Adopting an Older Child with TEDx Speaker Hilary Crowley

In this powerful and heart-opening conversation, I sit down with Hilary Crowley — foster-to-adopt mom, holistic health practitioner, energy healer, TEDx speaker, and author of The Power of Energy Medicine . Hilary shares the extraordinary story of how she followed intuition, courage, and connection all the way to her son — and the unexpected lessons she learned along the way. From discovering the importance of foster-care support groups before certification, to navigating shutdowns, attachment, sibling dynamics, and biological family relationships, Hilary offers deep insight into what it really means to love, advocate, and parent a child who has survived instability and trauma. We also explore the intersection of intuition and fostering, how to recognize an intuitive “yes,” and why older-child adoption is a powerful — and often overlooked — pathway to building a family. This episode is full of wisdom, warmth, and practical guidance for anyone considering fostering or adoption, anyone parenting a child with trauma, or anyone wanting to better understand the emotional landscape of the foster-to-adopt journey. In This Episode, We Discuss: ✨ The Power of Support Groups: Why attending a foster-care support group before certification can completely shift your journey. How Hilary built trust with resource workers just by showing up. ✨ The Foster-to-Adopt Origin Story Hilary’s longing for a second child and the friend who unexpectedly opened the door to fostering. Her first experiences learning the “lingo” and navigating parenting classes. ✨ A Moment of Raw Honesty in Training Hilary’s emotional fear response during training — and the life-changing validation she received from a social worker. ✨ Navigating the Needs of Two Children How fostering disrupted her biological son’s world — and how it ultimately expanded his compassion and resilience. ✨ Understanding Shutdowns / Rock Brain What shutdowns looked like in real life, what triggered them, and the remarkable strategy Hilary used to help her son feel safe and reconnected. Why “parent as if this may never change” became essential guidance. ✨ Biological Family Relationships Navigating shifting dynamics and relationships at home. How her sons are now building connections as a young adults. ✨ Intuition, Energy, and Adoption How Hilary’s work as an energy healer informed her parenting and decision-making. What an intuitive “yes” really feels like — and how to differentiate intuition from fear. Why fostering aligns deeply with the true meaning of the word foster : to encourage, nourish, and support. ✨ A Powerful Message for Prospective Foster Parents Why older-child adoption (6–10+) is filled with beauty, growth, and meaning — and why these children deserve more visibility and love. Key Takeaways Showing up and becoming known in your foster community can change everything. Children with trauma need connection and safety more than perfection. Saying no to a placement can be an act of love and alignment. Intuition is a real, accessible tool for navigating uncertainty. Adoption is deeply transformative for the entire family.