Take the initiative to learn from all the resources that are out there. Recognize the importance of doing so for the benefit of adopted youth. - Meggin (Nam) Holtz If you're interested in supporting adopted youth in your family or community, then we have inspiration for you in today's episode! You may be trying to provide a loving and understanding environment, but still seeing your child struggle with feelings of not belonging. If you're feeling like your efforts to connect with an adopted yout...
Dec 18, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 124
I think that it's definitely a complicated thing, no matter how great the conditions are. But it definitely did something for me to have contact with my biological part of the adoptee experience. - Ben Coolman If the adoptee in your life is feeling overwhelmed by conflicting loyalties and uncertainty about where they belong, we want them to know they are not alone! Despite their efforts to maintain relationships with both sets of parents, they may find themself feeling torn between two worlds an...
Dec 11, 2023•30 min•Season 3Ep. 123
I think for my mother, she didn't always really see me quite as a person of equal value. - Janell Strube A biracial adoptee, Janell Strube, shares her powerful journey of navigating racial identity and the impact of racism behind closed doors. Did she ever find the acceptance and understanding she sought? In this episode, you will be able to: Realize the complexities of biracial identity. Begin to understand the impact of racism on identity formation. Navigate the unique challenges of biracial i...
Dec 04, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 122
While I'm away this Thanksgiving week, I wanted to make the recording of our recent Adoptee Remembrance Day vigil available to you all. The live Zoom event was on October 30, 2023. Hear powerful personal stories, emotional poetry, and calls for greater awareness of adoptee suicide, murder, and deportation. TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE EVENT, click here: https://youtu.be/uun76F2JQpE TO ACCESS THE WRITTEN PROGRAM FOR THE EVENT, click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vAkPZW1duk8UlOFhWIfS0ki5x...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Reserve your FREE ticket to the Sacred Plant Medicine for Healing the Adoption Constellation webinar featuring Mee Ok as one of the panelists, December 3 at 1pm PST: https://healingadoptiontrauma.eventbrite.com When you're in the margins and outside of the dominant narrative, you're very aware of what is just taken for granted. - Mee Ok Icaro A transformative journey unfolds as Mee Ok, a Korean transnational adoptee, embraces the healing power of Ayahuasca, finding dramatic physical healing, cha...
Nov 20, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 120
"Being commodified, treated as an object, as a thing that can be returned or exchanged, deeply affects us. I am not a thing." - Moses Farrow Did you know that adoptees are at least four times as likely to attempt suicide as their non-adopted peers? In this episode, Moses Farrow will shed light on the truth behind high suicide rates among adopted people, and will provide resources to help prevent adoptee suicide. In this episode, you will be able to: Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges ...
Nov 13, 2023•48 min•Season 3Ep. 119
Register at HeatherRossCoaching.com or at https://HappyEnough.eventbrite.com Do you have a child or loved one struggling with addiction or mental health issues? Are you dreading the holidays? Happy Enough Holidays is an interactive workshop hosted by Heather Ross and Beth Syverson Tuesday, November 14th 4:30 – 6:00 pm PST / 7:30 – 9:00 pm EST $20 for 90-minute interactive workshop Here's What You Get: A Supportive Immersive Experience: Curate your holiday experience with other parents who face s...
Nov 06, 2023•10 min
"Supporting a birth mother doesn't mean just offering empty words, but actively showing her what support looks like and helping her make informed decisions." - Abby Hasberry Have you ever experienced a life-changing twist that completely altered your life view? Abby Hasberry's story of being raised in a transracial adoptive family takes an unexpected turn at age 16, revealing the complexities and challenges faced by both transracial adoptees and birth parents. =============== 📆 Community Calend...
Nov 06, 2023•44 min
"You can't make this up. It's a beautiful journey of discovery and connection." - Rick Wertz Adoptees searching for their birth family are often met with dead-ends and heartache, which can be overwhelming. But Brian and Rick's story will give you hope. They demonstrate the grace and determination required to HANG ON when riding the complex roller coaster ride of reunion. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the complexities and emotional challenges of adoption, providing insight and un...
Oct 30, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 117
"I spend a lot of my life, and even through my art, just looking for belonging." - Nicole Rademacher Join us as we delve into the world of art therapy and adoption with guest Nicole Rademacher. Discover how Nicole uses art to heal on her own journey as an adoptee, and explore her upcoming project, "We Are Not Our Cruxes," that aims to empower adoptees and former foster youth. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the healing power of art therapy and how it can help adoptees do deeper wo...
Oct 23, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 116
Belonging and Racial Identity for Late Discovery Adoptee Peter Capomolla Moore Access a written transcript here, in case you have trouble understanding Peter's lovely Australian accent: https://tinyurl.com/yc8mfcjk "It's important for adoptees to understand and embrace their racial identity and sense of belonging. We must challenge the labels we are given and create our own narratives." - Peter Capomolla Moore Have you ever heard these myths about the significance of racial identity and belongin...
Oct 16, 2023•46 min•Season 2Ep. 115
"Don't let shame and stigma add to the struggles of being adopted. Personalized genetic testing can provide valuable insights and guidance for addiction treatment. Let's break the cycle and empower individuals to heal." - Dr. Evelyn Higgins Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless trial and error of finding the right treatment for your mental health and/or addiction issues? Are you trying various medications and therapies that don't seem to alleviate your pain or provide lasting relief? I thin...
Oct 09, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 114
Reserve your FREE ticket to the Sacred Plant Medicine for Healing the Adoption Constellation webinar featuring Ridghaus as one of the panelists, December 3 at 1pm PST: https://healingadoptiontrauma.eventbrite.com "Somatic therapy starts to move the body...taking breaths, activating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems so that I started to have full body sensation as we talked about different things." - Ridghaus In the depths of his journey through adoption, Ridghaus faced a powerf...
Oct 02, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 113
Troubling Tropes in Media's Adoption Stories with Kira Omans "Adoptees are so infantilized in media and just seen as subjects in need of rescue and that they were given an opportunity at a better life." - Kira Omans In a world where narratives shape our perceptions, Kira Omans defies expectations. As a transracial adoptee from China, she carries a tale waiting to unfold. But when she stepped into the glimmering lights of Los Angeles that she became more aware of the cruel twist that media had wo...
Sep 25, 2023•35 min•Season 2Ep. 112
Uncovering Hidden Roots with Peter O'Brien Uncover the profound journey of a late discovery adoptee (LDA) as he confronts the shocking truth of his adoption, embarks on a relentless search for his birth family, and navigates the complex emotions and conflicting loyalties that arise along the way. Find out the interesting way he found out he was adopted in his mid-50s, even though his adoptive parents were planning to go to the grave without him finding out. "Finding my biological family was a jo...
Sep 18, 2023•39 min•Season 2Ep. 111
Reimagining Culture's Adoption Narratives with Gayle Swift "What our children need is our common ground, our empathy, our support. They need us to step into their lens and understand their pain and feelings."- Gayle Swift What if the prevailing mindset surrounding adoption isn't as positive as we think? In this eye-opening conversation between Beth and adoption expert Gayle Swift, the US culture's (and churches') impact on adoption is challenged. It may cause you to question everything you thoug...
Sep 11, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 110
Challenging the Adoption System with Chester Jackson "The journey is more about being on the path more than off... The hardest part about being an adoptive parent is you're almost guaranteed to be disappointed because your motivation and your drive and everything you're thinking is involved around some fantasy child. It's not about that real human." -- Chester Jackson Discovering the truth can be as exhilarating as it is terrifying. It can shatter the very foundation of your identity, leaving yo...
Sep 04, 2023•50 min
Investigating Adoption's Fault Lines with Birth Mother Lorraine Dusky "Women today realize that giving up a child entails much more angst and long-term grief, and there's so many issues involved." - Lorraine Dusky An intrepid birth mother from the 1960s who faced disapproval and secrecy now fights for adoptee rights. Lorraine Dusky shares her personal journey and advocates for change in the complex world of adoption. 📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar 💌Sign up for our Unrave...
Aug 28, 2023•47 min
Reevaluating Beliefs and Exposing Racism in Evangelical Christianity with Harrison Mooney Growing up in an evangelical family, Harrison Mooney's life seemed like a carefully crafted script of faith and devotion. But beneath the surface, there was an unexpected twist that would send him spiraling into a world of self-discovery. As the only black child in a white family, Harrison's struggle to fit in took a toll on his soul. Little did he know, the very foundations of his beloved religion would co...
Aug 21, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 107
Coming Out of the Fog with Melissa Brunetti "As an adoptee, you want to be wanted. I thought, well, shoot, if I don't take this guy, I don't know if anyone else is going to come along." - Melissa Brunetti Even though Melissa was an adoptee with a FABULOUS adoptive family, she realized that she was "in the fog" of adoption trauma in mid-life. In this episode, we delve into Melissa's heart-wrenching quest to unravel the mysteries of who she is, her traumatic relinquishment and reunion story, and h...
Aug 14, 2023•34 min
A Transgender Birthmom's Complex Journey with Jack MacCarthy Amidst the backdrop of their conservative upbringing, Jack's path of self-discovery and acceptance unfolds, revealing the profound impact of a chance encounter with a queer girl at a Catholic youth group retreat. From exploring gender through the lens of art to navigating the complexities of their identity within the adoption community, Jack's story is a testament to resilience and the power of embracing one's true self. What unique ch...
Aug 07, 2023•40 min
Breaking the Cycle: Addressing the Needs of Foster Children - Jenell Jones "Love isn't enough. We can't just love these kids out of the abuse and neglect." - Jenell Jones Jenell Jones, a mother of seven, had faced her fair share of challenges as a foster and adoptive parent. But when she welcomed eight-year-old Mercy into her family, little did she know the unexpected twists that awaited her. As she unraveled the undisclosed severe mental health issues that plagued Mercy, Jenell was thrown into ...
Jul 31, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 104
The Lifelong Impact of Adoption with Michael Grenfell "When we receive or find new information, we have to then reorient ourselves with that information, with a new foundation or a new guidepost. It's deep identity structure stuff that we're continually renegotiating all the time throughout this journey." - Michael Grenfell In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, guest Michael Grenfell opens up about the profound impact of adoption on identity. As he shares his experiences, the complexities of n...
Jul 24, 2023•55 min
How To Be an Anti-Racist in Adoptive Families with Lanise Antoine Shelley "It's vital to feel a sense of connectivity to your name, to your environment, and to the people that you choose to love." - Lanise Antoine Shelley If you're an adoptee who's feeling a constant sense of disconnection and confusion as you try to fit into a world that doesn't fully understand or appreciate your unique transracial adoptee experience, then you are not alone! Many adoptees may find themselves struggling to navi...
Jul 17, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 102
Navigating Adoption's Complexities as an Adoptee and an Adoptive Parent with Damon Davis In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, guest Damon Davis shares his personal journey both as an adoptee and as an adoptive parent, shedding light on the complexities and challenges faced by adoptees and their families. Don't miss this gripping episode that explores the highs and lows of adoption and the power of resilience. In this episode, you will be able to: Traverse the paths of Damon's adoption experie...
Jul 10, 2023•46 min
Brainspotting in Adoption Therapy Does this sound familiar? You've been told to simply provide love and support to your adopted child, but despite your best efforts, they still struggle with emotional trauma. Or maybe you're an adult adoptee and struggling with ongoing distress from your relinquishment. The pain of watching your child - or yourself - suffer and feeling helpless can be overwhelming. But there is hope. In this episode, we explore the power of Brainspotting as a therapy for trauma ...
Jul 03, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 100
Dallas remembers being told he was adopted at five years old. And at 19, he had a life-shattering realization about his adoption. Struggling with anger issues and feeling disconnected from his family, he spiralled into self-destructive patterns with drugs and alcohol to cope with his pain. Now, Dallas is on a journey of self-discovery and growth, using some unconventional tools to help him cope with his struggles. But what was the unexpected twist that prompted his self-destructive behavior? And...
Jun 26, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 99
Magnifying Adoptee Voices with Jennifer Dyan Ghoston In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, fellow podcaster Jennifer Dyan Ghoston shares her experiences as an adoptee and advocate. She raises up the importance of amplifying adoptee voices, particularly for Black same-race adoptees. But as the conversation comes to an end, a thought-provoking question lingers: are adoptive parents and allies doing enough to truly understand and support their adoptee's experiences? Tune in to find out. In this e...
Jun 19, 2023•47 min•Season 2Ep. 98
Discover how late discovery adoptee (LDA) Greg Rostron exposes the danger of secrets and lies for adoptees’ mental health in this compelling and emotional episode. =============== 📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX =============== In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the crucial role honesty plays in the adoption process. Understand the effects secrets, lies, trauma, and family dysfunction ma...
Jun 12, 2023•49 min•Season 2Ep. 97
In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, trauma expert Beth Tyson discusses the often overlooked and misdiagnosed effects of ambiguous loss on children in foster care and adoptive families, calling for greater awareness and emphasis on connection to mitigate the impacts of trauma. =============== 📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX =============== In this episode, you will be able to: Grasp the profound ...
Jun 05, 2023•59 min•Season 2Ep. 96
