Episode 19 - Tori Hope Petersen
Mending Families is hosted by Melissa Pemberton and she brings you weekly content that is a mix of trauma aware interviews, parenting tips for those caring for kids from adversity, and stories from people just like you as they share their beautiful messy moments. Melissa hopes that when you listen each week, you will feel encouraged, inspired and take a little something away to help you and your family move from broken to mended.
Tori Hope Petersen is the bestselling author of Fostered and sought out national speaker, inspiring audiences to change the world with what they have, right where they are, by loving the people in front of them. Tori is a leading advocate in child welfare, and has been featured on Good Morning America, and many other publications sharing her story about being a former foster youth and overcoming to serve others. She founded the Beloved Initiative, a nonprofit where in community people learn how to become professional lovers of people.
On today’s episode, we start the conversation by talking about pageantry and how Tori found herself with the title of Mrs. Universe in 2021. Tori shares how she does not see her title as something that defines her but something she has done as her heart is really to love others the way that she has felt loved by Jesus throughout her life. Listen in as Tori gives us insight into her relationship with her biological mom and how she has found healing an important part of her own parenting journey. Whether you are a foster parent, adoptive parent, teacher, coach, social worker or anyone who touches the lives of kids, this episode will have something for you!
If you are interested in learning more about Tori, you can find her on Instagram @torihopepetersen, on Facebook @Tori.abdul or her website torihopepetersen.com
Topics Tori mentions:
*Tori tells us about how the book In Jesus Name by Henri Nouwen shaped her perspective of being a leader
*We discuss Josh Shipp and how he believes that it just takes one adult to change the life of a child
*Tori has founded a non-profit called The Beloved Initiative to help survivors find healing. To apply to attend a retreat, or to donate so that others who may not be able to afford it can attend, go to thebelovedinitiative.org
*Two books that Tori recommends for you to read are The Body Keeps the Score and
Where to find Mending Families:
Instagram - @mendingfamilieswa
TikTok - @mendingfamilieswa
Facebook - @mendingfamilieswa
YouTube - @mendingfamilies1594