Pulled By The Root - Amplifying Adoption Issues

Mindy got her first TV writing job at 48, it took her 26 years to find her biological family she says you’re never too old and it’s never too late. Mindy was surrendered for adoption in the 1960’s, she spent three months in foster care before being adopted by a couple in New York City.  In this episode, Mindy speaks passionately about her lived experience and encourages adopted people to never giv...

Clay was adopted as an infant and went most of his life without knowing who his birth parents were. As an adult Clay has been reunified with his birth mother and five brothers he never knew existed. He has also fostered an infant and had the honor of adopting him after a long journey. They are hopeful he can be reunited with his original family one day. Clay and his wife also have four biological...

Secrets dig a debt. “Christina” is an adopted daughter and a biological daughter. A youngest sister and an oldest sister. She is a devoted mother of two who is married to an amazing man. Her post reunion life has been riddled with shame, secrecy and heartache. This episode exposes the pain of what it is to be trapped between two worlds. ”Christina” wishes to be a champion for all adopted people wh...

Chilean Adoptees Worldwide "CAW" was founded by Alejandro Quezada, Maria Angelica Martinez and Jessica Pincheira who were adopted illegally to the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium. In the 70's, 80's and 90's a wave of children were leaving Chili through adoption during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Many of these children were not relinquished voluntarily. In the fir...

Chilean Adoptees Worldwide "CAW" was founded by Alejandro Quezada, Maria Angelica Martinez and Jessica Pincheira who were adopted illegally to the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium. In the 70's, 80's and 90's a wave of children were leaving Chili through adoption during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Many of these children were not relinquished voluntarily. In the fir...

This episode is graphic , containing detailed descriptions of physical violence, suicide, sexual and physical abuse. This anonymous interview speaks to pain of adoption and how it can adversely affect us and the people we care about. So many adopted people are suffering in isolation. "Andy" takes us through the darkness of his complex trauma toward the light of redemption. His mission is...

Alesia and Kara created the organization called Right to Know. They believe laws related to genetic information, identity and family dynamics need to be updated to reflect the changing technology and social dynamics of the times. Both of these incredible women have experienced something called an MPE- Misattributed Parentage Experience-the discovery of a change in a person's perceived parenta...

Barbara Sumner is the author of the stunning book Tree of Strangers. She has worked in film and journalism and manages Cloud South Pictures with her husband, Tom Burstyn. In 2009 This Way Of Life, their feature documentary about a family living simply in the Rhine Ranges won the Berlinale Generation Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, was shortlisted for an Oscar and won awards at film festiva...

Greg Luce is a Minnesota based attorney and a DC born adopted person. He is the founder of Adoptee Rights Law Center and the president of Adoptees United Inc. He is a graduate of Boston University and the University of Minnesota Law School. Greg helps adopted people navigate legal challenges in obtaining their own original birth certificated, securing  U.S. citizenship, and seeking information to...

Lance is an adopted person, reverend, blogger and podcaster of Two Lucky Bastards. He is also a researcher who will be a starting a PhD considering the impact of closed stranger adoption.  He currently resides in New Zealand and is happy to be a antipodean (voice form the bottom of the world) In this episode, he openly shares his lived experience of being adopted and how it has impacted his life a...

In our first episode, Mirah discussed the problems with adoption, in this episode she focuses on the solutions.  As an advocate of family preservation not adoption separation, Mirah seeks an end to the falsification of vital records and believes that adoption as it is currently practiced needs to be replaced with guardian adoption after all attempts to provide resources for children to remain safe...

Mirah Riben is the author of two internationally acclaimed books, Shedding Light on The Dark Side of Adoption and The Stork Market: Amercia’s Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry. Mirah has published over 200 articles in the Huffington Post, USA Today and Crime Magazine to name a few. Her body of work spans four decades of researching and exposing the problems in the adoption industr...

Heather was found on the streets of Busan Korea in 1973 , then adopted at 6 months old to a family in Michigan. She holds 3 Masters degrees and currently works for Apple in their professional learning group. Heather also has a minor in theatre, taught ballroom dance and took classical ballet for 15 years. She is married with one daughter and a step son. In this episode Heather shares what her live...

Kate became a therapist in midlife and has an affinity for working with people experiencing anxiety or undue stress brought on by life transitions. She knows it takes a lot of guts to enter into a therapeutic relationship. As an adopted person, Kate understands first hand the grief adoptees face. In her blog "The Couch", she writes about the 6 stages of grief and how they relate to adopt...

Kevin Barhydt is an adopted person, YouTube creator, and the author of Dear Stephen Michaels's Mother. His YouTube channel creates a safe space for survivors of addiction, abandonment, adoption and child sexual abuse to explore the healing process. At 45 years old, Kevin began the painful journey to uncover his origins. He agreed to come on our podcast using his Twins Video format (where Kevi...

Sara's book SEARCHING FOR MOM is a "disarmingly honest" mother-daughter story. As an adoptee Sara has lived the effects of intergenerations wounding. The inherent sense of being unwanted drove her into perfectionism. Her mother's death launched her into a spiritual epiphany. Sara's perspective as an adopted person offers insight to anyone in the adoption constellation. She...

Vin was adopted from India and raised in Australia he is an advocate, photographer and a model with a huge heart. What Vin has survived in hard to comprehend, yet he remains hopeful and full of life. This episode does discuss suicide, rape and sexual orientation. Vin also discusses his personal experience with bullying inside the adoption community. His vulnerability and willingness to share his t...

Amanda is a transracial adoptee who grew up struggling with self-identity, racial identity issues, low self-esteem and anxiety. She fought for years to figure out who she was and how she fit in.  She is on a journey of forgiveness, acceptance and discovery which is making her stronger. Amanda wants to inspire other adoptees to heal and empower themselves. She has a FB group for transracial adoptee...

Moses Farrow, LMFT is an Adoption Trauma Therapist, with over 20 years in the mental health field. He is on a mission to save adoptee lives, sharing his personal experiences as a survivor of abuse, suicide and suicide loss. He has also become an outspoken advocate for mental health, suicide prevention, anti-racism and adoption reform. He has also begun the #truthislouder movement which encourages...

Bernie Miller is a late discovery adoptee who found out he was adopted 3.5 years ago at the age of 62. He is currently working on his memoir that describes his experiences through the new discovery lens.  Bernie wants to help people understand that birth and adoption trauma are real and not to be dismissed.  He also agreed to sing a song during this episode which caused me to "lose it"....

Lesli Johnson is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, she is also a Coach specializing in adoption related issues. As an adoptee, her personal experience allows her to connect with our community. Lesli is a certified EMDR therapist trained in Brainspotting and the Trauma Resiliency Model.  This episode tenderly addresses the wounds of adoption. Lesli has made it her life's work to help t...

Adoptee Rebekah Clark is a connector, creator and curator. With an international media, marketing and communications career spanning over 20 years. Rebekah's passion is people, her most ambitious endeavor to date is Happy Marlo: a well-being  platform and community on a mission to change childhoods through tailored healing modalities. Rebekah radiates kindness, this episode is all about findi...

Eline was adopted from Iran into a Dutch family when she was 1.5 years old.  A documentary film "Finding Farideh"  followed Eline to Iran to search for her biological family called. In this episode we discuss her film, spirituality and the complexities of adoption . Eline shares how she has learned to accept herself and find peace.  She is a prolific writer and we shared a few poems back...

I have known "Jordyn" for over ten years but I never knew the depth of her pain.  She pours out her heart wrenching grief, shame and trauma in our first live podcast. Being in the same room as "Jordyn" shared was an experience I will never forget. A few days before our interview she lost her grandmother and decided to come anyway. It was important to "Jordyn" to speak...

Gabrielle Glaser exposes the shadow side of adoption through her powerful book American Baby. Her passion, empathy and conviction are evident in her writing and in her reporting. The depth of her knowledge is electric. This episode is packed full of the truth! Gabrielle fearlessly peels back the layers of secrecy and shame to reveal the human cost of archaic adoption practices. Click here to send...