Claiming Your Voice

JoYi is the founder of The Practice Center, focused on the mindfulness of living life to its fullest! JoYi is a Korean adoptee who was left at an orphanage at the age of 8 and adopted to a family in Minnesota during the late 1970's. She was born to a Korean mother and a Black father and we talk on the topic of identity , abandonment, and loss. Through mindfulness work JoYi has found her own wa...

Jim Graham was raised in a house on Arend Avenue in Buffalo New York, surrounded by people whom he believed were his family - minus the mother whom he saw for only a few days out of the year. Not until he was an adult did he learn that his real father was a Catholic Priest from the Order of Oblates. Jim is the author of the book - Buried Truth, available on Amazon. ISBN-13 978-1665777933 #BuriedTr...

In this episode, Wilson talks about his adoption experience and the motivation behind his best selling book; Marked By Adoption. Abandoned in China and raised in Nebraska, Wilson is an advocate for adoptees and currently attending Creighton University. #Adoption #ChineseAdoptee #FindingPurpose #SpeakYourTruth #LiveYourLife #GivingThanks #LiveYourPurpose https://www.markedbyadoption.com/

Guest Taelor Avery is a teacher in a mid sized Iowa city and is the mother to a middle schooler. As a baby, Taelor was adopted from South Korea and brought to the Midwest United States. In this episode, Taelor talks about her adoption story and the strong family ties she had with her parents.

AlmaLuz was born in Honduras and adopted to a family in the United States. Recently, she discovered she has a brother living in the South and will be reunited with her birth mother in-person! AlmaLuz has written and illustrated a children's book based on her early life in Honduras. She is an adoptee advocate as you will hear in her interview. You can purchase her book on Amazon! https://www.am...

Mike was born in Seattle and adopted to a couple in Idaho in the late sixties. Raised as an only child, he encountered loneliness and the emotional unavailability of his parents. Listen to Mike's journey of finding self and how making choices of faith helped him cultivate a life of acceptance and gratitude. #Adoption #DomesticAdoptee #Faith #ChoosingFaith #Acceptance

Lori Agler was abandoned at the age of two in South Korea alongside her four year old brother in October 1976. Adopted to a family in the United States, they were able to remain together. Listen to Lori's account of searching for her birth family and how her faith has been a firm foundation. #KoreanAdoptee #Faiththroughtrial #Birthfamily #Reunion

In this episode, I talk with Isaac Etter who is the founder of Parenting Different. As a transracial adoptee growing up in a white family, Isaac realized a need for resources to help support such children and their families. Please listen to his inspiring story! https://www.flourishingfamiliessc.org https://www.parentingdifferent.com/tra #TransracialAdoption #Adoption #AdoptiveParents #AdoptionRes...

Shae was adopted as an infant from South Korea to a family in Australia. In this episode we talk loss of birth family, identity, and hanging on to hope in dark times. The topic of suicide is mentioned in the beginning of the conversation. #Korean Adoption #BirthFamily #BirthFamilyReunion #Hope #Choosingyourpath

Guest Julie Brumley joins me for a conversation about her adoption story. She talks about her journey of self discovery and true identity. Caution to listeners: subjects of abandonment and abortion. #Adoption #Identity #Birthmother #Adoptee #AbortionSurvivor #Adoptiveparents https://www.facebook.com/groups/theresilienceprojectforadoptees/?ref=share_group_link&rdid=VTXmzAT7RIDg33Fj&share_ur...

Guest Stefani Stern is back to give an updated account of her perspective on the adoption experience that molded her character. She has been through the ups and downs of being an adoptee and the struggles of feeling not really belonging. In this episode Stefani shares how she was able to breakthrough to have a healthier mindset about her adoption journey. #Adoption #Gratitude #MeditationHealthyMin...

Emma Stevens is a journalist, author, and an adoptee. In this episode she talks about the launch of her new book and the journey to finding her authentic self. Emma a/k/a Linda also talks bout making healthy decisions to open up to creativity and joy and releasing negativity. #EmmaStevens #Adoption # Choosing to Breathe #AdoptionAuthor #Journeytobeinghuman #Truth #BirthFamily #AdoptiveFamily https...

Aimee Sue Ladin was adopted from South Korea in 1972. Her relinquishment story was fabricated and she later learned the truth behind why she was given up for adoption. She shares about being reunited with her birth family and her thoughts on adoption. #Korean Adoption #Minnesota Korean Adoptee #International Adoption #Adoption Truth #Reuniting with birth family

Author, Shawnee Baker, shares about the tragic events that took her daughter while away at college. Baylie was a vibrant young lady who was in need of help during what was supposed to be a fun night out. She was picked up by two men who were suspected of trafficking and then left on her own to find her way back to campus. Listen to this gripping account of loss and the possibility that life after...

Kirsten Mathis is a Korean Adoptee who shares her adoption story in this episode. She returned to Korea as a tourist to see her birth country and also was able to meet her birth mom. The reasons for relinquishment can be difficult and Kirsten talks about this topic and making her way through the complexities of adoption. She can be contacted through Facebook. #KoreanAdoption # Koreanbirthmom #Adop...

In this second part of J Steven Osborne's DNA discovery, he tells about finding his biological father and confronting his mother about the truth. If you are an adoptee, a donor conceived person, or someone with an NPE, please listen to the end to hear J Steven's coming to terms with his family truth and his impactful message. #DNAsurprise #familytruths #familysecrets #family #NPE #Adoptee...

Growing up in a large a very well blended family, J Steven Osborne somehow felt that something was off. As a young boy he asked his mother if he was adopted, but she assured him that she had birthed him and brought him home from the hospital. Curious about his heritage, he took a DNA test and the results were shocking. Take a listen to this interesting life journey and how he and the man he called...

My guest Kara Rubinstein was told that she was born of a black father by her white mother. Her DNA test held a surprise and led her organize the foundation Right to Know. Take a listen to her amazing life journey! https://righttoknow.us https://unexpectedlyjewish.com Cinematic Roots https://a.co/d/1ZYhqEL What They Never Told Us, by Gail Lukasik ( https://a.co/d/gTDzlEM ) DNA Blue Pring, Dr Robert...

Trigger Warning: The topic of suicide is discussed. Teri Dreismeier and her husband adopted an 8 month old baby boy from South Korea in 2001. In 2023 her world was shattered when her husband received a phone call relaying that Adam/Jang Soo Ho had chosen to leave this earth. As part of her healing journey Teri is joining her voice with the voice of her son, Jang Soo Ho, to elevate awareness of ado...

Raya was born in 1989 in Ivanovo, Russia and lived with a great aunt who later sold her as an adoptee to a Canadian family. Her story is a novel of unbelievable experiences involving loss and finding peace. #Adoption #RussianAdoptee #TraumaInformedCoach #Adoptionjourney

Barbara Hayward shares her path to finding spirituality and listening to her people. In a future podcast we will delve into how she was able to reveal her clairvoyant abilities. We ran out of time to get to the real depth of the topic!

Sarah Frette is a conference speaker about transnational adoption. At 18 months she and three of her siblings were placed in a care center for children to be adopted out to America. Growing up in rural Iowa and having the physical looks of a Korean, Sarah felt as though she was without a culture.

In this episode guest author and educator, Judy Fambrough-Billingsley discusses her adoption as a German born "brown baby" born shortly after World War II. Born to a German-Jewish mother and an African American soldier, Judy was placed in Kinderheim with her sister. Her story is one that includes a piece of history that is not well known which involved the transnational adoption of &quot...

Robert Holloway is a Korean language interpreter who speaks at conferences, has worked with non-profits, government officials, and the legal system. Through his talent and gift for the Korean language, he offers an online class exclusive to Korean adoptees. This unique modality combines emotional healing to bring down the mental barriers that Korean adoptees may experience from keeping them to lea...

Valerie Naiman is the author of the #1 Best Selling Book Mystic Masquerade: An Adoptee's Search for Truth. Listen as Valerie shares about her adoption and her ongoing search for truth. https://valerienaiman.com/ #Adoption#AdoptionTruth#AdoptionStories#Authors#SpiritualJourney#AwakeningtoTruth#Truth#Thriveon