Adoptees On

275 | Sara Docan-Morgan, Ph.D. Today's guest is Dr. Sara Docan-Morgan, professor of communication studies and author of the book "In Reunion: Transnational Korean Adoptees and the Communication of Family". Sara shares some of her personal story, and then we dig into her qualitative research from multiple Korean adoptees who have been in a relationship with their biological family for over a decade. There's a treasure trove of reunion wisdom in this episode, including a new term that so perfectly encapsulates the weight adoptees carry through the search and reunion experience. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

If you'd like to be involved in the new show, you can email adopteesonadoption(at)gmail(dot)com with your skills pitch. Are you an audio producer? Investigative reporter? Narrative podcaster? I'd love to hear what you've got to bring to the table. Follow updates here: https://www.instagram.com/onadoption

274 | Julian Washio-Collette Today's guest is Julian Washio-Collette, a writer and monastic spiritual seeker, whose story includes the rarity of being relinquished and adopted twice. Julian shares what he hears when someone says the term "forever family", how building community was difficult here when seemingly no one else has had the same experience of being a double-adoptee, and we ponder what the spiritual implications of adoption may mean. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

273 | SunAh Laybourn, Ph.D. We are so excited to welcome professor and sociologist Dr. SunAh Laybourn today! Sunah's brand new book is called Out of Place: The Lives of Korean Adoptee Immigrants and it is definitely one you're going to want to add into your collection. Today we talk about SunAh's research, the realization that heritage culture camps are prioritizing adoptive parents' comfort, and the public's perception of the still dire issue of adoptee citizenship. Haley finally gets to ask the question she's wondered about for at least five years: is being an adopted person a distinct culture of its own? Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

272 | James Cagney Today's guest is award-winning poet, James Cagney. Author of Black Steel Magnolias in the Hour of Chaos Theory and Martian: The Saint of Loneliness, James is known for his absolutely dynamic live poetry readings, and we are honoured with a reading in this very episode! We discuss how James came to find out he was adopted, and as usual we've got questions about why parents keep these things a secret. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

271 | Healing Series: Ask an Adoptee Therapist with Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC Today's episode is our last one before our holiday break. We'll be back with brand-new weekly episodes on January 12, 2024. We wanted to bring you a Healing Series episode to make sure we all had a little extra support before the holiday rush takes over. This year we started a brand new event called Ask an Adoptee therapist, and it has been an absolutely amazing resource for the community. Today's episode is a compilation of some of the helpful conversations we've had together this fall with Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

270 | Sara Easterly Sara Easterly is back with us, she's the author of Searching for Mom and the founder of Adoptee Voices. Today we're talking about how Sara became friends with an adoptive mother and a birth mother in order to write a book called Adoption Unfiltered. It's a hard conversation because when Haley got asked to endorse this book she had to say no, to a friend, who we value and deeply appreciate for her contributions to the adoptee community. So we got together to talk about it. We address the power dynamics when interacting with adoptive parents, we talk about whether or not adoption really is always going to be around, and what adoptive parents need to be doing now that they know they participated in a terrible system. Full Show Notes Here Join our community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

269 | Dr. Liz DeBetta Today we welcome back Dr. Liz DeBetta, author of Adult Adoptees and Writing to Heal: Migrating Toward Wholeness. Liz shares some reunion updates with us, including some very sad news about her sister. We discuss what lead her to choose to remain childfree. And of course, we talk about how writing, re-writing and examining the stories that have been placed upon us can help reconnect us to ourselves. Today's episode has mentions of sudden death, abuse and abortion. Full Show Notes Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

268 | Kimberly McKee, Ph.D. We are so excited to host critical adoption studies scholar, Dr. Kimberly McKee. She's the author of the impactful book Disrupting Kinship, and her brand new release is Adoption Fantasies: The Fetishization of Asian Adoptees from Girlhood to Womanhood. We talk about Kim's reunion with her family in Korea, where she's currently living with her young son, and what it's like parenting through reunification and reculturation. We talk about adoption in pop culture, and how preserving adoptee history and acknowledging the work of those who've come before us is vital to community building. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

267 | Jessica Hairston Today our guest is poet Jessica Hairston, author of Power of Our Wombs. Jessica shares her complex origin story, where both of her biological parents were struggling with addiction when she was born, apprehended and adopted soon after. We talk about "the traveling trauma" that has impacted her family system and the power of the word womb which features prominently in her poetry collection. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

266 | Susan Kiyo Ito Today's guest is the indomitable Susan Kiyo Ito. She has been writing, advocating, and leading in the adoptee community for decades and we are all the richer for it. Susan's brand new memoir, I Would Meet You Anywhere, has just been released and it is fantastic. We talk about how Susan first discovered an adoptee memoir at her local library at age 13, and how that changed the course of her life. We've got adoptee activism history, relatable reunion problems, and the power of sharing our adoptee experiences in community all throughout this conversation. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

265 | Louise & Sarah You might know today's guests and recognize their voices from their podcast, Adoption: The Making of Me. Louise Browne and Sarah Reinhardt are here! Today we hear about how their friendship started, they dish about some of the fights they've had and how they've sustained their close friendship. We also talk about all the books they've read in community with their audience, and which ones have been most impactful on their understanding of the impact of adoption. *TW: We mention death by suicide in this episode so please take care when listening. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

264 | Healing Series: Adoptee Remembrance Day Adoptee Remembrance Day was first commemorated on October 30, 2020. We've done a variety of episodes over the last few years beginning in 2020 with an interview with the founder of Adoptee Remembrance Day, Pamela Karanova. We've had listeners submit recordings of their thoughts, their poetry and prose. In deciding what to do this year, we were considering what would be most impactful for our community and we chose to do a healing series episode about suicide. This is the thing that we whisper about, we hide, we allude to, we are ashamed of, and we're getting braver about discussing. We've invited Lina Vanegas, MSW, to talk to us about suicide. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

263 | Stefany Valentine - When We Become Ours Today's episode is a celebration for When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee Anthology which releases on October 24, 2023. The first of its kind, edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung, with fifteen adoptee authors is cause for celebration. We're going to hear from an emerging author, Stefany Valentine, who shares her story of being adopted at age twelve, while her biological father had a terminal illness. She is the first step-parent adoptee we've had on the show. We talk about the lack of consent to her adoption, the cultural losses Stefany suffered, and how it wasn't until her mid-twenties that she realized her biological mother had been removed from her birth certificate. Next we're going to hear from five more contributing authors who share about their stories in the collection and what it's meant for them to be a part of this project. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

262 Healing Series: Difficult Relationships This is a special episode in our healing series where we talk to adoptees who are also therapists. We're going to call this episode a sort of "tune-up" for anyone who is in a period of estrangement or separation from a close relationship, whether it's adoptive parents, bio parents, somebody close in your life. We're talking through some of the things people don't talk about publicly and some things to consider that might be impacting your life and you just don't even realize it till you hear Marta say it out loud! It's a through-provoking episode and we hope it'll be helpful for you. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

261 | Lanise Antoine Shelley Today's guest is actor, director, playwright and podcaster, Lanise Antoine Shelley. Lanise shares about being adopted from a Haitian orphanage at age 4 by her single white adoptive mother and how exploring the impact of adoption over the last three years has challenged her connections with her adoptive family. Lanise also tells us about when she realized that her removal from Haiti left a huge hole for her entire biological family that was left behind, including her mother and father. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

260 Mike Hoyt Today's guest is Mike Hoyt, a remarkable artist and author of the graphic memoir of Hanabata Days. We discuss his reunion and subsequent reunification process with his first father. Mike also shares how reunification has impacted his own identity and that of his daughters'. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

Welcome back! Our first episode of Fall 2023 is a sampling of great advice from some of our favourite adoptee therapists about planning a first meeting with biological family, grieving the loss of an adoptive parent, and some relationship topics. Pam Cordano, MFT, Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC, and Lesli A. Johnson, MFT are some of the therapists we've hosted on Ask an Adoptee Therapist events for Patreon supporters. We also don't want you to miss our September book club, we'll be hosting Mary Gauthier to discuss her book Saved by A Song (September 25, 2023). Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

258 | Nicole Chung We are so thrilled to welcome Nicole Chung back to the podcast. Nicole's new memoir, A Living Remedy, is a heartbreaking pilgrimage where we walk with her through her grief in losing both of her adoptive parents within a few short years of each other. We talk a lot about grieving today: depression, avoidance, grief rituals, how our loved ones can show up for us, the joy pets can bring us in the worst of times. As an adoptee, Nicole has been one of the stalwart leaders in our community and you'll know why when you listen to the compassion and vulnerability she shares in our conversation. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

257 | Sarah Myer We are so excited to introduce you to Sarah Myer, author of the forthcoming graphic memoir, Monstrous. Today Sarah and I talk about their love of comics, anime, and cosplay and how it lead them to explore their own identity as a Korean adoptee and comic artist. We also talk about anger and violence and how it can be incredibly scary when it's erupting out of ourselves. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

256 Kira Omans We are so thrilled to talk with actor, audiobook narrator, and adoptee advocate, Kira Omans today. Kira shares how looking deeply at adoption over the past decade has changed her perspective. We talk about what it's like to audition as an adoptee and to embody a new character and identity during a performance. Of course, we get to chat about adoptee representation in Hollywood and the media, including how watching just one documentary upended what Kira thought was her origin story. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

255 Sarah Audsley We are thrilled to introduce you to Sarah Audsley today! Sarah's debut poetry collection Landlock X is our June Adoptees On(ly) Book Club pick. Today Sarah shares about how a reunion with genetic family in Korea only opened up more questions for her. We talk about cultural differences, context that can be lost in translation, and how she may be an anomaly with accurate records from the adoption agency. We talk through several of Sarah's poems and our excitement surrounding the growing body of adoptee literature. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

254 [Healing Series] Adoptee Superpowers Today we are talking with Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker about adoptee superpowers. Don't worry, we're not going to express gratitude for a traumatic experience over here, it's more about understanding what are some common traits we hold and how can we embrace and make use of them to our advantage. We talk about perfectionism, empathy, people-pleasing, control, attachment, independence and more. We know you're going to find something you relate to in today's episode! Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

253 Dr. Sam and Sandria We are thrilled to bring you two fellow podcasters today! Dr. Samantha Coleman and Sandria Washington are our guests from Black to the Beginning. They share their stories of being friends who just coincidentally found out a few years apart in adulthood that they also were both adopted. We talk about the lack of resources for same race black adoptees and how Dr. Sam and Sandria are working to build the community and supports they wish they had when they first found out they were adopted. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

252 Anne Elise Today's guest is our friend, Anne Elise. Anne lives abroad and we talk about some of the intersections she sees between living as an American expat and being an adopted person. Anne shares what it's like growing up with an adopted brother who was keen to live out the defiant "acting out" adoptee stereotype. We also talk about our love of reading adoptee-authored work and rejection from our birthmothers. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

251 Cam Lee Small, MS, LPCC Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

250 | [Healing Series] Pet Loss and Grief If you've been around the show for a while, you may remember that almost exactly one year ago Haley said goodbye to her dog, Lucy. We had so many people reach out during that time who had also lost a pet companion and so we started this conversation as a community about how especially weighty the grief can be for an adopted person. Today's guest is Laura Summers, LMFT, an adoptee and therapist, and we are talking how pet loss is a form of disenfranchised grief. Laura holds my hand through this challenging conversation about how dear our pets can be to us, and she teaches us how we can move through grief in a way that honours ourselves instead of trying to get to a finish line of feeling "fine". Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

249 Angela Tucker Today's guest is Angela Tucker, one of the most well-known adopted people in our community, subject of the documentary Closure, now turned author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity, and Transracial Adoption. Angela shares about her time as a caseworker in private adoption, and about the difficulties of balancing the tightrope act of critiquing adoption and still being invited back into adoption spaces. We also chat about how the subject of adoption shows up in Hollywood storylines is slowly evolving. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

248 Jeff Nyhuis & Amy Geller, LCSW If you are someone who is looking to have a relationship but have struggled to connect with past partners, or you are feeling misunderstood in your current relationship whenever you start talking about adoption, I think this conversation will be extremely helpful for you. Today we are joined by Amy Geller, LCSW, an adoptee and therapist, and her husband Jeff Nyhuis. Amy found herself repeating some self-sabotaging patterns in romantic relationships and when she met Jeff she was determined to correct course. We talk with Amy and Jeff about coming out of the fog together. They give us advice about how we can start these conversations with our partners, and how you might end up creating another adoptee ally in the process! Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

247 | Katie Bozek, Ph.D., LMFT Today's guest is Dr. Katie Bozek, a therapist and the Executive Director of KAAN, the Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network. We talk about the complexity of what being asked for our story brings. Katie shares how the birth of her first child was what set her on the journey of looking closely of what being adopted truly meant to her, and we touch on ways we both parent as adoptees with a focus on building connection. We wrap up by talking about the upcoming KAAN conference and what an adoptee-led event with a focus on community building and well-being can look like. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

246 Dorothy Ellen Palmer Today's guest is author and accessibility consultant Dorothy Ellen Palmer. Dorothy is a fellow Canadian adoptee whose story has some remarkable coincidences. We talk about the indescribable lure back to the places of our biological ancestors, why mainstream adoption humour is so problematic, and ableism in the adoptee community. This episode requires a trigger warning as we touch on some extremely difficult topics including mentions of sexual assault including infant sexual assault and other mentions of abuse. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

245 Mary Gauthier What can we say about today's guest? She is an iconic songwriter, Grammy-nominated folk artist, and outspoken adoptee advocate, Mary Gauthier. Mary's first book Saved By A Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting is a nurturing exploration of how sharing our stories can be a healing experience. Her 2010 album The Foundling has become a soundtrack for many of us as we've grieved and process our own adoptee stories. Mary and Haley talk about her path to songwriting, how important adoptee community is to her, and the power of story to overcome trauma. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated. 24

244 Deanna Shrodes, D.Min. We are back with part two of our interview with Dr. Deanna Shrodes. Last week Deanna shared with us how her father Gus Nicholas was found in May 2022 at the age of 92 after a first cousin DNA match. Deanna was his only daughter and they had several precious months together in reunion before he passed away in December 2022. Their story is so unbelievable that it's been featured on CBS Mornings and has gone viral around the world. Today we talk more about grief, the adoptee community, and how Deanna is handling some hard news that some of her maternal family members were keeping secrets from her and Gus for decades. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

243 Deanna Shrodes, D.Min. Our guest is Dr. Deanna Shrodes, a minister and well-known writer of the Adoptee Restoration blog and multiple books. Back in 2019 Deanna and I discussed the challenges of searching for her father and coming up with false leads and dead ends for years. Well today, she is back to share her heartwarming and heartbreaking story of finding her father Gus Nicholas after a lengthy search. It is so unbelievable that it has gone viral with millions watching her story on CBS Mornings. We talk about the joy and grief and messiness of all of it. This is part one, next week we'll finish the story and share our recommended resources with you. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

242 Andie Coston, LCSWA Today we are talking about something that may feel triggering to many of us. Indeed, both me and my guest had a hard time at different points during this conversation. We are talking with an adoptee who is also an adoptive parent. Andie Coston, LCSWA, is here, and we're talking about how to live in the grey world of both advocating for adoption abolition and/or reform, and also the fact that there are children that need permanence now. How do we look at the systemic upstream problems that cause adoption to exist, and how do we support the most vulnerable in a timely fashion? There are very challenging parts to being an adopted person who also adopts, and there are moments where an adopted person is the only other person who could understand what their adoptee is going through. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

241 Kirsta Bowman Today's guest is Kirsta Bowman, also known as Karpoozy to much of the internet. Kirsta is an adoptee advocate who has alerted millions of TikTok viewers about unethical adoption rehoming practices. She shares some of her personal search reunion story with us today, and we chat about the complexities of reunion when your biological family lives on another continent. And of course we revisit the topic of grief when you're rejected from being reunited and when you find a grave. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

240 Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D. Today's guest is Dr. Sandra Steingraber, a public health biologist and climate crisis expert. Sandra shares some of her personal story with us, and then the importance of knowing the interactions of both our biology and our adoptive environments on our health. As a gay woman who came out later in life, Sandra now helps facilitate a Queer Adoptee support group and we talk about the intersections and conflicts she sees between the LGBTQ community and the adoptee rights community. We've talked before about the upstream issues causing adoption to continue, but have you ever thought of how the climate crisis may be impacting family separation? Dr. Steingraber will explain! Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

239 Adoptees On(ly) Book Club We're inviting you to join our Adoptees On(ly) Book Club discussion today! Sullivan Summer interviews Rebecca Carroll, author of Surviving the White Gaze, at a live Zoom event with fellow adoptees. This was recorded in October of 2022. Like Rebecca, Sullivan is a Black, domestic, transracial adoptee raised in New Hampshire. She is a regular contributor to Adoptees Off Script. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

238 | Lora K. Joy returns to the podcast today to share about the process of legally changing her name and being adopted back by her biological mother. We talk about all the healing work and therapy she's persisted in to find acceptance of herself and about how it feels to own the truth around her story. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

237 | [Healing Series] Identity Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC returns to discuss a model of attachment that is so helpful for adopted people to consider. Instead of attachment styles being seen as a spectrum, Marta teaches us about the Nested Model and understanding the layers of complexity that can add to adoptees' experience of attachment. We even do a role play of how to have some challenging conversations if you're struggling in any relationship. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

Shannon Gibney, an award-winning author of multiple books, and her brand new release, The Girl I Am, Was, & Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption, returns to the podcast! Today Shannon shares some of her reunion story with us, how her long-time friends supported her through some pivotal life events, and how her relationship with her adoptive family has evolved over the years. We talk about the brand new book, and patrons will get the opportunity to join Shannon for an Adoptees On(ly) book club event in February 2023 (adopteeson.com/bookclub). Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

235 | Happy 2023! What a way for us to begin the new year! One of the people we most highly esteem in the adoptee community is here, JaeRan Kim Ph.D.. JaeRan is an adoptee scholar, community leader, and author of the prolific blog, Harlow's Monkey. Today she shares some of her personal story and how she landed in critical adoption studies. She also teaches us about the brilliant new model she's developed with several adoptee scholars to help us move beyond "out of the fog" language and instead come into Adoptee Consciousness. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

234 | [Healing Series] Positive Racial Identity Abby Hasberry, LMFT-A join us to talk about the importance of adult adoptees developing a positive racial identity. We can't develop that as children (nor as adults) when racial mirrors and cultural experiences are nonexistent. Abby shares some tools and strategies we can use to do this work of racial reclamation, and she addresses a common fear and question, "but is this cultural appropriation?". Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

233 | Patrick Armstrong We are so excited to welcome Patrick Armstrong to the podcast! Patrick is a fellow adoptee community builder and today he shares his experiences growing up as a Korean adoptee in all-white spaces. He's moved from rejecting his Asian identity, to a period of reclamation of identity, language and culture, and now feels that he's in a place of fully accepting himself. We hope this conversation will be encouraging, especially to those of you who have struggled to affirm your own unique identity in the world. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

232 | [Healing Series] Identity We're excited to have Marta Sierra, LMHC back on the podcast, one of our favourite adoptee therapists! Today Marta talks with us about identity development as adult adoptees. We talk through some of the ways adoption trauma can mean delayed development, and that finding out who we really are is possible in adulthood. Marta also advises us that sometimes doing healing work and discovering our preferences and values can upend our lives. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

Thank you to each one of you who has listened to an episode of Adoptees On! Each adoptee who listens is an integral part of our community, and we are feeling especially grateful for you making this possible today. Haley Radke and Carrie Cahill Mulligan are celebrating 1,000,000 downloads of the Adoptees On podcast! Join us as we take a look back at our first episode together and talk through some of our changes of perspective over the last six and a half years. We also answer some of your questions. We hope we have consistently shown you that adoptee voices are number one here! It is a true honour that we get to share your stories and wisdom with the world. If you'd like the show to keep thriving, please consider joining our Patreon or giving a one-time donation. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

230 | Marcy Axness, Ph.D. Today we are excited to welcome Marcy Axness, Ph.D.. This episode is a mix of a history lesson about adoptee activism and the psychological impacts of infant and mother separation. Marcy has her Ph.D. in Early Human Development, and brings a unique expertise and lens to the adopted person's experience. We discuss what it's like if we bring consciousness to our experiences and how we can be always moving towards healing but also that, unfortunately, there will likely always be opportunities for more healing. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

229 | Tiffany Henness Today we get to introduce you to our friend, Tiffany Henness. Tiffany shares her story of growing up in an open adoption, and how it isn't the panacea that many hold it up to be. We discuss how she came to explore race, adoption, and faith and what shifted her perspectives on all of those topics. Now, Tiffany is an adoption and racial literacy expert who writes, speaks, and leads others to unpack the complexities of these experiences. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

228 | Grace Kelly We have to admit this is the first featured guest we've had on the show who is not adopted. We are excited to introduce you to Grace Kelly, who has successfully had her adoption reversed in Australia and now works to help other Australians annul their adoptions. We discuss the impact having her adoption reversed has had on her personal healing journey and Grace also shares about the importance of our language, including why she doesn't use the term adoptee. Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

227 | Adoptee Remembrance Day Adoptee Remembrance Day is commemorated annually on October 30th. It is a day to remember our adoptee friends who have died by suicide. On this day we also acknowledge the adopted people who are without citizenship in the very country they were taken to as infants or children. We think of those who have suffered abuse at the hands of their adoptive parents and grieve those who have been murdered by the people who promised to give them a safe home. We mourn with those of us who have buried pain through addictions and lost time through incarceration. On Adoptee Remembrance Day we validate the experiences of those who have had adoption disruptions and multiple placements. Today we recognize the disconnection and loss of all who identify as being separated from our families of origin, by no choice of our own. This is the third annual Adoptee Remembrance Day and in previous years we have asked listeners to submit recordings of what the day meant to them. This year we recorded a live event with the Adoptee Voices writing groups and ten adoptee writers who are sharing a collection of their poetry and prose with us today. It was powerful and moving and deeply beautiful and filled with sorrow. *Content warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide, self-harm, and other challenging topics Full Show Notes Here This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.