Adoptees On

226 | Harrison Mooney Today we are so honoured to introduce you to Harrison Mooney, author of the incredible new memoir, Invisible Boy, where he exposes the trauma of transracial adoption. Harrison shares with us why family preservation is so important to him, and how he was able to reconnect with his biological mother after a lengthy time of silence between them. We talk about the complexities of being in a situation where it didn't feel safe to say the whole truth about adoption, and about how good it feels when you're finally able to speak freely. 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.

225 | Ethan Ferkiss Today we are joined by Ethan Ferkiss to share his heartwarming reunion story. Expecting rejection or indifference, Ethan wasn't prepared for his search to end in what he calls the "jackpot scenario: a full-scale welcome". But as you can guess, navigating new relationships with four adult siblings, his biological mother, and his biological father, has been a whirlwind and can be overwhelming at times. 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.

224 | [Healing Series] I Will Not Abandon Myself Janet Nordine, MS, LMFT, RPT-S is back to talk about adoptee self-worth. So many of us tell ourselves the story over and over of, "there must be something wrong with me because I wasn't worth keeping". Janet talks us through a new phrase we can say to ourselves, "I will not abandon myself when I need myself the most." This episode is for you if you've ever felt like you weren't enough. Let's show up for ourselves, sometimes that's all we've got! 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.

223 | Tony Corsentino We are honoured to introduce you to Tony Corsentino today! As a philosophy professor turned public librarian, Tony walks us through some of the best strategies he's used to challenge the traditional adoption narrative. He also teaches us the differences between privacy and secrecy and he shares the importance of adoptees listening to the stories of others who have experienced severance from their family of origin. 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.

222 | Kara Bos Kara Bos is one of the first adoptees to ever successfully win a paternity lawsuit in South Korea. Kara's biological father was compelled by the courts to take a DNA test confirming his genetic connection to Kara which in turn allowed her to be added to the family registry as his daughter. We talk about the difficulties of disenfranchised grief she experienced when he died only six months after her court victory. Kara also shares about how there is room for us to be thankful for our current lives and also freedom to search for our origins and grieve the past. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Danish Korean Rights Group News article "Call for South Korea to investigate child adoptions to Denmark" Adapted Podcast Adapted Podcast - Kara's episode Connect With Us Kara Bos: Instagram | Facebook | Personal Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

221 | Haley Does DNA Testing In the final episode before our summer break, guest host Lisette Austin interviews Haley Radke! We are talking all about DNA testing: what made Haley finally take the plunge, which companies she chose to use, and about all the surprise feelings that came up. Haley also did this weird podcaster thing where she recorded her inner thoughts while spitting in the tubes… so we may have a few clips from that throughout the episode. We'll see you back here in September, make sure you're following or subscribed to Adoptees On so we can connect with you again in the fall with brand new episodes! Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Cut Off Genes Podcast: https://cutoffgenes.libsyn.com Search Maven E165 of Adoptees On: https://www.adopteeson.com/listen/165 The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast: Ep 61 | Mickela Mallozzi: Dance & DNA Travel My American Meltingpot Podcast: Ep 34 | DNA travel, adoption & multiracial identity Mentioned: episodes about Haley's story: Episode 13 Mentioned: The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland Connect With Us Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

220 | Christina Romo Today guest host Lisette Austin speaks with Christina Romo, creator of the blog called Diary of a Not-So-Angry Asian Adoptee. Christina shares about her career path in the adoption world and how she has finally found a position that she feels aligns with her personal work in adoptee advocacy. Lisette and Christina discuss the complexities that come with being close with adoptive parents and family while coming to grips with the trauma and loss that is part of adoption. Christina stresses the importance of remaining true to yourself while navigating the healing process. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Diary of a Not-So-Angry Asian Adoptee: diaryofanotsoangryasianadoptee.com Harlow's Monkey: An Unapologetic Look at Transracial and Transnational Adoption by Dr. JaeRan Kim Connect With Us Christina Romo: Instagram | Facebook | diaryofanotsoangryasianadoptee.com Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

219 | The Flourish Experience Today we are talking about The Flourish Experience. You're going to hear from multiple people who participated in a year-long group focused in on adoptee community through writing and sharing together weekly. I hope what you hear is that connecting deeply with other adopted people is possible. So many of them share that by being vulnerable they've been able to be truly seen by their peers, and for some that's brought a measure of healing. There have been many different lessons learned through their year together, and I am honoured to get to share some of those with you today. For the majority of the show you're going to hear from Catie Samantha Peck, LMSW, and Michelle Hinton, with multiple other authors chiming in with their thoughts throughout. The members of the 2021 Flourish group hope this book will guide and inspire you to find your own Flourish Family. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources The Flourish Experience: www.theflourishexperience.com Art auction to support Saving Our Sisters (savingoursistersadoption.org) Connect With Us The Flourish Experience: www.theflourishexperience.com Catie Samantha Peck, LMSW: Instagram | www.truestorycounselingservices.com Michelle Hinton: Instagram Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

218 | Dr. Jenny Heijun Wills We are honoured to have the brilliant Dr. Jenny Heijun Wills return to Adoptees On today. We talk about what reunion has looked like in the time since she's published her award-winning memoir, Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related., including the practical "how-tos" of maintaining a relationship with a family member that lives abroad and speaks a different language. Jenny also addresses what it feels like to be raised with Eurocentric beauty standards as a person of colour. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Mentioned: https://this.org/2020/09/21/a-certain-swanness/ Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related.: A Memoir by Jenny Heijun Wills Adoption and Multiculturalism: Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific Editors: Jenny Heijun Wills, Tobias Hübinette, and Indigo Willing Probably Ruby by Lisa Bird-Wilson The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy All That Matters by Wayson Choy Connect With Us Dr. Jenny Heijun Wills: Twitter | Instagram | www.jennyheijunwills.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

217 | Lisa Bird-Wilson I am thrilled to introduce you to today's guest, Lisa Bird-Wilson, the author of the phenomenal novel, Probably Ruby. We talk about what it means to be Indigenous and adopted into a white family and how she has now spent decades exploring her Metis identity. Lisa shares some behind-the-scenes info about the process of writing Probably Ruby, why she's currently writing a memoir, and the importance of having that history preserved for her children. During this interview, there were some challenges with sound, and unfortunately, I was distracted by my ailing dog and didn't do my best work. I apologize to Lisa that I didn't catch some poor audio quality moments that I normally would have caught during recording. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Probably Ruby by Lisa Bird-Wilson Just Pretending by Lisa Bird-Wilson The Red Files by Lisa Bird-Wilson The Sixties Scoop Foundation: www.nationalhealingfoundation.com Connect With Us Lisa Bird-Wilson: lisabirdwilson.com | Probably Ruby- Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

216 | Annalisa Toccara Today guest host Lisette Austin speaks with Annalisa Toccara, the co-founder of the UK organization, Adoptee Futures. Annalisa shares about the complexities of her relationship with her adoptive family, and her experience coming "out of the fog." Lisette and Annalisa also discuss grief and loss, they've both lost an adoptive parent within the last year or two. Annalisa talks about the loss of her adoptive mother in 2021, what the grieving process has been like, and the profound gifts at the core of the journey. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Healing After Loss by Martha Hickman The Joy of Being Selfish: Why you need boundaries and how to set them by Michelle Elman Connect With Us Annalisa Toccara: Twitter | Instagram | www.adopteefutures.org Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

215 | Lee Herrick Today's guest is the exceptional poet Lee Herrick. If you haven't read any of Lee's work, today is the day to make a purchase at your favourite bookstore! Lee is a Korean adoptee and shares how he found out later in life he was born in a completely different city than he was told. We discuss poetry as a social critique, surviving feelings of deep despair, and how writing poetry and finding the adoptee community has been such a gift. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Scar and Flower by Lee Herrick Gardening Secrets of the Dead by Lee Herrick This Many Miles from Desire by Lee Herrick First Person Plural (documentary by Deann Borshay Liem) - www.newday.com/film/first-person-plural Connect With Us Lee Herrick: Twitter | Facebook | www.leeherrick.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

214 | Sunny Reed We are thrilled to talk with Sunny Reed while she's right in the midst of her Ph.D. program developing a new transformational framework for transnational adoption. We believe her focus on connecting critical adoption research studies with existing child-focused and child-centering scholars is going to be revolutionary over the next decade. Haley and Sunny discuss some of what that means, as Sunny gives us a preview of her framework, but we also get personal talking about some health challenges she's had and the pain of working in advocacy when it all comes back to our personal experiences with loss. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Journal article "Their reward will be a lovely daughter": The Mobilization of "Hard to Adopt" and the Portrayal of Adoption as a Gift. Adoption & Culture. 8. 227-244. Hepburn, Taryn & Bendo, Daniella & Spencer, Dale & Sinclair, Raven & Bennett, Jacob. (2020) Childhood in a Global Perspective by Karen Wells Connect With Us Sunny Reed: sunnyjreed.blog Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

213 | Kendra Mylnechuk Potter Guest host Lisette Austin speaks with Kendra Mylnechuk Potter, actor, yoga teacher, Native adoptee, and subject of the documentary, Daughter of Lost Bird. Kendra shares her powerful adoption and reunion story, about navigating identity issues while claiming her cultural heritage, and what it was like to reunite with her biological mother, family, and community as part of filming a documentary. Kendra also talks about the painful and abusive U.S. policies around Native children and adoption, how she practices self-care while integrating the reality of generational and historical trauma into her personal story, and much more. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Daughter of a Lost Bird - Documentary - www.daughterofalostbird.com Dawnland - Documentary - upstanderproject.org/dawnland Blood Memory - Documentary - www.bloodmemorydoc.com I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk Try out an embodiment practice for healing work Connect With Us Kendra Mylnechuk Potter: Instagram | www.daughterofalostbird.com Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

212 | Mary Anna King Today the author of our April Adoptees On(ly) book club pick, B______s is with us! Mary Anna King was one of our very first podcast guests almost six years ago on season one. We discuss the challenges of being a kinship adoptee, the things that are often overlooked (like estrangements and other conflicts) that can force children to be unfairly used as weapons. We also talk about what it feels like to be a generational trauma cycle-breakers as Mary is expecting her first child. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources B______ by Mary Anna King (Listen to her first [Episode 7] and second appearances [Episode 67] on Adoptees On) What Next? The Adoptee Rights Podcast - episode 6 "Cleanup" with the Vermont Adoptee Rights Working Group Vermont Adoptee Rights Working Group Adoptee Rights Law Hear more about Greg Luce on his Adoptees On episode 182 Connect With Us Mary Anna King: Twitter | maryannaking.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

211 | Sullivan Summer Today's guest is the brilliant Sullivan Summer! Growing up as a black transracial adoptee with white adoptive parents, Sullivan was actively discouraged from identifying as black by her adoptive mother. She shares about her recent decision to change her full name as a sign of identity reclamation and we also discuss the intersection of adoption, race, and the United States' history of slavery. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption (re-release 2021) edited by Jane Jeong Trenka, Julia Chinyere Oparah, and Sun Yung Shin University of Minnesota Press podcast episodes with the editors of Outsiders Within: What society gets wrong about transracial adoption: Sun Yung Shin, Shannon Gibney, and JaeRan Kim. Korean and Vietnamese adoptees on the intimate racialized politics of transracial adoption: Jane Jeong Trenka, Indigo Willing, and kimura byol-nathalie lemoine. Outsiders Within: Korean adoptees Jane Jeong Trenka and Ami Nafzger share their stories. National Association of Black Social Workers 1972 Position Statement on Transracial Adoption (a direct download is available here: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.nabsw.org/resource/collection/E1582D77-E4CD-4104-996A-D42D08F9CA7D/NABSW_Trans-Racial_Adoption_1972_Position_(b).pdf ) Connect With Us Sullivan Summer: Instagram Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

210 | Stephanie Drenka Today's guest is the incredible Stephanie Drenka, and we say incredible because she saw the need for an online platform for underrepresented communities and went ahead and built VISIBLE magazine in one night. Stephanie talks about her shifting view of adoption over time, how being raised in a predominantly white community caused her to experience internalized racism, and why sometimes when you see a need in the community, you've got to be the one to go ahead and fill the gap. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources VISIBLE Magazine (mentioned: article by Gracie) and VISIBLE on Instagram Somebody's Children: The Politics of Transnational and Transracial Adoption by Laura Briggs Taking Children: A History of American Terror by Laura Briggs Mentioned: Adoptees On episode addressing internalized racism (177 Healing Series Internalized Oppression) Connect With Us Stephanie Drenka: StephanieDrenka.com | [VISIBLEmagazine.com] | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

209 | Dr. Hollee McGinnis The indomitable Dr. Hollee McGinnis is on the podcast today! Many of you have definitely heard of Hollee and her immense contributions to the adoptee community both academically as a scholar and as a community builder which includes starting the adoptee-centric organization, Also Known As, over 25 years ago. Today we get to talk about some deeply personal topics to Hollee, which of course includes community building, but we also discuss how Hollee's perspective on adoption has changed over the years. Hollee shares how sometimes, who we see as the "high-performing adoptees" may be trying to outwork some internal struggles. Make sure you stick around until the end of the show as Hollee shares a poem she wrote about kimchi and how her breast cancer diagnosis lead her to a rediscovery of Korean food, this time as a cook! Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Adoption Initiative Conference: The Evolution of Adoption Practice: Activist and Community Perspectives - March 25-26, 2022 Also Known As iamadoptee.org Rudd Adoption Research Program for scholarship on adoption Connect With Us Dr. Hollee McGinnis: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Guest host Lisette Austin interviews her close lifelong friend Iana, who helped Lisette find her birth father using genetic genealogy. Iana shares her adoption and reunion story, and what led her to "come out of the fog" and begin exploring adoptee issues. She also shares what led her to become interested in genealogy, the importance of having a close adoptee friend, and what her top adoptee resources are. Together Lisette and Iana share some of the story behind their detective hunt, including a few of their favourite highlights. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources IFS Therapist Directory: https://ifs-institute.com/practitioners Adoptees On episodes about IFS: 69, 71, 135 and 180 with Marta Isabella Sierra. Also discussed in episodes 70 and 175 Connect With Us Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we're talking with Lisette Austin, who is going to have a very special role here at Adoptees On, but we won't spoil exactly what that is, yet. Lisette is an award-winning podcaster, passionate about travel, and also happens to be one of Haley's good friends. We discuss what it's meant for Lisette to learn more about her biological family using DNA testing and genealogical research and we share why this particular episode is a milestone marker in the life of the Adoptees On podcast. Please join us in welcoming Lisette Austin to Adoptees On, in her new role as … well, you'll hear very soon! Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Adoptee Literary Festival live for free on April 9, 2022! Follow on Instagram: @adopteelitfest The Lost Family: How DNA Testing is Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland Connect With Us Lisette Austin: Twitter | Instagram | travelingmyroots.com | The Globetrotter Lounge Podcast Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we are honoured to introduce you to Mike Trupiano. Mike shares about his painful childhood, marred by violence and a feeling of being fully unwanted. We talk about adoptee healing, about searching for his biological family, which included a literal doorstop visit where he dressed up as a delivery driver. He's a skilled storyteller, actor and comedian, also a sober coach. Now living in Germany, Mike's worked so hard at self-care and reclaiming identity, we think you'll join us in being in awe of the skills he's built up. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal by Jeanette Winterson The Bourne Identity - 2002 Film Mind over Matter - Jeanette Winterson's newsletter on Substack Connect With Us Mike Trupiano: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | miketrupiano.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we are joined by Melissa Guida-Richards, author of What White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices. Melissa is a late discovery adoptee, accidentally finding out at age 19 that she was adopted. She shares with us how she's since reconciled with her adoptive mother and how they now navigate open conversations about race and adoption. Melissa also tells us about how and why she decided to educate and engage with adoptive parents both in print through her words, and in online discussions. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources What White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices By Melissa Guida-Richards Adoptee Thoughts - Melissa Guida-Richards's podcast Adoption Mosaic (Hear more about Adoption Mosaic: Astrid Castro's appearance on Adoptees On - Episode 156) Connect With Us Melissa Guida-Richards: Twitter | Instagram | www.adopteethoughts.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today I'm talking with Jan Beatty, poet, professor, and the author of the recently released memoir, American Bastard. We talk about how Jan wants to disrupt the traditional narrative, what she calls the "whitewashed" view of adoption. What happens when you publicly name your hockey-famous biological father, even after he denies your paternity claim? We even get to hear a reading from American Bastard, and it is so powerful it certainly made me tear up. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources American Bastard by Jan Beatty The Body Wars by Jan Beatty (and other books of poetry) Journey of the Adopted Self by B.J. Lifton The West Pole by Diane Glancy Connect With Us Jan Beatty: Twitter | Email beattyjp [at] aol [dot] com | www.janbeatty.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

I'm honoured to introduce you to Lisa Olivera today, one of my favourite therapists to follow on Instagram. Her gentle and compassionate presence feels like just what we need in this time. The title of Lisa's new book, Already Enough: A Path to Self Acceptance, is the perfect description of the message she wants to share with us today: we're already enough. 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. Show Notes Recommended Resources Already Enough: A Path to Self Acceptance by Lisa Olivera, MFT Make sure to follow Lisa's encouraging Instagram account No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz, PHD Connect With Us Lisa Olivera, MFT: Instagram | lisaolivera.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Today Leah Cooper shares how listening to hours and hours and hours of adoptees, birth families, and adoptive parents sharing their stories lead her to what she calls her "volcano of grief". Leah was a part of a team that created a play called In My Heart: The Adoption Play Project, which has been transformed into a graphic novel. We discuss how the impact of unpacking her adoption experience has been transformational. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources In My Heart: The Adoption Story Project - Created by Alan Berks & Leah Cooper, Illustrated by Becca Hart The somatic approach - using meditation, yoga, & ASMR The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk Connect With Us Leah Cooper, Wonderlust Productions: Instagram | Facebook | wlproductions.org Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Free preview Patreon episode with all the details of our 2022 Book Club: Adoptees On(ly) Book Club 2022 Announcements Check out our Adoptees On(ly) Book Club picks to add to your TBR pile: https://www.adopteeson.com/bookclub Join our private community: https://www.adopteeson.com/community Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we are talking about celebrations with Pam Cordano, MFT because we are celebrating 200 episodes of the Adoptees On Podcast! Pam and Haley talk about how celebrations can often feel scary for us as adopted people because feeling joy or happiness can be disorienting (upper limit problem anyone?). Pam shares a few different reasons why we may feel that way, teaches us steps towards feeling happiness, and how to hold space for both good things and challenging things simultaneously. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources 10 Foundations for a Meaningful Life (No Matter What's Happened) by Pam Cordano, MFT Read more about the "Upper Limit Problem" in The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks Connect With Us Pam Cordano, MFT: pamcordano.com | yourmeaningful.life | Twitter | Instagram | Email pcordano(at)comcast(dot)net Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we welcome back to Adoptees On, Brian Stanton. Brian shares with us how the pandemic morphed his script for a play into his fantastic new film @GhostKingdom. We talk about how relationships can shift for us as adopted people: building relationships with people we may believe are genetic relatives until it's confirmed they aren't, and how his conception story that Brian and his mother believed for decades got upended. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Brian Stanton's film @GhostKingdom www.atghostkingdom.com and find a screening here Adoption Truth and Transparency Worldwide Network The Search for Mother Missing: A Peek Inside International Adoption by Janine Vance Journey Of The Adopted Self: A Quest For Wholeness by Betty Jean Lifton Connect With Us Brian Stanton: Instagram | Facebook | thebrianstanton.com | @GhostKingdom Instagram | www.atghostkingdom.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

I'm thrilled to bring you today's guest, Andrea Ross, author of Unnatural Selection: A Memoir of Adoption and Wilderness. Andrea shares how a health crisis lead her outdoors, and how a decade of spending time in the wilderness brought her a feeling of groundedness. We discuss the loneliness that adopted people can face and how we've both seen this theme of reconnecting with ancestral landscapes popping up more and more frequently. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Unnatural Selection: A Memoir of Adoption and Wilderness by Andrea Ross The Wisdom of Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature by Gerald G. May Adoption: The Making of Me podcast - Andrea's episode Notes for Colorado adoptees from a fellow adoptee, Anne: The Colorado Department of Human Services can give you your adoption file "If your adoption was handled by the state or a county, or the licensed child placement agency (LPCA) that handled your adoption has closed." I was able to receive this information even though I was not physically in Colorado. I just had to send a picture of my ID via email to confirm who I was. This service was free of charge. Colorado adoptees who want to get their OBC and Report of an Adoption (which is basically like an integrated birth certificate and lists your names pre- and post-adoption, your adoptive parents, your birth parents, the date, time and place of your birth, and the attorney who filed the court documents for the adoption), need to contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or go to their website. There is a form to fill out and a fee to pay for this service. One piece of information regarding sealed adoption information in Colorado is that circa 1990 all of the paper files were collected from the county courthouses to be microfiched and held centrally. So be prepared to receive copies of microfiche film that is potentially difficult to decipher. More info and links available here from Adoption Search Resource Connection (based in Colorado): www.asrconline.org/get-records Connect With Us Andrea Ross: www.andrearosswriter.com | Twitter | Instagram | Personal Facebook | Facebook Page Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we're back in the spirituality series and we are taking a look at cults and high-demand groups. My guests have both been impacted by cults and they have a theory that adopted people may be more susceptible to these types of groups. Donna and Sara have extensively researched cults since they got out and have a ton of knowledge to share with us. They both tell their personal stories of how they inadvertently found themselves in high-demand groups, how they got out, and what adopted people specifically need to know about cults. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Sara Easterly's previous appearance on Adoptees On E143 and Donna's E79 A Little Bit Culty Podcast The Vow: NXIVM Documentary on HBO Searching for Mom: A Memoir by Sara Easterly Terror, Love and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems, by Alexandra Stein More reading, research, and resources on the topic: #iGotOut www.igotout.org | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook ICSA: International Cultic Studies Association Traumatic Narcissism and Recovery: Leaving the Prison of Shame and Fear by Daniel Shaw Terror, Love and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems by Alexandra Stein BITE Model of Authoritarian Control by Steven Hassan Steven Hassan - What is a Cult? YouTube video with a whiteboard animation explaining the BITE Model Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Jana Lalich, Madeleine Tobias The Gift of Fear : Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin DeBecker Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover Sunderland, Paul "Relinquishment and Adoption: Understanding the Impact of and Early Psychological Wound" presentation for iCAAD London 2019, August 12, 2019. (His reference about religiosity/fundamentalism as something commonly seen in adoptees with developmental trauma comes in around 45 minutes in) Podcast episode Roys Report "What Makes a Church a Cult" with guest Steven Hassan Connect With Us Donna: Email adoptee3 [at] gmail [dot] com Sara Easterly: saraeasterly.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note 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.

Today we welcome Jack Dermody to the podcast. We talk about family secrets in adoption and the impact it has on all the parties when they are revealed. Jack also gets personal and tells us what happens when you start closely examining your adoptee experience in your seventies. We talk about family preservation and adoptee support, and how that looks like community showing up for each other on a large scale. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources @GhostKingdom by Brian Stanton Tree of Strangers by Barbara Sumner It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton Connect With Us Jack Dermody: Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

We are revisiting the topic of estrangement today. Earlier in 2021 we did several episodes that examined estrangement and what made some of us decide to break contact with our adoptive families. When I was producing that series I always wanted to have an episode where we could talk about what it would look like to go BACK to our adoptive family after a period of estrangement. Can you ever go back once you've left? Today Ellianna shares her experiences of reunion with her birth mother, and what lead to a decade-long estrangement from her adoptive family. She talks us through her decision-making process for reunification, and I was amazed to hear the depth of how she's looked back on this and processed all the things that have gone on in her life so far. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Dr. Richard Schwartz The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz Previous Adoptees On episodes about Estrangement (playlist on Spotify) or there's a list on the Adoptees On website here. Connect With Us Ellianna Javed: elliejaved [at] gmail [dot] com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Adoptee Remembrance Day is commemorated annually on October 30th. This episode has a collection of recordings that listeners have submitted to the show on what Adoptee Remembrance Day means to them. Haley also shares a way you can show up for fellow adoptees during November, using #DearAdoptees. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Adoptee Remembrance Day - commemorated annually on October 30th What is Adoptee Remembrance Day? Adoptee Remembrance Day Facebook Page RSVP to the Adoptee Remembrance Day Event on Facebook Adoptees Connect on Instagram | adopteesconnect.com | Facebook Use the hashtag #DearAdoptees throughout November Dear Adoption, dearadoption.com | Instagram | Facebook Crisis Hotlines: Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 In July 2022, 988 will become the national three-digit code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, some mobile carriers already support this number. USA Crisis Services Canada 1-833-456-4566 24/7 (text 45645, available 4:00pm - 12:00am Eastern time) Canada Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (USA & Canada) Crisis Text Line UK: text HOME to 85258 Crisis Text Line Ireland: text HOME to 50808 List of Suicide Crisis Lines Worldwide Sexual Assault Crisis Support (RAINN) 1-800-656-4673 (USA) Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860 (USA) Trans Lifeline 1-877-330-6366 (Canada) Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Do we have to choose between our biological family and our adoptive family? What about choosing between their religions or spiritual practices? Mar shares how they are both Jewish and Catholic. We talk through how they chose adult conversion to Judaism as a way to feel permanently grafted to their adoptive family. Mar is also very open about how recovery programs have helped them to identify as spiritual but not religious. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Adoptee Voices & their new E-Zine Adoptees & Addiction support group. You can hear Miguel talk more about it on Adoptees On episode 176 Connect With Us Mar Miram: rebelliondogs (at) yahoo (dot) com | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Our guest today is scholar and author Susan Devan Harness. Susan shares from an anthropological perspective about the policies in place behind the Indian Adoption Project and why Indigenous placement with white families was preferred by the government. She also shares some of the current action in the US courts to undermine and remove the Indian Child Welfare Act and why it is so critical for us to pay attention to the cascading effects this could have. We do get personal too, about what happened for Susan in her forties as she unravelled what being adopted really meant: being separated both from her original family and from her original culture. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption by Susan Devan Harness Mixing Cultural Identities Through Transracial Adoption: Outcomes of the Indian Adoption Project (1958-1967) by Susan Devan Harness White Mother to a Dark Race: Settler Colonialism, Maternalism, and the Removal of Indigenous Children in the American West and Australia, 1880-1940 by Margaret D. Jacobs The Alliance for the Study of Adoption and Culture - Eighth Biennial Conference on Adoption and Culture, where Susan Devan Harness is one of the keynote speakers. Available virtually, most sessions were released on October 8, 2021 and there will be live Q&As October 22 & 23, 2021. Adoptees Off Script Book Club with Susan Devan Harness October 30, 2021 For Further Education: Podcast: This Land (Season Two) by Crooked Media Adoptees On episodes on the Canadian Sixties Scoop (Series 6): E110 with Dr. Raven Sinclair, E112 with Christine Miskonoondinkwe Smith, and E114 with Inez Cook Connect With Us Susan Devan Harness: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | susanharness.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Today's guest is Dr. Erin Heim who has spent a decade of her life researching and examining both the biblical texts in the New Testament that mention adoption as well as multiple books written from an evangelical perspective of adoption promotion. Erin teaches us what adoption looked like during the first century, and spoiler alert - it's nothing like modern-day adoption. Erin and I also put a critical lens to how adoptees are treated in the church today, and how conflating biblical metaphors of adoption and modern-day adoption is harmful and keeping churches from embracing a family preservation stance. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Adoption in Galatians and Romans: Contemporary Metaphor Theories and the Pauline Huiothesia Metaphors by Dr. Erin M. Heim Dr. Erin M. Heim's chapter "The Inward Groaning of Adoption (Rom 8:12-25): Recovering the Pauline Adoption Metaphor for Mothers in the Adoption Triad (You can find that within the book Making Sense of Motherhood: Biblical and Theological Perspectives ed. by Beth Stovell) Growing God's Family: The Global Orphan Care Movement and the Limits of Evangelical Activism Book by Samuel L. Perry On Script episode interview with Erin Heim: Adoption in Galatians and Romans Connect With Us Dr. Erin M. Heim Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

I am thrilled to bring you Barbara Sumner today. Her literary memoir Tree of Strangers is one of the best books I read this year (and I'm including my non-adoption-related reading in that). Barbara and I talk about some of the painful experiences she recounts in her book. We also talk about some of the issues facing the adoptee community today, including Barbara's perspective on adoption reform vs. the complete abolition of adoption. Full Show Notes Here Share your voice for Adoptee Remembrance Day Show Notes Recommended Resources Tree of Strangers by Barbara Sumner Connecting with adopted people, Barbara mentions this Adopted Adults of NZ Facebook group Barbara's Newsletter Barbara's book club episode for Patreon supporters Connect With Us Barbara Sumner: Instagram | Facebook | www.barbarasumner.nz | Barbara's Newsletter Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Share your voice for Adoptee Remembrance Day Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Today's guest is brilliant poet Tiana Nobile whose recent collection of poems Cleave is an exceptional exploration of transnational adoption. Tiana shares her story with us from the deeply personal struggles to her in-depth research on the problematic history of adoption. Tiana also teaches us about contranyms and you'll be in awe of the perfection of the title Cleave when she unpacks that for us. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Cleave by Tiana Nobile, Spirit of the Staircase by Tiana Nobile Henry Goldkamp's interview, "Disrupting Lexical Expectations in "Cleave" Surviving the White Gaze by Rebecca Carroll Find out more about Tiana's upcoming workshops on her events page tiananobile.com/events Connect With Us Tiana Nobile: Twitter | Instagram | tiananobile.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

We're celebrating five years of podcasting with a special Ask Me Anything episode. Listeners submitted questions for me (Haley) from "what are your plans for the coming season of Adoptees On?" to "where would you invest a million dollars to help the cause of adoptees?" I also share a bit about this amazing leaf-teardrop hybrid painted by JS Lee. Full Show Notes Here Mentioned Today My story way back in season 1 Barbara Sumner's book - Tree of Strangers Episode 32 - How to choose a therapist Adoptee therapist directory: https://www.growbeyondwords.com/adoptee-therapist-directory/ Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

We're coming to our summer break! What better note to end on than this encouraging episode with Dr. Liz DeBetta. Liz has been on the podcast before and shared her story of coming to her late thirties before examining the impact adoption had on her life. Today though we are strictly diving into one of her areas of expertise which is using writing as a tool for healing. Writing is accessible, it has physical, emotional, and mental health benefits. Writing can help us create a new narrative for ourselves. Liz recently lead a group of adoptees through a transformative writing group and she shares some tools we can use to start our own writing practice. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Rudd Adoption Virtual Conference 2020-21 Dr. Liz DeBetta's presentation and the participant's videos (shortand long) Liz's first appearance on Adoptees On E118 Adoptees Connect - now planting new groups Writing as a Way of Healing by Louise DeSalvo Waitlist for the new writing groups https://forms.gle/iX6Ru8fcyHfFupkf7 Just note "No, I am not available for all sessions" to skip to the "I am interested in future opportunities" part of the form. Connect With Us Dr. Liz DeBetta: www.lizdebetta.com | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

I'm honoured to introduce you to my new friend Megan Culhane Galbraith today. Megan's brand new book, The Guild of the Infant Saviour, is out in the world and is getting rave reviews, especially from fellow adoptees. Today we talk about the challenges of building a relationship after the first moments of reunion are finally realized. Megan shares how she views the patterns of silencing adoptees from childhood into our adulthood. Did you know there used to be a program at Cornell that used "practice babies" sourced from foundling homes to teach women how to be mothers? Megan describes the impact of researching these barbaric Domecon experiments on us as adoptees, as humans turned into objects like dolls. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book by Megan Culhane Galbraith The Dollhouse Exhibit Palimpsest by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom and you can support on Patreon here and hear Lisa's episode (130) on Adoptees On Connect With Us Megan Culhane Galbraith: www.megangalbraith.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | The Dollhouse on IG Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Today I'm excited to introduce you to Lora K. Joy. Lora tells us she always knew she didn't fit in with her adoptive parents, and that she made promises to herself that she would do things differently. Lora recounts a transformative moment where she grieved her adoption loss that intrinsically changed her forever. We also unpack some of the things that lead to her decision to become estranged from her adoptive parents and how she maintains her protective boundary. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources Goodbye Hypervigilance: Healing Adoptee Worry by Lora K. Joy Adoptee Epiphanies on Facebook and Instagram created by Pamela Karanova (adopteesconnect.com) Connect With Us Lora K. Joy: www.myadopteetruth.com | Instagram | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Today Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D. is with us, sharing some of her personal story intermingled with her expertise as a psychologist. Ever wonder if therapists and psychologists are being taught about relinquishment trauma? Have you heard of how helpful Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can be for adopted people? Sharon even reveals the surprising impact reunion had on her romantic relationships. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources When There Are No Words: Repairing Early Trauma and Neglect From the Attachment Period With EMDR Therapy Paperback – by Sandra L. Paulsen Ph.D. Gabor Mate and Zara Phillips - The Trauma of Relinquishment - Adoption, Addiction and Beyond Mary Hayes Grieco's teachings on forgiveness. Her book is Ambushed by Babies and her other work is available on maryhayesgrieco.com Connect With Us Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D.: www.sharonsteinmcnamara.com | ssmcnamara [at[ comcast [dot] net Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

I'm happy to introduce Paul Kimball to you today. Paul shares his story of search and reunion and how the joy of music intertwined him with his first mother. Paul shares deeply with us about his grief from both rejection and death. Family, music, and nature have brought so much delight into Paul's life, he challenges us to make sure we're choosing to experience all life has to give and not get stuck in the hard things. Full Show Notes Here Show Notes Recommended Resources We are all Human Beings - An Adoptee Ponders by Paul Kimball Friday night happy hours - National Association of Adoptees & Parents - Paul shared his story there as well, it's posted on YouTube here. Some of the music we mention in this episode: The Swan - Jacqueline DuPre and The Elgar Cello Concerto - Jacqueline DuPre Connect With Us Paul Kimball: PKSTJohns [at] aol [dot] com | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

I am excited to introduce you to Gregory Luce today, the attorney behind Adoptee Rights Law. We get to hear some of Greg's personal story today, including the five-year court battle it took for him to receive his records. We talk about some of the typical arguments adoptee activists hear from legislators against original birth certificate access and what impact DNA testing access has had on OBC legislation. Greg also challenges us to make sure we're listening to all adoptee voices. Greg is a lawyer but he's not giving us legal advice during this episode. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources adopteerightslaw.com The 5 Most Pernicious Myths about Adult Adopted People by Gregory Luce Adoptees United American Baby: A Mother, A Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption by Gabrielle Glaser Cleave by Tiana Noble The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book by Megan Culhane Galbraith Invisible Asians by Kim Park Nelson Surviving the White Gaze by Rebecca Carroll Connect With Us Gregory Luce: adopteerightslaw.com | Twitter | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC, is back this week! We are still talking about estrangement and today looking at the question - is loyalty a trauma response? Marta teaches us about "fawning" and that many of us will choose to be loyal to others before ourselves. Full Show Notes Here Recommended Resources Marta's first appearance on the podcast was episode 69 which teaches about the Internal Family Systems model and why it's helpful for adopted people. (Other episodes featuring Marta: 71, 134, 135, & 180) Connect With Us Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC: martasierralmhc [at] gmail [dot] com | martadrachenberglmhc.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC, one of our favourite adoptee therapists is back on the podcast today! We are talking about estrangement through the lens of the Internal Family Systems therapy model. Marta teaches us how to listen to our parts' needs and prioritize the safety of our own identity above preserving relationships. Full Show Notes Here Connect With Us Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC: martasierralmhc [at] gmail [dot] com | martadrachenberglmhc.com Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

I'm thrilled Shannon Gibney, writer and activist is here! Shannon shares some of her personal story and how she's observed adoptee voices reaching critical mass over the last fifteen years. Since her first novel, See No Color, was released 6 years ago, she's heard from many younger adoptees who've felt seen and validated by reading her words. Shannon recounts how her experience of grief in motherhood and the adoptee experience intertwined, and how she's modelled truth-telling, even the difficult things, to her children. Full Show Notes Here Connect With Us Shannon Gibney: www.shannongibney.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Ferera Swan is here to share her experiences of reunion and secondary rejection with us. We talk about the impact other members of the extended family can have on our reunions, and Ferera tells us about the meaning behind her name and what her producer encouraged to include in her song "Second Time". Full Show Notes Here Connect With Us Ferera Swan: www.fereraswan.com | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube | Spotify | Indigo+Swan Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is with us today and she is teaching us about internalized oppression. She tells us why she finds the term "coming out of the fog" somewhat problematic. If you've ever found yourself self-sabotaging, Dr. Wirta-Leiker explains this could actually be a form of self-protection. She leads us with the adoptee-first lens, keeping our mental health and well-being the top priority even when we may prioritize teaching others instead. Full Show Notes Here Find Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker's directory of adoptee therapists here Check out the Society of Adoptee Professionals of Color in Adoption - SAPCA Connect With Us Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker: www.growbeyondwords.com | Facebook Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube Support Adoptees On One Time Donation | Monthly | Secret Facebook Group Connect Occasional Newsletter | Send a Note