From Grief to Gain: The Ramos Family’s Story
Sofia Ramos has faced many challenges head-on during the course of her life with courage and determination. Her journey to working with Chosen began long before she decided to become a foster parent. It began with a cancer diagnosis.
Of course, the diagnosis turned her life upside down, but she is now a cancer survivor thanks to the treatment she underwent. Though this was certainly cause to celebrate, it came with an undercurrent of sadness, because the treatment ultimately left her unable to have biological children.
The grief of this loss was extremely heavy for Sofia, because she had always felt she was destined to be a parent. This led her and her husband, Daniel, to pursue foster parenting. They had a lot of love to offer and wanted to give it to as many children as they could.
The Ramos family soon found a renewed purpose in fostering. After several successful placements, a sibling group of two arrived: Jayden and Emma. It was clear they had experienced a significant amount of trauma in their young lives, and it came out as challenging behaviors, particularly for Jayden.
Jayden struggled to express his emotions. The fear and anxiety he was feeling often showed up as aggressive behaviors like hitting and biting. He also experienced sleep disruptions and bed-wetting, which often intensified after family visits.
Wanting desperately to help Jayden process what he was feeling, help him heal, and protect their family, Sofia started working with Chosen. In her sessions, Chosen’s care manager Alejandra walked her through the differences between trauma-responsive parenting and traditional parenting, explaining how Jayden’s early experiences had affected his development and ability to regulate his emotions. Together, they developed creative ways to help Jayden feel more secure and supported in their home.
Alejandra says Sofia was committed to doing the work in between sessions, reviewing the weekly action plan, reading resources, and putting them into practice. Soon, they began to see progress in Jayden.
“It was amazing to see the incredible change Jayden had, and it was amazing to see Sofia’s self-confidence also start to change,” says Alejandra. “As a family, they were able to learn how to celebrate even the smallest of wins.”
Alejandra remembers one moment in particular—Sofia was understandably experiencing mixed feelings when Jayden was able to use words to express that he was mad at her.
“She was so proud of him for not hitting or biting, and verbalizing his feelings, but at the same time, she was sad because he was mad at her,” she says. “But she remembered our sessions and praised him for being able to verbalize it.”
Over the last year, Jayden has come a long way. On August 17, 2024, Jayden and his sister were adopted by the Ramos family. Sofia sent Alejandra a photo from the day.
“The first thing that came to mind was just the difference in the pictures she would share in the beginning, and how integrated these kids were as a family,” she says. “It was beautiful to see that what started with loss and grief ended with incredible gain.”
When you support Chosen, families like The Salcedos get the support and education they need to heal and thrive. Your investment in essential programs and services provide lasting solutions to the child welfare crisis in America and support parents and caregivers in crisis. Maria and Nadine deserve to be supported on their journey towards healthy connection. Join us in making a difference — invest in the future of countless families and children today.
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* Names have been changed
