Because She's Adopted Podcast

Episode 30 | Chris Williams Chris Williams is a stand-up comedian and producer from Los Angeles, as well as the proud owner of a Chihuahua mix named Daunte. At the time of this recording, Daunte had four legs. Thanks to an unfortunate accident in Canada, he's now rocking three. The good news: Daunte has absolutely nothing to do with this podcast episode, but it felt important to mention. More impo...

Episode 28 Pt.2 | Dr. Alana Berg ND  Dr. Alana Berg, ND is an author, speaker, mother, Naturopathic Physician, and self-described healing facilitator. She has been practicing full time as a Naturopathic Doctor since graduating in 2005 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Since graduation, she has continually embarked on the journey of developing and honing her professional skills ha...

Episode 28 Pt.1 | Dr. Alana Berg ND Dr. Alana Berg, ND is an author, speaker, mother, Naturopathic Physician, and self-described healing facilitator. She has been practicing full time as a Naturopathic Doctor since graduating in 2005 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Since graduation, she has continually embarked on the journey of developing and honing her professional skills hav...

Episode 27 | Patrece Maluzynsky Patrece Maluzynsky is a writer, former English teacher and funeral celebrant from St. Albert, Alberta. She finds joy and healing in her writing and yoga practices, and she loves connecting with her recovery community and other adoptees. Patrece hopes to publish her recently completed memoir, A Surprising Peace: How One Adult Adoptee Transcended Her Anxiety and Addic...

Episode 26 | Tanis Burnett Tanis is a transracial adoptee from South Korea. She was adopted at 5 months old and joined her adoptive family in BC in 1987. She has two older brothers who are identical twins, who were also adopted (as a domestic adoption). She grew up in a white family, in cities and towns that are predominantly white. She played competitive hockey and baseball growing up, but now pr...

Episode 25 | Virginia McQueen Join Kristal Parke and Virginia McQueen as they recap this past weekend at the Adoption: The Making Of Me Live Podcast event April 17-18, 2026 in Austin, Texas. In this episode, they explore impactful moments, discussing topics like support systems, triggers, self care and their love for the adoptee community and beyond. _______________________________________________...

Episode 24 | Dylan Paul Dylan Paul is a queer, adopted individual whose experiences have shaped a deep curiosity around identity, belonging, and connection. Navigating both adoption and sexuality has given him a unique perspective on what it means to find and define a sense of self. Dylan discusses grief and the loss of both his adoptive and bio mothers at a young age as well as his reunion journe...

Episode 23 | Dr. Liz Debetta & Julie Brumley Un-M-Othered: A Revolution in Adoptee Healing. Dr. Liz Debetta and Julie Brumley announce and discuss an upcoming adoptee event May 23-24, 2026 in Moscow, Idaho.  Dr. Liz is an award-winning solo performance artist, writer, educator, and the founder of Migrating Toward Wholeness™, a trauma-informed, arts-based narrative healing framework. She holds a Ph...

Episode 22 | Catherine Talbott Retired and taking to social media to ask "Who Cares?" Catherine Talbott was adopted as a toddler and she was removed and placed back into government care at the age of twelve; she never lived with her family again. Catherine has worked in the child welfare sector for over 30 years and has recently retired. She was the founder of NOW Canada, a multi service agency ba...

Episode 21 | Haley Radke | Sullivan Summer | Lora Alegria | Lilly Anspach Adoptees for Family Preservation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization that exists to raise awareness about family separation issues and the long-term impact on adoptees and their families. The organization is currently supporting the investigative podcast, "On Adoption," produced by Haley Radke Media, Inc., a podcast expos...

Episode 20 | Sarah Reinhardt Co-host of Adoption:The Making Of Me Podcast talks about…you guessed it, the adoptee experience. Sarah Reinhardt is an adoptee and co-host of Adoption: The Making of Me. She is a writer, empty-nester, OCD dog parent, and works in Public Media in Kansas City. Sarah was born in the baby scoop era in St. Louis, MO, but only by chance - her birth mother's water broke on th...

Episode 19 | Greta & Patrece Adoptees, Eating Disorders & Recovery Greta Handgis (Fadness) is a domestic infant adoptee born during the Baby Scoop Era in 1968. She found her first family in 1989, which included a full-blood brother and sister, and was in reunion for over 30 years. She is estranged now from her first mother and sister as well as her adoptive family siblings. Both her adoptive paren...

Episode 18 | Gloria Gloria Ballantyne-Packo is a 27 year old Swampy Cree Woman living in Winnipeg, MB. Gloria is a member of Misipawistik Cree Nation and is originally from The Pas, MB. Gloria has lived many different lives but one of the most prominent parts of her life story is how she became an MMIWG2S+ advocate. Gloria's younger sister, Kendara Ballantyne, was reported missing in 2019 and late...

Episode 17 | Marisol & Will In this episode of the Because She's Adopted podcast, host Kristal Parke and her husband Stewart, welcome Marisol and Will, a couple navigating the complexities of identity, parenting and grief. The couple discusses their unique challenges as parents without guidance, having lost both sets of their parents, and how they strive to build a supportive family foundation roo...

Episode 16 | Amanda   In the first 2026 episode of the Because She's Adopted Podcast, host Kristal Parke interviews Amanda. This episode is about mothers and fathers, parentification and self-discovery. Amanda discusses the impact of her family on her self-perception, and the healing she found through connecting with her biological father. Amanda's story highlights the importance of self-acceptanc...

Episode 15 | Louise Browne & Bill Edwards   In this episode of the Because She's Adopted podcast, host Kristal Parke engages with guests Louise Browne and Bill Edwards, exploring themes of Christmas traditions, Adoption:The Making Of Me Podcast, and the importance of supportive relationships. The conversation delves into personal stories, including first impressions from high school, the shared lo...

Episode 14 | Christy & Scott In this episode of Because She's Adopted, hosts Kristal and Stewart Parke team up with Christy and Scott Gilvear for a podcast "double date," diving into the nuances of marriage, family life, and the ever-evolving conversations around adoption. They explore the importance of communication, and the support systems that help navigate the challenges of being adopted and b...

Episode 13 | Linda Pevac In this episode of the Because She's Adopted podcast, host Kristal Parke interviews Linda Pevac, an adoptee, author, and survivor. Linda shares her harrowing experiences of childhood trauma, the impact of hypervigilance, and the healing power of creativity. The conversation delves into the complexities of relationships with adoptive parents, the inner critic, and the impor...

Episode 12 | Kim & Emma In this episode of Because She's Adopted, hosts Kristal Parke, Kim, and Emma explore the complexities of adoption, personal stories, and the importance of community. Kim shares her adoption journey, including her reunion with her birth mother and the emotional challenges that come with it. Emma provides her perspective as a partner supporting Kim through her experiences. To...

Episode 11 | Chris Williams Host Kristal Parke welcomes fellow adoptee and comedian, Chris Williams to recap a week in The Big Apple where Kristal's film, Because She's Adopted, was the official selection for The Adoptee Film Festival and had its New York City Premiere at the Caveat Theatre in Manhattan. From Central Park to Broadway, hotdogs to hamburgers, they cover it all in this lighthearted e...

Episode 10 | Christy Gilvear Host Kristal Parke welcomes fellow adoptee Christy Gilvear for a powerful conversation about adoption, faith, and growing up in a high-control religious environment. Together, they unpack how those experiences shaped their identity, relationships, and journey toward healing. This episode of Because She's Adopted offers an honest look at self-discovery, resilience, and...

Episode 9 | Dr. Richard Wenzel Dr. Richard Wenzel shares a riveting NPE journey that began with an at-home DNA test and unfolded into the discovery that his father was not his genetic father. The conversation traces childhood memories surrounding a sibling's secret adoption, a pediatrician who "knew and lied," and a later-in-life reckoning with identity, family history, and medical ethics. Richard...

Episode 8 | Erin In this heartfelt conversation, host Kristal Parke sits down with Erin, co-founder of Hiraeth Hope and Healing, Inc., to explore what it means to discover you're an NPE (Not Parent Expected) and how she turned that revelation into one of purpose by creating community spaces for NPE's, adoptees, and donor-conceived individuals. Guest Bio In 2017, Erin unexpectedly discovered that s...

Episode 7: Sydney Curtin In this heartwrenching conversation, host Kristal Parke sits down with Sydney Curtin, as she opens up about relinquishment and open adoption.  Guest Bio Sydney Curtin is a dynamic speaker, author, multi-business owner, consultant, life coach, and serial entrepreneur. With over ten years of professional experience and an impressive résumé, Sydney extends her knowledge to em...

Kelowna adoptees Kristal and Chrystal welcome 60's scoop survivors Tina Taphouse and Nadine McSpaddan as they courageously share their journey back to their roots and inform us on one of Canada's darker times in history.