Adoptees On

We talk with Melissa K. Nicholson, LMSW about adoptee suicide (sometimes in a graphic manner and so please listen at your discretion). An incredibly important topic as adoptees are at a greater risk for suicide than the general population. We talk about some warning signs, how to get help, how we can intervene and also therapies that are beneficial for adoptees who may struggle with suicidal ideat...

Fellow adoptee and therapist, Lesli A. Johnson, MFT teaches us all about EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing by Dr. Francine Shapiro). We talk about what it is and Lesli explains why it is so incredibly effective for adoptees.     Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter...

An interview with John, an adoptee who accidentally discovered he was adopted at age 10. We unpack the strain this placed on his relationship with his adoptive parents and the trust issues this has caused him throughout his life. John also shares how his birthmother found him, and the warm reception he's received from his extended family. Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter...

Pamela Cordano, MFT addresses the question that many adoptees struggle with, "Why Me?". Pam shares that it's a natural, yet painful question for us to struggle with. We talk about how we can work on healing this feeling of shame and unworthiness.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send...

An interview with Kelley Baumgartner an adoptee who found her birthmother via a public social media poster search. You've likely seen her facebook post where she held up a poster with personal details in an attempt to be able to connect with her biological family. She shares about the effects this has had on her reunion, and about her relationship with her adoptive parents.   Full Show Notes Here...

A bonus episode featuring Lesli A. Johnson, MFT where we speak about surviving the holidays as an adoptee. Lesli coaches us through some situations where we may feel triggered, and shares some practical steps we can take to practice mindfulness and self care.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly New...

Carrie Cahill Mulligan and Haley Radke chat about some themes they've seen throughout the season one interviews, a peek behind-the-scenes and plans for season two. Haley Radke shares an in-depth view of her first reunion story with her birth mother (which ends in secondary rejection) which starts around the 28 minute mark if you'd like to skip the chit-chat.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With U...

An interview with Davis Peticolas who shares his story about coming out of the adoption fog when he was fifty years old. Davis outlines some of his deeply personal struggles that can be traced back to adoption trauma as the root cause.    Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send a Note or...

We talk with Pamela Karanova of Adoptee in Recovery, a fellow adoptee who'll be sharing her story with us. We talk about her search, a brief reunion, her struggle with alcohol addiction and recovery, and some surprising connections she's made with extended bio family members through DNA testing. We also discuss some issues about Christianity and adoption.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us H...

An interview with Landric, an adoptee who was recently found by his natural mother. We discuss his relinquishment, feelings about reunion, becoming an oldest brother to four siblings, and a big lesson he's learned from his time in counselling.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send a N...

An interview with Liz Story who shares her journey of reunion with her birth mother, her gift of a kidney (!) to her maternal aunt, and her hesitation to connect with her birth father and how Twitter led Liz to explore an entirely new definition of what it means to be adopted. Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Face...

An interview with Diane Wheaton, a fellow adoptee who is in reunion with her biological mother. We talk about letting go of the idealized picture of reunion and some hard truths about the seemingly permanent place of unsettledness and ambivalence Diane has come to. Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly...

An interview with Mary Anna King who shares her fascinating in-family adoption story. She describes her experiences of being adopted as an older child, and also her separation from (and subsequent reunions with) her other biological siblings. We also discuss common adoptee feelings of guilt and indebtedness.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adopt...

An interview with Liz Prato, author of Baby's on Fire. Liz shares her search and secondary rejection story with us. She received a letter from an attorney from her biological father. Liz also shares her beautiful reunion with her biological half-sister and the heartbreak of losing her entire adoptive family by age 44.    Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Fac...

An interview with Ellie who shares her story of being an in-family adoptee; adopted by her great uncle and aunt, Ellie shares what her current relationship is like with her birth mother, who is now legally her cousin.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send a Note or Record a Voicemail...

An interview with Becky Drinnen, a fellow adoptee who shares her experiences as a baby scoop adoptee and the pain of secondary rejection. We also discuss her Sherlock-Holmes-level searching skills to find her biological father.   Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send a Note or Record a...

An interview with Maeve Kelly who shares her story of search and secondary rejection from her biological mother. We discuss some deep feelings and how our views of adoption have shifted as we became parents. Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newsletter Send a Note or Record a Voicemail   Subscribe...

An interview with Carrie Cahill Mulligan who shares her story of search and secondary rejection from her birth mother, and later her reunion with her biological father. We talk about the stages of reunion (AKA the emotional roller coaster!) as well as how grief and joy can intermingle. Full Show Notes Here   Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagr...

We introduce season one of the podcast where adoptees discuss the adoption experience. Adult adoptees share stories of search, reunion, and secondary rejection. Adoptees On also curates recommended resources to encourage and educate the adoption community about adoptee issues.    Connect With Us Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Monthly Newslet...