Remarkably Resilient

Three sisters grew up in the same house, yet each carried a completely different experience of trauma out of it.

In this episode of Packed with Purpose, Kathleen and Karen, authors of Remarkably Resilient: Community Matters, share their story, including the moment that nearly ended everything and the small-town community that quietly surrounded them and helped keep them going.

This is an honest conversation about invisible trauma, foster care, resilience, and the incredible difference a community can make in the life of a child.

At Care Package Inbound, we often talk about the moment a child enters foster care. It's a moment filled with uncertainty, fear, and change. We cannot erase the trauma that brought a child to that moment, and we cannot know everything they have experienced before they arrive.

But we can choose how we show up.

Kathleen and Karen's story is a powerful reminder that the people who step into someone's life, even in seemingly small ways, can have an impact far greater than they realize.

That's at the heart of what we believe at Care Package Inbound.

A backpack won't erase trauma. A new outfit, blanket, hygiene items, or something of their own won't fix everything a child is facing. But they can communicate something important in a moment when that child may desperately need to hear it:

You matter. Someone sees you. Someone cared enough to prepare for you.

This episode may challenge you.

For some, our hope is that it opens your eyes to the trauma people around us may be carrying, pain that isn't always visible from the outside. And maybe it challenges you to consider how you can be part of the community that shows up.

For those who have experienced trauma themselves, our hope is different.

We hope you hear that your story is not over.

We know how difficult and even paralyzing it can be to speak about what you've experienced. But it is never too late to speak. It is never too late to begin healing.

Your story matters. You matter. And there is hope.

That's why community matters.

And that's why we keep showing up.

Learn more about Kathleen, Karen, and their work at Remarkably Resilient.