Adopt Perspective Adoption Podcast

What happens when the truth about your life has been hidden from you, and finding answers takes decades?

Adopted as a baby in 1959, Melinda Rackham became a mother herself at just 14, only to be separated from her son through adoption. Years later, she made a devastating discovery about his life that would change the course of her own.

In this deeply personal episode of Adopt Perspective, Melinda shares her extraordinary journey through grief, addiction, recovery and the search for her biological family.

Along the way, she encounters family secrets, complicated reunions and unanswered questions about her identity. And after more than a decade of DNA searching, an unexpected discovery opens another chapter in her life.

Melinda's story is one of remarkable resilience and persistence, but also a powerful reminder of the lifelong and intergenerational impacts of adoption, the importance of access to information, and the healing that can come through connection, creativity and understanding.

A note for listeners: This episode includes discussion of forced adoption, the death of a child, grief, addiction and mental health challenges. Please take care when listening.

keywords

adoption, adoptee stories, adoption reunion, birth family search, adoption trauma, teen pregnancy, adoption records, DNA genealogy, identity, post-adoption support, Melinda Rackham, Jigsaw Queensland

Chapters

00:00 Melinda’s lifelong search for family and identity

02:59 Growing up adopted and learning that adoption carried shame

04:20 Pregnant at 14: secrecy, pressure and separation

11:08 The papers she was told would help her son

13:35 Finding her son’s records and learning what happened

19:00 Grief without support, and the lasting impact of loss

21:16 Post-adoption support and meeting her birth mother

27:07 Birth-family secrets, boundaries and fractured connections

37:26 A second adopted sister and the stories hidden in family papers

49:08 A cautious reunion with her adopted sister

57:12 Ten years of DNA searching lead to a paternal match

01:02:24 A DNA surprise: a new half-sister

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing. 

Today’s episode explores one of the most complex and rarely spoken about experiences that can arise in adoption reunion.

My guest is Sophia Greenwood, an adopted person who was born in the UK in 1965 and separated from her mother at five weeks old. In her early twenties, Sophia began searching for her biological family. After an intense and ultimately difficult reunion with her mother, she made contact with her biological father, Michael, who was living in Australia.

What began with a video, letters and long-distance phone calls developed into an extraordinarily powerful connection. When Sophia and Michael eventually met in person, that connection became something neither of them had anticipated or understood how to navigate, and ultimately became intimate. Sophia has spent many years trying to understand what happened during that period of her life and has now written about it in her book, Forbidden Love: A True Story of Adoption, Reunion, and Longing.

Before we hear from Sophia we’ve invited trauma psychotherapist, educator and fellow adoptee Monique Pangari to help us understand the terms genetic attraction and genetic sexual attraction, or GA and GSA, and some of the psychological and emotional complexities that can accompany adoption reunion.

Then we’ll hear Sophia’s story, in her own words.

Keywords - adoption, reunion, trauma, biological parents, love, mental health, family, identity, emotional healing

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Sophia Greenwood's story

02:43 Sophia's early life and circumstances of her adoption

07:52 The decision to search and initial contact with her biological mother

12:14 Childhood memories and early family life

17:01 The first meeting with her biological mother and siblings

22:23 The emotional intensity of reunion and developing feelings

33:04 The relationship with Michael and its complexities

47:50 Realization of feelings that didn't fit the father-daughter framework

58:12 The internal conflict and decision to step out of the relationship

01:12:23 The impact of revealing the secret to her adoptive parents

01:14:42 Reflections on her younger self and understanding trauma

01:16:58 Current relationship with Michael and her family today

01:19:05 The meaning of family after her experiences

01:21:07 Why she chose to share her story now

01:23:33 The importance of open conversations about adoption trauma

01:24:28 Where to find Sophia's book and final thoughts

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

In 1967, 21-year-old Elaine McKenna entered the Presbyterian Sisterhood home in North Fitzroy, pregnant with twins and believing she would stay there only until the babies' father returned. Instead, she spent six months largely isolated, subjected to shame and pressure to surrender her sons for adoption.

After giving birth, Elaine tried to revoke the adoption, but says she was told she was selfish for wanting her babies back. One of her sons died at five months old. She would not meet her surviving son again until he was 27.

For decades, Elaine buried what had happened. She describes becoming a “chameleon”, constantly adapting herself to keep others happy and avoid being abandoned again. It was only much later in life, through counselling, that she began to understand how profoundly the experience had shaped her identity, relationships and emotional wellbeing.

Now approaching 80, Elaine is telling her story because she wants other mothers who have carried shame and grief in silence to know they have nothing to be ashamed of - and because she believes the experiences of the babies separated from their mothers must also be heard.

This is Elaine's story of loss, survival, reunion and, almost 60 years later, finally feeling heard.

 Keywords

adoption, maternal trauma, forced adoption, healing, mental health, personal story, Australia, mother’s journey, trauma recovery, adoption laws

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Elaine McKenna’s story

02:05 Elaine’s life before pregnancy and the discovery of her pregnancy

04:02 The shock and trauma of her six months in the sisterhood home

07:03 The birth of her twins and the hospital experience

10:05 The aftermath of giving up her babies and the emotional impact

15:02 Reconnecting with her son Brendan after 27 years

19:53 The legal battle and the fight for justice

25:09 The ongoing effects of trauma and the importance of being heard

29:58 Reflections on societal attitudes and the need for change

40:05 Advice for mothers who have experienced loss to adoption

43:01 Closing thoughts and the importance of sharing stories

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

What happens when an adopted person discovers that the story they were told about their beginnings wasn’t true?

In this episode of Jigsaw Queensland’s Adopt Perspective, Jo speaks with Brazilian-born adoptee Erika Gitsham about her extraordinary search for her biological family - a search spanning more than 20 years, two countries, DNA testing, family trees, Facebook groups, lawyers, a private investigator, a police officer and countless dead ends.

Adopted at birth in Brazil, Erika grew up believing that her biological mother had died during childbirth. It wasn’t until adulthood, as Erika began thinking about having children of her own, that her adoptive mother revealed the truth: her mother had not died and there was a document containing her name.

That revelation began a search that would test Erika’s persistence and take an enormous emotional toll. Along the way, she confronted missing adoption records, misinformation, failed leads and even the heartbreak of believing she had found her mother, only for DNA testing to prove otherwise.

Then, after decades of searching, everything changed.

Erika finally received DNA confirmation connecting her to both sides of her biological family and travelled to Brazil, where she met her mother, siblings and extended family.

This deeply personal conversation explores international adoption, identity and belonging, adoption search and reunion, DNA testing, the emotional cost of searching for biological family, relationships with adoptive parents, and what it means to finally see yourself reflected in the faces of people to whom you are biologically related.

It is also a remarkable story of persistence, human kindness and Erika’s determination to answer one of the most fundamental questions many adopted people carry: Where do I come from?

Keywords: adoption, reunion, DNA testing, intercountry adoption, family search, perseverance, identity, emotional journey

Key topics: Intercountry adoption challenges, DNA testing and family confirmation, Emotional impact of reunion

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Erica's Journey

04:31 Childhood and Early Adoption Experiences

08:47 The Complex Search for Biological Family

13:18 The Emotional Toll of Searching

17:19 DNA Confirmation and Family Connections

22:36 Reunion with Biological Family

29:45 Reflections on Identity and Belonging

32:31 A New Chapter Begins

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠⁠) 

Connect with us: Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

In this episode, Jo speaks with Helen Harrison, a New Zealand-born adopted person whose story is one of identity, loss, grief and the long journey towards finding a sense of self. Helen grew up as one of ten children in a large, multicultural family, with seven of the children adopted from different cultural backgrounds. As she grew older, she became increasingly aware of feeling disconnected from herself and learned to adapt, people-please and become what she describes as a "chameleon" in order to feel safe and accepted.

Helen shares her experience of searching for her biological mother, being prevented from accessing identifying information for almost a decade, and the profound impact of later experiencing rejection in reunion. She also reflects on motherhood, relationships, hypervigilance, addiction and the devastating loss of two of her siblings to suicide.

Through years of personal work, Helen came to understand that what she had spent much of her life searching for outside herself was something she ultimately needed to find within. It's a deeply reflective conversation about adoption, grief, belonging, self-trust and what it can mean to finally cone home to yourself.

Keywords: adoption, identity, loss, resilience, self-trust, multicultural family, personal growth, emotional well-being, reunion, grief

Chapters

00:00 Childhood in a Multicultural Family

02:24 The Impact of Scarcity and Survival

05:03 Adoption Dynamics and Family Changes

07:58 The Journey of Self-Discovery

10:43 Understanding Grief Through Adoption

13:17 Searching for Biological Roots

15:33 Navigating Rejection and Loss

18:19 Motherhood and Its Challenges

20:33 Connecting with Biological Family

23:36 Coping with Profound Loss

25:55 Unpacking Anger and Emotional Regulation

27:28 The Impact of Adoption on Relationships

31:07 Grappling with Addictions

34:16 Searching for Biological Roots

38:08 Reconnecting with the Adoptive Mother

42:44 Finding Self and Belonging

48:24 Empowerment and Self-Awareness

Helen wrote a book about her experience titled, "Inner Wealth: From Pain to Purpose". You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Inner-Wealth-Purpose-Helen-Harrison-ebook/dp/B0DLLKKJHR/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

Born in Ontario, Canada in 1965, Bill Stewart always knew he was adopted. What he didn't understand until much later was how profoundly that separation and the abuse he experienced growing up would shape his identity, relationships and sense of belonging.

In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Bill reflects on growing up in a home where adoption couldn't be spoken about, surviving physical and emotional abuse, searching for his biological family before the internet, and navigating reunion with both of his parents. He speaks candidly about addiction, suicidal ideation, healing through nature, and the enduring impact of relinquishment throughout his life.

One image stays with you long after the conversation ends: Bill describes himself as a branch grafted onto a tree that never quite grew as it should. It is a powerful metaphor for his experience of adoption and one that many adopted people may recognise.

Before Bill's story begins, Jo also briefly explores Canada's history of forced adoption and the ongoing calls for a national apology and meaningful redress.

This episode contains discussion of child abuse, addiction and suicidal ideation that some listeners may find distressing.

Keywords: adoption, personal story, childhood trauma, identity, family, loss, resilience, Canada, search for roots, mental health

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bill Stewart's Story

01:35 Growing Up Adopted: Early Experiences

06:17 Family Dynamics and Abuse

08:52 The Search for Biological Family

12:26 Meeting Biological Family: Expectations vs. Reality

14:31 Reflections on Identity and Belonging

17:52 The Impact of Adoption on Mental Health

20:51 Conclusion and Hope for the Future

22:17 NEWCHAPTER

For more information go to ⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠) 

Connect with usInstagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-AdoptionCentre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's ForcedAdoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In everyother state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients nowlive on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and theirunique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing. 

When Rachel Tham set out to understand her mother's past, she uncovered a family history that changed everything she thought she knew about herself.

What began as a search for her mother's origins became the discovery of hidden siblings, family secrets spanning generations, informal adoption, DNA revelations, and the profound intergenerational impacts of adoption.

Although Rachel was never adopted herself, adoption shaped her identity in ways she could never have imagined. Through Ancestry DNA, historical records and extraordinary reunions, she pieced together a story that had been hidden for decades - one that reveals how adoption doesn't affect just one person or one generation. Its impacts ripple through families, relationships, identity and belonging for generations to come.

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel and Jo discuss:

• The lifelong impact of family secrets and silence
• Intergenerational trauma and adoption loss
• Informal adoption and hidden family histories
• Discovering three previously unknown brothers through DNA testing
• Reunion, identity and belonging
• The healing power of truth and lived experience
• Why listening to those affected by adoption matters

Rachel's story is a powerful reminder that adoption is never a single event. Its effects continue long after the legal process ends, shaping lives across generations.

If this conversation resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, or share the episode to help amplify lived experience voices.

Keywords: adoption, adoption trauma, intergenerational trauma, adoption reunion, ancestry DNA, family secrets, informal adoption, identity, genealogy, hidden family history, adoptee voices, adoption podcast, Jigsaw Queensland.

Chapters

00:00 The Intergenerational Impact of Adoption

02:54 Uncovering Family Secrets

06:23 The Journey of Discovery

08:54 Exploring Ancestry and Family History

12:07 Connecting with Lost Family

14:49 The Unraveling Truth

20:29 Processing the Emotional Impact

23:09 Confronting Family Dynamics

26:59 Navigating Emotional Support in Adoption Processes

28:03 Uncovering Family Secrets: The Adoption Records

29:46 Identity Crisis: The Collapse of Family Narratives

31:06 Connecting with Siblings: The Journey of Discovery

36:06 Meeting Family: The Emotional Reunion

38:34 Exploring Maternal History: Unraveling the Past

43:43 Intergenerational Trauma: Understanding the Impact

46:06 Finding One's Voice: Healing Through Storytelling

48:59 Future Aspirations: Advocacy and Community Engagement

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠) 

Connectwith us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook -Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or youcan call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to cultureand the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing. 

What happens when lived experience becomes art?

In this powerful episode of Adopt Perspective, we explore Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives – an original musical testimony that brings the hidden stories of Australia’s Forced Adoption Era to the stage through music, performance and truth-telling.

Host Jo Sparrow speaks with Louise Kirk, a mother impacted by forced adoption who, as a teenager in the 1970s, was coerced into the adoption of her six-month-old son. Louise shares her deeply personal story of love, loss and lifelong grief, as well as her journey into advocacy and peer support for other mothers affected by adoption separation.

They discuss how Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives is transforming lived experience into theatre, amplifying voices that have too often been silenced, and creating opportunities for healing through storytelling.

The production team is also seeking more men affected by forced adoption to become involved by sharing their experiences and potentially performing as part of the project.

Listen now and discover how creativity can honour memory, challenge silence and foster understanding.

To find out more email: [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Broken Bonds Fractured Lives

01:17 Louise Kirk's Personal Journey

11:23 The Impact of Forced Adoption

16:03 The Struggles of Reunion and Identity

17:38 Advocacy Through Art and Music

20:04 The Birth of a Song: Tiny Hands

21:04 From Concept to Performance: The Journey Begins

23:17 Emotional Resonance: The Power of Storytelling

25:27 Expanding the Narrative: Including Fathers and Male Perspectives

29:01 The Right to Know: Advocating for Adoption Awareness

30:29 Sharing Truths: The Importance of Lived Experiences

34:28 Invitation to Participate: Engaging Men in the Conversation

Keywords:

Adoption, forced adoption, storytelling, theatre, advocacy, mental health, trauma, reunion, public truth-telling, music, community support

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption. 

If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space. 

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing. 

What happens when the story you were told about your conception begins to unravel?

In this episode of Adopt Perspective, Jo Sparrow speaks with Katherine Dawson, creator of Origin Archives, about her experience as a donor conceived person, the shocking discoveries she made about her donor, the growing number of siblings she has found, and the serious questions her story raises about fertility clinics, records, health information, genetic identity and accountability.

This conversation explores donor conception in Australia, Assisted Reproductive Technology, family secrets, biological truth, systemic failure and the power of lived experience to create change.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Donor Conception and Personal Stories

06:36 The Complexities of Identity and Family

14:35 Marketing and Perceptions of Donor Conception

24:14 Navigating Medical Concerns in Donor Conception

29:27 The Search for Identity and Siblings

33:22 Health Implications and Genetic Awareness

38:45 Creating Change Through Origin Archives

Resources

Origin Archives

Donor Conceived Australia

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption. 

 If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space. 

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

 To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing. 

Did you know that behind every adoption story, there’s a painful truth that’s rarely discussed?

In this episode of the Adopt Perspective podcast, Jo Sparrow interviews Bev Shipway, who shares her harrowing experience of being coerced into giving up her son for adoption in Western Australia at the age of 17. Bev recounts the trauma of her pregnancy, the pressure from her family and the system, and the long-lasting effects of her adoption experience. She discusses the challenges of consent, the emotional turmoil of reconnecting with her son, and her journey towards healing. This conversation sheds light on the complexities of adoption, the impact of societal norms, and the importance of personal agency.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bev's Story

03:36 The System of Coercion and Secrecy

06:52 The Experience of Pregnancy and Birth

09:58 The Impact of Institutional Practices

12:49 The Aftermath of Adoption

16:28 Reflections on Consent and Freedom

23:27 The Weight of Silence

24:27 The Struggle for Connection

25:54 The Journey to Revocation

29:38 Reconnecting with the Past

32:51 Moments of Joy and Reflection

35:52 Defining Healing

37:13 Advice to the Younger Self

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption. 

SUBSCRIBE! If this conversationresonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space. 

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised.

For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.  

Your hostis Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠) 

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast 

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland  

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or youcan call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service. 

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.  

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to cultureand the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.