When They Were Young: Amplifying Voices of Adoptees
What happens when the adoptee is centered as the hero in their own story? These are whole-hearted conversations with adoptees and adoption experts who are at the forefront of alchemizing adoption trauma into positive impact for you and the rest of the world. Each episode is designed to make you feel empowered, informed and fortified with a variety of methods, healing modalities and expert advice.
This is for the adoptee, parents, and the adoption-curious.
Episodes
81 episodes
Ep. 80 Sara Easterly: Co-Author of Adoption Unfiltered & founder of Adoptee Voices
Today we have an adoptee who was a guest on episode 50 where we discussed the dangers of calling adoption a blessing. Sara Easterly is an adoptee, essayist, and author of books that include Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from ...
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36:55
Ep. 79 Rae "Adoptee Reclaimed" & 5 Tips For a Better Life
Hi again! The idea of adoptees reclaiming themselves have perplexed certain people for awhile now. If you aren’t adopted or haven’t had an in-depth conversation with someone who is adopted you might wonder “What do they need to reclaim?” Today’...
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Season 4
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Episode 79
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42:26
Ep. 78 Eunnuri Lee: The power of content creating & Operation Olive Branch
Happy New Year! This conversation is a great inspiration for this next chapter. Eunnuri Lee is a Korean-American activist, visual artist, and adoptee who I stumbled across on Tik Tok. I was instantly intrigued by her multidimensional content, h...
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55:37
Ep. 77 Shania Ives : The Dunbar Project & Family Preservation
Hey there, love! Today we have Shania Ives as a guest! Shania is an adult adoptee from the UK, the Founding Director of The Dunbar Project, and a trainee integrative psychotherapist. Her mission is to create spaces for empowerment and growth wi...
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56:52
Ep. 76 Becca Flatt: An Expert on Estrangement & What is Forced Empathy
Today I chat with Becca Flatt, who is a therapist and advocate specializing in adoption-related trauma, grief, and estrangement. A queer, Black, interracial biracial adoptee, she provides therapy exclusively for adoptees and consultations for b...
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1:20:36
Ep. 75 SOLO 3 Things to help close out the year!
Hey, loves! Today I give you three actionables (including a book) that will shift the way you react to people and the situations around you. As well as a tip to release expectations. The holiday season can be disappointing with unmet expectatio...
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19:56
Episode 74. Tara Nolan: Adoptees Born in China Podcast & The Chinese adoption laws
Today I sit with Tara Nolan who is the co-hosts of the podcast (ABC) Adoptees Born in China show, where adoptees from China can listen to and share their adoption stories. This is a deeply thought provoking conversation around the Chinese laws ...
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Episode 74
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1:17:50
Ep. 73 Ryan Jafar Artes: Afrofuturism and how to be walking poetry
Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Ryan Jafar Artes, the host of adoptee Open Mic Tuesday zoom events and an award winning poet. We discuss: The act of Reparenting ourselvesAnd how through the clear lens of sob...
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1:08:53
Ep 72. SOLO: Election, Estrangement, Project 2025 & Now what?
Hi friends, It's been a ruthless week but I'm here for you. Today I dive into the 5 things I've learned the past year on hiatus. Please note that I speak about my suicide ideations, mental health as well as mention the convictions of our presid...
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29:24
Ep. 71 Gretchen Sisson: Relinquished: The politics of Adoption and the privilege of American Motherhood
Today I have the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Gretchen Sisson about her critically acclaimed book "Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood." Gretchen is a sociologist with Advancing New Standards in Repr...
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Season 4
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Episode 72
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1:22:53
Ep. 70 Adoptees are the heroes of their own stories (Bonus episode)
I was a guest on the podcast Adoption: The Long View, hosted by Lori Holden. In this episode I am interviewed by Lori who asks the vital question "How can adoptees be the hero of their own stories?" Because that is what I believe we should be. ...
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1:12:20
Ep. 69 SOLO: The Attachment Styles
Today we talk about the science of attachment styles inspired by the book "Attached" by Amir Levine and Rachel S.F. Heller. This book has revolutionized how I approach all of my relationships. These are my reasons why you should read this book ...
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24:31
Ep. 68 Shelby Redfield Kilgore: Behind the Lens
Today our guest is Shelby Redfield Kilgore who is a two time Emmy award-winning filmmaker and author of the blog, “Behind the Lens” and also co-writer of the book “Rooted in Adoption: A Collection of Adoptee Reflections”.Today's topics:...
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44:09
Ep. 67 Melissa Guida-Richards: The rise of Adoptee Thoughts
Today 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 seco...
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58:05
Ep 66. matthew anthony: "You Can Not Burn The Sun" A Book of Poetry
Today I speak with poet, artist, and activist matthew anthony. Matthew has a podcast called "Little Did You Know" and a vibrant poetry book called "You Can Not Burn The Sun."We discuss:- Reclaiming ones name- Rehoming and separa...
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46:21
Ep. 65 Lorah Gerald: The Adopted Chameleon
Today, we speak with Lorah Gerald (aka The Adopted Chameleon). It was a delight to have a light worker with such a profound grasp of a plethora of healing modalities. Lorah is a trauma-informed Kundalini Yoga instructor, Intuitive, Tarot ...
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1:04:57
Ep. 64 SOLO: Why is May Mental Health Awareness Month & Asian, Asian American & Pacific Islander Month?
Today it’s just me.This month has been many things for me. Officially it’s Mental Health awareness month and Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month. I want to take the time to honor both things. First I’ll tell you why Mental He...
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19:08
Ep. 63 Lori May Mier: A Story of Resiliency
Today's guest is Lori May Mier who is the author of Marin and Her Very Bright Star; a story of resiliency which is available on her website. She also is an activator in her community. Find out why I use the word "activator" instead of "ac...
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47:01
Ep. 62 Nelson De Witt: The Disappeared Children of El Salvador
My guest today is Nelson De Witt who is an author, film maker and technologist. This conversation was fascinating. Nelson was born in El Salvador and raised here on East Coast. We discuss:-Coping mechanisms for his Dyslexia (and my dysle...
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1:06:47
Ep. 61 Solo: What is An Inner Child?
This week it's all me. I discuss healing the inner child and how that has benefited my life. There are many ways to go about it this powerful work. Listen and find out how incredibly useful it can be to acknowledge and connect with ones inner c...
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12:29
Ep. 60 Nikki Webster: A Miracle of Tenacity
Today's guest, Nikki Webster is the illustrator Nikki Often, heart warming comics that "Punch you in the gut." We discuss the following:Allowing your child to sleep with you for as long as possibleNikki's work comics<...
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1:02:49
Ep. 59 Anne Heffron: You Don't Look Adopted
Today's guest is the author, film maker and coach, Anne Heffron. Anne wrote “You Don’t Look Adopted,” “Making a Mess: Writing and Pooping,” “Truth Agency: Writing Ideas for people who were adopted,” and she co-wrote the film “Phantom Halo...
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1:10:45
Ep. 58 Isaac Etter: Founding IDENTITY to equip parents and empower children
Today I speak with Isaac Etter, a social entrepreneur, transracial adoptee, founder of Identity a startup focused on using technology t...
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1:01:11
Ep. 57 Emma Stevens: Book "The Gathering Place: An Adoptee's Story"
Our guest Emma Stevens is an mother, trainer and the author of "The Gathering Place: An adoptee's Story" and newly released, "A Fire is Coming." We unpack the uses of the healing modality, EMDR Therapy (eye movement desensitization and re...
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52:43
Ep. 56 Patrick Armstrong: Dear Asian Americans
Today's guest, Patrick Armstrong (he/him) discusses creating his podcasts and what that entails, how he builds empathy with and for the community outside of the adoption constellation, and how "adoptee" is an identity that one inhabits. W...
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Season 4
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1:11:07