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Adoptees telling their own stories of life in adoption, their search for their birth family, and how their reunion attempt turned out. Stories that make you laugh, cry, or simply say "wow". This podcast has two purposes: 1) To help you explore your own feelings about your adoption, accept your desire understand your own personal history, and decide for yourself whether reunification with your biological relatives is right for you. It will help you understand how others have dealt with issues ...
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Everywhere we go we have infinite chances to glean remarkable insights from the captivating people around us. I often leave conversations with a sense of wonder, thinking, "Wow! That person has such intriguing perspectives and unique experiences and I can't wait to share what I've learned." I am bringing you conversations with some of the brilliant people I meet and admire.
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What does it mean to be a man in the 21st century? Detoxicity is an interview podcast designed to explore the many possible answers to that question The podcast will cover a wide range of topics from relationships to creativity, from psychology to sexuality with thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and humor. Detoxicity is hosted by radio personality and mental health/sexuality educator Mike Joseph.
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Amy shared her story with me from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. She learned about her adoption before her teen years—a revelation that left her in shock but also helped her make sense of her family dynamics. In college, Amy’s coming out created a rift within her family, leaving her worried that pursuing an adoption reunion might lead to similar tensions.…
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Virginia spoke to me from New York. When she was young, her single mother struggled to raise her and her two younger brothers, battling addiction and mental illness, which ultimately led to their family being separated. While Virginia was reunited with her mother, she was not reunited with her brothers and was devastated by the terrible news that s…
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247 - Devastated My Granny Endured What She Did
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Bobbi, who lives in Montgomery County, Maryland, reached out as an ally to the adoptee community. After we chatted, she realized something important about her own journey. She shared her tale of generational kinship adoption, the heartbreaking discovery that her beloved granny had likely endured an assault, and the DNA discoveries of multiple adopt…
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246 - Everyone Is Doing The Best They Can With The Skills They Have
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Jean, from Boulder City, Nevada, shared that her raising parents had their flaws, from addiction to enablement, but she knows they loved her and they did the best they could with what they had in their toolbox. Searching for her birth mother, the woman was found quickly, their resemblance was shocking, and after discovering some disturbing facts ab…
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Curt, from in Las Vegas, Nevada, felt like something was off in his family when he was a kid, so he he set out to find his own way. As an adult, Curt got curious about locating his birth family, but chickened out on submitting a DNA sample to launch is search for reunion. On his maternal side, Curt was finally able to meet his birth mother, but she…
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Patrice, from Northern Virginia, said that in her house adoption was never discussed when she was a kid. So her curiosity led to a secret search as an adult. While her birth mother had no plans to meet Patrice, in reunion, her birth father told everyone about his long lost daughter. Unfortunately, the loneliness of the COVID 19 lockdown drove a wed…
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Sharon, from Springfield, Missouri, grew up in a small town as part of a large family. After leaving home, she became pregnant and was abandoned by the birth father. Following the placement of her daughter, she suffered in silence for years. For decades, Sharon hid her pain behind a smile—until the day her daughter found her. When they reconnected,…
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241 - Abandoned at Birth: Searching for the Arms that Once Held Me
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Janet spoke to me from her home in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She grew up with an adoptive mother who presented to the outside community as a saint whom everyone loved. But at home she was unkind to her family. Janet said she spent her whole life wanting to know her birth mother when she finally found the woman. Janet's birth mother didn't want to k…
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Here is the edited version with improved grammar: Baya called me from Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She was raised in Germany by parents who grew up in post-World War II Germany, along with an abusive older brother. In her town, everyone knew Baya was adopted, and she even knew who her birth mother was. However, to this day, Baya has not yet reached t…
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DetoxPod 186 : "Fin" (Host, "Normalizing NonMonogamy Podcast")
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Hey Folks! Happy to bring you an episode co-starring "Fin", the co-host of the podcast Normalizing NonMonogamy. He, with his spouse "Emma", also leads a community of hundreds of other polyamorous, non-monogamous, and lifestyle-curious people. Fin and I discuss his journey through nonmonogamy, which started back in his college days. We chat about cr…
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240 - I Was Hoping That Somebody Would Love Me
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Jim, from Gilroy, California, Jim was born in the early 1960s in San Jose, California. His adoption story is complex, shaped by the trauma and loss his adoptive parents faced after losing their youngest biological son. For Jim, the love he sought from his adoptive father was elusive, replaced by emotional and physical abuse in his adoptive family. …
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DetoxPod 185 : Damon L. Jacobs (Therapist/Activist)
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Hey Folks! I'm excited to bring you this latest conversation, starring Damon L Jacobs, a licensed marriage and family therapist. In our chat, we discuss the intersection of mental health and sexual health. Damon shares shis personal journey of growing up gay, the impact of the AIDS crisis, and the evolution of sexual health awareness. He emphasizes…
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Moses is an adoption trauma educator and therapist, but his own personal journey as an adoptee is one of hardship and resilience. To use his words, Moses was stolen from South Korea at the age of two, by his famous mother, to grow up as part of a transracial, international, and high profile family. However, beneath the surface of fame Moses faced d…
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Breanna learned that she was fostered then adopted but for financial gain and she described her home as a hostile environment. Her adopted mother was abusive, and Breanna ultimately ran away from home to the military. But before bootcamp she contacted her birth mother, and learned the hard truth about her conception. In reunion, she was forced to w…
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DetoxPod 184: Nore Davis (Comedian/Actor)
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Nore Davis is a comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared on "Succession", "Boardwalk Empire", and "Last Week Tonight", in addition to a lengthy list of talk show appearances. His new special Element: A Solo Show Film is available on his website and covers several of the topics we wind up talking about in this episode. Our conversation explores t…
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041 – I’ve Finally Gotten Myself To A Sense Of Peace
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After two years in foster care, Janet was adopted into the foster family. An interracial woman, she grew up in a white midwestern community in Ohio. Janet recalls the love she felt from her family and the isolation of being one of two people of color in her town. Through the International Soundex Reunion Registry (ISRR.net) she connected with her b…
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122 – Deep Rooted Issues Of Shame And Guilt
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John called me from Charlotte, NC, but his story starts in Ontario Canada. He shares how he grew up in a strict home and how even though he was mischievous, he didn’t think his actions warranted his unceremonious delivery to boarding school. After decades of dedication to his search, he finally discovered his birth mother’s identity, accidentally u…
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DetoxPod 183 : Josh Gondelman (Writer/Comedian) Returns!
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I first interviewed comedian and writer Josh Gondelman way back in Episode 39, a conversation that took place nearly four years ago. So we had a lot to catch up on. We talk about the world opening back up and how that’s had an effect on Josh’s career and personal life. I give a shout out to his substack newsletter, and what it feels like to give ad…
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138 - She Never Thought She Would See Me Again
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Marilyn called me from Southeast Tennessee. When she met her natural mother, she finally learned the story of what the woman had been through as the pieces of 50 years of history returned to her memory. Maryilyn admits she didn't have a huge void to fill in seeking reunion but that being in reunion has opened up closeness with her natural mother th…
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Gayla called me, with her best friend Lisa, from Georgia. Gayla said she was loved so much by her adopted parents that you never would have known she was an adoptee. When she found her biological mother they got really close until the woman said something unkind about her adopted mother that strained their relationship some. Locating her biological…
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DetoxPod 182: Jayson Greene (Journalist/Memoirist/Novelist)
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In this episode, I’m chatting with Jayson Greene, a journalist and author based in Brooklyn, NY. Jayson is probably most-well known as a senior editor at the influential music site Pitchfork, and we kick off our conversation by discussing what got him into music journalism and writing in general. Jayson’s memoir, “Once More We Saw Stars” is a tragi…
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087 – A Journey To Find Out Where I Came From
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When he was a kid, Bill saw clues here and there that he was adopted, but no one ever actually said it. It wasn’t until he called an uncle he’d never met before that the truth was revealed, turning Bill’s world upside down. Reunion with his birth mother was an emotional event with a woman who was told never to speak of his existence again. Bill tal…
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Sara, from Seattle, Washington, was an over achiever adoptee who was secretly struggling and going off the rails. She intentionally avoided babies until her sister gave birth.. and having kids of her own drove home just how precious babies are. Sara feared reunion would literally kill her adoptive mother. But in reunion she finally heard from her b…
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DetoxPod 181 : Isaac Knox (Comedian/Guinness Book Record Holder)
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Hi Friends! In this episode, I interview Isaac Knox, a comedian and freestyle rapper (and Guinness world record holder!) Isaac shares his journey of becoming a freestyle rapper (because, do people dream about doing this as kids?) and his decision to move to New York. Isaac shares stories about intentionally living in his car for fairly lengthy peri…
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012 - JT Foxx - 9-Figure Global Entrepreneur
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Renowned entrepreneur, wealth coach, and author of “Millionaire Underdog,” JT Foxx embodies strategic and visionary thinking. He runs over 70 businesses around the world, consistently delivers innovative marketing strategies, and collaborates with A-list celebrities to enhance his personal brand and secure business relationships. People love JT’s e…
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Karen is from Stratford, Ontario, Canada. She shares her story of growing up a woman of color who stood out in her family and community. Locating her birth mother she found little connection and a bit of tension, but ultimately she wants to keep the relationship going. That’s partially because her paternal reunion, while fulfilling in the most hear…
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011 - Sean Glover - Music Industry Power Player
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Sean Glover stands as a distinguished figure in the music industry with a career spanning recent decades. As the Director of Industry Relations at SoundExchange, Governor of the DC Chapter of the Recording Academy, and recognized as a Billboard R&B Hip Hop Power Player, Sean has become pivotal in transforming how artists navigate the digital music …
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Wendy, from Massachussetts, was adopted through Louise Wise, an agency with a notorious reputation. Separately, the tragic murder of Lisa Steinberg triggered her adoptive mother to give Wendy open permission to find her birth mother to let her know she’s ok. On her search, Wendy found her birth father first, but connecting with her birth mother is …
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DetoxPod 180 : Bryan Dunn (Musician/Friend)
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Hi Friends! In this episode, I'm talking to my buddy Bryan Dunn . During our conversation, Bryan chats about his experiences growing up as a military brat (and the enhanced worldview that afforded him), and his fairly recent move from Brooklyn to upstate New York. He reflects on the social pressures and obligations of living in a big city, especial…
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010 - Cuttino Mobley, NBA Legend, Philosppher, Father, Entrepreneur
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Cuttino Mobley is a name synonymous with relentless drive and profound depth, both on and off the basketball court. Cuttino was a sharpshooter in the NBA, whose strategic gameplay characterized his impressive career. Since hanging up his jersey, he hasn't slowed down. Instead, he has transitioned into a savvy businessman, channeling the discipline …
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