In this episode, I interview two adoptees who are connected and who have larger-than-life adoption stories. Meet Kelli and Linda.
Kelli was the product of a pre-arranged adoption through a local church and her biological mother’s doctor. Her adoptive parents waited for notification of her birth and brought her home at 3 days old. She had a happy life, and she says her adoptive mom was the absolute best woman ever.
Unfortunately, since her adoptive mother’s death, she no longer has a relationship with her adoptive father and at this time does not have any communication with him. She says she does have an amazing relationship with her biological father and his side of the family, not so much with her biological mother who after a rocky reunion, she has no contact with now, as many adoptees can relate.
Kelli has a celebrity adoptee for a cousin that joins us later in the episode. Everyone in the adoptee community knows her as Emma Stevens. Emma discusses why she decided to recently reveal her real name, Linda Pevac, and why she used a pseudonym in the first place.
Emma Stevens is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. Her traumas were born from first being relinquished and then becoming an adoptee who struggled with being forced to play the part of the “good adopted child.”
Her childhood upbringing in an authoritative, cult-like family predisposed Emma to several more struggles. One of them was falling prey to an exploitative therapist where she unknowingly entered a cultic, one-on-one relationship with her psychologist. Someone who was to help, support, and provide healing, instead held Emma captive in a psychological nightmare.
Because of these past traumas, it’s Emma’s desire to be part of the movement that is dedicated to help bring forth change to the way our world views the needs and support of adopted individuals, as well as bring awareness of the exploitation that can occur by the hands of counselors, therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
Emma has written two books. Her first was The Gathering Place: An Adoptee’s Story. The second is A Fire Is Coming. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism and has completed Master’s level course work in psychology, specializing in Marriage, Family, and Child counseling. She has two adult children and two cat children who she adores.
Emma Stevens Book Links:
The Gathering Place-An Adoptee’s Story https://a.co/d/8nDBn3x
A Fire Is Coming https://a.co/d/c7PehIx
Emma’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/EmmaStevensWriter
If you or someone you know would like to tell their adoption story on the podcast (anyone in the adoptee constellation), please send an email to mindyourownkarma@gmail.com, and your story will be considered for the podcast.
_________
Due to the LONG-LASTING EMOTIONAL FALLOUT that can be part of adoption, I highly support the GENTLE HEALING SUPPORT of SMGI: Somatic Mindful Guided Imagery. For more information on this groundbreaking and highly successful method, go to https://www.somatichealingjourneys.com
Please seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with some of the realizations that you may experience during this episode.
This podcast's mission is on adoption education. If you have an expertise that you think would be beneficial to anyone touched by adoption and would like to be on the podcast, get in touch with me. I love to help fellow adoptees by helping to promote your latest project or expertise. It's time WE educate the world!!
Check out my website for other resources, all episodes of the podcast, and more about me!
https://www.mindyourownkarma.com
Follow me on Socials!
MYOK on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mind_your_own_karma
MYOK on Facebook:
