The Adoption Files

Just a short episode sharing some of what came up for me after talking with mom Cindy Shultz. Reconciling the reality of how the adoption industry uses coercion to separate families with the stereotypes and the myth of Rescue that is presented to adopted people is an ongoing struggle for me. As my (now retired) therapist used to ask: How is that story serving you? The opinion of the host is just t...

Please join me as I talk with mom Cindy Shultz about her experience with open adoption. Cindy Shultz is a mother of church-coerced child loss who transforms lived experience into advocacy. Raised in the shadow of poverty and stigma, Cindy was a mother in crisis when Catholic Charities pressured her into relinquishing her son in a process she felt powerless to stop. This experience of unnecessary c...

Please join mom, adoptee advocate, writer and homesteader Dani Joy and me as we continue to explore the intersection of spiritual trauma and adoption through our conversation with the book Holy Hurt, Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing by Hillary L McBride PhD. https://medium.com/@danijoy https://hillarylmcbride.com/holy-hurt-book/ https://www.healthcentral.com/mental-health/...

Please join me as I speak with the board of Adoptees for Family Preservation. AdopteesFFP.org was formed with the goal of supporting advocacy and education about the way that the adoption industry functions today and to promote family preservation rather than family dissolution. The board members all bring their own lived experience as adopted people to the conversation, along with their skills as...

First mom Dani Joy joins me as we discuss spiritual trauma through the lens of adoption. We are reading and discussing the book Holy Hurt, by Hillary L McBride PhD. We hope the listeners will join us in this journey to understand and to navigate adoption related spiritual and religious trauma. https://medium.com/@danijoy https://hillarylmcbride.com/holy-hurt-book/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseas...

Dani Joy, first mom, birthmothers rights advocate, adoptee ally. amazing friend joins me in reviewing the book Holy Hurt Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing by Hillary L Mc Bride PhD. https://hillarylmcbride.com/holy-hurt-book/ We are reviewing the book from the perspectives of a mother of loss to adoption and a person lost to adoption. Religion contributed a great deal to th...

This episode is the conclusion to my trip to Georgia, hoping to meet maternal family, and walk in circles for a lot of hours just in case no one showed up.

Day two here. My day to stretch out after traveling. One of my free time days that I hoped to meet family. I deliberately included a week day and a weekend day, because, timing? Have you ever thought about the way you move? How some, any of your gestures may mirror those of a family member? How seeing them in yourself may make for a sense of belonging? I would love to experience that. Have you?

This is a messy episode. I recorded this at the end of a very long day where i woke up at 2 am, drove an hour to an airport and then wore an itchy mask for ten hours to get to a place I am not sure I want to be in order to do one thing I want to do and feel conflicted about another thing I am not sure is going to happen or if I want it to happen if it does. I am in Georgia for an Ultra. I am in Ge...

Listen to learn about Californias new bill designed to restore unrestricted access to original birth certificates for people adopted in California. You can be a part of making history and restoring equality! The bill: CA SB 381 2026 (this number was assigned to a housing bill for last legislative session. This will change when session for this year opens) Sponsor: Author Senator Aisha Wahab The bi...

The road to hell is paved in good intentions. What might this have to do with adoption? Listen to this conversation with embodiment instructor and adoptee rights advocate Lorah Gerald, also known as The Adopted Chameleon on social media. Information about Lorah and links to her social media can be found at https://lorahgerald.com/ Mentioned in the episode http://kathrynjoyce.com/books/the-child-ca...

Mary Kae Kelsch was adopted in 1970 in North Dakota, but was she born there? Where is her birth certificate located? Please join as we talk about the laws in North Dakota and Minnesota, about reunion, and about the importance of every voice. Mentioned in the episode: https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/adoption.html https://adopteerightslaw.com/north-dakota/ https://www.imdb.com/tit...

Please join us for the conclusion of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person fraudulently adopted to Canada as an infant in 1991. Adriana can be found on social media @adriana.citizenornowhere on ig and TikTok. More of Adrianas story can be found using the links below. Adriana was the subject of a documentary in French, as well as several news aritcles. A link to an English translation is...

Please join us for Part 3 of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person trafficked to Canada for the purpose of adoption, who only recently discovered she was adopted under another persons name. This was meant to be the conclusion to the three part series, but we experienced a technical difficulty. The conclusion to the series will be up soon. Adriana can be found on social media on Ig and Ti...

Please join us for part two of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person fraudulently transported to Canada for adoption under another persons name. She only recently discovered her true identity and status, while also learning that Canada has known since 2015. Adriana can be found at: @adriana.citizenofnowhere on both TikTok and Instagram Mentioned in the episode and related information: ht...

In 1991, Adriana was trafficked to Canada from Romania . Hers was the last private adoption allowed before the changing of laws governing children internationally adopted from Romania. Please join us as we talk about how she discovered the reality of her adoption as a person raised with a fraudulent origin story. Mentioned in the episode: https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2024/12/07/adoption-et-trafic-d...

Please join me as I talk with Lorah Gerald about her experience taking course modules presented by the NTI as well as working as a presenter and collaborator as they increase their knowledge base. Lorah can be found as The Adopted Chameleon on Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram. Mentioned in the episode: NTI Training: Expert Adoption Support for Professionals | C.A.S.E. Prioritizing trauma-informed c...

Please join me as I speak with non-adoptee Andrea Coates and adoptee Greg Gentry as we discuss Greg's pursuit of his non-identifying information from the state of California. Andreas experience as a Search Angel informs how she goes about helping. Greg and Andrea are romantic partners, which brings a layer of complexity to the search. How might non-adopted people be present for adopted people...

Please join me as I speak with Connor Howe, a California(but also an Irish!) adopted person who has grown up as one of the first generation of "Open" adoptees. After the birth of his child, Connor began to deconstruct from the adoption narrative. As a marketing professional, Connor brings both his lived experience as a young adoptee in open adoption and his education and work experience to the con...

Please join me as I talk with Andrea and Greg about the challenges of being in an adoptee/non-adoptee relationship. We recognize that this is just one couples relationship. Some of the topics discussed will feel relevant to many others in similar situations. Mentioned in the episode: Air Supply: A band from the 80s that specialized in ballads. They are either one of the worst things to come out of...

Please join me and my guest Andrea Steiner Coates as we revisit the topic of adoptee/non-adoptee conversations. Curiosity is a necessary component. Andrea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Search Angel, and adoptee advocate and ally. Be advised: this episode contains references to suicide and suicidal ideation. Mentioned or referenced in the episode: The Girls Who Went Away Amazon.com: The G...

Please join me as I talk with Rena Joy. Rena is a Canadian adoptee, adopted as a toddler from foster care. Rena recently published her first book, a poetry collection titled Almost Loved. On this episode, Rena shares some of her poetry as we talk about how adoption has impacted her life, and some of the ways she copes with the trauma inherent in adoption. Rena can be found at: rena joy poetry | au...

Please join me as I talk with Lorah Gerald about the courage required to navigate life as an adopted person, and as an advocate for the rights of children and adopted people. Lorah is a Baby Scoop Era, domestic, same race adopted person. Lorah is also known as The Adopted Chameleon, and can be found at Lorah Gerald (@theadoptedchameleon) • Instagram photos and videos (20+) Facebook Lorah Gerald, T...

Please join Haley and I as we speak about pursuing identity in Alberta, Canada. We also talk about finding community in the process of navigating the challenges of being adopted. Haley Radke is a domestically adopted person from Alberta Canada. Seeking answers and connection, she began a podcast to help her feel less alone with the traumas of adoption. In the process, she has grown as an individua...

Please join me for a brief episode of the podcast. This is from a blog post I wrote in September of 2021. The opinion of the host is just that, their opinion. The host is not a lawyer, or a therapist or an adoption professional. Thanks for listening!