Adoptees On

I'm honoured to introduce you to my new friend Megan Culhane Galbraith today. Megan's brand new book, The Guild of the Infant Saviour, is out in the world and is getting rave reviews, especially from fellow adoptees. Today we talk about the challenges of building a relationship after the first moments of reunion are finally realized. Megan shares how she views the patterns of silencing adoptees from childhood into our adulthood. Did you know there used to be a program at Cornell that used "practice babies" sourced from foundling homes to teach women how to be mothers? Megan describes the impact of researching these barbaric Domecon experiments on us as adoptees, as humans turned into objects like dolls.

Full Show Notes Here

• The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book by Megan Culhane Galbraith
• The Dollhouse Exhibit
• Palimpsest by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom and you can support on Patreon here and hear Lisa's episode (130) on Adoptees On

• Megan Culhane Galbraith: www.megangalbraith.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | The Dollhouse on IG
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Today I'm excited to introduce you to Lora K. Joy. Lora tells us she always knew she didn't fit in with her adoptive parents, and that she made promises to herself that she would do things differently. Lora recounts a transformative moment where she grieved her adoption loss that intrinsically changed her forever. We also unpack some of the things that lead to her decision to become estranged from her adoptive parents and how she maintains her protective boundary.

Full Show Notes Here

• Goodbye Hypervigilance: Healing Adoptee Worry by Lora K. Joy
• Adoptee Epiphanies on Facebook and Instagram created by Pamela Karanova (adopteesconnect.com)

• Lora K. Joy: www.myadopteetruth.com | Instagram | Facebook
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Today Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D. is with us, sharing some of her personal story intermingled with her expertise as a psychologist. Ever wonder if therapists and psychologists are being taught about relinquishment trauma? Have you heard of how helpful Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can be for adopted people? Sharon even reveals the surprising impact reunion had on her romantic relationships.

Full Show Notes Here

• When There Are No Words: Repairing Early Trauma and Neglect From the Attachment Period With EMDR Therapy Paperback – by Sandra L. Paulsen Ph.D.
• Gabor Mate and Zara Phillips - The Trauma of Relinquishment - Adoption, Addiction and Beyond
• Mary Hayes Grieco's teachings on forgiveness. Her book is Ambushed by Babies and her other work is available on maryhayesgrieco.com

• Sharon Stein McNamara, Ed.D.: www.sharonsteinmcnamara.com | ssmcnamara [at[ comcast [dot] net
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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I'm happy to introduce Paul Kimball to you today. Paul shares his story of search and reunion and how the joy of music intertwined him with his first mother. Paul shares deeply with us about his grief from both rejection and death. Family, music, and nature have brought so much delight into Paul's life, he challenges us to make sure we're choosing to experience all life has to give and not get stuck in the hard things.

Full Show Notes Here

• We are all Human Beings - An Adoptee Ponders by Paul Kimball
• Friday night happy hours - National Association of Adoptees & Parents - Paul shared his story there as well, it's posted on YouTube here.
• Some of the music we mention in this episode: The Swan - Jacqueline DuPre and The Elgar Cello Concerto - Jacqueline DuPre

• Paul Kimball: PKSTJohns [at] aol [dot] com | Facebook
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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I am excited to introduce you to Gregory Luce today, the attorney behind Adoptee Rights Law. We get to hear some of Greg's personal story today, including the five-year court battle it took for him to receive his records. We talk about some of the typical arguments adoptee activists hear from legislators against original birth certificate access and what impact DNA testing access has had on OBC legislation. Greg also challenges us to make sure we're listening to all adoptee voices. Greg is a lawyer but he's not giving us legal advice during this episode.

Full Show Notes Here

• adopteerightslaw.com
• The 5 Most Pernicious Myths about Adult Adopted People by Gregory Luce
• Adoptees United
• American Baby: A Mother, A Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption by Gabrielle Glaser
• Cleave by Tiana Noble
• The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child's Memory Book by Megan Culhane Galbraith
• Invisible Asians by Kim Park Nelson
• Surviving the White Gaze by Rebecca Carroll

• Gregory Luce: adopteerightslaw.com | Twitter | Facebook
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC, is back this week! We are still talking about estrangement and today looking at the question - is loyalty a trauma response? Marta teaches us about "fawning" and that many of us will choose to be loyal to others before ourselves.

Full Show Notes Here

• Marta's first appearance on the podcast was episode 69 which teaches about the Internal Family Systems model and why it's helpful for adopted people. (Other episodes featuring Marta: 71, 134, 135, & 180)

• Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC: martasierralmhc [at] gmail [dot] com | martadrachenberglmhc.com
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC, one of our favourite adoptee therapists is back on the podcast today! We are talking about estrangement through the lens of the Internal Family Systems therapy model. Marta teaches us how to listen to our parts' needs and prioritize the safety of our own identity above preserving relationships.

Full Show Notes Here

• Marta Isabella Sierra, LMHC: martasierralmhc [at] gmail [dot] com | martadrachenberglmhc.com
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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I'm thrilled Shannon Gibney, writer and activist is here! Shannon shares some of her personal story and how she's observed adoptee voices reaching critical mass over the last fifteen years. Since her first novel, See No Color, was released 6 years ago, she's heard from many younger adoptees who've felt seen and validated by reading her words. Shannon recounts how her experience of grief in motherhood and the adoptee experience intertwined, and how she's modelled truth-telling, even the difficult things, to her children.

Full Show Notes Here

• Shannon Gibney: www.shannongibney.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Ferera Swan is here to share her experiences of reunion and secondary rejection with us. We talk about the impact other members of the extended family can have on our reunions, and Ferera tells us about the meaning behind her name and what her producer encouraged to include in her song "Second Time".

Full Show Notes Here

• Ferera Swan: www.fereraswan.com | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube | Spotify | Indigo+Swan
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is with us today and she is teaching us about internalized oppression. She tells us why she finds the term "coming out of the fog" somewhat problematic. If you've ever found yourself self-sabotaging, Dr. Wirta-Leiker explains this could actually be a form of self-protection. She leads us with the adoptee-first lens, keeping our mental health and well-being the top priority even when we may prioritize teaching others instead.

Full Show Notes Here

• Find Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker's directory of adoptee therapists here
• Check out the Society of Adoptee Professionals of Color in Adoption - SAPCA

• Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker: www.growbeyondwords.com | Facebook
• Haley Radke: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
• Adoptees On: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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