Dr. Amanda Colby joins us to talk about her experience of infertility, leading to the eventual adoption of a son and daughter. From a fertile family where her 6 sisters all had babies during her time of infertility, she shares about periods of real depression but also the one thing she believes helped her move out of that sadness and feel peace and happiness years before children came to their family.

She teaches us the impact of replacing thoughts that create pain with thoughts that are more helpful, and highlights the important reality that not feeling pain does not equate to not caring.

Dr. Colby understands both the science and lived background of the challenge of letting go of pain, and shares valuable strategies to co-regulate our nervous system in an effort to let go of pain and allow comfort and peace to enter.

You can find more tools and ideas, including a masterclass for navigating all sorts of life challenges, from both her website and blog:

https://theneuroscientistnextdoor.com/blog/

https://dramandacolby.com/#

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Message us to share your story on the podcast and join us in supporting each other:

• Facebook group: Full Faith, Empty Arms-LDS Infertility ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1J5UnWMJP9/⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Instagram: Full Faith, Empty Arms ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/fullfaithemptyarms/⁠⁠⁠

Years of infertility followed by a life-altering conversation with a neighbor is how Candace's journey begins.

Among other things, her roller coaster to parenthood includes a longterm guardianship situation that was never quite spelled out for future implications, fostering joy and trauma, a significant weight loss journey, a misdiagnosed fertility condition, and a doctor's visit years down the road that brought a drastic change of thinking about what was possible.

Candace is still riding the roller coaster and finding joy, peace and excitement in where God is taking her. More to come--this episode is just part 1.

Please follow the podcast to be notified of future episodes!

Message us to share your story on the podcast and join us in supporting each other:

• Facebook group: Full Faith, Empty Arms-LDS Infertility ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1J5UnWMJP9/⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Instagram: Full Faith, Empty Arms ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/fullfaithemptyarms/⁠⁠⁠

Have you fostered or considered fostering? The need for qualified, loving foster parents is overwhelming. But fostering with the hope to adopt can be complicated to say the least.

In this episode Pam shares part of her journey as a foster parent. She and her husband had a lot of joy from loving the children that came into their home. But there was a cost, and it's important to go into fostering with your eyes open to the potential heartache it may bring.

The difficulties shared in this episode are not meant to discourage anyone from fostering. We also aren't suggesting that fostering is right for everyone. It is a highly personal decision.

Pam's story is an illustration of how pure, selfless love can be shared freely for the sole reason that God has asked us to care for His children, without any expectations of what that love will bring us.

Message us to share your story on the podcast and join us in supporting each other:

• Facebook group: Full Faith, Empty Arms-LDS Infertility ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1J5UnWMJP9/⁠⁠

• Instagram: Full Faith, Empty Arms ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/fullfaithemptyarms/⁠