The Empowered Adoptee Podcast

In this episode of the Empowered Adoptee podcast, we are honoring National Adoptee Awareness Month by sharing stories and voices of Korean adoptees. We believe that our messages and experiences as Korean adoptees matter, and that it is important to amplify our voices in order to raise awareness and promote understanding and acceptance. In this episode, we will be featuring interviews with Korean a...

In this episode of the Empowered Adoptee Podcast , we sit down with Mike Malloy to explore the complexities and truths behind adoption stories. Mike opens up about his personal adoption journey, sharing insights into the nuanced and often overlooked layers that go beyond the simplistic narrative of "black and white." He discusses how his experiences have shaped his understanding of ident...

In this episode, Laurie, Jolie, and Claire discuss the importance of connecting with our ancestors and the practices and rituals we have developed to honor and heal from the past. We share our personal experiences and the ways in which we have used ancestral healing to help us on our own journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Tune in to the Empowered Adoptee Podcast to be inspired and empo...

Join us for a transformative experience as we share an adoptee virtual workshop hosted by Laurie and Claire, where they explored the power of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping and Somatic Breathwork .  Through guided sessions, you will learn how to release emotional blocks, reduce stress, and cultivate a deeper connection with yourself. This workshop is a safe space for adoptees to explore...

In this episode of the Empowered Adoptee Podcast , we sit down with the incredible Phoenix Song , a queer, nonbinary, trans Korean adoptee who has been helping people free their voices, rhythms, and body stories since 2006. Phoenix is a singer, musician, sound healer, performer, writer, facilitator, and dharma teacher whose work is rooted in empowering individuals to sing, sound, and speak their t...

In this episode of the Empowered Adoptee Podcast , we take a deep dive into the Hero’s Journey and its profound connection to the orphan archetype , especially as it relates to the adoptee experience. Drawing from Joseph Campbell's famous narrative structure, we’ll explore how the themes of abandonment, separation, and identity that define the orphan archetype parallel the emotional journey o...

Laurie, Jolie, and Claire answer all your questions about The Empowered Adoptee Retreat in this Q&A session. A little backstory about the retreat, we intentionally curated a unique experience for Korean adoptees and our special offerings really stand out because there is nothing like it anywhere else in the community.  We came together and ran several focus groups with KADs to gain a deep unde...

Sooki Jalali was part of the first wave of Korean adoptees and grew up in her orphanage as a “house mother” from age 5 until approximately 12 or 14 yrs old, when she was adopted to a single mother and her sister and grew up in Minnesota. Join us as Sooki sits down with Laurie and Claire and intimately shares her unique experiences as an independent adoptee and how her own curiosity about self wort...

In this episode of the podcast, Jolie Wermter joins Laurie and Claire for a panel discussion on Intersectional Identity, which will be a topic of one of the workshops at our upcoming KAD retreat - The Empowered Adoptee Retreat. The Big 8 social identities are often tied to power, privilege, and oppression in our society. These include Ability, Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Religion,...

In this episode, we sit down with Ji Young, a Korean adoptee who has been living in Seoul for five years and she shares how her unique experiences has led her to incredible strength, resiliency, inner wisdom, peace, and personal growth. She is a true inspiration and a light in this community! As someone who is differently abled with cerebral palsy, Ji Young has done extensive research on accessibi...

Join Laurie, Claire, and Jolie while we share exciting live updates about our upcoming Empowered Adoptee Retreat! The Empowered Adoptee Retreat is a transformative journey for Korean Adoptees of all genders to explore identity, heal in community, and learn tools to live life more empowered. Build Your Community - Find meaningful connections with other Korean Adoptees on a similar journey. Explore...

DeLa Dos is a Korean adoptee from Washington, D.C. who works in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). Join us as DeLa shares their story of growing up Asian in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee. The unique experiences and the challenges they faced in navigating multiple identities has shaped their perspective on identity and belonging.  By the end of the episode, listeners...

In this episode of the podcast, Laurie and Claire share podcast updates and exciting upcoming events.  Claire is currently in Seoul, and the Dream Team will be livestreaming from The Empowered Adoptee Podcast Facebook page soon. We are excited to announce that we will open up registrations for our second Empowered Adoptee Retreat soon! Throughout the episode, we offer support for anyone interested...

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Mihyun Lee, a Somatic Movement Therapist who works with Korean adoptees on their healing journeys. She uses somatic movement to help her clients tap into the unconscious memories and emotions that are being stored in the body. We discuss how somatic movement therapy can be particularly effective for adoptees, who often carry a lot of unprocessed tra...

Join us as we explore the significance of community, support networks, and chosen family for adoptees who are seeking true belonging and happiness. We discuss how adoptees can often feel disconnected from the world, why we struggle to feel at home, and how we create that feeling of home within ourselves. Throughout the episode, Laurie and Claire offer practical tips and advice for adoptees who are...

In this episode, we delve into the complex and problematic history of Asian misrepresentation in media. From enduring stereotypes and personal impacts, to the broader impact on society, we uncover the layers of this issue and discuss ways to move forward.  Listen in while Laurie and Claire explore how these portrayals have shaped perceptions and discuss what we believe can be done to challenge and...

In this episode, we delve into the complex issue of estrangement in adoption, exploring the nuanced experiences of adoptees while we navigate relationships. Understanding the adoptee experience is crucial to repairing and nurturing relationships with adoptees and adopted families. Listen in while Laurie and Claire discuss causes of estrangement, personal experiences with estrangement in our adopte...

Join us as we sit down with Nate Choi, a Korean adoptee who overcame open heart surgery as a baby and shares his inspiring journey of healing and resilience. Nate opens up about his experiences navigating the complex layers of identity, multiculturalism, and race, and the tools he found to empower himself and his son through conscious parenting. Listen in as we share our vulnerable stories, connec...

Join us as we take a deep dive into our stories and insights about what it's like growing up as transracial adoptees in the dark about health issues and how we reclaimed our power over our own personal health journeys. Get ready to hear our vulnerable stories and connect. We share practical tools for empowerment and the challenges we have experienced along the way. Join us as we share our per...

Join us as we sit down with Jolie Wermter, a bi-racial daughter to Claire and second-generation Korean Adoptee, for a captivating conversation about what being Korean means to her, and how she has navigated the complexities of her unique journey. As a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Jolie has dedicated her career to promoting understanding and fostering connections. Her e...

In this episode, guest Dr. Hollee McGinnis shares her journey of her reclamation of her culture and all that she lost that day she was adopted - including her language, her food, and her people.  Listen in as Hollee shares her heartfelt and empowering stories of healing through Korean food.  Dr. Hollee A. McGinnis, MSW, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's Scho...

Kirsten is a KAD from PA who has been in reunion with her birth mother for over 10 years. Just recently she traveled to Seoul, Korea to meet her birth mother for the first time since she was adopted. Get ready to hear her heartfelt and courageous stories of how she has navigated being a KAD, a mom, a daughter, and as someone with "a gentle curiosity" about her identity which led to seeki...

In this episode, guest Lauren Schlesinger, an empowered KAD, shares her inspirational mental health journey and the impact that adoption trauma had on her life. She also shares tools and healing modalities that helped her transform her mental health and become free from depression and suicidal ideation.  *Trigger warning* Suicidal ideation is discussed in this episode as part of Lauren’s mental he...

In this episode, we dive into our reflections about the events, discussions, and healing modalities after holding our first Empowered Adoptee Retreat.  Get ready to hear our vulnerable stories and connect. We share practical tools for empowerment and the challenges we have experienced along the way. Join us as we share our personal experiences, vulnerabilities, and insights, offering inspiration a...

This episode is a special treat because we feature guests from our recent KAD retreat. Kyungmi and Sun are two Korean Adoptees who attended The Empowered Adoptee Retreat this past weekend. They both share their own personal stories about their relationship with Korean food and the role it played in their own identity formation and adoption journeys. Get ready to hear our vulnerable stories and con...