Fostering Change Podcast Episode 107 | Misty Parks

Misty is a native Hoosier, growing up in Muncie with her parents, and siblings. Her close knit family is committed to helping others, as her husband Mike is also a social worker, doing strong community work throughout the Indianapolis area. Their commitment to caring for the community and for those who needed an opportunity to grow and thrive was rewarded in 2015, as they adopted their daughter Reagan, who just celebrated her 7th birthday. When Misty is not using her voice and experiences advocating for youth and families, she is spending her time with her family and friends, traveling, baking, and reading. She is also an avid collector of yard gnomes, and each member of her family is an ardent board game player, so watch out if they ask you to play Monopoly.

After Misty completed her Bachelor Degree from Manchester University, she found her calling working in Child Welfare. This prompted her to complete her Masters in Social work from Indiana University. In the past 20 years, she has fed her passion to assist those in need and her desire for knowledge in a variety of settings, primarily focusing upon the social constructs and needs of those connected to the child welfare system. In her roles working with families and children, she witnessed the terrible effects of untreated trauma on the children she served, and the lasting effects it has when working with their parents. Her drive to find better information and skills to assist these families led her to complete a specialized Certification in Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy.