Episode 19 | Greta & Patrece

Adoptees, Eating Disorders & Recovery

Greta Handgis (Fadness) is a domestic infant adoptee born during the Baby Scoop Era in 1968. She found her first family in 1989, which included a full-blood brother and sister, and was in reunion for over 30 years. She is estranged now from her first mother and sister as well as her adoptive family siblings. Both her adoptive parents have passed away. Greta played NCAA college basketball and majored in Theatre. She has worked as an actor in both Los Angeles and Phoenix, Arizona, and as a criminal defense paralegal for over 18 years in the Public Defender system. Greta is a writer, actor, solo-performer currently living in Phoenix with her husband Mark and rescue dog Gilda. She has been in recovery from anorexia since 2022.

Patrece's story reveals the complex realities of closed government adoption during Canada's "Baby Scoop Era." After a childhood marked by unacknowledged trauma, she became overwhelmed by fear and anxiety and developed an eating disorder as a means of coping. At thirty, desperate to escape the grip of an unrelenting addiction, Patrece sought help. Today, she continues her healing journey by writing, by connecting with other adoptees, and by finding belonging in a yoga-based recovery community. Patrece hopes to publish her recently completed memoir, A Surprising Peace, and to share her experience and hope with the adoption community.

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RESOURCES:

Suicide lifeline text 988

HEAL - theprojectheal.org

NEDA - nationaleatingdisorders.org

ANAD - - National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders

www.anad.org

Definitions of different eating disorders

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders

American Non-Profit providing help/resources for individuals and families

https://feast-ed.org/

Overeaters Anonymous

https://oa.org/

Recovery 2.0 (A community for those with any addictions, including food)

https://r20.com/

Adoptees and Addiction

https://www.adopteesandaddiction.com/

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Connect with Greta

Greta can be found on Facebook and Instagram, as well as her website, www.gretafadness.com and her email is [email protected]

Connect with Patrece

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @asurprisingpeace

Substack: Patrece Maluzynsky (asurprisingpeace) Website: www.asurprisingpeace.com

Connect with Kristal

Website: https://kristalparke.net/

Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/

Email: [email protected]

Socials:

@kristalparkeofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial

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