Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

Shame is incredibly toxic. Birth mothers suffer, adoptees suffer. Listen in as we go deep into shame from birth mother Patricia's perspective. Some things lead us to change our mind, others lead to a change of heart. Others - like moving beyond shame -change our world. Listen in to one of our most profound episodes yet.  Here's a link to the Primal Wound video I talk about https://www.youtube.com/...

Listen on as Alice shares how she found the patience and persistence on her quest to find and meet her birth mother. There are bags of insights, realisations, twists and turns. Buckle up for a rollercoaster of a ride. Here is a link to the publication Alice mentions https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b2nqk1B6XrYH1qRez_tryDW34Yv0qSmd/view?usp=sharing Here is a link to her profile and research https:/...

Wisdom is a lot quieter than the negative voice in our heads. Listen in as Terrie and I explore finding truth and peace in that quieter place. From there's no need to try to numb or dismiss our painful feelings of loss, grief, shame and insecurity. There's no need to protect ourselves any more. A truly beautiful and healing conversation. Terrie Novak is an adoptee and privileged to a rare abundanc...

How can the anguish of losing our birth mothers become the belief that we are not good enough? Join Vin and me as we explore the origins and growth of adoptees' shame. The better we understand this, more time we spend exploring it, the more likely to see through it to a more positive view of ourselves. This is a fundamental shift in our perspective. Such shifts change lives. Listen in for your own...

Julia Brewer Daily is a Texan with a southern accent. She has a B.S. in English and a M.S. degree in Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. She has been an educator, Communications Adjunct Professor at Belhaven College, administrator, and Public Relations Director of the Mississippi Department of Education and Millsaps College, a liberal arts college in Jackson, MS.  She was the fo...

This episode is a break from the norm as we go into what Karen has learned hosting adoptive parents in Ukraine and interviewing 63 adoptive families back home in the USA. We go deep on integrating biological and adoptive families from overseas and revealing the treasure in what Karen calls "the brokenness and beauty of adoption". A Pacific Northwest native, Karen Springs lived in Kyiv, Ukraine for...

There's nothing more upsetting than seeing your child upset. Adopted kids can be more sensitive and easily upset. I'm adopted and bullies often made my young life a misery back in the 70's. Listen in as adoptee, birth mom and teacher Amanda and I explore how we can stop bullies upsetting your kids. Check out the book Amanda wrote with her mother at: https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Ann-Angel/dp/098020...

Join us as we explore what adoptive mom Beth learned - and continues to learn - as her son struggles with addiction. It's raw, deep and profound. Here's a link to the book I refer to in the podcast https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Be-Me-Journey-Healing/dp/B09RY5S44R Beth Syverson is a mom, wife, musician, and as of 2021 a podcaster, activist, and public speaker. Since 2019, her son Joey has struggled...

Insights, epiphanies and aha moments. Our eyes open to reveal something different. We see the world differently, more clearly, better. And when we see better, we do better. Sometimes they save our lives. This episode is all about Lori's lifesaving insights. She delves deep into the tough stuff - grief, mental health and painful emotional wounds. We would both love you to listen to it and have your...

Amanda felt alone and angry. But she refused to stay that way and went on a deep journey within. Listen in as she shares her biggest learnings on that journey - emotional safety, loving ourselves and much more. I hope you love listening to this as much as we loved our conversation. Deep and profound. Just the way you like your podcasts.  Here's a bit about Amanda from her website: Coming out of th...

As adoptees our most overwhelming fear is that of another rejection. Ann and I explore the insights have helped her overcome this and other fears in life-changing moments. Join us as we dive deep into her biggest aha moments and listen in for your own epiphanies. Ann Kief and her husband live in the Florida panhandle. Her professional life was mainly focused on education, leadership and college ad...

Understanding WHY we do the things we don't want to do often initiates stopping doing them. So please stick with my lengthy set up this episode - it's well worth it. Lynn and I explore adoptees' concern for other people's  thoughts about us including why it triggers are own insecurities. What's wrong with me is perhaps the most common questions we ask ourselves. Listen in for some  more empowering...

Trauma experts talk about neuroplasticity as our brain's ability to change but they don't explain how to harness it. It's a lot simpler than it seems. Lightbulb moments start change. So how do have more lightbulb moments? By listening to other people's lightbulb moments. By remaining open as we listen. Being aware of when our old beliefs are blocking new ideas like bouncers block new people coming...

The adoption world is trauma obsessed. I believe we should be trauma informed and healing obsessed. Michelle does too. We go deep on holding the energy to heal, allowing and expressing our emotions. There's a place underneath those emotions that's already and always whole, untouched by the trauma let's go there. And unveil who we truly are. Adoption is a spiritual journey. But not in a woo woo way...

In a first for the podcast this lovely couple provide an incredible insight into what goes on for birth parents, how they kept going (and together) despite being riddled with emotion and how our suffering connects us. We explore the deep insights they had along the way that have shifted their focus on to Michael.  Because relationships start with us. How we are. Doing our own work makes us better....

How do we get through the toughest stuff? When a life-threatening medical condition, an alcoholic husband, and a traumatic special needs adoption shatter that dream, there are only two choices—crumble or change the narrative. We go deep on how we do that covering topics such as resilience, epiphanies and eye opening insights. Inspirational. A young girl dreams of the perfect life—marriage, childre...

Conversations oil our understanding of other people's perspectives and our relationships with them. They also give us a comparison to our own perspective if we are brave enough to go there. Why does that matter? Because shifts in our perspective power the insights to help us to better lives with less anger and resentment. Listen in as we go deep on conversation, communication and much more. Julie...

What comes after the fog? What helps us navigate that? What do we do to feel good? Adoptee Paul and I go deep for answers, because that's where the priceless gems are hidden. Those priceless gems are  insights that move us to a better, happier place. We both loved this conversation and hope you love it too. If you don't we will give you your money back. Hold on a minute - we're giving you these pr...

Most of us adoptees tell ourselves a tough story about ourselves. A story that we are not good enough. Adoptee Lisa has taken what she's learned - and continues to learn - into helping fellow adoptees as a therapist. Listen in as she shares her learnings with great clarity and hope. Let Lisa guide you to the light at the end of the tunnel - being the hero in your own story. Here's a bit about Lisa...

Shifts happen when we see through the story we've been innocently telling ourselves about ourselves. After setting the scene Vin and I go deep into self love in what's one of our most profound conversations here on Thriving Adoptees. We go deep because that's where the most valuable shifts happen. I'm loving that depth. Vin loves that depth. We love the fact that you do too. Shifts change lives. L...

Am I stuck with the Primal Wound? Will it ever heal? How do I live with the scars? What on earth do I do to be whole? I've been searching for answers to these questions (and many more) since reading Nancy Verrier's book. What I've learned has brought me peace. I'm rarely triggered. I know deep down that I'm ok. Don't get me wrong... I still have my moments. But those moments don't hurt as m...

The feeling of not being wanted haunts us adoptees. Being lied to exacerbates that feeling. The feeling moulds our thinking in a vicious circle that threatens to spin out of control. Or does so! Listen in as adoptee Joanne shares how the truth has helped her heal. There are insights, epiphanies and epiphanettes (like epiphanies only smaller) aplenty to speed you along your healing journey. Buckle...

Australian adoptee Susannah felt cut adrift. This episode is all about her journey back to home - finding herself. Listen into her wisdom for your own insights into healing, understanding who we are and seeing that we are (more than) enough. Poignant, powerful and very relatable to all adoptees. Here's more about Susannah, her story and her memoir: In 1965, Robin, unmarried and pregnant, comes to...

Amanda is an adoptee AND a birth mother. She's on the show with her mother Ann. That's a totally unique combination that we've never brought to you before! Listen in as we dive deep into grace, empathy, avoiding judgement and supporting others. They've learned a whole heap through their own lived experience and researching other people's experience for the books they've written. Check out the book...

Finding out she was adopted at 57 left Carlyn feeling fragmented and deeply unsettled. Listen in as she shares how she put herself back together and found peace. We go deep in this very profound episode. The deeper we go, the more we learn and the clearer we see. And the more peaceful life is. Isn't peace what we all truly want? Carlyn Montes De Oca grew up surrounded by secrets. She never knew he...