Shows
ADOPTION STORIESTrailerListen here for a sampling of Adoption Stories interviews.
For more, listen below or on our website!
2024-11-2104 min
ADOPTION STORIESWelcomeWelcome to Adoption Stories - a series of audio interviews with foster/adoptive families, adult adoptees, and adoption support professionals in Windham County, Vermont.
Begin listening here to learn more about our project!
2024-10-1205 min
ADOPTION STORIESLorni CochranLorni Cochran is a registered Somatic Movement Therapist. She practices a developmental form of Movement Therapy that works with the body, movement, and sensation to release restrictive habits and patterns that often have their roots in early experiences. Through both therapy and consulting, she has helped a wide variety of children, adults, and families. Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen OT, Daniel Hughes PhD, Bruce Perry MD, Bessel van der Kolk MD, Daniel Siegel MD, and Pat Ogden PhD have strongly influenced her work. Lorni is the mother of three children, one of whom is adopted.
In this interview, we talk with Lorni about...2024-10-121h 00
ADOPTION STORIESSarah CrozierSarah Crozier is a Case Manager with Northeast Family Institute. She works with children, their families, and community partners using the ARC framework to help build a family’s capacity to integrate trauma experience. ARC stands for attachment, regulation, and competency. This framework is used as a guide when working with children and families to help them better understand what impact trauma has had on their lives, and to build skills to be successful within all environments by learning how to better regulate emotions and make quality personal and professional connections. In addition to her work with NFI, Sarah’s expe...2024-10-1246 min
ADOPTION STORIESLissa Schneckenburger and Corey DiMarioLissa Schneckenburger is a singer, fiddler, composer, and activist based in Brattleboro. Thunder in my Arms was Lissa’s first release of all-original music, and a song-cycle about attachment, parenting, and developmental trauma – copies of which are donated to foster/adoptive families.
Corey DiMario is a double-bassist and proprietor of Patio Coffee in Brattleboro. Corey is a founding member of the string band Crooked Still, and has performed at major festivals and concert venues across North America, Europe and Australia.
Lissa and Corey are parents to Hunter, who was adopted as a toddler and is now 15 years old.
In this interview, we talk with Lissa and Corey a...2024-10-1255 min
ADOPTION STORIESAlex FischerAlex Fischer is a queer non-binary Sicilian Jew and a single adoptive parent living in Brattleboro, VT. They are a member of A Bookkeeper Cooperative, a unionized worker-owned cooperative that focuses on financial management for the solidarity economy & social movements. When not making spreadsheets & budgets, they can be found laughing outside in a garden, lake or the ocean; organizing around prison abolition and racial justice; and making art & food for loved ones. After years of working to support queer and trans youth, they were given the opportunity to adopt and be adopted by their amazing kid, made possible by the...2024-10-1256 min
ADOPTION STORIESThe Cavanaugh FamilyLise Cavanaugh is a public librarian in Westminster West, Vermont. Originally from Denmark, Lise moved to Vermont in 2000. Twelve years ago, she became the foster parent to siblings Jasmine and Sklyer, and six years later, to Grayson – all of whom are now adopted. Lise and the kids share their home with a collection of cats, dogs, chickens, and horses.
In this interview, we talk with Lise, Jasmine, Skyler, and Grayson about continuing to welcome foster kids into their home, what it's like to be adopted biological siblings, homeschooling and family activism, embracing Danish holiday traditions, memories of Judge Pu, and their Adoption...2024-10-1241 min
ADOPTION STORIESThe Mercer FamilyDonna and Maxine (Max) Mercer live in Brattleboro, with their cat Lily. Donna was born in Colebrook, NH, where she graduated high school in 1977. After hitchhiking across the US, she settled in Washington, became a mother, and worked as a surgical technician. After returning to New England, Donna was involved in a horrible head-on collision that left her disabled. Donna was 54 years old when her granddaughter, Max, was born. Max is now an eighth grader and has lived with Donna since she was an infant.
In this interview, we talk with Donna and Max about their kinship adoption story, what it's lik...2024-10-1224 min
ADOPTION STORIESThe McLaughlin FamilyLiz Dimick and Zach McLaughlin met while teaching at Marshwood High School in South Berwick, Maine. Liz was a special educator and Zach taught Social Studies. After living on the Cape for a year, Liz and Zach relocated to Liz's hometown of Brattleboro, Vermont. After facing challenges with fertility, Liz and Zach became foster parents to 6 year old Mary in 2015. A few years later, Ginger joined their home as a foster placement. Both girls have since been adopted. Liz and Zach are now working as school administrators and the family has relocated to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
In this interview, we talk...2024-10-1253 min
ADOPTION STORIESAbby JacobsonAbby Jacobson is a professional Adoptee Counselor, bringing over 20 years of experience from her previous career as a psychotherapist and substance abuse counselor. As a result of Abby’s familiarity with being a foster child, an adoptee, and a clinician, she is able to offer support, mentoring, and coaching to individuals who have experienced the process of adoption, both adults and youth alike. Coming from a family with 4 generations of adoptions, this is an issue she is very familiar with and which originally led her into the field of counseling.
In this interview, we talk to Abby about her kinship adoptio...2024-10-121h 03