Adoptees On

329 | Alex Blum Today's guest is Alex Blum, author of An Accident of Birth. Alex shares his story of how he reconnected with his three full biological brothers through DNA testing. We also talk about seeing yourself reflected in biological family for the first time, nature versus nurture, and what Alex has come to believe about adoption in recent years. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

328 | 10 Years of Adoptees On with Haley Radke, Sullivan Summer, and Kristal Parke I'm the creator and host of this show, which aired it's first episode on July 1, 2016, a full decade ago! When I started Adoptees On all those years ago, my teens were a toddler and a preschooler and I podcasted in a corner of my basement with a laundry rack behind me that I'd toss a quilt overtop of for better sound quality. I had met a few adoptees on twitter and I wanted to have more in depth conversations about reunion, grief, mental health, identity and healing. I just didn't know that thousands of you wanted that too. Thank you for building this show with me. This milestone moment is for every single guest who trusted me with their stories, every listener who felt seen while listening, and all the folks who have supported the show via Patreon, sharing episodes with a friend, or leaving me comments or reviews. I am so honoured to be in community with all of you. Thank you! Today I've invited a couple of friends to turn the microphone on me, and we run the gauntlet of tears to laughter in a very short time, I hope you enjoy! Sullivan Summer and Kristal Parke of Adoption Pop! are here to celebrate ten incredible years with us today! Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

327 | Beth Yu Simpson, MSW, LICSW On today's episode I'm in conversation with Beth Yu Simpson: a therapist, educator, and founder of AIRE Roots. Beth shares how mentorship, community-building, and her own lived experience as a Korean adoptee have shaped her work, including her focus on ancestral healing and adoptee-centered care. We also dig into the gaps in social work education around adoption and what meaningful change could look like. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

326 | Sun Yung Shin My guest today is Sun Yung Shin, poet and author of the new book Heart Eater: A Memoir of Immigration, Belonging, and How We Find Ourselves in Language. Sun Yung's work examines the complexities of transracial and transnational adoption, identity, and the limits of what some adoptees can ever truly know about their origins. We discuss some of the pressures adoptees carry to make sense of their stories, and why we need to move beyond the expected search-and-reunion narrative. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

325 | [Healing Series] Narcissism in Adoptive Parents with Katy Perkins, LICSW-S This is a special episode in our healing series where I interview therapists who are also adoptees themselves, so they know from personal experience what it feels like to be an adoptee. Today we are joined by Katy Perkins to talk about a hot topic in our community, narcissism in adoptive parents. We talk about what it would have looked like to grow up in a family with a narcissistic parent or one with narcissistic tendencies, the impact it could have had on us as kids and now into adulthood. I was fascinated by everything Katy had to share in this conversation and I hope it's helpful for you! Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

324 | Diana On today's episode we are welcoming Diana to the show to share her story of being adopted from Russia at age two. Diana unpacks how early separation, institutional care and adoption shaped her mental health and sense of identity. This episode has mentions of childhood sexual assault, suicidal ideation and disordered eating. Please take care when deciding to listen. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

323 | Lisa Olivera, MFT So honoured to welcome back Lisa Olivera, MFT to explore her new book When the Ache Remains. Lisa shares how becoming a mother has brought up new layers of both loss and connection, and we both open up about recent, painful relationship ruptures. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

322 | Monique Pangari, MEd, SEP I'm so excited to introduce you to today's guest, Australian adoptee and somatic psychotherapist, Monique Pangari. Monique shares about her experiences as a teen mom, what lead her to search for her origins, and how she discovered the man she believed was her father was not biologically related to her. She also reflects on how her lived experience shapes her work supporting adoptees including the concept of personal sovereignty. - I apologize, I inadvertently left off a verbal content warning; this episode has mentions of suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, and domestic violence. Please take care when deciding to listen. * Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

321 | David McCarty-Caplan, Ph.D. Today's guest is Dr. David McCarty-Caplan, a researcher, consultant and a Colombian-born adoptee. After becoming a father himself, David began searching for his biological family, leading to a reunion with his mother and siblings in Colombia — an experience that deepened both his personal journey and his professional research. We talk about his scholarship, including how families and communities can better support adoptees in developing a stronger sense of belonging. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

320 | Erick Wolfmeyer Today's guest is Erick Wolfmeyer, a contemporary quilt artist known for his bold, large-scale textile works. Erick shares his experiences of being relinquished twice by his mother, their fraught reunion, and the DNA discovery that upended his identity yet again. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

319 | Kristina Richie Today's guest is Kristina Richie, TikTokker and author of Unraveling Adoption: Weaving Between Two Worlds. She shares some of her story with us, including how her birth mother gained custody of her when Kristina was 16 years old. We talk about how the secrets in her adoptive home shaped her identity, future romantic relationships and attachment patterns. We do mention suicidal ideation and suicide at a few different points during this conversation so please take care when listening Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

318 | Diego Vitelli, LMFT Today I'm joined by Diego Vitelli, a Colombian adoptee and adoptee-focused therapist. Diego shares his own adoption story with us, including what it has looked like for him to have been assigned an artificial date of birth. We also talk about the accuracy of using terms like "reunion" and "adoption trauma". Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

317 | Kailee Pedersen Today's guest is the multifaceted Kailee Pedersen: from software engineer to opera singer to novelist! Kailee shares about being adopted from China, growing up in Nebraska, navigating racial isolation and the complexities of searching for family across borders and systems. We also talk about her debut gothic horror novel Sacrificial Animals—how family legacy and intergenerational trauma show up on the page—and her upcoming novel The Minimalist, which features adoptee characters. There is one brief mention of suicide in our conversation. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

316 | Jennifer Lauck Today we are honoured to have with us New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lauck, whose memoirs have shaped how so many understand the adoptee experience. Her landmark book Blackbird is celebrating its 25th-anniversary edition this year. In our conversation we talk about Jennifer's childhood, how she first met Nancy Verrier, and her synchronicities in her reunion with her birthmother, Catherine Diane. We mention abuse at multiple times during this conversation, including sexual abuse, so please take care when listening. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

315 | Alé Cardinalle, MSW Today's guest is Alé Cardinalle, an adoptee advocate who has taught millions of people on TikTok about the complexities of adoption. We talk about what reunion is like when it's international and everyone speaks a different language. One of my favourite things about Alé is how much she loves her adoptive parents, she will loudly say how she had a privileged, love-filled life and even with all of those positives, adoption is still a trauma and has deeply impacted her. We also talk about pregnancy loss and how Alé's experiences make her uniquely suited to talk with empathy to hopeful adoptive parents. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

314 | Nik Chang Hoon Today's guest is memoirist and poet, Nik Chang Hoon. Nik shares his journey of identity and language reclamation, including returning to Korea and reuniting with his birth mother in secret. We also talk about estrangement, healing, and his powerful writing that invites us to look deeper at the pain and resilience of finding one's place between families and cultures. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

313 | Molly Gaudry Today's guest is Molly Gaudry, author of Fit Into Me: A Novel A Memoir. This interview is one of the first ever Molly has given surrounding her adoptee identity. Relatable to anyone who has contradictory or missing narratives in their origin stories, Molly shares the complexities of using literary defense mechanisms in her writing to push readers away from her personal truth. We also talk about her brain injury and recovery, how that physical vulnerability and even intimacy sometimes felt safer to share about than her adoption experience. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

Bonus | Adoptees for Family Preservation Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

312 | Lynelle Long Lynelle Long has been an adoptee advocate for nearly thirty years. The founder of Inter-Country Adoptee Voices (ICAV) Lynelle has built a network of thousands of adoptees around the world to both connect with each other and to effect change at each level of government, as high up as the United Nations. Today we get to hear some of her personal story, including her choice to have her adoption discharged in 2022, and about her role as an active observer to the Hague Convention. Lynelle also has some advice to adoptee advocates for our efficacy and longevity in adoption reform spaces. We do mention sexual abuse at a couple of points in this conversation, so please take care when listening. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! Find out more about Adoptees for Family Preservation here! Support Haley's new podcast here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.

311 | Sasha Hom Sasha Hom lives an extraordinarily unconventional life. I'm so excited to introduce her to you. She's a writer, goat farmer, mother, and her new book Sidework is incredible. Today we talk about her experiences as a Korean adoptee, adopted to a Chinese American couple in California. Sasha tells us about her trips to Korea and China, we talk motherhood as adoptees, and how important writing is in her life. Full Show Notes and Transcript Here Join our adoptee community on Patreon here Check out our upcoming live events here! This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing stated on it, either by its hosts or any guests, is to be construed as psychological, medical or legal advice. Please seek out professionals in those fields if you need those services. The views expressed by the hosts of Adoptees On or any guests are their own and do not represent the opinions of any organization or other person unless otherwise stated.