Shows
Adoptee ThoughtsTeen Mom Stars Catelynn and Tyler Apologize for the Texting ScandalHi all, The long awaited interview is here. Did they apologize? Yes, but I know many are still going to have an issue with it. Just remember they are still processing and starting to do the work to figure out how to heal and move forward. _________________________________________
In this raw, emotional episode, Teen Mom’s Catelynn and Tyler sit down with Melissa Guida-Richards and Dr. Abby Hasberry, LMFT, to share their immediate thoughts since shocking allegations surfaced about inappropriate contact with a minor. They address the rumors, catfishing, and the painful fallout from trying to reconnect with their bi...2025-06-172h 03
Cate & Ty Break It DownA Late Discovery Adoptee: From Hidden Identity to Advocacy with Melissa, the Adoption EducatorCate & Ty sit down with Melissa Guida-Richards, an Adoption Educator and transracial late discovery international adoptee. Melissa shares her adoption journey, revealing the complexities and challenges of discovering her adoption at 19 after a lifetime of being raised as an Italian-Portuguese. Melissa opens up about the profound impact it had on her sense of self, how she dove into educating herself about the trauma of maternal separation, and the multi-billion dollar adoption industry. Melissa also delves into the nuances of transracial adoption, the importance of acknowledging a child's heritage, and the often-unseen struggles faced by adoptees. She shares her eventual reconnection with her birth...2025-05-1455 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAdoptee Thoughts on "An Update on Our Family" ft. Hannah Cho on Family, Identity & Social MediaWelcome to Adoptee Thoughts, where each week, we dive deep into the nuanced world of adoption—unpacking challenges, perspectives, and the tough conversations that too often go unspoken. Whether you're an adoptee, an adoptive parent, or simply curious about the realities beyond the mainstream narrative, this is a space for raw, thought-provoking discussions.
In this powerful episode, we dive into the world of adoption blogging with one of the key figures from the documentary An Update on the Family--Hannah Cho.
She is a transnational Korean American Adoptee, small business owner, mother and wife. Even though she kn...2025-02-071h 12
How Can I Help?Help By Rethinking Adoption with Gretchen SissonGretchen Sisson is the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood and a sociologist at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health in the department of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. She studies adoption and abortion in the United States.Books Gretchen recommends:All You Can Ever Know by Nicole ChungYou Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption by...2024-11-1947 min
Hey There AdultingAdoptees As AdultsJeena and Courtney discuss the transformative journey of adulthood as an adoptee with our guest, Melissa Guida-Richards! Melissa is a transracial adoptee born in Bogota, Colombia, raised in New York. She found out she was adopted at 19 years old, and she shares her experiences with this late discovery and how it impacted her identity, familial relationships, and other aspects of her life. She is now an adoption educator and author with two books currently out (linked in the description below). Adulthood is difficult for anyone, but for adoptees it can be especially hard as they are reframing their identities a...2024-04-141h 15
Adoptee ThoughtsExploring the Complexities of Birth Mothers and Adoption in the United States with Gretchen Sisson, PhD and Author of “Relinquished”Welcome to our latest episode of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast! In this thought-provoking discussion, I delve into the complexities surrounding the decisions made by birth mothers and pregnant individuals to place children for adoption in the United States with Gretchen Sisson, PhD.
She is a sociologist with Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California, San Francisco, and the author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood, a critical, ten-year examination of domestic adoption. Centering the stories of relinquishing mothers, the book chronicles our country's refusal to ca...2024-03-251h 02
Adoption UnfilteredLate Discovery and Transracial Adoptee Perspectives on Adoption“Adoption seems simple from the outside. But when you’re in the thick of it, you see things in ways you never expected.”
Author Melissa Guida-Richards (What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption) joins us to talk about discovering at age 19 that she had been adopted, and that her ethnicity didn’t match her parents. What was it like to experience such a shifting in fundamental truths about herself?
And how could such a breach of trust end up bringing her and her parents closer together?
Melissa is currently on the cusp of meeting her birth mom in Colombia for the...2023-09-1947 min
Conversation Piece PodcastInfluencing and educating on the Adoptee experience with Taylor ShennettOn this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Adoptee educator and influencer Taylor Shennett joins Patrick to talk about the importance of empathy and understanding when it comes to learning about experiences that are not our own. Taylor discusses sharing her story publicly way back in 2011, the viral moment that launched her into social media advocacy, and how she protects both herself and her circle as she navigates these conversations. Connect with Taylor:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorshennett/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@taylorruipingshenTwitter: https://twitter.com/taylorshennettWho...2023-08-2136 min
The Here to Help PodcastTransracial Foster Care and Adoption with MelissaToday's conversation is with Melissa, who is a transracial foster care and adoption educator. She walks through practical ways you can start to incorporate a child's culture and traditions into your home. This conversation is a starting point for creating a space that celebrates all kids and cultures that come in and out of your home. Follow Melissa:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adoptee_thoughts/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adoptee_thoughtsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuidaRichardsGood...2023-07-1327 min
When They Were Young: Amplifying Voices of AdopteesEp. 67 Melissa Guida-Richards: The rise of Adoptee ThoughtsToday we have author, activist, podcaster, and educative content creator Melissa Guida Richards; who was also a guest on episode 6 ,and a panelist on my 2020 panel series. A lot has happened since we last chatted a few years ago; Melissa's second book launched and her tik tok / IG platforms now have a huge following of people who want to learn more. Topics today include:The ramification of Separating siblingsHer relationship with her adoptive mother, and what it was like to be on the Cameron Hall show with her adoptive mother. What it means to filter content through an...2023-06-1858 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with an Adoptee, Who Exposed his Illegal Adoption in a Viral TikTok Challenge.On Season 3, Episode 6 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Christian Aragon and host Melissa Guida-Richards discuss the shocking story of his illegal adoption and reunion with his biological family. You may recognize some of his story from his viral video with "Put a Finger Down" challenge.
About the Adoptee:
Christian Matthew Aragon was illegally adopted and raised by a woman who claimed to be my birth mother. He found his biological family at 36 and is just now getting to start his life with them.
How to connect:
Follow him @ma...2023-06-021h 19
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with 3 Reunited Biological Siblings Once Separated by AdoptionOn Season 3, Episode 5 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Scott McCreary, Leigh Ann Baglin, Katie Ares, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss the siblings reunion journey, including the ups and downs.
About the Adoptees:
Scott McCreary is a 39-year old adoptee from South Korea. He grew up in Oklahoma and presently lives in Missouri with his wife. Currently working at a local hospital and extremely happy to experience life with my siblings and catch up on all the time passed by.
Leigh Ann Baglin is a 37 year-old South Korean adopt...2023-02-0651 min
Adoption & Beyond PodcastEp 34. A Heart-to-Heart with Adoption InfluencersIn this episode of a Heart-to-Heart with Adoptions From The Heart podcast we wanted to bring you the recording of the LIVE episode we had in November. This time we brought six adoption influencers to talk about their experiences sharing their adoption stories with the world. We were so honored to have had Ashley Mitchel, Taylor Shennett, Grace Otley, Isaac Etter, Courtney Tierra and Melissa Guida-Richards share the ups and downs of using social media to advocate about adoption.
To learn more about each specific guest, follow their links below:
Ashley Mitchel
...2022-12-221h 08
Colombian InfluenceMelissa From Adoptee ThoughtsToday we got the pleasure of speaking to Melissa - the creator of Adoptee Thoughts. As she mentioned at the beginning of this episode her story is a little more complex than the "average" adoptee. Melissa Guida-Richards is an adoptee advocate, an educator, and the author of What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption _and its follow-up _Workbook which will be out in Summer, 2023. She has appeared on news outlets such as _Washington Post, NYT, Tamron Hall, Good Day LA. _For more, check out AdopteeThoughts.com.
Be sure to follow her page at adoptee_thoughts on Instagra...2022-11-191h 00
The Magic SparkAdoptee Advocate, Author, Podcaster Melissa Guida- Richards - The Wound of Identity and Separation.Adoptee Advocate, Author, Podcaster Melissa Guida- Richards - The Wound of Identity and Separation.
Melissa Guida- Richards joins us to answer the 4 questions below in 40 minutes!
This conversation covers a huge spectrum of insight, heart, and intellect….make sure to listen all the way through to the end! There is some deep fodder for sparks there.
1. What is your magic in the world?
2. What is the wound/shadow/trauma you are currently healing through?
3. What do you consider to be the wound/shadow/trauma of your...2022-11-091h 16Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Transracial Adoptee, Molly McLaurin, founder of Monarch ConnectionsOn Season 3, Episode 4 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Molly McLaurin , and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss their upcoming Transracial Adoption 101 course and Molly's experience as a transracial adoptee. They dig into how the course came to be, connecting via social media, and the impact of educating on adoption.
About Molly McLaurin:
Molly E. McLaurin is an adoptee, twin, wife, mom and business owner. Molly founded Monarch Connections to bring people together, find what’s missing and to make meaningful connections. In 36 months, she has connected with 675 people at events and 25 through Life Coaching. One thing...2022-10-2858 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Lynn Woo Mykytyn, Adoptee & TherapistOn Season 3, Episode 3 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Lynn Woo Mykytyn, MA LPCC LADC, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Paige's experience as an adoptee and her role as a therapist. They dig into the nuance of this work, how it felt to grow up in a white majority family, and how she advocates for adoptees and birth parents.
About Lynn Woo Mykytyn, MA LPCC LADC:
Lynn Woo Mykytyn, MA LPCC LADC, is the founder of Sando Wellness & Counseling in Minnesota and works as a counselor supporting teens, adults, parents, and couples. Lynn built her...2022-09-2052 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Paige Knipfer, Adoptive Parent & Adoption ConsultantOn Season 3, Episode 2 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Paige Knipfer, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Paige's experience as an adoptive mother and her role as an adoption consultant. They dig into the nuance of this work, what she does to make sure her business is ethical, and how she advocates for adoptees and birth parents.
About Paige Knipfer:
She is the owner of Love Grown Adoption Consulting to assist prospective families through the adoption journey. She is an adoption educator and adoptive mom.
https://www.lovegrownadoptionconsulting.com
_________
...2022-09-0657 minAdoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Alessia, Adopted from the USA to ItalyHi Friends! Thank you so much for your wonderful support, I am so excited to share this episode with you. It was recorded in 2020, but due to my father's passing around that time I didn't have a chance to edit it until now. I hope you enjoy, and check out Alessia's work.
On Season 3, Episode 1 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Alessia Petrolito, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Alessia's experience as a Black adoptee from the United States and what it was like growing up in Italy and later visiting America.
About Ales...2022-06-3042 minWhen They Were Young: Amplifying Voices of AdopteesEp. 52 Julie Ryan McGue: Twice A DaughterJulie McGue graces my podcast today. We talk about the journey she took to write the extraordinary memoir, “Twice A Daughter” with her twin sister. Julie and I delve into the challenge of asking adoptive parents for adoption information, and how important it is to know your medical history. She also found some kismet moments where writing her story opened new up conversations and opportunities for healingGUEST: Julie McGuehttps://juliemcgueauthor.com/Angela Rye:Comments on Supreme Court ruling on abortion:https://www.instagram.com/tv/CfM3g_qDgY...2022-06-2634 min
The Absolute Love PodcastPaige, Adoptive MotherOn Today's episode we are chatting with Paige who is an adoptive mother of two. Her children, both adopted transracially and domestically are in open adoptions with their Birth Parents. Paige is the owner or Love Grown Adoption Consulting and has a passion for educating families who are preparing to adopt. On this episode, we talk about:
Identity
Family and racial culture
Conspicuous families
The "checklist" adoptive parents are asked to complete
As mentioned, the voice of transracial adoptees are the most valuable in learning about transracial adoption. Here are some of our favorites:
Melissa Gui...2022-05-181h 04
DNA Clarity and SupportStigma, health, DNA, and adoptee rights: a discussion about the changing landscape in AmericaGabrielle Glaser is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist whose work on mental health, medicine, and culture has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times, and many other publications. Her fourth book "American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption" chronicles the history of adoption in post-World War II America specifically through the story of one family touched by adoption.On today's episode, Glaser talks with DNA Clarity and Support host Brianne Kirkpatrick about the history of coerced adoption in the United States and the influence of...2022-05-1739 min
Shameless Leadership625: Melissa Guida-Richards: What White Parents Should Know About Transracial AdoptionMelissa Guida-Richards is a Shameless Mom to two little boys and the author of WHAT WHITE PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION. Melissa uses her gift of writing to help other adoptees and adoptive families. Her work has been featured in The Independent, Zora, Insider, HuffPo, Level at Medium, Electric Literature, Hello Giggles. And she had a viral Huffpost Article, My Adoptive Parents Hid My Racial Identity For 19 Years. She is also a contributing writer for The Everymom.I am in a Facebook group for writers and when Melissa shared a bit of her sto...2022-02-1648 min
Adoptees On205 Melissa Guida-RichardsToday we are joined by Melissa Guida-Richards, author of What White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices. Melissa is a late discovery adoptee, accidentally finding out at age 19 that she was adopted. She shares with us how she’s since reconciled with her adoptive mother and how they now navigate open conversations about race and adoption. Melissa also tells us about how and why she decided to educate and engage with adoptive parents both in print through her words, and in online discussions. Full Show Notes Here 2022-02-1150 min
Access Must-Have Full Audiobooks in Non-Fiction, Social ScienceWhat White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices by Melissa Guida-Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/544995 to listen full audiobooks. Title: What White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices Author: Melissa Guida-Richards Narrator: Stacy Gonzalez Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 6 hours 39 minutes Release date: January 4, 2022 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 2 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1 Genres: Social Science Publisher's Summary: The White Fragility for transracial adoption--practical tools for nurturing identity, unlearning white saviorism, and fixing the mistakes you don't even know you're making. If you're the white parent of a transracially or internationally adopted child, you may have been told...2022-01-0410 min
Download Latest Full Audiobooks in Health & Wellness, Relationships & IntimacyWhat White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices by Melissa Guida-RichardsPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/544995to listen full audiobooks.
Title: What White Parents Should Know about Transracial Adoption: An Adoptee's Perspective on Its History, Nuances, and Practices
Author: Melissa Guida-Richards
Narrator: Stacy Gonzalez
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 6 hours 39 minutes
Release date: January 4, 2022
Ratings: Ratings of Book: 5 of Total 2
Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 1
Genres: Relationships & Intimacy
Publisher's Summary:
The White Fragility for transracial adoption--practical tools for nurturing identity, unlearning white saviorism, and fixing the mistakes you don't even know you're making. If you're the white parent of a transracially or internationally adopted child, you may have been told that...2022-01-046h 39
Racially Responsible with Rorri Geller-Mohamed029 White Parents & Transracial AdoptionIn this episode, I was honored to interview Melissa Guida-Richards, the author of the book What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption: An Adopteeʼs Perspective on its History, Nuances, and Practices. We talk about what inspired her to write the book, her personal experience as a transracial adoptee with white parents, and advice that she has to help white parents on their parenting journey and how to best support their children. Melissa's bio:Melissa Guida-Richards is an author, adoptee, and advocate based in Pennsylvania. She was adopted in 1993 from Colombia to a family in...2021-11-1137 min
DNA Clarity and SupportTake your time and be patient with yourself: Exploring identity crisisSeason 2 of DNA Clarity and Support kicks off with an interview of Melissa Guida-Richards! Guida-Richards is a late-discovery transracial adoptee and the author of What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption. Inspired by the discovery at age 19 of her adoption from Columbia into an Italian and Portuguese American family, Melissa has authored articles to help others understand her experience. Her latest book aims to educate and guide White parents who are raising an adopted child with a differing genetic ethnicity. Among the topics host Brianne and the guest discuss is how Melissa developed a sense of being LatinX...2021-11-0922 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Astrid Castro, of Adoption MosaicOn Season 2, Episode 5 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Astrid Castro, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Astrid’s work in the adoption community, reunion, as well as the nuances of learning our language from our birth culture.
About Astrid Castro:
Astrid has a degree in sociology with an emphasis in adoption. For twenty plus years, she has traveled the country to lead youth groups, present workshops on transracial parenting, talking with children about adoption and various other workshops focusing on adoption. Prior to creating Adoption Mosaic, Astrid worked in both the private and pub...2021-08-2356 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn interview with Annie Goodchild, Singer, Songwriter, and Transracial AdopteeOn Season 2, Episode 4 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Annie Goodchild, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Annie's new video project, "I Used to Be Sam." This project will use interviews of fellow adoptees to an EP and audio visual project series discussing transracial adoptee experiences in addition to the one that is unique to her own.
Anyone interested in participating can submit to:
iusedtobesam@gmail.com
Deadline: May 15, 2021 6:59 am (EST)
About Annie Goodchild:
On the day Annie Goodchild was adopted, her name changed. I Used t...2021-05-1444 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Jenny Heijun Wills, Award Winning AuthorOn Season 2, Episode 3 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Jenny Heijun Wills, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss Jenny's Memoir Older Sister, Not Necessarily Related (now available in paperback) and the intricacies of reunion with birth family.
Jenny Heijun Wills is the author of Older Sister, Not Necessarily Related (McClelland & Stewart, Penguin Random House Canada, 2019), which won the 2019 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize and the 2020 Eileen McTavish Sykes Best First Book Award. She is also the co-editor of Adoption & Multiculturalism: Europe, The Americas, and the Pacific (University of Michigan Press, 2020).
Purchase her mem...2021-02-2552 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Christine, Founder of Adoptee BridgeOn Season 2, Episode 2 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Christine Heimann, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss their experience as international adoptees and the complexities of searching for birth family. Christine discusses why she created Adoptee Bridge and a little about her work with adoptees and adoptive families.
Christine's Bio:
Christine Heimann 정주빈 is a Korean American, transracial adoptee who has volunteered or worked with adoptees and adoptive families for over 15 years. In 2017, Christine founded AdopteeBridge, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, providing post-adoption support services to transracial and transnational adoptees and their families. Christine is passionate about providing...2021-01-2650 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Nicole Chung, Bestselling AuthorOn Season 2, Episode 1 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Nicole Chung, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss their experience with losing a loved one as an adoptee, as well as their writing process. Nicole shares some of her story as an adoptee, and advice for adoptees looking to get into writing.
Nicole’s Bio:
Nicole Chung is the author of the nationally bestselling memoir All You Can Ever Know (Catapult, US; Pushkin Press, UK). Named a Best Book of the Year by two dozen publications, All You Can Ever Know was a finalist for...2021-01-0452 min
Adoption Advocacy PodcastStephanie Oyler, Melissa Guida- Richards and Ferera Swan- the experience of being a transracial/transethnic adoptee during the holidays, especially during this political environmentThis is the December 2020 episode. Today we chat with Stephanie Oyler, Melissa Guida- Richards, and Ferera Swan - three transracial and transethnic adoptees. We discuss their collective experiences with the holidays, and they explain why it is so important to hold space for adoptees who come from different backgrounds and cultural traditions than their parents. We also discuss how important it is for adoptive families to be sensitive to the emotions and feelings that might arise during this time of year. Lastly, we talk about how they are all feeling as transracial and transethnic adoptees during this political climate...2020-12-1553 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Louise, an International Adoptee in An Open AdoptionOn Episode 11 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Louise, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss the unique experience as an international adoptee who grew up in an open adoption, coming out of the fog, and more.
Louise's Bio:
Louise Shepherd was born as “Fenny” on the island of Java, in Indonesia in 1982. At 6 months old she was adopted by a white Australian family. It was then her name was changed to Louise.
The family consisted of mum, dad, two biological sons, and then Louise. Two and half years later the family adopted her sister from Seoul, South...2020-10-1753 min
Adoptee ThoughtsAn Interview with Shelley, An International Adoptee from China to CanadaOn Episode 10 of the Adoptee Thoughts Podcast, Shelley, and host, Melissa Guida-Richards discuss the intricacies of being an international adoptee, the benefits of having an adopted sibling, and the experience of being raised by a single mom.
Shelley's Bio:
My name is Shelley Rottenberg and I'm a Chinese adoptee. I was adopted from Zhejiang province when I was 8 months old and I now live in Southern Ontario. I have a Masters in Human Geography and am really interested in exploring the connections between people and places. I conducted research on the Lived Experiences of C...2020-09-1043 minWhen They Were Young: Amplifying Voices of AdopteesEp. 6 Melissa Guida-Richards: Unpacking Abby Johnson's commentsI reached out to Melissa who is actively on the front lines of educating people in the adoption community. We discuss the harmful language Abby Johnson uses to describe her own adopted son in the infamous youtube video. There are misconceptions about the black community that she perpetuates with alarming conviction. Melissa is a formidable essayist, mother, blogger, author (THE WHITE SAVIOR MENTALITY will be out in Fall 2021) and podcast host. GUEST: Melissa Guida-Richards guida-richards.com https://adopteethoughts.com/https://www.mother.ly/u/melissaguida-richardshttps://spoonie-mama.com/index.php/about-melissa-guida-richards/2020-09-0541 min