In this week’s Unraveling Adoption podcast, Beth talks with Cindy Olson McQuay, an adoptee from Pennsylvania who is the co-founder, with Erin Cosentino, of Hiraeth Healing Retreats for Adoptees, DCPs (Donor Conceived People), LDAs (Late Discovery Adoptees), and NPEs (Not Parent Expected). Cindy is a baby scoop era domestic infant adoptee, and she had a rather idyllic childhood with well-informed and open adoptive parents, which was somewhat unusual at the time. Besides her work for Hiraeth, she advocates for adoption law reform and educates the public about separation trauma.
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RESOURCES:
Cindy’s information:
Hiraeth Hope & Healing Retreats: https://www.hiraethhopeandhealing.com/
Other things mentioned in this episode:
The Chosen Baby book from Cindy’s childhood: https://amzn.to/3FwgCdn
The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler: https://amzn.to/3JNM35j
InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV) with Lynelle Long: https://intercountryadopteevoices.com/
Other Resources:
APtitude: A Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoption’s Challenges - UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude
Other Parents Like Me - https://www.facebook.com/other.parents.like.me
Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents of Addicted Teens: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/
Find a Tele-Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling
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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson
Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao
Email questions or comments to Beth@UnravelingAdoption.com
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Support UnravelingAdoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption
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TIME STAMPS:
1:25 Cindy’s adoption story and childhood
6:40 Cindy’s search for her birth family
10:35 Does a “good adoption” preclude adoption trauma?
15:44 What prompted Cindy to become an adoption activist and search angel?
16:58 Adoption v. Guardianship
18:46 The problems with intercountry adoption and surrogacy
21:49 What is Hiraeth Hope & Healing?
25:25 The overlaps between adoptees, LDAs, DCPs, and NPEs
27:03 What do people experience at Hiraeth retreats?
31:40 Scholarships ARE available! And help them find mansions to host these retreats
35:17 Advice for non-adoptees and adoptive parents
