitiative.org/] Follow TFI on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/] Check out WinShape Homes [https://winshapehomes.org/]

Managing Your Hard Days (w/Blake Boyer) S1:E5

In this episode of In Case You Forget, Jami and Jamie are joined by Blake Boyer, a seasoned social worker and TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) practitioner. TBRI is a holistic, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children by focusing on connection, empowering environments, and proactive correction. Blake shares her personal journey through nine years of child welfare work, offering a candid look at how secondary trauma and the weight of human depravity can lead to exhaustion. The conversation explores the spiritual and practical discipline of setting boundaries, emphasizing that a caseworker's faithfulness to God is more important than their output at work. Blake encourages listeners to reject the "savior complex," reminding them that they are humans "made of dust" and that God is the only one sovereign over the outcomes of their cases. About the Guest Blake Boyer is an MSW and practitioner of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) with nine years of experience in child welfare, working at both micro and macro levels. She is the creator of the Instagram page @ChristianSocialWorker, where she provides education and support for believers navigating the ethical and emotional complexities of the foster care system. Blake lives in the North Georgia Mountains with her husband and son. In This Episode Recognizing that it is okay to "switch it up" or move into different roles within social work to preserve your marriage, health, and faith. The importance of a "warm handoff"—transitioning cases planfully and healthily rather than quitting abruptly due to burnout. How to foster a culture of collaboration and servant leadership within a child welfare office. Staying grounded by focusing on "molecular" responsibilities: controlling your own attitude and obedience when the system feels out of control. Identifying the signs of a "callous heart" as a primary indicator that you are in desperate need of a break. Practical "in-the-moment" breaks, such as parking the car to pray or checking in with your nervous system during a long day of visits. Finding your identity in the character of God (the Just Judge and Savior) rather than in your professional performance. The necessity of having a life and hobbies—like art or hiking—outside of social work to keep your soul soft. Resources + Links Learn more about The Forgotten Initiative [https://theforgotteninitiative.org/]