Shows
The Book of the DeadChapter 78: Love For Ever, Louise-The Murder in Room 1046In the heart of Kansas City Missouri, there is a historic building called the Hotel President, which has remained an icon in the city since it was erected in 1927. With a list of prestigious guests, it is known for being the spot for lavish parties and entertainment. Still, it is also known as the scene of a murder that has never been solved—that of a young man, with a mysterious background and an even more mysterious death that occurred in January of 1935. States away, in Alabama, Ruby Ogletree is desperate to find out what happened to her son Artemus af...2024-06-1234 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesValerie: Mystic Masquerade, An Adoptee's Search for TruthValerie Naiman is an adoptee, singer, story-songwriter, eco-village founder, ontologist, and author. Her #1 bestseller book, Mystic Masquerade, an Adoptee's Search for Truth, was based on five decades of a search that took her around the world as she unraveled the mystery of her stolen identity. Valerie holds a master's degree in Art and worked as a costume designer and actress in film and theatre in NY, Miami & LA. She’s the President of the Spirit Foundation, a non-profit that supports disenfranchised children..She also leads seekers to sacred sites in the USA and abroad. In 1990 she had an...2024-04-161h 13
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesChris: Unraveling the Mystery of Family HistoryChris Valdheims is a domestic adoptee born in the late 1970s and adopted in the early 1980s after spending years of his early childhood in foster care. Growing up, he knew very little about his birth family other than his mother and father had met while she worked as a librarian at MIT. He also knew his father was Black, and his mother had immigrated to the United States from Latvia. He spent years searching for answers about his family of origin, and in 2009, he stumbled upon a complex story that involved his grandfather, a then-unknown geometric artist named...2024-04-0953 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMargaret Jane: For this Adoptee, the Questions Came EarlyAfter being an only child all her life, Margaret Jane’s adoptive parents adopted four more children through the foster care system. This experience of witnessing adoption through foster care, and being the oldest sister of a group of adoptees, has given her a unique perspective and experience with adoption. Margaret Jane is married to her high school sweetheart, who she shares 3 kiddos with. She is an avid gardener, houseplant collector, and sourdough enthusiast. She also enjoys playing various musical instruments with her family and singing and playing for her church worship team. Margaret Jane work...2024-04-0259 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSusan: I Would Meet You AnywhereSusan Ito is the author of the memoir, I Would Meet You Anywhere, published by the Ohio State University Press in November 2023. She co-edited the literary anthology A Ghost At Heart’s Edge: Stories & Poems of Adoption. Her work has appeared in The Writer, Growing Up Asian American, Choice, Hip Mama, Literary Mama, Catapult, Hyphen, The Bellevue Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her theatrical adaption of Untold, stories of reproductive stigma, was produced at Brava Theater. She is a member of the Writers’ Grotto, and teaches at the Mills College campus of Northeastern University. She was a co-organizer of Rooted and W...2024-03-261h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKen: The Unknown Led to AnswersKen DeStefano is a domestic adoptee born in the late 1960's and raised in a caring and loving home. As an adoptee, he has had a largely happy life, but always wondered about the unknown. That curiosity led to a search for his birth mother and a reunification with her. His debut novel, "I Will See You Again...Hearts Will Sing," tells the story of two people whose past, present, and future lives are inexplicably linked.Update: We are not able to attend Chicago Foglift - to attend: Foglift Early Bird Link: C...2024-03-1249 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesVictoria: A Change in the Law Led to Search and ReunionVictoria Rich never expected to search for her biological family. Always curious about her origins, she did a photography project at the infant home where she was born but did not pursue any personal searching. Then she read The Girls Who Went Away and was struck that so many of the women interviewed said they thought about and worried about their babies all the time. She had grown up hearing the message that you should never look because it would be too painful to open up the old wounds for the birth mother. After about a decade of debating...2024-03-051h 06
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJohn: Operation Baby Lift and the Erasure of CultureJohn Frey was born in Vietnam and brought to the United States as part of Operation Babylift when he was a year-and-a-half old. John often struggled with his identity, having been adopted and raised by a White American family while not having any connection to his birth country or culture.I Would Meet You Anywhere by Susan Kiyo Ito.Use Discount MAKINGOF for 30% off.Thank you S12F for our past support and support of Adoptees 501c3 organizations.Gregory Luce and Adoptees Rights LawJoe Soll & other adoptee resourcesFireside Adoptees Fac...2024-02-2753 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKristal: Because She's AdoptedKristal Parke is a talented Cree filmmaker, producer, podcast host, and adoptee, whose personal journey has driven her to explore themes of identity, belonging, and family in her work. Born and raised on the West Coast of Canada, Kristal was adopted into a non-indigenous family as an infant. This experience profoundly shaped her perspective on life, and she has used her creative prowess to shed light on the complexities of adoption and its impact on individuals and communities. In her highly anticipated debut feature documentary, titled "Because She's Adopted," Kristal delves deep into her own life story while also...2024-02-2055 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesLorah: The Adopted ChameleonLorah Gerald is a same race, domestic, Baby Scoop Era, preRoe adoptee. She posts as The Adopted Chameleon on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Patreon, and Pinterest. She co-facilitates Adoptees Connect Tulsa and has a private Facebook group for adoptees and all MPEs called The Adopted Chameleons. She started her social media pages after her reunion with her biological family.She was raised as an only child in her adoptive family. This was the first time in her life she had ever seen or been in contact with anyone in her biological family. Her birth mother ignored her a...2024-02-1358 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSarah: An International Adoptee Gives Back by WritingSarah D. Shearer is a writer, wife, and mother. She was adopted from Russia as a baby but has spent her life in Thomasville, Georgia. She is passionate about encouraging people to overcome and maintain a positive perspective.Sarah is married with two beautiful children. She and her family live on a sprawling rural farm, which gives her, as L.M. Montgomery says in Sarah’s favorite childhood novel Anne of Green Gables, great “scope for the imagination.”Sarah also enjoys writing for local magazines, reading, and celebrating her friends and family. I...2024-02-0645 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRoy: For this Neurodiverse Adoptee, Art and Music Helped Him HealBorn in Edinburgh in 1963, Roy grew up an only child and always knew he was adopted, or as his adoptive mother, Mollie, would tell him, “chosen”. Whilst loved unconditionally by Mollie and her husband Peter, the stigma of being an adopted teenager in 1970s Scotland resulted in Roy being bullied and spat on in school. At sixteen, he left Mollie a note asking if she had any information about his blood parents. She supplied a form his birth mother had filled in at the adoption agency that gave some details but omitted others, including his father’s name. 2024-01-3056 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesPam: A Rare Diagnosis Led This Adoptee on a SearchPam Uzzell is a documentary filmmaker and podcaster currently living in Oakland, CA. She is the director and producer of four independent documentaries and the host and producer of the podcast, Art Heals All Wounds. Her adoptive parents were loving but saw her as the “oddball” of her family, resulting in a profound sense of loneliness. She turned to reading as a way to find a sense of belonging, which led her to gravitate towards storytelling as a career. She’d often been curious about both of her biological parents, but when she was dia...2024-01-231h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSally: For This Adoptee, Hard Life Lessons Are Paying OffSally King is an adult adoptee from the foster system. Growing up she knew she did not seem to fit anywhere and just accepted that that was who she was. After marrying and having two biological children a little girl came to her and her husband through the foster care system. This had her embark on a journey of self-discovery and acknowledgment and through the later adoption of her daughter and dealing with social services once again she realized the impact her foster and adoption had on her.Sally has never looked back on her decision and...2024-01-161h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJane: A Late Reunion Brings Family and AnswersJane is a baby scoop-era adoptee born in 1963 in Delaware to a 14 yr. old mother. After being in foster care for the first 10 months she was adopted and raised by two wonderful parents in Pennsylvania.Shortly after her 2nd birthday, her parents gave birth to a biological son. Jane always knew she was adopted and wondered where she came from but never wanted or needed to search. But, at the age of 58, after both adoptive parents passed, she did a DNA test as well as some other searching. She found that sadly, her birth mother h...2024-01-0949 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSean: An Adoptee Faces the Rollercoaster of ReunionBorn in 1970, Sean Broderick was adopted at birth and always knew he was adopted as long as he can remember. The fact that he was adopted never seemed to bother him or cause any type of turmoil in his life. Sean seemingly had a happy and healthy childhood although alcoholism existed within one of his adoptive parents, his parents ultimately divorced and he had a lack of discipline and guidance due to being alone often.Growing up, Sean’s adopted mother would remind him from time to time that there will come a day that he will want...2024-01-0255 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKatherine: A Lifelong Question is Finally AnsweredKatherine Sanford is yet another adoptee caught up in the Baby Scoop Era of U.S. closed adoptions and the restrictive laws that prevent access to birth records. It wasn’t until 2017, with the help of two spit-in-a-tube ancestry kits, that she could finally answer the one crucial question she longed to answer: “Who am I?” Katherine writes about her experience in the award-winning book, Storked! You can follow her at www.kcsanford.comI Would Meet You Anywhere by Susan Kiyo Ito. Use Discount MAKINGOF for 30% off. 2023-12-2650 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDavid and Moses: Season Five FinaleJoin us for a deep dive into 'loss' with David Benjamin (guest:Season Two) and Moses Farrow (guest:Season Five). To find David BenjaminTo find Moses FarrowMagic Mind - The World’s First Productivity Shot™Use code: ADOPTION20 to save on your subscription.Available in all Sprouts in January 2024To find NPE StoriesThank you to our sponsor S12F.2023-12-1956 min
CFAX Santas PodcastMiracle on Broad Street 2023 - Al Ferraby and Louise Rose: Christmas Time is Here2023-12-1812 min
CFAX Santas PodcastMiracle on Broad Street 2023 - Louise Rose and Final Moments2023-12-1811 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesVicky: Starting a Family Led to Deep DiscoveriesA few kismet moments in her early twenties led her on a journey of discovering who she looks like. Vicky Heydon was adopted through a private county adoption right after birth in 1987 and then raised in the same county. Although she believes she crossed paths with her biological family a few years prior, it wasn't until she was in her late 20s when she was helping to pack up her parents to move out of state that led her to her biological family. When the idea of building her own family came into focus, Vicky began facing h...2023-11-1442 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMoses: Adoptee. Advocate. Therapist. Educator.Moses Farrow, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, who has 20+ years of working in the mental health field. Farrow has spent the last decade within the population of adopted people and their families. As an activist and speaker, he is mission-driven. In 2018, he wrote a blog article speaking out about his personal life as a survivor of abuse and suicide loss. Since then, he has started several initiatives in the fight against anti-Asian hate, suicide, human rights violations, child abuse, mental health stigma, and child trafficking. Throughout the past decade, Farrow has volunteered with a number of...2023-11-071h 11
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesHaley: Podcaster, Community-Builder, ConnectorHaley Radke is an adoptee advocate and the creator and host of the popular podcast, Adoptees On, where adopted people share their adoption experiences. Adoptees On has more than 250 episodes featuring adoptees and adoptee therapists and has been downloaded over 1.2 million times in 140+ countries worldwide. www.adopteeson.com To go directly to Haley's interview, you can go to the timestamp: 9:42Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss The Baby Thief by Barbara Bisantz Raymond.Thank you to our sponsor S12F.Joe Soll & ot...2023-10-3157 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesGregory: An Adoptee Gives BackGregory D. Luce is a Minnesota-based attorney born and adopted in the District of Columbia. He is the founder of Adoptee Rights Law Center, where he represents US-born and inter-country adoptees on issues involving identity, records, and US citizenship. He is also a co-founder and the executive director of Adoptees United Inc., a national nonprofit adoptee rights organization. A graduate of Boston University and the University of Minnesota Law School, he lives in Minneapolis with his spouse and two children.To find Gregory Luce: Adoptee Rights Law Center...2023-10-2447 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAllison: An Adoptee Who Adopts Discusses the ComplexitiesAllison Olson is an adoptee from a closed adoption in 1979. She is also an adoptive parent, raising awareness of current harmful narratives in children’s adoption books. To Find Allison: Social Media = @kidsbooksbyallisonolson (FB, Instagram, and TikTok)IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Award WinnerA Mom’s Choice Awards® RecipientSurrounded by Love: An Open Adoption Story on Amazonwww.ouradoptionbooks.comKirkus ReviewLearning about My Friend's Adoption on AmazonTo go directly to Allison's interview, you can go to the timestamp: 14:13Also in thi...2023-10-171h 11
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAndy: When Reunion Doesn't Provide ClosureAndy was born Anthony in April 1970 in Paisley just outside Glasgow, Scotland in 1970. Although in a material sense, his childhood was relatively affluent emotionally, he struggled with adoption and having nobody to talk to about it. His persistent loneliness was brought on by his adoption and the distance from his adoptive parents.Attending a strict Catholic private school made the problems worse as there were no "safe" adults to talk to and it helped to contribute to the emptiness he felt.Thankfully attending University and moving out really helped as he had a great set...2023-10-1053 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJessica: Now What Do I Do? An Adoptee Finally Finds Answers.Adopted in California in 1975, Jessica's family moved to Pennsylvania around the age of two. As a child, she slowly moved in with the neighbors when she realized her adoptive parents were not able to raise her. Recently, she has reunited with her birth mother and several members of that side of the family. She did not tell her Pennsylvania family about her search until after returning from meeting her birth family in Kansas City. It’s been an adventure ever since.To go directly to Jessica's interview, you can go to the timestamp: 10:21...2023-10-0345 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSeason Four Finale - American Baby with Gabrielle Glaser and Margaret Erle KatzSarah and Louise have a powerful and meaningful discussion with Gabrielle Glaser, author of American Baby, and Margaret Erle Katz, whose story is the focus of the book.American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser.Thank you to our sponsor S12F.Joe Soll & other adoptee resourcesIf you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.Our Patrons: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Daphne Keys, D...2023-09-1954 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesElle: For This Adoptee, the Truth Led to an AwakeningElle Klassen is a Canadian who was born to a young woman of nineteen years of age in 1970. She was relinquished and then placed with her adoptive family when she was five days old. She grew up in a very conservative Canadian evangelical family where adoption was spoken of as God's plan. Much of her religious background didn't sit well with her, including the narrative around adoption. As an adopted person whose big goal in life was to fly under the radar as much as she could, she never challenged the common narrative surrounding adoption that she grew up...2023-09-121h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesPatrick: A Lonely Childhood Led to a Search for IdentityPatrick Hawes was born in North Carolina on August 10, 1970, and officially adopted in September 1970. From an early age, Patrick knew he was adopted because his adopted mom was Japanese and his adopted father was American but he didn’t look at all Japanese. Patrick never really desired to search for his birth family during his childhood. He was raised in a good home and was well taken care of but there was a distance between him and his adopted mom which led to many of his adoption issues including loneliness, fear, and pain. He often thought of searching for hi...2023-09-0559 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJanet: A Spouse and a Podcast Led This Adoptee to ReunionJanet M was born in Virginia in the late 1970’s to a 16-year-old mother. At 6 weeks old she was placed via a closed adoption into a loving home with her parents and older adopted brother. She always knew she was adopted but it wasn’t a topic that was discussed openly or often in her family. Not knowing her origin story fueled her curiosity around the subject of pregnancy and birth. She became fascinated with childbirth and the beautiful relationship between new moms and their babies. She became a labor and delivery nurse in the year 2000 and has been help...2023-08-291h 05
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRivi: An Open Adoption Still Leaves QuestionsRivi Shocket was born in Baltimore Maryland in 1987. She was adopted two days after she was born and had an open adoption. From the time she was a toddler, her adoptive parents would take her to spend time with her birth family (mom, dad, siblings, cousins, and grandparents) every couple of years. Throughout Rivi's teenage years and into adulthood, she developed strong bonds with her immediate birth family--especially her mother. Her birth mother struggled with addictions, so it was difficult to have a consistent relationship with her, but she cherished the times and talks they had up until her...2023-08-2237 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesTerrie: An Adoptee Heals Through CreativityTerrie Novak was adopted as an infant in 1967. She and her adopted brother, Gene, grew up in the security of a loving family and in awareness of their adoption. When Terrie was 18, thanks to the heroic efforts of her first mother, she received her bio family's contact information. Today Terrie is privileged to a rare abundance of love shared with her first mother, biological siblings, as well as her adoptive parents, and her own bio kids. During the long solitude of the pandemic, Terrie was compelled to write about what it means to make a family under the traumatic...2023-08-1556 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMike: Better Late than Never: An Adoptee Finally Finds AnswersMike Berman was conceived in Bay City, Michigan in November 1944 and was born onAugust 8, 1945 in Nashville, Tennessee to an 18 year old woman who surrenderedhim for adoption to the Tennessee Childrenʼs Home Society the day after his birth.Mike was adopted by a Jewish couple living in New York City and he was raisedthere. In February 1950 his Mom gave birth to her only natural child, Mikeʼsyounger brother. Mike never considered searching for his birth parents until hebegan to see the online ads for DNA testing and finally be...2023-08-081h 00
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMireille: An Unexpected Encounter Led to ReunionMireille Landry is an interracial adoptee who, alongside her identical twin sister, was adopted at 3 months old and raised in a predominantly white area by white adoptive parents. Originally intended to be a closed adoption, at the age of 12, the twins coincidentally met their birth mother at the mall while traveling to a nearby city for a soccer game. This unexpected encounter marked the beginning of their reunification journey, which led to meeting most of their maternal and paternal biological family and a trip to Zambia, Africa in 2011 to meet their paternal grandparents and extended Zambian family.T...2023-08-0145 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFaith: For One Adoptee, a Health Scare Brought New RevelationsFaith Brady was born on 22 June 1969 and adopted one month later when the US landed on the moon. She has always known she was adopted and had a great relationship with her adoptive parents. Her parents then adopted another child, a brother, 3 1/2 years later. In 2015 she had to have open heart surgery and it was then that she became very interested in her medical history. Ancestry found a 1st cousin that let her know that ALL of the women in her family died before they were 60, including her bio mom. This set Faith on a path of discovery to fi...2023-07-2552 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesChris: Home at Last: A Navajo Adoptee Finds His PlaceChris Stearns is Navajo and was adopted in the mid-1960s before the Indian Child Welfare Act existed. His mom was part of the federal Indian Relocation program which moved Native Americans away from reservations to large cities as part of a national assimilation policy. Chris began his life in the Los Angeles County foster care system and was adopted when he was 2 years old by a loving white family in New Jersey where he was raised. Chris chose a career as an attorney fighting for Native American rights and spent many years in Washington, D.C. representing Indian t...2023-07-1858 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesNancy: For this Adoptee, the Story Didn't Add UpNancy Davis was born in Florida in 1949 and adopted by a family from New York. The adoption was private and no documents were available to investigate her origins. An Ancestry test 6 years ago revealed that Nancy had 5 siblings in North Carolina from her birth parents, 3 brothers, and 2 sisters. It has been an amazing journey for her and has helped fill many of the “unknowns” of her heritage. She works as an EMT in her current home in Connecticut and thoroughly enjoys sharing her story.To go directly to Nancy's interview, skip ahead to 19:30.Also...2023-07-1151 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDavid E: Phantom Parents: An Adoptee Connects the DotsAn unofficial adoption. David Enker was born in Amsterdam in 1970, following the Summer of Love of 1969. Relinquished a few months after birth to another family in The Hague, his birth mother, a university student at the time, had hoped to retrieve him after her studies. Although never officially adopted, things turned topsy-turvy when his new family refused to let him go. A bumpy reunion unravels in reverse.This unusual beginning, together with a life-long quest for an identity, belonging and meaning form the backbone of his recently published memoir "Phantom Parents". A heartbreaking and heartwarming work, addressing...2023-07-0447 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAnnie O: Where Is My Mum?I’m Annie O. O stands for my last name. O is round. It’s a hole I still live in, that I’m not allowed to escape. Why the fuck is that how it has to be?Adoption has a long history, with a narrative built around it being a celebrated act of love, of charity and saviorism. I rejoice for those who experienced the best of that narrative. However, there is a growing number of investigations and reports that show, for many, adoption is not and has never been, what people are led to believe.2023-06-2756 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesMariela: Home Sweet Casa: A Colombian Adoptee Shares Her StoryMariela Andersen is the author of "Home Sweet Casa: A Journey to The Universal Heart". Her book is the story of her reunion with her biological family in Colombia after being separated from them at birth. Mariela’s book takes the reader along with her as she discovers more about her past than she could have ever imagined and dives deep into the multifaceted layers of what makes her who she is. Adopted or otherwise, everyone is sure to benefit from reading her story.UPDATE:Since this episode was recorded: Mariela visited her biological fa...2023-06-2054 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesPaige: The Family She Never Knew Lived Only Blocks AwayPaige Strickland is an Ohio “Baby-Scoop Era” adoptee, teacher, mom of two and grandmother of three. She is the author of two memoir books, Akin To The Truth and After The Truth. She is currently working on a YA (young adult) book-in-verse version of her books. Paige also teaches Zumba (tm) Fitness, enjoys working in her garden, loves the beach, reading and spending time with her family.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. Thank you to our sponsor S12F.Jo...2023-06-1355 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRelinquished: An Adoptee Roundtable Discussion About the Complexities of Navigating Those Early WoundsSarah and Louise join their season three authors, A.M. Homes, Damon Davis, and Megan Culhane Galbraith in an intimate roundtable discussion about living as adult adoptees and learning to navigate early childhood wounds."The Mistress's Daughter" by A.M. Homes"Who am I Really: An Adoptee Memoir" by Damon Davis"The Guild of the Infant Saviour" by Megan Culhane GalbraithThank you to our sponsor S12F.Joe Soll & other adoptee resourcesIf you...2023-06-0653 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRudy: Fighting for Adoptee RightsRudy Owens is a Detroit native, born in the mid-1960s at Crittenton General Hospital of Detroit, one of the country’s largest maternity hospitals dedicated to supporting and promoting adoption. He was relinquished to his adoptive family shortly after his birth from his single mother and placed with another family after spending nearly five weeks in foster family care. His adoption story typifies many of the adoptions that were promoted by the Florence Crittenton Association of America, which ran the hospital and dozens of maternity homes and hospitals in the United States through the 1970s.Owens su...2023-05-3059 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKate: An International Adoptee Struggles to BondKate Betancourt was born in 1978 in Bogotá Colombia. She spent three months in the hospital after her Mother left, after her birth. Kate was transferred to an orphanage where she stayed until her adoption by an American couple at six months old. Kate grew up in Michigan with one younger sibling biological to her adoptive parents. Growing up a Transracial adoptee in a mostly white area had its issues. Kate knew she was adopted and struggled with bonding with her adoptive parents, feeling lonely and flawed. Kate dealt with childhood sexual abuse. As a teen Kat...2023-05-2357 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJeffrey: Untangling the Layers of a Corrupt AdoptionJeffrey Leventhal was born In 1970 in Miami, FL, and didn’t learn until age 12 that he was adopted. He was told that he had a twin, which was just one of several lies that persisted throughout his childhood. Having never felt like he fit in and being rebuffed by his adoptive family whenever he requested more information, when Jeff was in his 20s, he decided to dive deep into his adoption only to find out there were no records of his adoption… or his birth.Finally, over 20 years later with the help of DNA, he found the info...2023-05-161h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAnne: A Disrupter Digs DeepA conversation with fellow adoptee Anne Heffron.Anne Heffron, author of You Don’t Look Adopted, Truth and Agency Writing Ideas for Adopted People, Writing and Pooping, and the movie Phantom Halo, can be found on Instagram at anne-heffron, Facebook, and her website https://www.anneheffron.com.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Megan Culhane Galbraith’s “The Guild of The Infant Saviour”.If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917Thank you to our sponsor S12F.If y...2023-05-0954 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFred: Finding Out at 41 that the Life You Knew was a LieEveryone learns to accept life’s twists and turns as they live out the daily rituals of their lives. But what happens when an event completely alters one’s understanding of everything about the world in which they live, including who they are? Fred Nicora brings the audience into his innermost thoughts as he sees his foundation swept away with a simple slip of the tongue at the age of forty-one, while attending a large family gathering with his children and wife. Fred details his journey to understand his new identity and re-frame his past in his memoir, Forbidden Roots.2023-05-021h 08
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKatie: On the Outside Looking InKatie is an ESL teacher from Pennsylvania and was adopted in 1966 at the age of six weeks. She grew up always knowing she was adopted, but became the people pleaser in a huge Irish Catholic family always feeling like she was "on the outside looking in". After having her first child in 1995, she contacted the adoption agency to obtain her medical history and was warned, "These reunions don't always go well". Katie waited until after the birth of her second child to inquire again only to discover her birth mother had inquired about her the exact same week. Things wen...2023-04-2557 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJay: Using Journalism Training to Track Down Family RootsJay Blotcher was adopted in June of 1961 at the age of one year by a couple in Randolph, MA, a Boston suburb. His dark complexion prompted countless questions about his lineage during childhood. In March of 1988, Jay was contacted by his birth mother, Valerie Paul, and learned he was the product of a one-night-stand between this young girl and a pitcher from the Baltimore Orioles of Puerto Rican lineage. In the ensuing 35 years, Blotcher employed his training as a journalist to track down his biological father's family, as well as the foster family who cared for him b...2023-04-181h 06
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJulie: A Long Journey for Self-CompassionJulie was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1968 at a Salvation Army home and was adopted 5 days later by a lovely family. She always knew she was adopted but it was not really talked about much other than to say she was "chosen" and very much wanted. Julie was born a very sensitive little girl. The parents had a child of their own 8 years prior with special needs. They tried to get pregnant again but were unable to do so. They adopted Julie not realizing the extent of their son's problems. He had severe epilepsy as well as some cerebral...2023-04-1153 min
Too Old For This Sh*t#099: What If You Were Innocent? Feat Dr Louise HewittEver wondered how someone is exonerated after 28 years in prison? Innocence Projects are doing an insane amount of work to make that happen. Today with Louise, Director of The Innocence Project London, we talk about what they do for the wrongfully convicted.Dr Louise Hewitt has many accolades but the one that stands out to me is the pro bono work she’s been doing for over 13 years at the Innocence Project London (IPL). We go over:+ Claiming back your innocence and why it’s such a lengthy process?+ Are th...2023-04-101h 19
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesPaul: A Kidnapping, An Adoption, A Lost Twin: One man's Quest for the TruthWhen he was ten years old, Paul Fronczak was snooping around for Christmas presents in a crawl space in his family’s Chicago home. There, he found hundreds of old newspaper clippings about the kidnapping of a one-day-old infant in a hospital in 1964. He also learned that, two years later, the boy was found and returned to his family—and that the boy was him.Nearly fifty years later, Paul, acting on long-held suspicions, took a DNA test that proved he was not the kidnapped boy. In an instant, his world changed.He found out that...2023-04-0454 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesKay: A Self-taught Genetic Genealogist Discovers the Story of her LifeKay was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1973 and immediately placed for adoption. After a stay in foster care, she was adopted into a small close-knit family. Adoption was not discussed a great deal, but it was not hidden either. Despite being loved and spoiled, Kay was never quite comfortable in her own skin. She received her original birth certificate in 2015 and was able to locate her maternal biological family quickly. Unfortunately, her birth mother died 5 months later, and the identity of her birth father was left a mystery. Kay became a self-taught genetic genealogist. Using a 4th cousin match on Anc...2023-03-281h 06
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCormac: An Adoption, An Irish Mother-Baby Home, and the Search for AnswersCormac was born into a mother-and-baby home in Ireland, which was known to be exceptionally cruel to both mother and child. He was adopted at five months old. He's always known he was adopted but it was never spoken about. Ever. He did not look for his biological family until his adoptive parents died. He re-connected with his birth mother just before his fiftieth birthday. Sadly that didn't work out. He's just recently found out about his birth father, who is deceased. He found this podcast by chance and is devouring it daily. He would like to send his g...2023-03-2145 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesShari: From Foster Home to Wounded HealerShari was adopted at the age of four. She spent the first year in a hospital. Then went to several foster homes after that. When she met her adopted family, there was always an open conversation about her beginnings. She always knew her story from her past, so she never had many questions. Later on in life, she began a spiritual quest to heal from journey, as a young girl. This brought her to meet a spiritual teacher, and become a healer. This powerful work helped others as well and grounded Shari into a bigger version of herself. A...2023-03-1450 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesGreg: Searching for a Place to Fit InGreg was born California in 1969 and placed in a closed adoption as an infant after spending 6 weeks in foster care, which was a common practice with Baby Scoop Era adoptions. Growing up, he sensed a certain ill-fit with his family, and found out about his adoption when he was 10. In 2006, at age 37, he finally discovered and made contact with his biological maternal side, and has experienced all the attendant ups-and-downs that so often accompany reunion. He was able to connect with his paternal family in late 2021, and is currently navigating the landscape and complexities of those newly-emerging relationships. Since...2023-03-0749 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesCharity: Sometimes it takes Loss to be FoundCharity Elliott was born in 1969 and after spending 3.5 months in foster care was placed for adoption with the State of California. Growing up in Missouri, Charity was a happy adoptee and found great comfort in her faith and in the sport of basketball. After a collegiate career that ended with her team making it to the Final Four, Charity entered the college coaching ranks where she has spent the last 25 years. Despite being located and contacted by her birth mother in college, Charity never realized the impact her adoption had on her until she lost her adopted father and sho...2023-02-2848 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesJim: When Trauma Leads to LoveJim Serrano's origins as a domestic adoptee started on January 22nd, 1962 in San Jose, California. Being adopted at 6 months of age, his journey has had many ups and downs. From childhood to his search for his biological family 23 years ago, Jim continues to heal from the trauma that is still so present in his life.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss what's upcoming for Season Three.If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. HomesThank you to our sponsor S12...2023-02-2159 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesEmily: Putting the Pieces of Life Back TogetherEmily Sinagra was born and relinquished, in 1958, at a Salvation Army Hospital for Unwed Mothers. After four months of foster care, she was placed in a closed adoption. Thirty years later, she found her birth parents and has been trying to put herself back together ever since. Writing, theatre, improv, clowning, painting, these are the tools she wields to patch and paste. Her memoir, How I got Born, is nearing completion, and she hopes her voice will collaborate with others to change assumptions about adoption and provide impetus for change. Most importantly, she is the mother of three adult...2023-02-141h 11
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAdam: When Pain Becomes GrowthAdam Anthony is a same-race, black adoptee and blogger on the platform "Onward & Upward," which explores his motivation for persona development, mental health awareness, and his adoption discovery experience. Adam is a doctoral student, writer, and podcast host of two shows, "Curiously Becoming" and "Mentorship Mondays." Some of his featured writing on his perspectives on being an adoptee has been shown in online mediums like "Love What Matters" and "Severance Magazine."Onward & Upward https://inspire-explore-promote.blogAlso in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss A.M. Homes' The M...2023-02-0756 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesRuth: A Mother Searches for a MotherRuth Bendig is a “Baby Scoop Era” domestic adoptee. The oldest of her adoptiveparents' three children, she and her brothers were all relinquished as infants and raised in the Midwest.Becoming a mother jump-started a desire to learn more about her biological history.WIth the support and encouragement of her adoptive parents she began to search, first through the state, then, when that proved to be a dead end, through DNA testing. She is now in reunion with siblings and cousins on both sides of her biological family.Also in this episode, Sara...2023-01-3154 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesGarth: A Midlife Discovery Exposes the Truth of SelfGiven up at birth, placed in foster care, then adopted by a military family, Garth Garrett grew up always knowing he was adopted. He thought being adopted was no big deal - like being left-handed in a right-handed family and that his lingering sense of longing stemmed from the nomadic life of an Army brat. Only upon starting therapy in mid-life did he discover that adoption was actually the central issue of his life, including his own alienation from his own feelings. His multiple searches for each biological parent yielded information, more heartbreak, two more rejections by his biological...2023-01-241h 05
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFrom Happiness to Despair and Back AgainDaphne Keys is a BSE adoptee born and raised in Maryland as the middle child between two brothers who are the biological children of her adoptive parents. Daphne always knew she was adopted, had access to the minimal non-identifying information provided at her adoption hearing, and always searched the faces of her community for a connection to her biological family.Married for forty years, Daphne is the mother of four adult children and grandmother of eleven. Daphne did not realize the impact her adoption had on her ability to bond with and parent her own children until...2023-01-1050 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFrom Only Child to a CommunityJon Stautzenberger is a pastor in the Texas hill country. He grew up an only child from a small family in a closed, private adoption always knowing that he was locally adopted and grew up in the community of his birth family. He finally took a DNA test in 2021 and connected with his paternal aunt. Suddenly the only child from a small family found himself with three aunts, three uncles, cousins galore, and a sister and a brother! Being from the same community, the times that their paths had crossed were astonishing.Moving forward Jon desires to...2022-12-2755 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesWhat Happened When the Fog LiftedAmy Hansen is a domestic adoptee, and was born in 1969. She was placed for adoption at birth. Amy grew up in a loving family and was well cared for. She was the "happy" adoptee, grateful to her birth parents, her adopted parents and always trying to make everyone happy. Amy has been in reunion with some of her birth family for the past four years and has recently come out of the FOG. She is beginning to realize she was living behind the disguise of a happy, positive person who didn’t realize the loss and grief she was carr...2022-12-1349 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesWhen a Seeker Turns into a GuideDaryn Watson is a Canadian-born Domestic Adult Adoptee who began his adoption reunion journey in 1995 after locating his maternal family in Canada. Daryn uses his 25+ years of experience in reunion to guide other adoptees through their adoption reunion journeys. Daryn is a contributing author to two books on adoption:“The Adoptee Survival Guide” edited by Lynn Grubb “Flip the Script: Adult Adoptee Anthology with Diane Rene Christianson.Daryn also has a blog on Facebook and IG “@TheAdopteeMind”Daryn is a Certified Life Coach for Adoptees, Birth/First Parents and others who have been affected by adoption...2022-11-2958 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesThe Art of Holding on and Letting GoLaurie James is an adoptee, mother, caregiver, turned author, and transformativecoach. Laurie’s book, Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go is abouther eight-year journey when she was sent down an unwanted path after her motherhad a heart attack and her husband’s lawyer delivered some shocking news.Sandwiched between caring for her parents, managing caregivers, raising fourdaughters, and a crumbling marriage, she starts therapy and turns to alternativehealing programs to address her adoption, childhood trauma, and loneliness she feltfor much of her life. Laur...2022-11-1549 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAwakening to a Compassionate NatureDanielle’s vision is a healthier, happier, and more peaceful world starting from within. Bringing over two decades as a senior instructor, healer, and trainer, she's currently Regional Director of WA state's Body & Brain Yoga Center. Born in Manhattan, NY, she was adopted at 10 days old, growing up with her adopted parents, later reconnecting at 21 years old with her biological mother actress Kate Mulgrew from the hit series TV sitcom Orange is the New Black and Star Trek Voyager. As a highly sensitive person from a young age along with a deep concern for the state of our planet--these tw...2022-11-011h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAn Adoptee Becomes an AdvocateNikole Shaw also known as " Koko" in the online community was born in Hawaiian Gardens, California, growing up in the suburbs of Orange County. Adopted as an infant, she is a black domestic adoptee who spent a large part of her life in a small town called Brea. Koko received her Bachelors of Science from San Jose State University and is currently working for the Department of Public Health San Francisco as a mental health professional. Koko is mostly known in the adoptee community as " @theblackadoptea" and spends her time advocating for and creating content for the adoptee community. She...2022-10-1856 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFacing the Primal Wound: Coming Out on the Other SideBob Guyer was born in 1953 and stayed for four days with his biological mother, and was adopted after a few months in foster care. He learned he was adopted at eight years old but didn’t think much of it until he went through a breakup and re-experienced his separation from his biological mother. Shortly before his 52nd birthday, he began a process of imaginative dialog with his feelings and that led to the healing of his Primal Wound. He has since found his biological relatives and remains in reunion.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louis di...2022-10-0456 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesReclaiming the Orphan of the Lost SelfLisa King is a retired disability specialist, artist and mother. She was born in 1957 into a closed adoption system and was adopted six months later. She has been on a lifelong quest to understand and make sense of how the adoptive experience has shaped and impacted her life. Having suffered the initial abandonment at birth, as all adoptees do, she has struggled throughout her life to embrace and not abandon her true self.Additionally, Lisa suffered a life changing traumatic accident that serves as a metaphor for her adoptive experience. Much of her spiritual search, consisting of...2022-09-2036 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesUnderstanding the Mistress's DaughterA.M. Homes was born in Washington D.C. in 1961 and adopted at birth in a private adoption.She began to explore themes related to adoption in her 1993 novel, In A Country of Mothers. Just before the book was published her birth mother—inspired by an Oprah show on ‘reunions’ made contact. A.M. explored what happened next in her 2007 best-selling memoir, The Mistress’s Daughter.A.M. Homes newest novel: The Unfolding.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.If...2022-09-061h 12
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesUncovering Hidden IdentityLynn Grubb is a closed-era Illinois adoptee and parent by marriage, birth and adoption. She is the editor of "The Adoptee Survival Guide: Adoptees Share Their Wisdom and Tools" and the author of “Hidden Identity,” an audible memoir that chronicles her decades long search for her birth parents. She lives in Dayton, Ohio with husband Mark, their daughter, and two spoiled mini-Australian shepherds. You can reach out to Lynn on social media @theadoptedgenealogist or email her at:theadoptedgenealogist@gmail.com. You can listen to Lynn's memoir here:https://theadoptedgenealogist.podbean.com/Also...2022-08-2347 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesTaking the Stigma out of AdoptionJeff Forney was born in San Francisco and raised in the East Bay town of Moraga, CA. A photographer based in Los Angeles, he has been working on a documentary filming interviews of adoptees in reunion.As Jeff says, ‘Finding your birth parents is the base camp of Mt. Everest, now you have to climb the bitch’.His goal is to take the stigma out of adoption, help adoptees identify with others' stories, and through that, restore power that had been buried and forgotten.My life is not better because someone adopt...2022-08-0957 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesThe Complexity of Poverty and International AdoptionLenore Paletta Hiller is an international adoptee born in Southern Italy in the mid-1960's. She lived with her birth mother for the first five months of her life, but was separated from her due to poverty and other circumstances. She was adopted to the United States when she was 20 months old. She has been in various stages of reunion with her birth family since 1995. Lenore is hopeful that the future of adoption research will include the effects of intergenerational trauma on the children of adoptees. She is a member of the Facebook group Italiadoption, a...2022-07-261h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesA Daughter Connects with her FatherAfter being taken away from her birth parents as a baby by the state, and adopted out of foster care at age 4, singer-songwriter Jenni Alpert (aka birth name: Cami) decided to go searching for her birth father. After weeks undercover on the street of LA, she finally found him homeless, addicted, and running from the law, yet a musician, just like her. Ultimately she guides him out of the legal system and off of the streets becoming his advocate and shadow adopting him into her life, cultivating an inspiring transformation as Don transitions from self identified vagrant to self...2022-07-121h 15
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesA DNA Test Changed his LifeMichael Knox was adopted in 1961 in Illinois. He was raised with two younger sisters, one adopted and one bio. He moved to Southern California when he was five. He has been married for thirty six years and has three wonderful children and one granddaughter. Michael worked in the television industry for many years and moved his family to Atlanta work on the Olympics and he never left Atlanta.Around twenty-two years ago Michael started running, biking and swimming. One thing led to another and he started doing Iron Man triathlons and is currently training for one this...2022-06-281h 02
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesFinding a Sense of SelfCarolina Khan is a transnational adoptee from Palmira, Colombia. As early as she can recall, she has always been informed of her adoption that took place at 18 months old. What she was not informed of were her circumstances surrounding her adoption and most importantly where her natural mother was and where she could be found. Why was adoption her story? Carolina had made it her priority to receive support and work through her own adoption trauma. Ultimately, she finds herself wanting to share her process of gaining her identity as a Colombian woman, sense of self, individuation and healing.2022-06-141h 18
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesBetter Late than NeverAdopted at birth, Edward Di Gangi was born and raised in New York City. Although he knew for most of his life that he was adopted, it wasn’t until he approached his 70th birthday that he began to search for the identity of his birth mother. His journey and the many surprising discoveries he made as he searched are recounted in his memoir, The Gift Best Given. Edward and his wife now live in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He is a popular book club presenter and podcast guest. The Gift Best Given is his first full-length book.Al...2022-05-3155 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAn Adoptee Raised by an AdopteeBeth Figuls is a technical writer and aspiring novelist/memoirist from Los Angeles. A Baby Scoop-era adoptee, she was raised by a father who was also an adoptee, and who had lived in an orphanage for a time when he was very young. She searched for and found her birth mother, as well as siblings from both sides of her birth families. She strongly believes that adoptees have a right to know who they are. She is very interested in exploring intergenerational trauma, loss, and adoptee personhood in her memoir-in-progress.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise...2022-05-1758 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesA Transracial Adoptee Speaks his TruthMatthew Charles is the host of "little did u know", an abolitionist podcast that seeks to reveal the precarity inherent in transracial/national adoption and dream of a new future by centering the voices of Adoptees and Professionals. His is also an essayist, poet, and sometimes actor whose work explores (dis)placement, belonging, and colony and appears in VISIBLE and Severance Magazine. To learn more about Matthew Charles and his poetry you can visit his website: MatthewCharlesPoet.comAlso in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.2022-05-031h 19
CFAX Santas PodcastEpisode #4: Andrea Paquette: Mental Health VisionaryA kinder, more accepting world! Stigma Free Society hopes to deliver this message by including conversations around all stigmas, with a focus on mental health. In this episode Christine Hewitt and Louise Hartland chat with Andrea Paquette, mental health visionary. Andrea created a Bipolar Babe t-shirt and website to share her personal experience with bipolar disorder, so others didn't have to suffer in silence like she once did. Her efforts led to meeting supportive and dedicated individuals in the local Victoria, B.C. community who formed the Bipolar Disorder Society of British Columbia in 2010, now the Stigma-Free Society....2022-05-0243 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesThe "Good" Adopted ChildEmma Stevens is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Her traumas were born from being an adoptee who struggled with being forced to wear an impossible mask of playing the part of the “good adopted child.” Because being relinquished and adopted has colored her life, it’s Emma’s desire to be part of the movement that is dedicated to helping bring forth change to the way our world views the needs an...2022-04-1951 min
CFAX Santas PodcastEpisode #3: Volunteers - The Heartbeat of Charities with Louise HartlandVolunteers are the heartbeat of thousands of charities across Canada. On this episode we chat about National Volunteer Week April 24 to April 30th, 2022, and we talk with Santas Anonymous volunteer and Board Member Louise Hartland. Louise shares her passion for volunteering and how it helped her family through a difficult time. Louise is a Communications Professional currently working in Diversity and Inclusion with the Province of British Columbia. She also is a former journalist and news anchor with CTV Vancouver Island which many of our listeners may fondly remember.Louise Hartland can be found on Tw...2022-04-1144 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesThe Dark Side of Foster CareMikayla Mains is a dancer teacher, small business owner and SAHM. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri where she now resides with her husband and two children. After spending years in and out of the foster care system, she was adopted at age 12 to a large family in which she became the 10th child. She battled with questions about her past for years until she finally found her biological mother on Facebook and began to piece things together. She now wants to dedicate herself to educating others on the dark sides of foster care, a...2022-04-0558 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesSometimes You Have to Get LoudTony Corsentino is a cataloger at a public library near Boston, Massachusetts, after a prior career as a philosophy professor. A child of a closed adoption, Tony grew up in the southern United States without siblings. After fighting cancer and becoming a father, he obtained his birth records, reunited with his mother, and connected with other adoptees on social media. He plans to continue to raise awareness of adoption issues and help amplify adoptee voices through print and online writing projects.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.2022-03-221h 24
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesDigging through the Layers of International AdoptionTrishina was born in 1991 in Sevastopol, Ukraine and was adopted at just 18 months old. She was always curious about her biological family, searching on and off, but it wasn’t until she joined a Russian social media app called Vkontakte, that she was able to find some answers. Trishina is a nurse and military wife currently living in Cleveland, Ohio.Vk LinkAlso in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout: When you sign up, you get...2022-03-0855 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesAn Adoptee Gives BackDavid was born in 1972 in Newcastle, in the North East of England and adopted shortly after he was six weeks old. He is now a therapist working predominantly with trauma and adoption. He also sits on a fostering panel and teaches therapeutic parenting. David is married with two children, and he is currently writing his first novel based on his life story. Please also hear more of David at: The Adoption and Fostering PodcastAlso in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self....2022-02-221h 10
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesUsing Trauma to Treat TraumaMelissa Porter, born "Ryan Keeler" is an adult adoptee and psychologist from New York, who specializes in attachment and trauma theory. After the birth of her daughter, she used DNA and modern-day sleuthing to build her family tree and connected with her first family in 2018. She found a large maternal family ready to welcome her, and a decades-old mystery in her paternal family that she used DNA tracing to solve! Since "coming out of the fog", Melissa uses her education and expertise as a platform from which to advocate for adoptees' rights.Also in this episode, Sarah a...2022-02-081h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesA 20-year Search for AnswersAs early as he could comprehend it, Matt had always known he was adopted – but he never had the desire to find his birth parents. That is until the birth of his only daughter brought more questions than answers about his health and ancestry. When he received his adoption paperwork from the State of Wisconsin, he discovered that his birth father was never told of the pregnancy. That started 20 + years of searching to finally find the answers he was looking for.Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.2022-01-251h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesS1 Finale: MeganIn this episode, Sarah and Louise recap Season One and then they speak to Megan Culhane Galbraith.Megan Culhane Galbraith is a writer, visual artist and adoptee. Her debut memoir-in-essays The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book (Mad Creek Books/Ohio State University Press) was published in May 2021. Megan's work was listed as Notable in Best American Essays 2021 and 2017 and recognized by Poets & Writers in their "5 Over 50" issue. She is the 2022 Writer-in-Residence at adopteeson.com. Her essays, interviews, reviews and visual art have appeared in BOMB, The Believer, HYPERALLERGIC! ZZYZYVA, Tupelo Quarterly, Hobart...2022-01-111h 01
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesS1 Ep. 16: Ann MarieIn this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Sixteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Ann Marie Morello.Ann Marie Morello is a licensed mental health counselor, Adoptee coach and self proclaimed “truth warrior.” She owns a boutique private mental health practice in Suffolk County, New York. Ann Marie was a closed domestic adoption, was in foster care, and has been in reunion since 2017. We will hear how being an adoptee shapes her work as a licensed trauma professional, and the personal fulfillment she receives volunteering as co-facilitator of the Long Islan...2021-12-281h 21
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesS1 Ep. 15: EricIn this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Fifteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Eric David.Born in Queens in 1966, Eric was adopted at two months old. He is the oldest and has one sister who is adopted and one who is not, all treated equally by their parents. Eric's married with two sons: one who died in 2013 and the other who is graduating college next year. Having his own genetic kin caused him to start his search. Eric recently found his birth mother through a DNA test after years...2021-12-1457 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesS1 Ep. 14: RachelIn this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Fourteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Rachel Atiemo-Obeng.Rachel Atiemo-Obeng was born In Southfield Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, adopted as an infant, and raised in Midland Michigan. She received her M.Ed. with emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis from Arizona State University, and has worked with special needs children for over ten years in clinical and school settings. She has recently relocated to Los Angeles California where she works as a Special Education Paraeducator and Special Education advocate for California Conne...2021-11-3040 min
Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee StoriesS1 Ep. 13: CaseyIn this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Chapter Thirteen of “The Primal Wound” by Nancy Newton Verrier and then they speak to Representative Casey Weinstein.Casey Weinstein is currently serving his second term as a State Representative in the Ohio House of Representatives. He lives in Hudson, Ohio with his wife Amanda and their three children—Nora, Emelia, and Brady. Both Casey and Amanda are veterans of the United States Air Force and served at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before eventually moving to Ohio to start their family. Their son, Brady, was formally adopted earlier this year.2021-11-1648 min