Shows
Developing Meaning#18: Ridghaus Follows the Golden Threads - A Story of Adoption, Grief and Meaning.Send us a textCan you imagine learning at 35 that you were adopted? In this episode Ridghaus, my friend and Level I IFS Program Assistant, shares how this discovery transformed his sense of identity and led him to advocate for adoptee rights and communities.We also explore the profound loss of his 18-year-old son and how he has grieved. Through our conversation, Ridghaus reflects on the "golden threads" that have guided him—moments of insight, connection, and healing. We discuss how Internal Family Systems (IFS) has played a role in his process, helping him hold spa...2025-03-151h 27
Once Upon A Time...In Adopteeland157. Ridghaus: "Truth is Vital"Original Air Date: October 12, 2021Ridghaus relinquished a son at 19 and then later, at the age of 35, learned that he had been relinquished and adopted.Ridghaus is the co-creator of the 6WAM (Six Word Adoption Memoir). He has spent the last 20 years teaching as a professor in English, Communication, Media, and Law from his graduate degrees in English (MA), Communication (MA), and Jurisprudence (JD).He recommends for LDAs the Private Facebook Late Discovery Adoptee Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/latediscoveriesMusic by Corey Quinn2024-01-0951 min
NPE StoriesRidg's StoryRidg received a letter from the State Social Services Office in 2005 that changed his life forever. Ridghaus can be reached through Instagram @Ridghaus Resources Mentioned:Untangling our Roots Summit Denver, CO April 25-28 2024NAAP: National Association of Adoptees and ParentsFather Unknown film by David QuintSix Word Adoption MemoirsOriginal - https://vimeo.com/161846105Year 2 - https://vimeo.com/211568644Amy S short - https://vimeo.com/240901115Reshma M short - https://vimeo.com/240904104Barbara R short - h...2023-10-1559 min
Unraveling AdoptionHealing Adoption Trauma Through Alternative Therapies with Ridghaus - Ep 113Reserve your FREE ticket to the Sacred Plant Medicine for Healing the Adoption Constellation webinar featuring Ridghaus as one of the panelists, December 3 at 1pm PST: https://healingadoptiontrauma.eventbrite.com "Somatic therapy starts to move the body...taking breaths, activating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems so that I started to have full body sensation as we talked about different things." - Ridghaus In the depths of his journey through adoption, Ridghaus faced a powerful twist that would forever alter his path. What began as a selfless decision to relinquish this son for adoption suddenly...2023-10-0256 min
Adoption UnfilteredBirth Fathers and AdoptionThere aren’t too many spaces in which men are marginalized, but Adoption Land is one of them.
Birth Father Ridghaus joins Adoptee Sara Easterly, Birth Mom Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Adoptive Mom Lori Holden to reveal the viewpoint of a lesser-heard voice—that of a birth father.
Talk about complexity … power dynamics on steroids!
Adoption Unfiltered is presented by adoptee Sara Easterly, birth parent Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and adoptive parent Lori Holden. Collectively, we bring 75 years of lived experience relating to adoption, and we span the Baby Boomer, Gen X, and M...2023-05-0247 min
Wandering Tree ®, LLC PodcastS2:E15 Connecting to the Adoptee Community with Jennifer D GhostonConnecting to the adoptee community can be very helpful to the adoptee in search and reunion. Several months ago, Host Lisa Ann sat down with Author and Podcaster Jennifer Dyan Ghoston to discuss the benefits of connection adoptee-to-adoptee. Their lived experiences spawned a creative shared episode, where they listed out a few of their favorite resources. If you are not familiar with Jennifer, she has been connected to the adoptee community for over a decade and is interested in hearing the personal stories of adoptees from all over the globe. The Truth So Far… is her memoir cap...2022-08-1153 minOnce Upon A Time...In Adopteeland78. Lisa Ann: The "Wandering Tree" podcast and Connection with the Adoption CommunityRecommended resources by adoptee podcasters, Lisa Ann and Jennifer Dyan Books:Ann Fessler “The Girls Who Went Away”"The Gathering Place" - Emma Stevens"The Lies that Bind" - Laureen Pitman"Tree of Strangers" - Barbara Sumner "Searching for Mom: A Memoir" - Sara Easterly@Because Adoption (Mary Herbert) on InstagramAdoptee Voices Writing Group founded by Sara Easterly(Co-facilitators; Ridghaus, Alice Stephens, Kate Murphy and Jennifer Dyan Ghoston) www.adoptee-voices.comBetty Jean Lifton “Twice Born”Jean Stra...2022-08-0953 min
Unlocking Identity: Late Discovery AdopteeEpisode 8: In conversation with Ridghaus Pt. 2I am joined in conversation with my friend and fellow LDA, Ridghaus in part 2 of this 2 part episode. We talk about how discovery impacts relationships, why "adoption is beautiful" is a problematic platitude, implications of adoption as an industry and the ways that being an LDA has impacted our parenting.This podcast is created by me, Freyja Geankoplis and supported by listeners like you. Become a member of my Patreon Community for exclusive rewards, content and membership benefits https://www.patreon.com/unlockingidentityIf you have any questions for me, feel free to send me...2022-04-0849 min
Back from the Abyss: Psychiatry in StoriesAttachment and Adoption Part 2– Ridghaus and the Six Word Adoption MemoirSend us your questions for Fishbowl 6!This is the second in our two part series on adoption and attachment wounds. Ridg and his girlfriend Rebecca got pregnant when he was 19, and they made the difficult decision to give their son up for adoption. Fast forward 16 years, and Ridg is 35, married to another woman, with their own biological children…and he’s about to have his world torn apart by a stunning revelation.Six Word Adoption Memoirshttps://vimeo.com/161846105https://vimeo.com/211568644Ridghaus on IG-- @ridghausBFTA on Instagra...2022-03-2455 minUnlocking Identity: Late Discovery AdopteeEpisode 7: In conversation with RidghausI am joined in conversation with my friend and fellow LDA, Ridghaus in part 1 of this 2 part episode. We talk about life, transitions, names, parenthood within discovery and just the various nuances of what this experience is like. Poem we discuss: On ChildrenAnd a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children. And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with...2022-02-1150 minOnce Upon A Time...In Adopteeland32. Ridghaus: "Six Word Adoption Memoirs"Ridghaus relinquished a son at 19 and then later, at the age of 35, learned that he had been relinquished and adopted.Ridghaus is the co-creator of the 6WAM (Six Word Adoption Memoir). He has spent the last 20 years teaching as a professor in English, Communication, Media, and Law from his graduate degrees in English (MA), Communication (MA), and Jurisprudence (JD).He recommends for LDAs the Private Facebook Late Discovery Adoptee Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/latediscoveriesMusic by Corey Quinn2021-10-1250 min
Born In June Raised In April: What Adoption Can Teach the WorldExploring Freedom, Independence, and Adoption with RidghausIn this July episode, host April Dinwoodie and guest Ridghaus explore the complicated themes of freedom and independence connected to adoption and the ability to fully realize our whole identities as adopted persons.2019-07-0457 min
Adoptees OnDerek: Reunion Brings Ghosts to LifeDerek Frank tells his story about how the movie Philomena brought his desire, to know where he came from, to the surface. We talk about his reunion with his birth father and siblings and what’s holding him back from connecting with his birth mother. We tackle some deep topics including feeling like "culturally cousins" instead of like siblings, grief, and the importance of art therapy. Ridghaus (from season 3 episode 1) returns and, together with Derek, they share behind-the-scenes of the Six Word Adoption Memoir Project. Full Show Notes Here Connect With Us2017-09-221h 37
Adoptees OnRidghaus: Am I Adopted?Ridghaus shares about relinquishing a son at age 19, and then moving ahead to age 35, he is surprised to learn he too is adopted. We discuss the crisis of identity caused by late discovery and how he managed to establish and ground himself during a two-year healing period. Ridghaus also shares an intimate conversation between himself and his son, processing adoption loss and what he would do if he could go back in time. This is part one of the two-part premiere of season 3! Next week we meet Derek Frank. Derek and Ridghaus are the creators of the...2017-09-1559 min