Modern Adoption with Erin & Jess

So often in adoption, there is a rush for an expectant or birth parent to sign a termination of parental rights as soon as the mandatory waiting period has passed.

In addition to being a fierce advocate for expectant parents and high ethical standards in adoption, Meshan is a Pregnancy Social Worker with Paths for Families in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. She is an LCSW-C with a degree in Psychology, a minor in  Neuroscience, and her Masters in Social Work.

In this episode we also discuss:

• Pregnancy neuroscience and risk factors for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders
• The complexities of adoption plans made at the hospital
• Crisis decision making
• Adoption professionals as choice architects and advocating for better practices in adoption

Links mentioned:

Family Preservation Project

AdoptChange

Ethical Family Building

The Turnaway Study

Thanks for listening!

Love what you're hearing? Don't forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected]

We are almost at the end of the year and that means we are wrapping up season one of the Modern Adoption podcast and we just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has listened to us, who finds value in the topics we’re talking about and has learned something from us this past year.

When we finally decided to jump in and start this podcast, we knew we wanted to be a source of education and a space to tackle tough conversations, and I think we’ve done that this year…and it seems like all of you are loving it too because this podcast has been streamed over 1,000 hours in 2024!

So this episode is a highlight reel of some of our favorite moments from 2024, what we’ve learned, and what we’re looking forward to in 2025…but really it’s a thank you to everyone who has tuned in this last year

Thanks for listening!

Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the next season of the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected]

Through every step of the adoption process, there is almost certainly an imbalance of power that doesn’t just affect the adoption process in the moment, it can lead to long-lasting consequences. In most cases, that imbalance of power begins even before any “match” has been made and it starts with the type and amount of information that is shared between adopting families and expectant parents.

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Delphine Veith to discuss the imbalance of power between expectant parents and adopting families and how one adoption agency is working to change that. 

Delphine is a licensed clinical social worker and the Program Manager at Open Adoption & Family Services, an agency licensed in Washington and Oregon, where she is a fierce advocate for expectant parents, open adoption, and a high ethical standard in adoption.

In this episode we also discuss:

Links Mentioned:

Thanks for listening!

Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and if you want to give us a holiday gift, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected]

We’re heading into the holiday season, and that means it’s time for family dinners and holiday parties with well meaning family members, friends and co-workers wanting to know all of the details about how your adoption journey is going.

In this special holiday episode of the Modern Adoption podcast, Erin & Jess dive into how to navigate difficult conversations during the holiday season - from equipping you with how to respond (if you want to), but also acknowledging that it’s okay to just say no sometimes.

We also talk about:

Links Mentioned:

Thanks for listening!

Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and if you want to give us a holiday gift, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected] 

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, we wanted to share a story we hope will bring a smile to your face and possibly make you shed a tear or two, but ultimately we hope it will inspire you to support your child’s curiosity surrounding their adoption story and birth family.

In today’s episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Bethany Ayer, an adoptee in reunion with her birth family.

Bethany shares her story from not wanting to talk about adoption as a child, to reconnecting with her birth mom at 19, how her mom supported her every step of the way, to now proudly sharing her adoption story (for the first time EVER!).

In this episode we also discuss:

Thanks for listening!

Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and give us a 5-star rating so you never miss an episode!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected]

In today’s world, there are so many different avenues to share your family’s adoption journey. You can have an online profile in multiple places, a website, a profile video, a profile book, you can utilize social media…the options for outreach on your adoption journey sometimes feel endless. But with the widespread availability of online profiles and profile videos, you have to wonder…are profile books a thing of the past?

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess dive deep into profile books. We discuss the role of profile books in the adoption process, some of the biggest mistakes and misconceptions, and we even talk about the role of AI in adoption (spoiler alert - we HATE it!). 

We also talk about:

Have questions about your profile book, or need help creating one? Visit PairTree or reach out to Jess directly at [email protected] to get started!

Thanks for listening!

Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and give us a 5-star rating so you never miss an episode!

Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email [email protected]

If you are a prospective adoptive parent, one of the first big questions you’ll discuss on your adoption journey is ‘what are you open to?’ or ‘what are your preferences in a match?’

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Kathryn Russell to discuss adoption preferences and the impact they can have on a families adoption journey.

Kathryn is a licensed master social worker and the Director of Absolute Love Adoptions in Pennsylvania, where she is an incredible home study provider and educator, and fierce advocate for expectant and birth parents.

In this episode we discuss:

Links mentioned in this episode:

The Child Preferences "Checklist"

Absolute Love Adoptions

China’s recent ban on international adoption has been dominating the adoption news cycle, but that’s not the only big news that’s happened in adoption in the last couple of weeks.

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess dive into a recent letter sent from the Federal Trade Commission to 31 adoption intermediaries. We break down what the letter said, real life examples of some of the violations mentioned in the letter, and talk about what is an adoption intermediary.

We also discuss:

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

FTC Letter

FTC Press Release

Time Baby Brokers Article

Stepping Out of Adoptions Shadow

25 Questions to Ask Your Adoption Professional

Open Adoption Agreement by State

Ethical Family Building & AdoptChange

Adoption law is complex and nuanced, and the role of an attorney in the adoption process is vital in helping to navigate the legal complexities of adoption.

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Diana Schimmel, a Partner with Martine, Katz, Scanlon and Schimmel, a boutique family law firm in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. At MKSS, Diana specializes in adoption and family formation law.

In this episode we discuss:

To get in touch with Diana, visit

Episode disclaimer:

Even though this episode includes an interview with a licensed attorney, nothing in this episode should be considered legal advice.

We want to preface this episode by saying the cost of domestic infant adoption in the United States is too high, but we also realize that the high costs associated with adoption aren’t going to change overnight. We still want to help adopting families financially prepare for their adoption journey. 

In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Matt Joyner, a Certified Financial Planner based in the Pacific Northwest. Matt is passionate about adoption and has prioritized helping adopting families understand and financially plan for their adoption journey.

In this episode we discuss:

Links Mentioned:

⁠Get in Touch with Matt⁠

⁠Matt’s Adoption Financial Planning Guide⁠

⁠PairTree’s Complete Guide to Affording Adoption⁠

⁠Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption⁠

⁠Adoption Tax Credit⁠

Episode Disclaimer:

This recording is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to adoption planning. Nothing presented within constitutes specific investment advice, tax or accounting advice, legal, insurance or regulatory advice, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

While reasonable efforts were used to obtain information from sources believed to be reliable, Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC makes no representation that the information or opinions contained in these materials are accurate, reliable, or complete. All information and opinions contained in this presentation are subject to change without notice.

Investment Advice is offered through Fortis Capital Advisors, LLC, 7301 Mission Road, Suite 326, Prairie Village, KS 66208.