Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

Patti Eddington is a newspaper and magazine journalist whose favorite job ever was interviewing famous authors who came through town on book tours. She never dreamed of writing about her life because she was too busy helping build her husband’s veterinary practice, caring for her animal-obsessed daughter—whose favorite childhood toy was an inflatable tick—and learning to tap dance. Then fate, and a DNA test, led her to a story she felt compelled to tell. Today, the mid-century modern design enthusiast and former dance teacher enjoys being dragged on walks by her ridiculous three-legged dog, David, and watching the egrets and bald eagles from her deck on a beautiful bayou in Spring Lake, Michigan.

The Girl with Three Birthdays by Patti Eddington

To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 16:51

The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler

September 7th in Kansas City, Missouri
Eventbrite: LIVE RECORDED PODCAST  with Adoption: The Making of Me (ATMOM) & A PHOTO JOURNEY with Jeff Forney of The Innocent People Project

RESOURCES for Adoptees
S12F Helping Adoptees
Gregory Luce and Adoptees Rights Law
Joe Soll & other adoptee resources
Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group
Reckoning with the Primal Wound Documentary
Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement
Hiraeth Hope & Healing
Moses Farrow
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988.

Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom /ADOPTEE CAFE community. Our next Zoom is on 9/14 at 1 pm ET.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Kathleen was born in 1968 in Northern California. Her birth mother relinquished her for adoption immediately upon birth, and Kathleen was then adopted by a loving family who already had a 3-year-old adopted son. 

When Kathleen was 22 years old she found her birth mother. Thirty years later she learned that her birth father was an enforcer for the Hells Angels and was shot and killed when Kathleen was seven years old.

She also learned that she has at least seven sisters and one brother on her father’s side -- all from different mothers from the same birth father. Each of her siblings is about a year apart. Kathleen has met most of her siblings and remains in contact with each of them to this day.

Kathleen is a sociology professor living with her spouse in Honolulu and continues to make sense of her adoption experience through a sociological lens.

To hear the full call of Kathleen's Birth Mother:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjt5_vLQYK4
LINK to hear the full call to Kathleen's Birth Mother.

Correction to the episode from Kathleen:  It has been 5 years since finding all of my 8 birth siblings. However, just a year and a half since Marianne and Kenny passed away.

To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 14:55

The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler

September 7th in Kansas City, Missouri
Eventbrite: LIVE RECORDED PODCAST  with Adoption: The Making of Me (ATMOM) & A PHOTO JOURNEY with Jeff Forney of The Innocent People Project

RESOURCES for Adoptees
S12F Helping Adoptees
Gregory Luce and Adoptees Rights Law
Joe Soll & other adoptee resources
Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group
Reckoning with the Primal Wound Documentary
Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement
Hiraeth Hope & Healing
Moses Farrow
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988.

Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom /ADOPTEE CAFE community. Our next Zoom is on 9/14 at 1 pm ET.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Trishina was born in 1991 in Sevastopol, Ukraine, and was adopted at 18 months old. She was always curious about her biological family, searching on and off. Still, it wasn’t until she joined a Russian social media app called Vkontakte, that she could find some answers. Trishina is a nurse and military wife currently living in Cleveland, Ohio.

Vk Link

To skip ahead to the interview go to timestamp: 2:12

In Season 8, we will be reading The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler starting July 2nd 

See you in Kansas City? LIVE RECORDED PODCAST  with Adoption: The Making of Me (ATMOM) & PHOTO EVENT with JEFF FORNEY of THE INNOCENT PEOPLE PROJECT - September 7th in Kansas City, Missouri.

RESOURCES for Adoptees
S12F Helping Adoptees
Gregory Luce and Adoptees Rights Law
Joe Soll & other adoptee resources
Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group
Reckoning with the Primal Wound Documentary
Hiraeth Hope & Healing
Moses Farrow
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988.
NAMI Hotline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email them at info@nami.org
Adoptee Therapist Directory

If you want to support our show, visit our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly Zoom adoptee community. Our next Zoom is on 7/13 at 1 pm ET.
Our Patrons:  Laura, Barbara, Ramona, Linda, Daphne, Denise, Michelle, Emily, Linda, John, Eric, Beth, Ron, Tony, Kristi,  Kristen, Jane, Kelley, Sandra, The Harpy, Kristan, Lisa,  Michelle, Jesper, Julie, Rivi, Robert,  Colleen, Janet, Robin, Lynn, Mikki, Sharon, Carol, Elizabeth, Diane, Ann, Darra, A.M., Kelly, Lyn, Lynn Wood, Jeff, Karla, Ellen,  Gayle Whitlock,  Dave, Kim, Simone, Liesl, Kelly, Sherry, Barbara, Sandra, Darla, Lisa, Karen Sally and Barbara.

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Carolina Khan is a transnational adoptee from Palmira, Colombia. As early as she can recall, she has always been informed of her adoption that took place at 18 months old. What she was not informed of were her circumstances surrounding her adoption and most importantly where her natural mother was and where she could be found. Why was adoption her story? Carolina had made it her priority to receive support and work through her own adoption trauma. Ultimately, she finds herself wanting to share her process of gaining her identity as a Colombian woman, sense of self, individuation and healing.

List of Resources - a major part of Carolina’s journey:
Joe Soll, LCSW
Adoption Healing
Author: Adoption Healing a Path to Recovery
Daily Chat Room, Healing Weekends & opportunities to meet 1st moms/ adoptees
http://www.adoptionhealing.com

buscapersonasreencuentros@hotmail.com

Elena Di Giovanno Serrato
http://www.healingpuentes.com

Abby Forero-Hilty, Founder of Decoding Origins
https://decodingorigins.com/

Editor: Decoding Our Origins: The Lived Experiences of Colombian Adoptees
Jacob Taylor-Mosquera
SALA: Spanish for Adoptees from Latin America

Memoir: I met Myself in October

Kate Betancourt CLC 
Avanza Adoptee Services 

Transracial International Colombian adoptee
katebetancourtclc@gmail.com

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Adopted at birth, Edward Di Gangi was born and raised in New York City. Although he knew for most of his life that he was adopted, it wasn’t until he approached his 70th birthday that he began to search for the identity of his birth mother. His journey and the many surprising discoveries he made as he searched are recounted in his memoir, The Gift Best Given. Edward and his wife now live in Hillsborough, North Carolina. He is a popular book club presenter and podcast guest. The Gift Best Given is his first full-length book.

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Beth Figuls is a technical writer and aspiring novelist/memoirist from Los Angeles. A Baby Scoop-era adoptee, she was raised by a father who was also an adoptee, and who had lived in an orphanage for a time when he was very young. She searched for and found her birth mother, as well as siblings from both sides of her birth families. She strongly believes that adoptees have a right to know who they are. She is very interested in exploring intergenerational trauma, loss, and adoptee personhood in her memoir-in-progress.

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield, Sandra de Quesada and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Matthew Charles is the host of "little did u know", an abolitionist podcast that seeks to reveal the precarity inherent in transracial/national adoption and dream of a new future by centering the voices of Adoptees and Professionals. His is also an essayist, poet, and sometimes actor whose work explores (dis)placement, belonging, and colony and appears in VISIBLE and Severance Magazine.

To learn more about Matthew Charles and his poetry you can visit his website: MatthewCharlesPoet.com

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Emma Stevens is a U.S. domestic adoptee from birth and has survived layers of trauma that have put her on multiple journeys. She developed the inner strength and courage to surmount the many struggles she faced. Her traumas were born from being an adoptee who struggled with being forced to wear an impossible mask of playing the part of the “good adopted child.” Because being relinquished and adopted has colored her life, it’s Emma’s desire to be part of the movement that is dedicated to helping bring forth change to the way our world views the needs and support of adopted individuals. She believes strongly in adoptees finding their voice and discovering their truth to have a solid sense of self and to reclaim their identities. Through telling her story, Emma is dedicated to help redefine the narrative of adoption to include the entire complex truth.

THE GATHERING PLACE by Emma Stevens on Amazon 
This memoir is Emma Stevens’ first book. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism and has completed Master’s level course work in psychology, specializing in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling. She has two adult children and two cat children who she adores.

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber, Jane Bofenkamp, Kelley Brickfield and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Mikayla Mains is a dancer teacher, small business owner and SAHM. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri where she now resides with her husband and two children.  After spending years in and out of the foster care system, she was adopted at age 12 to a large family in which she became the 10th child. She battled with questions about her past for years until she finally found her biological mother on Facebook and began to piece things together. She now wants to dedicate herself to educating others on the dark sides of foster care, advocating for those still in it and shed light on the emotional scars it can leave even after adoption.

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed, 
Kristen Steinhilber and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.

Tony Corsentino is a cataloger at a public library near Boston, Massachusetts, after a prior career as a philosophy professor. A child of a closed adoption, Tony grew up in the southern United States without siblings. After fighting cancer and becoming a father, he obtained his birth records, reunited with his mother, and connected with other adoptees on social media. He plans to continue to raise awareness of adoption issues and help amplify adoptee voices through print and online writing projects.

Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss B.J. Lifton's Journey of the Adopted Self.

Here's our affiliate link for Buzzsprout:  When you sign up, you get a $20 Amazon Gift card.

And if you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page.

Thank you to our current Patreon donors for their support.  
They are: Laura Christensen, Barbara Frank, Ramona Evans, Linda Pevac, Blonde Records, Denise Cruz-Castino, Daphne Keys, Denise Hewitt, Michelle Styles, Emily Sinagra, Linda David, John Frey, Eric David, Beth Figuls, Ron Schneider, Tony Corsentino, Kristi Reed and The Harpy.

Support the show

To support the show - Patreon.