Best Simon Benn Podcasts (2024)

1
186. Simon Benn: "Be Inspired and Empowered by Your Lived Experience" 31:28

6d ago31:28

31:28

Simon Benn is a returning guest. Simon was adopted at 5 weeks old and told so young he doesn’t ever remember not knowing. He didn't experience any conscious adoption trauma until 40 when he found out his childhood teddy bear was a gift from his birth mother. This caused an eruption of anger, feeling rejected and unloved. That kickstarted a healing …

1
What if? A SHORT episode with Simon 6:29

1h ago6:29

6:29

Gabor Maté says that the feeling we are not good enough is actually a belief that we are not good enough. And that's important given so many of us feel less than. Do beliefs seem more bustable than trauma seems healable? Listen in as I explore belief busting, hope and more in this short episode. Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licens…

1
Lucky Bastard With Anthony Akerman 1:02:15

5h ago1:02:15

1:02:15

What if time ISN'T the greatest healer? What is? Anthony lost a wife through divorce, his adoptive mother who died and his birth mother for the second time. All in one year. How did he cope? What did he learn? Listen in as he shares some of his greatest healings. And we go deep on the healing power of realisations. About his book Lucky Bastard When…

1
187. Bonus: "Adoption Loss: When Grief is Suffocated" 9:41

5h ago9:41

9:41

ADOPTION LOSS: WHEN GRIEF IS SUFFOCATED By Kate Murphy, LCSW Kate Murphy 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 loss and grief caused by relinquishment is challenging to do alone. …

1
Growth and Transformation for Adoptees Webinar Audio 1:01:03

3h ago1:01:03

1:01:03

The need to heal the “Primal Wound” assumes we are wounded. It is important to remember that it's based on the perspective of adoptive mother Nancy Verrier, NOT an adoptee. It can leave us feeling: *stuck with the belief we cannot heal. *unsure of what to do next for the best. *pathologized for an event we had no choice in. *More and more adoptees …

1
185. Marcie J. Keithley: "Finding Meaning is the Fuel of Our Minds" 1:02:38

13d ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Marcie J. Keithley is a returning guest. Marcie is an author, speaker, master storyteller and CoFounder of the National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP) She retired as Vice President of Retail Bank Management and Merrill Lynch after serving the financial industry for over 32 years. A first/birth mom in reunion since 2008, she co founded I…

1
Awe, Joy & More With Lena Skahill 1:07:41

1d ago1:07:41

1:07:41

Would you like more joy and awe in your life? Who wouldn't? Listen in as Lena shares how nature brings out awe from within for moments that blow our minds (in a good way). And this is all backed up by the science of awe. Here are links to the science of awe https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/05/awe-by-dacher-keltner-review-the-transformativ…

1
Trusting The Healing Process With Flik Dolby 43:51

2d ago43:51

43:51

Flik believes she chose to be adopted. What???? Perhaps one of the most challenging things I've heard in over 500 episodes. Listen in and find out why she believes this. Ooodles of insight into grace, acceptance, peace, the mind body connection and more. We go deep. Where the great stuff is buried. Find out more about Flik: https://www.therebalance…

1
Peace With Elle Klassen 55:30

3d ago55:30

55:30

Does the term healing resonate with you? It doesn't for Canadian adoptee Elle. For her it's all about peace and feeling better. And being at peace with not knowing. Listen in as she shares how growing up with evangelical adoptive parents impacted her. And what's helped - and continues - to help her to peace. Here's Elle's bio from the Adoption The …

1
184. Dr. Katherin Elizabeth (K E) Garland: "In Search of a Salve: Memoir of a Sex Addict" 55:27

4d ago55:27

55:27

Dr. Katherin Elizabeth (K E) Garland is an award-winning creative nonfiction writer, blogger, and author based in Florida. She uses personal essays and memoir to de-marginalize women’s experiences with an intent to highlight and humanize contemporary issues, such as reproductive rights, intergenerational trauma, adoption, and mental health issues. …

1
Different, Not Wrong With Anthony Lynch 58:04

4d ago58:04

58:04

How hard are you on yourself? Self judgement is rife amongst us. It's always there. Until it isn't. Listen in as we go deep on grace, easing up and giving ourselves some slack. Bio: Anthony Lynch is a Jamaican-white adoptee based in London. As a research assistant at Coram, the UK's oldest Children's charity, they use their lived experience to info…

1
Active Healing With Julie Brumley 1:06:09

5d ago1:06:09

1:06:09

Time and time again I've heard that healing is a very active pursuit. A very conscious decision to make what is unconscious to conscious. Listen as Julie shares profound learnings from her healing journey. Here's the link to download the items Julie mentioned: https://cominghometoself.co/social Here's the link to the book I mentioned https://www.am…

1
Opening Our Hearts To Ourselves With Jo Willis 58:30

11d ago58:30

58:30

Have your feelings scared you? Terrified you? Have you closed your heart to save you heartache? Listen in as Jo shares what she's learned about opening our hearts to ourselves to heal. Profound and enlightening. You're going to love this. https://www.jowilliscoach.com/jos-adoption-story https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-willis-444ab03b/ Guests and the…

1
183. Lisa Bouler: "Resiliency and Faith" 53:03

11d ago53:03

53:03

Lisa K Bouler is a returning guest. She was born and adopted in Chicago. From an early age her adoptive parents shared her adoption story and encouraged her to search for her biological family. With their support, she eventually found out she was not only a big sister to her parent’s biological child, but a big sister to her own four biological sib…

1
Grief And Laughs Alison Larkin 51:07

14d ago51:07

51:07

What if we could laugh at grief? Even though that grief is darkest part of our trauma? Wouldn't that lighten our emotional load? Listen in for a contrary take on grief and trauma that brings hope before diving deep to touch that part of us that's unwounded... Alison Larkin was adopted at birth in Washington, D.C., by British parents and raised in E…

1
Spiritual Growth With Alejandra Brady 1:09:11

17d ago1:09:11

1:09:11

Spiritual growth is the ultimate healer. That sums up the 500 episodes of Thriving Adoptees in six words. And spiritual in this sense doesn't mean religious. Spiritual growth is seeing more of our essence underneath our psychology. Listen in as Alejandra shares the insights that fuelled her spiritual growth to catalyse ours. Adopted at five weeks i…

1
Ending The Craving To Heal With Sara Hathaway 52:57

18d ago52:57

52:57

How's your relationship with trauma? Do you yearn to heal? Crave it? Sara definitely did. Listen in as she shares how that craving ended. An interview bursting with hope. https://www.facebook.com/sara.hathaway.1965 Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice …

1
Finding Home With Simon Benn and Guest Host Jude Hung 1:10:01

18d ago1:10:01

1:10:01

In this special episode the interviewer becomes the interviewee! Listen as Simon shares his thoughts and experiences on home, childhood memories and ah-ha moments that have birthed in him a passion to help other adoptees find freedom and peace beyond the "Primal Wound". https://www.facebook.com/simonjbenn https://www.facebook.com/thrivingadoptees h…

1
182. Dr. Stephen Rowley: "The Lost Coin: A Memoir of Adoption and Destiny" 45:33

18d ago45:33

45:33

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…

1
Finding Home With Sloane Walker and Guest Co-Host Jude Hung 1:07:49

29d ago1:07:49

1:07:49

Join us as we delve into the journey of adoptee Sloane Walker. Discover how Sloane has transformed her home into an oasis, reflecting the harmony and peace she is cultivating within herself. Gain insights into her unique Pentacle Program, designed to guide others on their path of self-discovery and create a space that truly resonates with their ess…

1
Finding Home With Krista Boss and Guest Co-Host Jude Hung 51:20

1M ago51:20

51:20

In this enlightening podcast episode, Krista Boss, an adoptee who endured periods of homelessness during her childhood, shares her inspiring story of resilience and triumph. Join us as we explore the concept of home as not just a physical space, but also a sanctuary for healing and finding solace. Discover the transformative power of creating a saf…

1
Finding Home With Eben Alexander and Guest Co-Host Jude Hung 1:03:00

1M ago1:03:00

1:03:00

In this podcast episode, Dr. Eben Alexander, adoptee and neurosurgeon, shares his profound insights and wisdom gained from a Near Death Experience (NDE). He explores how his abandonment wound ultimately became a catalyst for an extraordinary journey of self-discovery and understanding. Tune in to gain deeper insights into the transformative power o…

1
Finding Home With Greg Gentry and Guest Co-Host Jude Hung 53:39

1M ago53:39

53:39

This first episode of "Finding Home" is a captivating podcast that delves into the profound experiences of Greg Gentry as he embarked on a quest to find a sense of belonging, wholeness and home. Through an intimate conversation we unravel the intricate tapestry of human connection, community and the pursuit of contentment. Join us as we explore the…

1
181. Autumn: "FOG Lifters and Smog Grifters" 54:55

25d ago54:55

54:55

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…

1
180. Mee Ok Icaro: "Holding Compassionate Space" 1:04:36

1M ago1:04:36

1:04:36

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…

1
179. Shelise Keum Mee Gieseke: "Head of Operations at Adoption Mosaic" 46:11

1M ago46:11

46:11

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…

1
Willing & Curious With Trish Deutsch 48:52

2M ago48:52

48:52

How open to change are you? How willing and curious to new ways to heal? Listen in as we go deep on how a method that initially felt a little weird helped Trish to feel better on the inside and enjoying better relationships on the outside. And there's the matter of being adopted back by her birth mother... Trish doesn't do social media, but is open…

1
The Logic & Mystery Of Healing Kit Myers 59:34

2M ago59:34

59:34

The more fellow adoptees I speak with, the more I see a broader view of healing. On one side there's the logic of getting answers to questions we've been asking ourselves forever. On the other side there's the mystery of what happens often when we are with others. Tapping into both sides help us heal. Listen in as Kit describes four of his key heal…

1
178. Becca Flatt: "Adoptee Beacon" and "Conscious Adoption Navigating Estrangement" 46:25

2M ago46:25

46:25

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…

1
Opening Up To Heal With Becca Wellington 1:02:59

2M ago1:02:59

1:02:59

Is your trauma eating you up from the inside? That's how it felt to Becca. Writing her book and talking about it openly is helping her shift to thriving with the help of a great therapist, energy work and some fab people lining up behind to support her. Great insights on seeing our connectedness, authenticity and vulnerability. Here's a bit about B…

1
I Don't Feel Traumatised Anymore With Chris Giles 49:42

2M ago49:42

49:42

Chris yearned to meet her birth mother to heal. But meeting her didn't heal Chris. Because as she realised, healing is an inside job. So how come Chris doesn't feel traumatised anymore? Listen in with big ears. Contact Chris here https://www.facebook.com/christine.giles.758 Here are the books I mentioned: https://sydbanks.com/onlinereading/ https:/…

1
Love With Dottie Todman 1:00:30

2M ago1:00:30

1:00:30

What if love is the ultimate healer? Love for ourselves? Seeing that we ARE love? Listen in as Dottie goes big and I try to keep up. An epic conversation. I think you're going to love this. Pun intended. Dot Todman is a talented Canadian-Jamaican singer/songwriter and highly regarded celebrity vocal empowerment coach. Despite facing challenges in h…

1
177. Rebecca Wellington: "Who Is A Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption" 46:59

2M ago46:59

46:59

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…

1
176. Louise Browne: "Adoption: The Making of Me" 48:47

3M ago48:47

48:47

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…

1
Changing Our Narrative Stephen Rowley 58:03

3M ago58:03

58:03

Many of us feel that we were brought up in a false narrative. Many of us feel that the current narrative around adoption is still false. But what about OUR narrative? The narrative that sums up how we see our life? The narrative that changes. The narrative that's meant to change. Stephen shares routes to a more empowered narrative. Fascinating. Emp…

1
Healing & Advocacy With Dr Joyce Maguire Pavao 55:04

3M ago55:04

55:04

How does healing help us advocate? How does advocacy help us heal? Listen in as we explore how the intersection of two crucial parts of our lives. Here's the link to Joyce's previous interviews https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/joyce https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/theres-nothing-wrong-with-us-with-joyce-maguire-pa…

1
Wounds Are Gifts With Donna Joseph 52:34

3M ago52:34

52:34

How do you feel about your wounds? Do they scare you? Do you just want them gone? Do you yearn to feel whole? What if you had a different relationship with them? Saw them as gifts. The cracks that let the light in. Listen in as we go deep to new perspectives on trauma. And peace. Here's an interview with the Headless way guy https://dramyjohnson.co…

1
175. Jennifer Poole: "Openness in Adoption as an Opportunity for Spiritual Growth" 1:08:43

3M ago1:08:43

1:08:43

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…

1
Loved With Patti Eddington 52:20

3M ago52:20

52:20

Feeling unloved hurts like hell. And most of us have felt that way. I know i've felt that my birth mother didn't love me enough to keep me. But what if we feel are adoptive parents didn't want us? Reading about some doubt her parents had in adopting her turned Patti's life upside down. Listen in as we go deep on feeling loved, wanted and enough. Pa…

1
From Fragmented To Whole With Mee Ok Icaro 55:29

3M ago55:29

55:29

Do you struggle with your desperate parts? Do you yearn to feel whole? Listen in as Mee Ok shares her learnings on healing body, mind and soul. A particularly dramatic episode - she was given just 5 years to live. Born in Korea, Mee Ok Icaro (pronounced “mēˈōk i’kä’rō”) was renamed “Mandy” by her white, evangelical parents who adopted and raised he…

1
Peace With Alice Diver 55:29

3M ago55:29

55:29

If we're ok with not feeling ok, we're always ok. Listen in as we dive into healing, coping, peace and more. You'll love Alice's honesty and humour. Here's a bit about Alice's last interview. Listen on as Alice shares how she found the patience and persistence on her quest to find and meet her birth mother. There are bags of insights, realisations,…

1
174. Edward Di Gangi: "Mothers, Mothering and the Month of May" 38:56

3M ago38:56

38:56

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 …

1
Language To Heal With Jude Hung 52:10

3M ago52:10

52:10

Join Fireside Adoptees so you can join our free taster event on 11th May 2024 and the mini course on 18th and 19th May 2024: https://www.facebook.com/groups/firesideadoptees Link to the book I mention: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Force-David-Hawkins-M-D/dp/1401945074 Here's the link to Jude's blog post about gratitude and frequency using David Haw…

1
173. Heather G. Marshall: "When The Ocean Flies" 1:13:33

3M ago1:13:33

1:13:33

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…

1
Taking The Power Back With Diego Vitelli 54:32

3M ago54:32

54:32

We didn't choose to be adopted. We had no power over what happened to us. So how do we take the power back? What can do to develop our identity on our terms? Powerful stuff from Diego. Here's a bit about Diego from his website: Hi, my name is Diego; I am an adoptee from Colombia, S.A. (5ish years old) who is a relationship and family therapist in t…

1
Restored To Wholeness With Tifin Dillon 47:27

3M ago47:27

47:27

Do you feel wounded? Do you yearn to feel whole? Tifin started searching for her biological family at 19. Listen in to what she's learned about wholeness since then including insights from coaching and astro-coaching. https://www.tifindillon.com/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1776536339297503 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVkdPPGv968-oUSl-NUKs…

1
172. Michael Knox: "Not Lucky, Nor Chosen" 44:12

3M ago44:12

44:12

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…

1
Processing Trauma With Tony Hynes 55:53

3M ago55:53

55:53

No-one asks a bereaved person if they've healed from the trauma of their loss. So why should others ask us if we're over the trauma of the loss of our birth family. What if we explored processing trauma rather than healing it? That's Tony's take. Listen in to a different take on relinquishment. It'll get you thinking. And processing. Here's a link …

1
Transformation with Sarah Hirebet 53:51

4M ago53:51

53:51

Some moments on healing journeys are HUGE - Transformational. They don't come any bigger than what Sarah experienced during labour. Listen in as she shares her lessons from this transformational moment and beyond. Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice i…

1
Curiosity, Glimmers & Experiments With Lilly Anspach 1:05:04

4M ago1:05:04

1:05:04

What's wrong with me? Perhaps our most fundamental question. One we can answer intellectually 'nothing'. Or we can see that we are perfect - in theory. But how do we get to that place in our soul, gut or bones. How do we transcend cellular shame to love ourselves unconditionally? Listen into Lilly's learnings on healing. Profound and empowering, ju…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Simon Benn Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide