Episodes
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This is an episode from the Replay series in which we look back at past episodes for those new to the podcast.
Today we look back at my discussion with Anna Maria DiDio, originally published on 23rd June 2023.
Anna Maria lives in Philadelphia. She holds a BA in Psychology from Villanova University and an MSW in Family Specialization from the University of Pennsylvania.
For over twenty years, she has devoted time to non-profit organizations, locally and globally. She has served as President of Women International Leaders (WIL) of Greater Philadelphia, which provides micro-finance loans and empowerment grants to women in under-resourced countries. She is also on the board of Impact100 Philly.
Her parenting journey began with infertility struggles, which were isolating and sent her into depression. After two miscarriages, she was blessed with a baby girl, but adding to her family proved impossible.
That's how she found herself at an orphanage in Mexico, to meet a six-year-old girl who she adopted. Inspired by that journey, she wrote a memoir called Love at the Border, An Adoption Adventure.
Traditionally orphanages are portrayed negatively however Anna Maria speaks warmly of her experience in Mexico and of the Ministerios de Amor shelters which have changed the way Mexico cares for children.
She has also written the ‘L.I.F.E. Adventures’ series of children's books, featuring stories about adoption and foster care. The books cover topics such as trauma, attachment, identity, and grief. Anna Maria’s mission is for parents and educators to use these stories as an effective tool to open up the discussion about adoption, foster care and the love within blended families.
Anna Maria’s Links
Website - https://AMDiDio.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/anna.m.didio
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amdidio
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/annamariadidio
Book 'Love at the Border: An Adoption Adventure' - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737703505
Book 'How I Wonder Where You Are' - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737703521
Book 'Many People to Love' - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737703513
Twitter - https://twitter.com/amdidio
Impact 100 Philly - https://impact100philly.org -
Today we talk with Dave Bond who, by any measure, has had an astonishing time in the family courts of the UK and USA.
It’s an incredible journey and one that no good parent and child should have to go through.
Dave has a crowdfunding effort (link below) and he is writing a book. Personally, I think his story would make a good film. What has happened is astonishing.
It's a long conversation so it’s being published in 2 parts. Part 2 is today and part 1 was last time.
Links
There is lots of information at Dave's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/justice4keanu
Twitter: @Justice4Keanu
Crowdfunding - https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice4keanuPetition - https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-keanu-end-forced-adoption-demand-reunification-of-father-and-son -
Missing episodes?
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Today we talk with Dave Bond who, by any measure, has had an astonishing time in the family courts of the UK and USA.
Dave has a crowdfunding effort (link below) and he is writing a book. Personally, I think his story would make a good film. What has happened is astonishing.
It's a long conversation so it’s being published in 2 parts, with part 1 today and part 2 next time.
Links
There is lots of information at Dave's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/justice4keanu
Twitter: @Justice4Keanu
Crowdfunding - https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice4keanuPetition - https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-keanu-end-forced-adoption-demand-reunification-of-father-and-son -
Today I look at a few recent examples of many at how authorities fail the public. This may put in context part of why Family Court is so bad.
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Episode 50 is a look back at episodes 41 to 49. Thanks to all the fantastic guests and listeners. The podcast would be nothing without you.
As I often say, if someone wants to take over presenting this podcast let me know and I will be glad to go back behind the scenes.
This episode is a compilation of episode clips rather than a ‘best of’ clips as that is individual choice. It is for regular listeners and also a taster for people new to the podcast. It covers these episodes:
Episode 41 - Change: Britain’s NHS Bans Blockers
Episode 42 - Protests: Outcry At The Garrick Club
Episode 43 - Replay: Dr. Marni Hill Foderaro Discusses Alienation
Episode 44 - Fallible: Do We Expect Too Much From Experts?
Episode 45 - Paternity: Test Issues for Mums, Dads and Children
Episode 46 - Documentaries: Telling Your Story
Episode 47 - Replay: Inception - Derick McDuff on Parenting and Child Separation in the Movies
Episode 48 - Replay: Interstellar - Derick McDuff on Parenting and Child Separation in the Movies
Episode 49 - Accountability: Is There Any In Family Law?
Many thanks to everyone who took part and listened. Here's to the next 10 episodes.
The sound effects used are:
https://pixabay.com/users/cristian_changing-30278997
https://pixabay.com/users/muzaproduction-24990238 -
Many of us have ours and our children’s futures decided by the family law system, not just courts but other decision makers i.e. guardians, child solicitors, social workers, etc.
In practise none of them are really accountable for bad outcomes and there is no measuring of outcomes. These are 2 serious flaws I discuss that in this episode. -
This is an episode from the Replay series in which we look back at past episodes for those new to the podcast.
Today we look back at episode 5 which originally aired on 30th October 2022.
It was the second episode discussing parenting in Christopher Nolan films with @DerickMcduff from the Underrated podcast (@undercastco).
This was a meandering hoot with lots of offshoots! We discuss @Interstellar and also talk music: @Trevor_Horn_, Steve Lipson and @HansZimmer. We also discuss @mrbobodenkirk, @BetterCallSaul and other movies and TV shows.
It was very enjoyable talking with Derick about parenting themes in Christopher Nolan films. I hope you enjoy listening!
Two quick corrections to things I said in this episode:
1. I mentioned Steve Lipson produced Hans Zimmer’s James Bond soundtrack. He co-produced the theme song, not the soundtrack, but Steve Lipson has produced other Hans Zimmer soundtracks.
2. When discussing Hans Zimmer I remembered his Top of the Pops performance incorrectly. If you search on YouTube, he was performing Living in the Plastic Age not Video Killed the Radio Star, although he does appear in the music video for Video Killed The Radio Star briefly. See if you can spot him!
One warning: if you haven’t seen the movies mentioned, this episode may contain spoilers!
Derick’s links are:
Twitter: @DerickMcduff
https://linktr.ee/derickmcduff
https://letterboxd.com/derick89
https://www.instagram.com/dericks_photos
The Underrated podcast:
Twitter @undercastco
https://linktr.ee/Undercastcompany
The original episode aired on 30th October 2022 as episode 5:
https://audioboom.com/posts/8175651-interstellar-derick-mcduff-on-parenting-and-child-separation-in-the-movies
There is a companion episode which looks at another Christopher Nolan movie, Interstellar, as well as lots of other films and music. It is episode 5:
https://audioboom.com/posts/8162825-inception-derick-mcduff-on-parenting-and-child-separation-in-the-movies -
This is an episode from the Replay series in which we look back at past episodes for those new to the podcast.
Today we look back at my discussion with Derick McDuff about parenting and child separation in the movies, which much of the talk about Christopher Nolan’s film Inception. We also cover other movies and music. This originally aired as episode 3, way back on 2nd October 2022. If you like today's episode you may also like episode 5 which covered the movie Interstellar (link below).
In this episode we talk movies with Derick McDuff from the Underrated podcast. We discuss Inception as well as E.T., A.I., Minority Report and more.
You may be wondering why we are talking movies on a parenting podcast. In some episodes I want to discuss parenting and parental alienation themes in movies, books and music.
Art is one of the most beautiful and powerful things in life and revisiting art can help us get through the dark times of abuse and parental alienation.
Over 2 episodes we discuss 2 Christopher Nolan films. In this episode we talk @Inception and the next episode will cover @Interstellar.
This episode we also discuss parenting themes in Steven Spielberg’s movies E.T., A.I. and @TomCruise’s role in Minority Report. Finally we touch on @HansZimmer’s music and Groundhog Day. It’s a packed episode!
I had a lot of fun discussing these movies and it was great to get Derick’s insights.
There are many parental themes in these movies. More than you may think!
One warning: if you haven’t seen the movies mentioned, this episode may contain spoilers!
Derick’s links are:
https://twitter.com/derickmcduff
https://linktr.ee/derickmcduff
https://letterboxd.com/derick89
https://www.instagram.com/dericks_photos
The Underrated podcast:
https://twitter.com/undercastco
https://linktr.ee/Undercastcompany
The Fair Parenting Podcast:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FairParentingUK
Email: [email protected]
The original episode aired on 2nd October 2022 as episode 3:
https://audioboom.com/posts/8162825-inception-derick-mcduff-on-parenting-and-child-separation-in-the-movies
There is a companion episode which looks at another Christopher Nolan movie, Interstellar, as well as lots of other films and music. It is episode 5:
https://audioboom.com/posts/8175651-interstellar-derick-mcduff-on-parenting-and-child-separation-in-the-movies -
I have been approached by someone from a documentary maker about my story.
I am deciding whether to take part but I am often contacted by parents who want to get their stories out and there are pros and cons to doing so, hence this episode.
If any listeners want me to pass on your details, DM or email me and I will.
Links
Episode 14 - https://audioboom.com/posts/8234043-stories-telling-your-story -
In the light of a recent news story, I look at paternity testing and whether dads should be able to get a test outside of court proceedings.
Some people might see this as an issue for men but it is wider. I discuss how testing has issues for mums, dads and children, including how paternity tests can improve health outcomes for children.
Links
I mention a recent video from a judge which went viral. Here is one of many links to it: https://twitter.com/VetFather_Bill/status/1758955451167723961 -
This episode I look at the word ‘expert’, not so much to do with court as more widely in society.
In many areas of life, experts affect us and sometimes spectacularly let us down. I look at some examples.
We need experts but there are few people who really know what they are doing well enough to advise the way experts do and I think we need to be realistic about experts and the word itself. Perhaps it's time for a rebalancing of how experts are perceived across all fields and industries.
I think the term ‘expert’ is overused and overvalued and should be viewed as what it often is - an educated guess that often comes without accountability. I discuss this and look at examples. -
Occasionally I want to look back at past episodes for those new to the podcast. Today is one such episode. I wanted to revisit my discussion with Dr. Marni Hill Foderaro from episode 8. I hope you enjoy listening to it.
It's one of my favourite episodes and even before today (April 14th 2024) is already the 8th most popular episode ever.
It was a wide-ranging and interesting discussion with Dr. Marni who was a fantastic guest. I enjoyed talking with her a lot. Here are the show notes from the episode:
In this episode we welcome Dr Marni Hill Foderaro and talk about her alienation story, path to growth and book series “True Deceit False Love” which addresses domestic violence, narcissistic abuse, parental alienation and intergenerational family trauma.
Dr Marni earned her doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University and completed postdoctoral studies at Harvard during a very successful and rewarding 35-year career as a high school special education teacher, with 12 years as a university adjunct graduate school professor.
Many alienation cases involve young children but Dr Marni’s children were in their 20s when alienation occurred and we discuss this.
Her books provide a creative response and resources to help understand a variety of challenging family dynamics, including parental alienation.
Dr Marni gives talks on these topics and in January 2022 Marni was inducted into the Bestselling Authors International Organization.
I enjoyed greatly talking with Dr Marni. I found it illuminating to hear her inspirational story of self-care, her journey out of trauma and into book writing as well as her insights on healing, generational trauma and alienation.
Links
Dr Marni isn’t on social media but her web links are:
Website: https://www.GodCameToMyGarageSale.com
Books: https://www.amazon.com/author/drmarnihillfoderaro
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnhsXs98ops
The original episode aired as episode 8 on 11th December 2022:
https://audioboom.com/posts/8175647-books-dr-marni-hill-foderaro-discusses-alienation -
In this episode I discuss lawyers and MPs protesting about The Garrick Club and how this relates to family law.
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Today I cover a news story that happened this week that impacts many parents.
Britain's NHS has banned the NHS from prescribing blockers that hamper the physical development of children.
I discuss this healthcare story along with comparing it to Britain's medieval family law system. -
Episode 40 is a look back at episodes 31 to 39. Thanks to all the fantastic guests and listeners. The podcast would be nothing without you.
As I often say, if someone wants to take over presenting this podcast let me know and I will be glad to go back behind the scenes.
This episode is a compilation of episode clips rather than a ‘best of’ clips as that is individual choice. It is for regular listeners and also a taster for people new to the podcast. It covers these episodes:
Episode 31 - Review: 30 Episodes In 60 Minutes. Bitesized Clips For Newcomers To The Show
Episode 32 - Reform: Should Interviews In Family Law Cases Be Recorded?
Episode 33 - Reform: Transcripts And Bundles
Episode 34 - Rewind: Coping - Simple Ideas For Christmas and Beyond
Episode 35 - AI: Can Artificial Intelligence Fix Family Law?
Episode 36 - Annual: Looking at 2024
Episode 37 - Incentives: How Incentives Work Against Good Outcomes
Episode 38 - Messaging: Touching The Future With Alienated Children
Episode 39 - Comparison: Are Good Parents And Children Treated Worse Than Criminals?
Many thanks to everyone who took part and listened. Here's to the next 10 episodes.
The sound effects used are:
https://pixabay.com/users/cristian_changing-30278997
https://pixabay.com/users/muzaproduction-24990238 -
In today’s episode I want to revisit an idea we spoke about way back in episode 5, which was about parental separation in the movie Interstellar and other movies. It’s a great episode, thanks to Derick McDuff.
It is a simple idea but one I have found useful over the years. The idea is using email, photos or other online ways to send messages to a child you are alienated from. Those messages may only be read years in the future, when your child has grown up, but they can help and I discuss practical ways to do this and considerations to keep in mind when messaging. There's also a clip of Derick and I discussing the concept from episode 5.
Links
Episode 5 - Interstellar: Derick McDuff on Parenting and Child Separation in the Movies
https://audioboom.com/posts/8175651-interstellar-derick-mcduff-on-parenting-and-child-separation-in-the-movies -
Many of us have seen incentives play out badly in family court, with solicitors milking Legal Aid, milking parents, parents making false allegations to get Legal Aid, prolonging cases and taking a case that could resolve amicably and blowing it out of the water to the detriment of parents and children.
In this episode I discuss how incentives in other industries, and disruption to them, could improve things for parents and children if applied to family law. To illustrate this I make reference to episodes from Peter Diamandis' Moonshots podcast, which is fantastic and I highly recommend.
Links
1. Moonshots Podcast - EP #1 How to Save the World with Elon Musk
https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/elon
2. Moonshots Podcast - EP #37 How The Founder of Oculus is Building High-Tech Weapons to Protect America w/ Palmer Luckey
https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/palmer-luckey
3. Moonshots Podcast - EP #38 Palmer Luckey's AMA: The Politics of Winning the A.I. Race
https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/palmer-luckey-ama
4. Moonshots Podcast - EP #50 Oculus Founder On Apple Vision Pro w/ Palmer Luckey
https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/palmer-luckey-oculus
5. Moonshots Podcast - EP #79 Elon Musk on Abundance, AGI, And The Media In 2024
https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/elon-musk-on-abundance
6. Rebooting the Arsenal of Democracy with Palmer Luckey
https://podtail.com/podcast/a16z/rebooting-the-arsenal-of-democracy-with-palmer-luc/ -
Welcome to the podcast. In this first episode of 2024 I have some thoughts on the new year, my own case and much wider topics.
Links
Peter Diamandis and Emad Mostaque Clip
https://twitter.com/PeterDiamandis/status/1740839831578583088
Episode 28 - Summary of My Story (2018-2022)
https://audioboom.com/posts/8218009-story-triple-a-a-portrait-of-abuse-narrated-by-alana-hillenaar
Episode 7 - Mike Bell of the Family Court Reform Coalition
https://audioboom.com/posts/8170345-coalition-mike-bell-of-fcrc-uk-discusses-reform
Episode 35 - Can Artificial Intelligence Fix Family Law?
https://audioboom.com/posts/8290438-ai-can-artificial-intelligence-fix-family-law -
I love podcasts and I listen to many, two of which are Exponential Wisdom with @DanSullivanSC and @PeterDiamandis and Moonshots with @PeterDiamandis. I highly recommend listening to both.
They cover many things, including AI, which is one of the hot topics of 2023.
Those podcasts are not directly connected to our struggles for justice in family law but they are full of forward thinking developments and perspectives.
They also talk about the idea of a moonshot. I believe our goal of a fair family law system that supports targeted parents and children can be seen as one and I discussed this with Justin Breen in episode 17.
AI will have massive impact on the world. In today's episode I discuss ways it could impact the family law system.
Links
Moonshots podcast with Peter Diamandis - https://www.diamandis.com/podcast
Exponential Wisdom podcast with Dan Sullivan and Peter Diamandis -https://blubrry.com/exponentialwisdom
Justin Breen's episode https://audioboom.com/posts/8271193-books-justin-breen-discusses-epic-life - Show more
