Dr. Stephen Rowley became a psychotherapist after a rich and varied career in K-12 and higher education. He earned his B.A. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a major in English and Psychology. He also earned a Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from the Graduate School of Education of Stanford University and an M.A. in Counseling…

Rebecca Autumn is a returning guest to the podcast. Rebecca Autumn Sansom is a documentary filmmaker, event planner, and non-profit director. Her films, including Reckoning with the Primal Wound (2023) and Trainsforming America (2012), have screened at film festivals and public and private events throughout the United States. She is the founder and…

Mee Ok Icaro (pronounced “Mee Oak Ee-car-oh”), is a unique and powerful voice in the world of visionary medicine and personal growth. As a Writer, Book Doula, Sacred Medicine Advisor and Integration Specialist, Life Purpose Coach and Guide, Mee Ok is dedicated to helping individuals heal and find their path in life. Skilled in Gabor Maté’s Compassi…

Shelise Keum Mee Gieseke (s/hers) is the head of operations at Adoption Mosaic. She has worked in the adoption community as an editor, educator, and administrator for over 10 years, including editing and curating the blog Land of Gazillion Adoptees and the online magazine Gazillion Voices. Shelise is also an intercountry Korean, interracial adoptee…

Becca Flatt is a Mixed Race, Black and white, closed, domestic infant, interracial adoptee. Becca’s biological family and adoptive family mirror each other; however, Becca, being mixed race, does not share the racial identity of either set of her parents. Becca Graduated from The University of Southern California with her Master’s in social work an…

Rebecca Wellington currently teaches in the School of Education at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. She holds a doctorate in education history from the University of Washington. Rebecca’s career in education started 26 years ago on the ocean, sailing around the world on a traditionally rigged tall ship. Through this two-year glo…

Louise Browne is a baby scoop-era adoptee from the United States living in California. She Co-Hosts a podcast, Adoption: The Making of Me, that helps to get adoptees' stories out in the world to help change the narrative around adoption. Hosting Adoption: the Making of Me has brought questions and past feelings to the surface about why she had alwa…

Jennifer Poole was adopted as an infant in a closed adoption. She holds a Masters Degree in Interfaith Pastoral Counseling, where she wrote her thesis on “Openness in Adoption as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth”. It was during this time, in 2001, that she initiated her reunion with her birth mother and later with her birth father. Passionate ab…

Edward Di Gangi is a returning guest. 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 …

Heather G. Marshall is an adoptee, author, speaker, teacher, and traveler. Her short fiction has been published in a variety of journals, including Black Middens: New Writing Scotland, and Quarried, an anthology of the best of three decades of Pine Mountain Sand and Gravel. Her first novel, The Thorn Tree, released in 2014 (MP Publishing). When the…

Michael Knox is a returning guest, and after four years of listening to podcasts and interacting with his biological family, he has a different view on adoption. Coming out of the fog, he thinks is a real thing. Nobody can really define it, but there are things that he discovered that might help explain it for some people. The fact that after 25 ye…

Valerie Naiman is a returning guest and the author of the newly released book Mystic Masquerade: An Adoptee's Search for Truth. Her memoir was compiled from decades of diaries and journals she wrote during her biological & spiritual search. Valerie is also a singer, story-song writer and is working on an album of her adoptee story songs. Besides th…

Eva Asprakis was raised in South London by her American mother and Cypriot stepfather, who subsequently adopted her. She now lives in Nicosia with her partner, and is the author of two contemporary fiction novels. https://www.eva-asprakis.com https://www.instagram.com/eva.asprakis Music by Corey Quinn…

Leslie Pate Mackinnon, L.C.S.W. resides in North Carolina and presents nationally and internationally on issues that impact families conceived through adoption and third party reproduction. She trains therapists, agencies, and universities across the U.S. on the complex issues that accompany adoption and ART. She offers individual consultation and …

Monica Hall was born in Canada, adopted by American parents, and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Growing up in a house filled with dysfunction, Monica rebelled against her strict Catholic parents in a downward spiral of delinquency. After being raped and finding out she was pregnant, her parents pushed her to up give her daughter–her only known blood …

Marilyn Mendenhall Waugh is the Director of Adoption Concerns Triangle of Topeka, a search and support group serving those in Northeastern Kansas, and past president of the American Adoption Congress. She is a frequent conference presenter on ethical search and reunion techniques. For the past 28 years, Marilyn has volunteered in the Post Adoption …

Melissa Brunetti is a domestic adoptee from the baby scoop era and even though she had what she calls a 'good adoption with great adoptive parents' that doesn't mean she doesn't still have scars from her relinquishment. She says that she sees her healing journey as a gift that has shown her hidden treasures among the trauma. Melissa is the podcast …

Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard is a birth mother who has spent several years working in the adoption field—both as a paralegal on the West Coast and in adoption agencies in the Midwest and East Coast. Kelsey is the fourth generation in her family to relinquish a child for adoption and her whole life has been uniquely impacted by adoption as a result. …

Tara Griffith is an adoptee, adopted at the age of 13, through an open kinship adoption. She is a birth mother of almost 18 years in an open adoption. Tara is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Florida who has spent the last 14 years working in the field of adoptions. She opened a DCF licensed adoption home study agency in 2021 in ho…

Sara Easterly is an award-winning author and essayist. Her latest book, Adoption Unfiltered (Rowman & Littlefield, Dec 2023), is a collaboration with birth parent Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard and adoptive parent Lori Holden. Her spiritual memoir, Searching for Mom, won a 2020 Illumination Book Award gold medal, among many others. Sara’s adoption-foc…

Returning guest David Bynum was born and adopted at birth in Columbus, Oh. He began his search in 2018 and is currently in reunion with both sides of his biological family. He is a married father of three and grandfather of six. He is a U.S. Army Veteran and Retired Correctional Officer. David Recently retired from coaching High School Football at …

Original Air Date: May 11, 2021 Barbara Robertson is affiliated with NAAP (National Association of Adoptees and Parents) and co-facilitates a virtual support group Adoption Network Cleveland once a month. She is a contributor to "Black Anthology: Adult Adoptees Claim Their Space" (The An-Ya Project) https://www.amazon.com/s?k=adult+adoptees+claim+t…

Angie Giles is an international adoptee, orphan, sister, daughter, wife, mother, friend and craft entrepreneur. In the beginning, the only thing she knew was her biological mother's name, Isabel Gamez. Angie was given up at 6 days old to the Rosa Virginia Peletier orphanage on June 22, 1978. She was given the name Rutilia De Los Angeles Gamez at bi…

Iris P. Bryant is a recent widow and mom of two young adults. She is passionate about helping women find purpose on the other side (or smack dab in the middle) of pain. She has served an online community at irispbryant.com for several years. She is also an adult adoptee and she created The Adoptees in Arms community to help adult adoptees find hope…

Dr. Sara Docan-Morgan is Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She earned her PhD from the University of Washington. Her research has been published in Adoption Quarterly, the Journal of Family Communication, the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Communication Quarterly, Family Relations, and the …

Original Air Date: October 12, 2021 Ridghaus relinquished a son at 19 and then later, at the age of 35, learned that he had been relinquished and adopted. Ridghaus is the co-creator of the 6WAM (Six Word Adoption Memoir). He has spent the last 20 years teaching as a professor in English, Communication, Media, and Law from his graduate degrees in En…

Original Air Date: November 23, 2021 Jean A. S. Strauss is an adoptee who located her birth family in 1988, a life-changing experience which she continues to learn from today, thirty-three years later. She is the author of five books (three about adoption search and reunion) and over 80 films, 55 of which are focused on the need for adoptee access …

This episode is lovingly dedicated to Stephen McGue (Julie Ryan McGue's husband) who made his earthly transition on 02/12/22. Julie Ryan McGue is an American writer, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. She explores the topics of finding out who you are, where you belong and making sense of it. She is the author of two books: Twice a Daughter…

Sariah Baker is a Chinese American adopted by a White American Mormon family. She recently left the Mormon faith to find herself and her birth family. She believes in having your "backpack of truths". Music by Corey QuinnBy Jennifer Dyan Ghoston

Kate Murphy, LCSW is a returning guest. We discuss when making a difficult decision can ultimately serve to self-care and honor oneself. Kate is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a psychotherapy practice in Atlanta, GA. She specializes in working with members of the adoption constellation with a focus on adoptees. She knows that processing the…

Michelle Madrid is the author of Let Us Be Greater: A Gentle, Guided Path to Healing for Adoptees and host of the Electricity of You Podcast. She is an international adoptee, former foster child in the UK, and an adoptee empowerment life coach who has been recognized as an Angels in Adoption® Honoree by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Insti…

Sandria Washington asks the question: How did I go from writing my first short story in crayon to living inside the biggest plot twist of my life (and trust me, God has written me into some BIG ones these first 40 years of life)? ⁣ She knew from an early age that books, words and stories would always be her saving grace. She remembered when her par…

This episode is lovingly dedicated to Jane. Lorraine Dusky is an award-winning journalist, editor and author who prefers to write stories that will make a difference. Her controversial memoir, BIRTHMARK, published in 1979, was the first from a mother to write about the grief of giving up a child to adoption. Lorraine soon became a lightning rod for…

Constance Nicole Frierson grew up on the Southside of Chicago after spending the first 5 years of her life in Mobile, Alabama with her grandmother. She was born into a legacy of secrets and has fought to heal her heart and be an agent of truth, change, and art for her children, grandchildren, and community. Throughout her employment history, human …

Sara J. Streeter (Hea Sook Han) is a transracially adopted Korean-American, writer, and biological mother. Discover more of her work at her website sarajstreeter.com. Adopted daughter. Biological daughter. Youngest of six Korean sisters. Only half sister to three American sisters. She writes both creative nonfiction and fiction about grief, adoptio…

Susan Ito began reading at the age of three, and writing stories at the age six. She co-edited the literary anthology A Ghost At Heart’s Edge: Stories & Poems of Adoption. Her work has appeared in The Writer, Growing Up Asian American, Choice, Hip Mama, Literary Mama, Catapult, Hyphen,The Bellevue Literary Review, and elsewhere. She is a MacDowell …

Lori Holden, a veteran in the adoption space, writes at LavenderLuz.com and hosts the podcast Adoption: The Long View. She’s the author of The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption (recommended by People magazine, of all things!), which is featured on adoption agency required-reading lists across the country. She has keynoted and presented at adoption …

This episode is dedicated in loving memory to Thais America Guirigay Aparicio de Sanguinetti. Thais made her earthly transition after this recording on Friday October 6, 2023. Sophie P. Jupillat Posey was born in Venezuela, adopted by French parents, residing in the United States from three to 28 years of age and now currently residing in France. S…

Kristin Jones is a mental health therapist with a private practice in Utah. Her personal experience as a domestic adoptee has given her valuable insight into the complexities of identity, self-discovery, and carrying the wounds of deep trauma. Her passion lies in facilitating change and growth, empowering individuals to overcome their obstacles and…

Sheala Durant is a writer, journalist and a working mom who was born in western Michigan in the late 1960s. She adopted into her family at a young age. Sheala launched a search for her biological parents at the age of 15 with a visit to Grand Rapids. Afterwards, at age 18 she asked Bethany (Christian) Services, her adoption agency, for non-identify…

Michelle M. Hinton was born to a 17-year-old, at 8 weeks premature, and relinquished to social services. Her adoption court documents state that she was born out of wedlock, illegitimate, and her only name was “baby girl”. She's never seen her original birth certificate. After birth, Michelle remained in an incubator, in the NICU for 2 months. No k…

Susan Devan Harness is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and author of Mixing Cultural Identities Through Transracial Adoption, and multiple award-winning Bitterroot: A Salish Memoir of Transracial Adoption, as well as an American Indian transracial adoptee. She has been interviewed for numerous podcasts, on public radio, and …

Dr. Patrice Martin is a same race adoptee who lives in Nashville, TN with her family. In her profession she works in grants management in the nonprofit and forprofit sectors. She has always known she was adopted. She grew up in Pittsburgh, PA with a loving family. As life would have it she has had some twists and turns to her story. At about age 27…

Alieshaia is a 29 year old transracial adoptee from Upstate NY and currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee. She has recently begun her career as a school based occupational therapist. During her free time, she enjoys reading, visiting bookstores, playing video games, watching movies, sharing food and laughter with her friends and traveling with her b…

Lena Skahill received her Master’s degree in Sociology in 2012 from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She is an adjunct professor of Sociology and Women’s and Ethic Studies at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She created her departments first courses in Adoption and Family Studies now available to all students regardless of …

Corissa Saint Laurent is an inspirational speaker, podcast host, and soul guide on a quest to create greater meaning, higher purpose, and true joy for herself and others. She shares her experiences and expertise as a healer and teacher of deep soul knowledge through inspiring events and classes, and broadcasting and publishing. Currently, Corissa i…

Eight adoptee writers who are guests from previous episodes share their wonderful pieces/essays to inspire and uplift the adoption constellation. Barbara Robertson from Season 1, episode 9 Daryn Watson from Season 3, episode 43 Cynthia from Season 1, episode 7 Nancy McCaughey from Season 2, episode 22. Danielle Orr from Season 5, episode 79 Carmen …

Patrick Hawes was born in Asheville NC in August 1970. He was officially adopted at 6 weeks old, but from birth was separated from his birth mother. Patrick’s adoptive mother was Japanese and his adoptive father was American, so was raised in a bi-racial family, but in reverse since he is Caucasian. Sadly, his adoptive father passed away when he wa…

Rob Reese was born in Busan, South Korea, but was adopted to a family in Denver, Colorado. His parents were so supportive of him being in extracurricular activities, like getting his black belt in Tae Kwon Do and earning Eagle Scout. Rob attended Metropolitan State University of Denver and earned a B.A. in International Business. He has the ambitio…

Ken R. DeStefano is a domestic adoptee that was born in the late 1960’s and raised in a caring and loving Italian home. As an adoptee, he had a largely happy life, but always wondered about the unknown. That curiosity led to a search for his own birth mother and a recent reunification with her. It also led him to seek a deeper understanding of his …