Explore every episode of the podcast Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee Stories
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susie:A 35-Year Journey to Belonging | 16 Sep 2025 | 00:46:26 | |
Susie DeTitta was born in California in 1965 and adopted at three months old by a family unable While in college, a spontaneous call with a friend to the adoption agency proved to be a dead Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Sign up to be part of our mailing list! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Friday, September 26th, at 6:30 PM ET (a one-off Adoptee Happy Hour). RESOURCES for Adoptees:
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| Dave: From Separation to Self | 09 Sep 2025 | 01:02:54 | |
Born in Long Island in 1966, Dave Verrone’s life began with separation — just five days after birth, he was placed with a foster family. For the next 14 months, he bonded deeply with his foster parents and three siblings. In October 1967, he joined the Verrone family, adjusting to his third mother, his father, and a new sister, also adopted. Childhood brought both love and challenge. Though his adoptive parents cared for him deeply, their “clean slate” approach left Dave hesitant to ask about his origins, shaping him into a quiet “pleaser” who avoided rocking the boat. Separation anxiety, shyness, and self-doubt followed him, but so did perseverance. Through life’s ups and downs - successes, losses, and moments of self-discovery - Dave built his own family and, in time, reconnected with his biological relatives. His journey is one of resilience, acceptance, and the enduring search for identity. Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Sign up for our mailing list to get updates and the Eventbrite for our September 12th & 13th Washington, D.C. Event! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be determined in September (we are working around our live event and extra work travel). RESOURCES for Adoptees:
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| Don: For This Adoptee, Finding His Roots Led to Peace | 08 Jul 2025 | 01:07:01 | |
Like many people who went through the foster care system, Don Anderson was really curious about his roots. He started doing some research and realized his biological aunt on his mother’s side was living less than three miles away. His wife convinced him to introduce himself. She immediately recognized him and told him he looked like his mother. From there, Anderson met his biological mother, then started the research for his biological father. He ended up tracing his roots for generations, and now helps others trace their ancestry and find relatives. He’s written a book about his quest to find his parents. Paper and Spit: How DNA & Genealogy revealed my First Parents' identity by Don Anderson Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Unspoken by Liz Harvie Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be on Saturday, July 12th, @ 1 PM ET. S12F Helping Adoptees Adoptees Connect with Pamela Karanova Because She Was Adopted by Kristal Parke Dear Amy, letters to Amy Coney Barrett. A project by Meika Rouda To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Andy: When Reunion Doesn't Provide Closure | 10 Oct 2023 | 00:53:51 | |
Andy was born Anthony in April 1970 in Paisley just outside Glasgow, Scotland in 1970. Although in a material sense, his childhood was relatively affluent emotionally, he struggled with adoption and having nobody to talk to about it. His persistent loneliness was brought on by his adoption and the distance from his adoptive parents. Attending a strict Catholic private school made the problems worse as there were no "safe" adults to talk to and it helped to contribute to the emptiness he felt. Thankfully attending University and moving out really helped as he had a great set of friendships and began to enjoy life far more, however, there was always something missing and he found it really hard to get started on a career as he knew so little about himself. He met his natural family at the age of 27 after discovering he had three brothers and a sister as his parents had gotten married 3 years after he was born. However, it wasn't quite the solution to the issues he had hoped for. To go directly to Andy's interview, you can go to the timestamp: 11:54 Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss The Baby Thief by Barbara Bisantz Raymond. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jessica: Now What Do I Do? An Adoptee Finally Finds Answers. | 03 Oct 2023 | 00:45:19 | |
Adopted in California in 1975, Jessica's family moved to Pennsylvania around the age of two. As a child, she slowly moved in with the neighbors when she realized her adoptive parents were not able to raise her. Recently, she has reunited with her birth mother and several members of that side of the family. She did not tell her Pennsylvania family about her search until after returning from meeting her birth family in Kansas City. It’s been an adventure ever since. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss The Baby Thief by Barbara Bisantz Raymond. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rita: A Determined Spirit Finds Resolve | 26 Sep 2023 | 00:58:32 | |
Rita W. Miller was relinquished into the social service foster care system at 6 months of age. In her mind, Rita believes that her biological mother made this decision, not because she did not want her, but because she wanted a better life for her baby. She believes that perhaps the mother thought that she was in no way able, capable, or possibly would not gain the capacity to raise this child. This is only speculation, as with the lives of adoptees, much of what they think about their early lives are self-imposed scenarios. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss the introduction of The Baby Thief by Barbara Bisantz Raymond To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Season Four Finale - American Baby with Gabrielle Glaser and Margaret Erle Katz | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:54:38 | |
Sarah and Louise have a powerful and meaningful discussion with Gabrielle Glaser, author of American Baby, and Margaret Erle Katz, whose story is the focus of the book. American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Elle: For This Adoptee, the Truth Led to an Awakening | 12 Sep 2023 | 01:00:08 | |
Elle Klassen is a Canadian who was born to a young woman of nineteen years of age in 1970. She was relinquished and then placed with her adoptive family when she was five days old. She grew up in a very conservative Canadian evangelical family where adoption was spoken of as God's plan. Much of her religious background didn't sit well with her, including the narrative around adoption. As an adopted person whose big goal in life was to fly under the radar as much as she could, she never challenged the common narrative surrounding adoption that she grew up with. Several years ago she did a DNA test on a whim & with a hint of morbid curiosity. She wanted to know if her adoption information had been falsified as so many others in the baby scoop had been. As a result, she was reunited with her first family on both her maternal, and paternal sides. Digging for truth led to seeing relinquishment, and adoption as complicated, traumatic events in a child's life. The repercussions of this reach into adulthood, and can never be fully dealt with until it is seen for what it is whether someone has had a "good" adoption or not. Truthful conversations about adoption have become her passion. She now co-hosts the podcast "Pulled by the Root" to help facilitate the conversation about relinquishment & adoption, showcasing the voices of those adopted people, and first parents, who have been previously silenced in favor of perpetuating the idea that adoption is not a trauma or a system of belief that should not be challenged. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss the final chapter of American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Patrick: A Lonely Childhood Led to a Search for Identity | 05 Sep 2023 | 00:59:28 | |
Patrick Hawes was born in North Carolina on August 10, 1970, and officially adopted in September 1970. From an early age, Patrick knew he was adopted because his adopted mom was Japanese and his adopted father was American but he didn’t look at all Japanese. Patrick never really desired to search for his birth family during his childhood. He was raised in a good home and was well taken care of but there was a distance between him and his adopted mom which led to many of his adoption issues including loneliness, fear, and pain. He often thought of searching for his birth mom but being in the military and moving combined with the adoption laws in North Carolina made it extremely difficult and he often wanted to give up! Patrick finally began searching for his birth family at the age of 45 and through the magic of Facebook was able to find his birth mom, sister, and maternal Aunt- he has been in reunion Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Janet: A Spouse and a Podcast Led This Adoptee to Reunion | 29 Aug 2023 | 01:05:54 | |
Janet M was born in Virginia in the late 1970’s to a 16-year-old mother. At 6 weeks old she was placed via a closed adoption into a loving home with her parents and older adopted brother. She always knew she was adopted but it wasn’t a topic that was discussed openly or often in her family. Not knowing her origin story fueled her curiosity around the subject of pregnancy and birth. She became fascinated with childbirth and the beautiful relationship between new moms and their babies. She became a labor and delivery nurse in the year 2000 and has been helping new moms and babies ever since. Janet always had a genuine curiosity about her biological family, especially her biological mother. But she never had the courage to pursue finding and connecting with any of them. It wasn’t until she was in her mid-forties that she started to “come out of the fog” by listening to podcasts about adoption, exploring adoptees on social media, and reading The Primal Wound. This past year for Christmas her husband bought her an ancestry DNA kit. The results revealed 4 close family member matches that led her to her biological mother and half-siblings. They reunited very recently and together are learning to navigate this tender new relationship. Janet lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of 21 years, 3 teenagers and 2 dogs. She loves to travel, hike, and spend time with her family. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rivi: An Open Adoption Still Leaves Questions | 22 Aug 2023 | 00:37:02 | |
Rivi Shocket was born in Baltimore Maryland in 1987. She was adopted two days after she was born and had an open adoption. From the time she was a toddler, her adoptive parents would take her to spend time with her birth family (mom, dad, siblings, cousins, and grandparents) every couple of years. Throughout Rivi's teenage years and into adulthood, she developed strong bonds with her immediate birth family--especially her mother. Her birth mother struggled with addictions, so it was difficult to have a consistent relationship with her, but she cherished the times and talks they had up until her passing in 2016. In the past few years, Rivi has learned a lot as far as who she is, where she comes from, and even where she gets certain personality traits from. Along with learning some fun facts about her birth family, including their musical talents, she has also learned the traumas she was handed, being an adoptee. Although having an open adoption has answered many of her questions, the abandonment fears persist, as well as dealing with some of her own addiction traits. She is still learning how to deal with her relinquishment in general, but she has come to believe that writing songs about her experiences will be her saving grace. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Terrie: An Adoptee Heals Through Creativity | 15 Aug 2023 | 00:56:03 | |
Terrie Novak was adopted as an infant in 1967. She and her adopted brother, Gene, grew up in the security of a loving family and in awareness of their adoption. When Terrie was 18, thanks to the heroic efforts of her first mother, she received her bio family's contact information. Today Terrie is privileged to a rare abundance of love shared with her first mother, biological siblings, as well as her adoptive parents, and her own bio kids. During the long solitude of the pandemic, Terrie was compelled to write about what it means to make a family under the traumatic circumstances of coerced adoption. After two years of interviews, research, soul searching, and writing, she published her debut novel: Jules Fae, A Story of Adoption and Reunion. Terrie lives in Portland, Oregon with her cat Kimchi. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Mike: Better Late than Never: An Adoptee Finally Finds Answers | 08 Aug 2023 | 01:00:43 | |
Mike Berman was conceived in Bay City, Michigan in November 1944 and was born on
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Alejandra: For This Adoptee, Spirituality Was the Answer | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:46:19 | |
Alejandra was adopted at five years old into a Mexican-American family. She had never sought her family of origin, but when they arrived unexpectedly, her inner strength was tested, and her spiritual growth began. Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Unspoken by Liz Harvie Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be on Saturday, July 12th, @ 1 PM ET. S12F Helping Adoptees Adoptees Connect with Pamela Karanova Because She Was Adopted by Kristal Parke Dear Amy, letters to Amy Coney Barrett. A project by Meika Rouda To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Mireille: An Unexpected Encounter Led to Reunion | 01 Aug 2023 | 00:45:19 | |
Mireille Landry is an interracial adoptee who, alongside her identical twin sister, was adopted at 3 months old and raised in a predominantly white area by white adoptive parents. Originally intended to be a closed adoption, at the age of 12, the twins coincidentally met their birth mother at the mall while traveling to a nearby city for a soccer game. This unexpected encounter marked the beginning of their reunification journey, which led to meeting most of their maternal and paternal biological family and a trip to Zambia, Africa in 2011 to meet their paternal grandparents and extended Zambian family. Throughout this journey, Mireille's adoptive parents have been very supportive, fostering a positive relationship with their biological and adoptive families. Today, Mireille and her twin sister have met and established meaningful connections with most of their biological and adoptive relatives. Mireille often expresses her belief that one can never have too many people who love them
Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Faith: For One Adoptee, a Health Scare Brought New Revelations | 25 Jul 2023 | 00:52:31 | |
Faith Brady was born on 22 June 1969 and adopted one month later when the US landed on the moon. She has always known she was adopted and had a great relationship with her adoptive parents. Her parents then adopted another child, a brother, 3 1/2 years later. In 2015 she had to have open heart surgery and it was then that she became very interested in her medical history. Ancestry found a 1st cousin that let her know that ALL of the women in her family died before they were 60, including her bio mom. This set Faith on a path of discovery to find out her history, which is still unfolding as of this airing.
To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Chris: Home at Last: A Navajo Adoptee Finds His Place | 18 Jul 2023 | 00:58:33 | |
Chris Stearns is Navajo and was adopted in the mid-1960s before the Indian Child Welfare Act existed. His mom was part of the federal Indian Relocation program which moved Native Americans away from reservations to large cities as part of a national assimilation policy. Chris began his life in the Los Angeles County foster care system and was adopted when he was 2 years old by a loving white family in New Jersey where he was raised. Chris chose a career as an attorney fighting for Native American rights and spent many years in Washington, D.C. representing Indian tribes as well as working in the House of Representatives and the Clinton Administration. Chris eventually moved to Washington state where he now serves as a Representative in the state legislature. He also was able to access his sealed original birth records but has never been able to find his birth parents. He now lives in Auburn, where he and his wife Pamela have two adult daughters and a grandson. The New York Times: The Brutal Past and Uncertain Future of Native Adoptions by Gabrielle Glaser: May 16th, 2023
To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Nancy: For this Adoptee, the Story Didn't Add Up | 11 Jul 2023 | 00:51:56 | |
Nancy Davis was born in Florida in 1949 and adopted by a family from New York. The adoption was private and no documents were available to investigate her origins. An Ancestry test 6 years ago revealed that Nancy had 5 siblings in North Carolina from her birth parents, 3 brothers, and 2 sisters. It has been an amazing journey for her and has helped fill many of the “unknowns” of her heritage. She works as an EMT in her current home in Connecticut and thoroughly enjoys sharing her story. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| David E: Phantom Parents: An Adoptee Connects the Dots | 04 Jul 2023 | 00:47:58 | |
An unofficial adoption. David Enker was born in Amsterdam in 1970, following the Summer of Love of 1969. Relinquished a few months after birth to another family in The Hague, his birth mother, a university student at the time, had hoped to retrieve him after her studies. Although never officially adopted, things turned topsy-turvy when his new family refused to let him go. A bumpy reunion unravels in reverse. LINKS: Website with book info: www.davidenker.com Book on Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/9090369449/ Trailer for the book: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgxoFVOWAEk Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss American Baby by Gabrielle Glaser. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Annie O: Where Is My Mum? | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:56:06 | |
I’m Annie O. O stands for my last name. O is round. It’s a hole I still live in, that I’m not allowed to escape. Why the fuck is that how it has to be? Adoption has a long history, with a narrative built around it being a celebrated act of love, of charity and saviorism. I rejoice for those who experienced the best of that narrative. However, there is a growing number of investigations and reports that show, for many, adoption is not and has never been, what people are led to believe. Where the fuck are our mothers and fathers? To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Mariela: Home Sweet Casa: A Colombian Adoptee Shares Her Story | 20 Jun 2023 | 00:54:54 | |
Mariela Andersen is the author of "Home Sweet Casa: A Journey to The Universal Heart". Her book is the story of her reunion with her biological family in Colombia after being separated from them at birth. Mariela’s book takes the reader along with her as she discovers more about her past than she could have ever imagined and dives deep into the multifaceted layers of what makes her who she is. Adopted or otherwise, everyone is sure to benefit from reading her story. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Paige: The Family She Never Knew Lived Only Blocks Away | 13 Jun 2023 | 00:55:13 | |
Paige Strickland is an Ohio “Baby-Scoop Era” adoptee, teacher, mom of two and grandmother of three. She is the author of two memoir books, Akin To The Truth and After The Truth. She is currently working on a YA (young adult) book-in-verse version of her books. Paige also teaches Zumba (tm) Fitness, enjoys working in her garden, loves the beach, reading and spending time with her family. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Relinquished: An Adoptee Roundtable Discussion About the Complexities of Navigating Those Early Wounds | 06 Jun 2023 | 00:53:11 | |
Sarah and Louise join their season three authors, A.M. Homes, Damon Davis, and Megan Culhane Galbraith in an intimate roundtable discussion about living as adult adoptees and learning to navigate early childhood wounds. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Rudy: Fighting for Adoptee Rights | 30 May 2023 | 00:59:47 | |
Rudy Owens is a Detroit native, born in the mid-1960s at Crittenton General Hospital of Detroit, one of the country’s largest maternity hospitals dedicated to supporting and promoting adoption. He was relinquished to his adoptive family shortly after his birth from his single mother and placed with another family after spending nearly five weeks in foster family care. His adoption story typifies many of the adoptions that were promoted by the Florence Crittenton Association of America, which ran the hospital and dozens of maternity homes and hospitals in the United States through the 1970s. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jacqueline: For This Adoptee, Acceptance Brought Compassion | 24 Jun 2025 | 01:02:22 | |
Jacqueline, now 63 and living in Cape Town, South Africa, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1962, following a relationship between her English-born biological mother, a professional actress on contract to a theatre company in Nairobi, and her Welsh and Irish biological father, a radio announcer in Nairobi. Following Jacqueline's birth, and the abandonment of her and her biological mother by her biological father, her biological mother followed him to Zimbabwe, but he refused involvement or responsibility. At Jacqueline's biological mother's father's "pleading" with her to "keep the baby", she returned to her acting career, subjecting Jacqueline to 16 months of severe abuse and neglect, which resulted in her being adopted at 16 months in Zimbabwe. While her physical needs were very well met within her adoptive family, her emotional needs were neglected, her manifest trauma being strictly discouraged, and the emotional abuse was perpetuated. Following a lifetime of fear/anxiety, specifically relationship-related, and recurring severe despair/depression, Jacqueline's belief, and message to fellow adoptees and healthcare professionals working with adoption-related and general childhood trauma, is this: sometimes the trauma is too early, too severe and too prolonged for healing to be possible, but the cycle of abuse can be broken. Jacqueline lives the proof that acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness are possible. She has broken the cycles of neglect and abuse, evident in her relationship with her daughter and son, with whom she has a relationship of deep love, mutual respect, and much joy and care. Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Unspoken by Liz Harvie Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be on Saturday, July 12th, @ 1 PM ET. S12F Helping Adoptees Adoptees Connect with Pamela Karanova Because She Was Adopted by Kristal Parke Dear Amy, letters to Amy Coney Barrett. A project by Meika Rouda To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Kate: An International Adoptee Struggles to Bond | 23 May 2023 | 00:57:09 | |
Kate Betancourt was born in 1978 in Bogotá Colombia. She spent three months in the hospital after her Mother left, after her birth. Kate was transferred to an orphanage where she stayed until her adoption by an American couple at six months old. Kate grew up in Michigan with one younger sibling biological to her adoptive parents. Growing up a Transracial adoptee in a mostly white area had its issues. Kate knew she was adopted and struggled with bonding with her adoptive parents, feeling lonely and flawed. Kate dealt with childhood sexual abuse. As a teen Kate was dealing with depression and self-destructive behavior , identity issues and low self worth and is thankful she made it out of that period alive. With a need to see and know her mother and origins since she was five, Kate has been tirelessly searching for thirty-one years for her family in Colombia - over that time she has learned the process and now helps others search. Kate has always loved working with children and currently works in Mental Health. Kate has a passion for being there to support other children or adolescences who are where she was and to show them they are not flawed and to have worth, and that what they feel is valid. She also works as a Certified Adoptee life coach, consultant and mentor. To contact Kate if you need help with your search: katebetancourtclc@gmail.com To learn more about searching in Colombia, click here. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jeffrey: Untangling the Layers of a Corrupt Adoption | 16 May 2023 | 01:02:50 | |
Jeffrey Leventhal was born In 1970 in Miami, FL, and didn’t learn until age 12 that he was adopted. He was told that he had a twin, which was just one of several lies that persisted throughout his childhood. Having never felt like he fit in and being rebuffed by his adoptive family whenever he requested more information, when Jeff was in his 20s, he decided to dive deep into his adoption only to find out there were no records of his adoption… or his birth. Finally, over 20 years later with the help of DNA, he found the information he needed to reconnect with his natural mother, a life-changing event that allowed him to start filling the hole inside that plagues many adoptees. But the adoption mystery still wasn’t solved - he found out that his adoption papers came from Juarez, Mexico involving a corrupt adoption agent, a disbarred lawyer, and a delivery doctor who went to jail. Jeff has found that meeting and talking to other adoptees has helped validate his feelings and meeting his natural family has helped him understand himself better. He has been fortunate in many ways and hopes to use his resources to reach more adoptees in search of answers and help to leave this world with fewer adoptions happening, keeping more babies within their natural families and telling the true story of adoption and its effects on people and society. Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Megan Culhane Galbraith’s “The Guild of The Infant Saviour”. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Anne: A Disrupter Digs Deep | 09 May 2023 | 00:54:25 | |
A conversation with fellow adoptee Anne Heffron. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Fred: Finding Out at 41 that the Life You Knew was a Lie | 02 May 2023 | 01:08:06 | |
Everyone learns to accept life’s twists and turns as they live out the daily rituals of their lives. But what happens when an event completely alters one’s understanding of everything about the world in which they live, including who they are? Fred Nicora brings the audience into his innermost thoughts as he sees his foundation swept away with a simple slip of the tongue at the age of forty-one, while attending a large family gathering with his children and wife. Fred details his journey to understand his new identity and re-frame his past in his memoir, Forbidden Roots. Fred has followed a path of unexplained restlessness ignited by undisclosed triggers in his efforts to find the right fit for his own identity and seek truth in his life. Careers explored on his journey include health care administration, architecture, business consulting, teaching, and his own entrepreneurial endeavors including a startup fitness-based company and now authoring his story of being thrust into the adoption triangle. To purchase a copy of Fred's book or to visit his website: www.frednicora.com - Also in this episode, Sarah and Louise discuss Megan Culhane Galbraith’s “The Guild of The Infant Saviour”. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Katie: On the Outside Looking In | 25 Apr 2023 | 00:57:27 | |
Katie is an ESL teacher from Pennsylvania and was adopted in 1966 at the age of six weeks. She grew up always knowing she was adopted, but became the people pleaser in a huge Irish Catholic family always feeling like she was "on the outside looking in". After having her first child in 1995, she contacted the adoption agency to obtain her medical history and was warned, "These reunions don't always go well". Katie waited until after the birth of her second child to inquire again only to discover her birth mother had inquired about her the exact same week. Things went well with the reunion, but led to some interesting discoveries about her birth father. If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917 To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jay: Using Journalism Training to Track Down Family Roots | 18 Apr 2023 | 01:06:37 | |
Jay Blotcher was adopted in June of 1961 at the age of one year by a couple in Randolph, MA, a Boston suburb. His dark complexion prompted countless questions about his lineage during childhood. If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917 To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Julie: A Long Journey for Self-Compassion | 11 Apr 2023 | 00:53:10 | |
Julie was born in Wichita, Kansas in 1968 at a Salvation Army home and was adopted 5 days later by a lovely family. She always knew she was adopted but it was not really talked about much other than to say she was "chosen" and very much wanted. Julie was born a very sensitive little girl. The parents had a child of their own 8 years prior with special needs. They tried to get pregnant again but were unable to do so. They adopted Julie not realizing the extent of their son's problems. He had severe epilepsy as well as some cerebral palsy and had many seizures most days. A lot of these seizures were traumatic and caused him to crack his head open and have to go to the hospital on a regular basis. Most of their attention was placed on him of course. Although her parents loved her very much they were not emotionally equipped to help a scared little girl with everything that happened with their son. No one was really ever there for Julie and she buried all the fear, shame and trauma inside. This continued throughout her whole life until she went away to college and finally moved away in her 20's. She has struggled throughout her life with many things including identity issues, healthy attachment, anxiety, depression, poor self image and little self confidence. In her 50's she finally came out of the fog and realized where most of her issues stemmed from. "Finding this podcast was so validating and I listen all the time. I'm so glad I found others I could relate to finally." Julie found her birth mother in 1990 and shortly thereafter found out she had 2 full blooded sisters as well and has been in reunion ever since. It's been a long journey for Julie but she hopes that things will continue to get better with therapy and self-compassion. Julie never married and didn't have any children but has 2 dogs that are her world. Animals have always held a special place in her heart. If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917 Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Paul: A Kidnapping, An Adoption, A Lost Twin: One man's Quest for the Truth | 04 Apr 2023 | 00:54:08 | |
When he was ten years old, Paul Fronczak was snooping around for Christmas presents in a crawl space in his family’s Chicago home. There, he found hundreds of old newspaper clippings about the kidnapping of a one-day-old infant in a hospital in 1964. He also learned that, two years later, the boy was found and returned to his family—and that the boy was him. Nearly fifty years later, Paul, acting on long-held suspicions, took a DNA test that proved he was not the kidnapped boy. In an instant, his world changed. He found out that not only was he adopted, but he was adopted with a history that wasn’t his. It was the history of their real son, Paul. The Fronczaks had to adopt him merely for paperwork, believing he was their biological son. Now he realizes that he was truly adopted. He wasn’t their son. He wasn’t Paul. He was an adoptee. The Foundling: The True Story of a Kidnapping, a Family Secret, and My Search for the Real Me True Identity: Cracking the Oldest Kidnapping Cold Case and Finding My Missing Twin If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Guild-Infant-Saviour-Adopted-Machete/dp/0814257917 Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Kay: A Self-taught Genetic Genealogist Discovers the Story of her Life | 28 Mar 2023 | 01:06:26 | |
Kay was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1973 and immediately placed for adoption. After a stay in foster care, she was adopted into a small close-knit family. Adoption was not discussed a great deal, but it was not hidden either. Despite being loved and spoiled, Kay was never quite comfortable in her own skin. She received her original birth certificate in 2015 and was able to locate her maternal biological family quickly. Unfortunately, her birth mother died 5 months later, and the identity of her birth father was left a mystery. Kay became a self-taught genetic genealogist. Using a 4th cousin match on Ancestry DNA, Kay was able to identify who her birth father was within a few months of research. Unfortunately, she found that he passed away 25 years prior. She was able to connect with her paternal aunts, uncle, cousins, and siblings. The greatest gift was her 95-year-old grandfather and the relationship she enjoyed with him until he passed. Her story is one of self-discovery, the “passing” practice of babies of color, and the inaccuracies of non-identifying records kept in adoption files. Kay continues to volunteer to help other adoptees in search and loves solving mysteries using DNA. Kay and her husband, Napoleon, have been together for 21 years. She is a mom to Isaiah and stepmom to Myeiah. She is also Mimi to her grandson Raheem and nieces MiKiya and McKenna. She is the Principal of a K-8 school and is dedicated to serving the children in her community. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Cormac: An Adoption, An Irish Mother-Baby Home, and the Search for Answers | 21 Mar 2023 | 00:45:09 | |
Cormac was born into a mother-and-baby home in Ireland, which was known to be exceptionally cruel to both mother and child. He was adopted at five months old. He's always known he was adopted but it was never spoken about. Ever. He did not look for his biological family until his adoptive parents died. He re-connected with his birth mother just before his fiftieth birthday. Sadly that didn't work out. He's just recently found out about his birth father, who is deceased. He found this podcast by chance and is devouring it daily. He would like to send his gratitude to Louise and Sarah for their brilliant and insightful podcast. Each episode just shouts out something he never knew but knew all along. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Carol: A Lifelong Search and DNA Changed this Adoptee’s Life | 10 Jun 2025 | 01:06:04 | |
Carol was born in Washington, DC, relinquished at birth in 1960, subsequently adopted in 1961 by a family who had adopted another daughter the year before. Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs - books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Unspoken by Liz Harvie Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be on Saturday, July 12th, @ 1 PM ET. S12F Helping Adoptees Adoptees Connect with Pamela Karanova Because She Was Adopted by Kristal Parke Dear Amy, letters to Amy Coney Barrett. A project by Meika Rouda To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Shari: From Foster Home to Wounded Healer | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:50:04 | |
Shari was adopted at the age of four. She spent the first year in a hospital. Then went to several foster homes after that. When she met her adopted family, there was always an open conversation about her beginnings. She always knew her story from her past, so she never had many questions. Later on in life, she began a spiritual quest to heal from journey, as a young girl. This brought her to meet a spiritual teacher, and become a healer. This powerful work helped others as well and grounded Shari into a bigger version of herself. A true, successful, story of the wounded healer. To join Shari's free meditations on YouTube Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Greg: Searching for a Place to Fit In | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:49:06 | |
Greg was born California in 1969 and placed in a closed adoption as an infant after spending 6 weeks in foster care, which was a common practice with Baby Scoop Era adoptions. Growing up, he sensed a certain ill-fit with his family, and found out about his adoption when he was 10. In 2006, at age 37, he finally discovered and made contact with his biological maternal side, and has experienced all the attendant ups-and-downs that so often accompany reunion. He was able to connect with his paternal family in late 2021, and is currently navigating the landscape and complexities of those newly-emerging relationships. Since coming out of the fog in 2021, Greg has been an active member of the online and in-person adoptee communities. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Charity: Sometimes it takes Loss to be Found | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:48:46 | |
Charity Elliott was born in 1969 and after spending 3.5 months in foster care was placed for adoption with the State of California. Growing up in Missouri, Charity was a happy adoptee and found great comfort in her faith and in the sport of basketball. After a collegiate career that ended with her team making it to the Final Four, Charity entered the college coaching ranks where she has spent the last 25 years. Despite being located and contacted by her birth mother in college, Charity never realized the impact her adoption had on her until she lost her adopted father and shortly after met her birth father for the first time. Over the last two years, the realization of the impact of her adoption has been brought to the forefront and she's been processing all the changes that have occurred in her life. Charity has been married to her best friend and most patient husband ever, Chris Elliott, for 24 years and is the proud "mama" to a Jack Russell named Daxton Prince and all of her current and former players. She is now in her 2nd year as the head women's basketball coach at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Jim: When Trauma Leads to Love | 21 Feb 2023 | 00:59:34 | |
Jim Serrano's origins as a domestic adoptee started on January 22nd, 1962 in San Jose, California. Being adopted at 6 months of age, his journey has had many ups and downs. From childhood to his search for his biological family 23 years ago, Jim continues to heal from the trauma that is still so present in his life. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Emily: Putting the Pieces of Life Back Together | 14 Feb 2023 | 01:11:39 | |
Emily Sinagra was born and relinquished, in 1958, at a Salvation Army Hospital for Unwed Mothers. After four months of foster care, she was placed in a closed adoption. Thirty years later, she found her birth parents and has been trying to put herself back together ever since. Writing, theatre, improv, clowning, painting, these are the tools she wields to patch and paste. Her memoir, How I got Born, is nearing completion, and she hopes her voice will collaborate with others to change assumptions about adoption and provide impetus for change. Most importantly, she is the mother of three adult children and one granddaughter. Miracles, all. Emily presently lives in Portugal. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Adam: When Pain Becomes Growth | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:56:05 | |
Adam Anthony is a same-race, black adoptee and blogger on the platform "Onward & Upward," which explores his motivation for persona development, mental health awareness, and his adoption discovery experience. Adam is a doctoral student, writer, and podcast host of two shows, "Curiously Becoming" and "Mentorship Mondays." Some of his featured writing on his perspectives on being an adoptee has been shown in online mediums like "Love What Matters" and "Severance Magazine." Thank you to our sponsor S12F. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Ruth: A Mother Searches for a Mother | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:54:58 | |
Ruth Bendig is a “Baby Scoop Era” domestic adoptee. The oldest of her adoptive If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Homes Thank you to our sponsor S12F. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Garth: A Midlife Discovery Exposes the Truth of Self | 24 Jan 2023 | 01:05:06 | |
Given up at birth, placed in foster care, then adopted by a military family, Garth Garrett grew up always knowing he was adopted. He thought being adopted was no big deal - like being left-handed in a right-handed family and that his lingering sense of longing stemmed from the nomadic life of an Army brat. Only upon starting therapy in mid-life did he discover that adoption was actually the central issue of his life, including his own alienation from his own feelings. His multiple searches for each biological parent yielded information, more heartbreak, two more rejections by his biological mother, and ultimately a deep, happy connection with his biological sisters and a renewed sense of family with his adoptive sisters. Garth recently retired after 31 years with L.A. Metro. Thank you to our sponsor S12F. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| From Happiness to Despair and Back Again | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:50:35 | |
Daphne Keys is a BSE adoptee born and raised in Maryland as the middle child between two brothers who are the biological children of her adoptive parents. Daphne always knew she was adopted, had access to the minimal non-identifying information provided at her adoption hearing, and always searched the faces of her community for a connection to her biological family. If you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| From Only Child to a Community | 27 Dec 2022 | 00:55:30 | |
Jon Stautzenberger is a pastor in the Texas hill country. He grew up an only child from a small family in a closed, private adoption always knowing that he was locally adopted and grew up in the community of his birth family. He finally took a DNA test in 2021 and connected with his paternal aunt. Suddenly the only child from a small family found himself with three aunts, three uncles, cousins galore, and a sister and a brother! Being from the same community, the times that their paths had crossed were astonishing. If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Homes If you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| Cameron Lee Small: The Adoptee's Journey: Season 10 Finale | 03 Jun 2025 | 00:55:10 | |
Cameron Lee Small, MS, LPCC, is a licensed clinical counselor, transracial adoptee, and mental health advocate based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was born in Korea and was relinquished into foster care at age three. He was then adopted in 1984 by a family in the United States. His private practice, Therapy Redeemed, specializes in the mental health needs of adoptees and their families wherever they may be in their adoption journey. His work has been featured in Christianity Today, the National Council for Adoption, and the Center for Adoption Support and Education. To find Cameron Lee Small: Therapy Redeemed Season 11: Adoptee Memoirs (begins on June 10th) - next books in order: Practically Still a Virgin by Monica Hall You Can't Get Rid of Me by Jesse Scott and Keri Ault Unspoken by Liz Harvie Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be on Saturday, June 7th, @ 1 PM ET. S12F Helping Adoptees Adoptees Connect with Pamela Karanova Because She Was Adopted by Kristal Parke Dear Amy, letters to Amy Coney Barrett. A project by Meika Rouda To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| What Happened When the Fog Lifted | 13 Dec 2022 | 00:49:03 | |
Amy Hansen is a domestic adoptee, and was born in 1969. She was placed for adoption at birth. Amy grew up in a loving family and was well cared for. She was the "happy" adoptee, grateful to her birth parents, her adopted parents and always trying to make everyone happy. Amy has been in reunion with some of her birth family for the past four years and has recently come out of the FOG. She is beginning to realize she was living behind the disguise of a happy, positive person who didn’t realize the loss and grief she was carrying. Today Amy feels sad, confused and angry about her adoption and she feels that sharing her story is a way to be honest for the first time in her life. If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Homes If you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| When a Seeker Turns into a Guide | 29 Nov 2022 | 00:58:38 | |
Daryn Watson is a Canadian-born Domestic Adult Adoptee who began his adoption reunion journey in 1995 after locating his maternal family in Canada. Daryn uses his 25+ years of experience in reunion to guide other adoptees through their adoption reunion journeys. Daryn is a contributing author to two books on adoption:
Daryn also has a blog on Facebook and IG “@TheAdopteeMind” If you'd like to read along with Sarah and Louise, go here: The Mistress's Daughter by A.M. Homes If you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. If you'd like to support the show, you can do it here: https://www.patreon.com/themakingofmepodcast To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||
| The Art of Holding on and Letting Go | 15 Nov 2022 | 00:49:12 | |
Laurie James is an adoptee, mother, caregiver, turned author, and transformative If you want to support our show, you can go to our Patreon Page. To support the show - Patreon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. | |||