Today we’d like to introduce you to Manda Carpenter.
Hi Manda, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in the Midwest. My childhood was pretty dysfunctional. My parents divorced when I was an infant, but then they each remarried (more than once) and I had a lot of step and half relatives. When I was 7 years old – on my birthday in fact – I called the police on my father because of a domestic dispute between him and my stepmother that had gone too far. It was like World War III in the living room. When the police showed up, he was arrested, she was taken off by an ambulance, and a social worker sat on the porch steps to question me. I’ll never forget that day because even though it wasn’t obvious in real-time, it’s precisely why I became a foster parent. I’m passionate about children being able to grow up in a safe, stable and loving environment. I also see biological parents not as monsters – because my dad sure wasn’t one – but as people who need help to heal. Fast forward, I graduated from college to become an Elementary teacher. I taught for a few years, married my husband in 2015, and then we moved to Chicago where we became foster parents. We had 16 kids come through our care in a little over four years. Now, we live in Los Angeles with our biological son and continue to foster, mostly teens. I’m a full-time writer, speaker and advocate.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a child, I struggled often with feeling like it was my job to manage everyone’s moods around me. This made me become a really small version of myself. I wouldn’t say what I really wanted or how I really felt if it were going to rock the boat in any way. Instead, I would camouflage myself and be whatever my parents (or anyone) needed in order to try and have peace and stability in my life. Thanks to therapy throughout college and beyond (spoiler: I still go!) I have learned to heal and have come a long way in owning who I am and making space for my voice and feelings.
Throughout our journey as foster parents, I’ve struggled with so many things: being triggered by the kids in our care, navigating how to sustain this lifestyle for the long haul (most foster parents quit after year 1 so the burnout rate is high), and discerning big questions like should we adopt them? There have been lots of struggles and I’ve wanted to quit a lot – including my own life at one point – but I’m so glad I stayed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My work is unique in that it isn’t a job I dreamed of growing up and doing and I don’t think you’ll find anything like it on LinkedIn. It’s not really the type of work you apply for, rather the kind you grow into organically. At least, that’s how it happened for me. While I started off as a school teacher post-college, I was never afraid to try new things so I dabbled in marketing, church staff work, and assisting my unhoused neighbors. I’ve done a lot of different things throughout my life, but I never stopped writing, speaking and advocating. Those things, mostly as a side passionate project, eventually began to pay the bills and became my full-time work.
I launched my own website www.mandacarpenter.com, am active on social media (primarily IG) @mandacarpenter, and my work became a collection of things I love to do and am good at that serve others. This includes: my own books, podcast, and coaching programs. I also help people publish their own book in 12 weeks, have online courses to invest in their own growth and relationships, and host in-person retreats for women. I am known for empowering people and advocating for redemption. I believe that in the very same way hurt people hurt people, healed people heal people. I want to make the world a better place and I am proud that in a number of ways I get to do that by heavily investing in my clients, readers, and listeners.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m a total introvert. Despite being a social person who shows up online like it’s easy (hint: it’s only easy after many years of practice and growing thick skin), I prefer to be alone often. I joke that my husband is the reason we have friends and that I leave the house. I’m only half-kidding.
Pricing:
- Stories Matter Program – $7,500
- Soul Care Retreats (in person) – $1,700
- Personalized Coaching – starts at $300/month
- Soul Care to Save Your Life (my newest book) – $15.29
- A Longer Table Podcast – FREE
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mandacarpenter.com
- Instagram: @mandacarpenter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MandaCarpenterBlog/
