Pulled By The Root - Amplifying Adoption Issues

Megan is a writer and a visual artist. She runs The Dollhouse. She is also an adopted person. Her debut hybrid memoir-in-essays, The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child’s Memory Book, was published in May 2021. She was born in a charity hospital in Hell's Kitchen four years before Governor Rockefeller legalized abortion in New York. Her natural mother was sent away to The Guild of the Infant Saviour- a Catholic home for unwed mothers in Manhattan to give birth to her in secret. On the eve of Megan becoming a mother, she began a search for the truth about her past, which led to a realization of her two identities and three mothers.  
This episode was recorded on Megans Birthday, we discuss the complicated feelings about Birthdays. Then we dive into her writing, art work and how she has managed the storms of self discovery. Megans massive talent, artistic reach and compassion for finding self are nothing less than inspiring. She always insists on her cup of stars.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Joe Soll is the author of “Adoption Healing…a path to recovery”, co-author of “Evil Exchange” and “Fatal Flight”. He is a Psychotherapist and lecturer recognized internationally as an expert in adoption related issues. He is the director and co-founder of Adoption Crossroads, an international, non-profit organization consisting of over 470 adoption agencies, mental health institutions and adoption search and support groups in 8 countries, representing over 500,000 individuals whose lives have been affected by adoption. Mr. Soll has appeared on Radio and Television over 250 times. He also organized ten international mental health conferences on adoption attended by mental health professionals. The list of his accomplishments are too vast to mention in full.
This episode is packed with Joe’s lifetime of wisdom, advice and straight talk. We discuss the disrupting impact of surrender on the psychological development of the adopted person. He dedicates his work to all who either are or were missing in adoption.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

For our 50th Episode and the grand finale of our "Gifted"series we are thrilled to share our behind the scenes/song release episode. As fate would have it, Heidi Frederick flew from California to where I live in Washington State to say goodbye to her father who passed a few days ago. The song "Looking for Me" represents the ache of grappling with the complex feelings of discovering who we truly are. The process of recovering identity is messy; this song represents the hope that we can give each other grace. The timing of this song and its message is not coincidental. Sean Farley PBTR musician/sound engineer joins us on this episode as we share how the song came to life.  Pulled By The Root is so grateful for all of your support, may this song and our platform be a place you can find yourself. 

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

For our “ Gifted Series”, we would like to reintroduce Heidi Frederick, she is an incredible author, speaker and poet. During our first episode almost a year ago Heidi read her poem “Looking For Me”, our music master, singer/songwriter Sean Farley suggested we turn her words into a song and we are happy to say that has happened. This week we are proudly re-releasing the wonderful conversation that started a months long collaboration. Being witness to the creative process is confirmation that healing and creating together is powerful. Pulled by The Root continues to be amazed by the talent and generosity of the people we have met along the way. 

Next week we will share our behind the scenes episode and reveal the song “Looking for Me”, Lyrics by Heidi Frederick/ Vocals and Music by Sean Farley.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

The electric Myles Redfern has returned for our "Gifted"series to share another slam poem. We break down the poem line by line getting into the emotions adopted people feel. Myles encourages all of us to say,"I AM AMAZING" and to avoid negative self talk. This episode is full of good energy and truth telling.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Ross John Martin plays beautiful acoustic music. He is an adopted person who as a teenager battled an illness called ME which left him temporarily in a wheelchair. He found refuge and a love for the guitar. Ross overcame the odds, his awakening of the soul is a theme in his songs. Ross recently found his biological family, most of his songs and blogs are about what it means to be adopted. In this “Gifted” series episode Ross reads the lyrics and shares three of his songs. We talk about the need to know the truth, how we can feel guarded, how it is hard to know where we fit in and how adopted people often feel split. Ross enthusiastically agreed to share his talent with our community so others can feel heard, understood and acknowledged. His music is full of honesty, emotion, grief and hope.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Dave Brown is a domestic adopted person, his adoption was closed, his identity erased when his adoption was finalized. Dave’s identity remained a state secret until he took an Ancestry DNA test in 2019. Within a few days of receiving his test results he found the identity of his birth father. The following month the identity of his birth mother was confirmed. Dave waited until late in life to find his truth because he didn’t wait to risk rejection. Both of his birth parents are deceased but he is in reunion with his birth father’s family and a first cousin on his Mother’s side. Dave recently planted an Adoptees Connect affiliate in San Jose, South Bay, he is happy to give back and be in service to other adopted people. 

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Monica and John were separately adopted, and never knew their sibling existed for decades. When they finally met, both said it was like they already knew each other. Monica was adopted as a little girl in NYC she had no idea that John was born to the same mother seven years later and adopted by a different family. After 27 years both received letters that said they had a sibling. The long-lost siblings’ biological mother chose not to have contact with them, but her children couldn’t stay apart. They spent every holiday together and when COVID struck there was no debate; the two were sticking together, staying as Schuss’ house. 

One of their first joint efforts after finding each other was to advocate in Albany for an adoptee bill of rights that became law in 2020, allowing access to pre-adoption birth certificates. This episode speaks to the power of belonging, sibling bonds and the tremendous hope that Monica and John have for adopted people.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/

Destini is a former foster youth and adoptee but most of all she is a Christian, wife of 18 years and mother to three wonderful children. She is passionate about using her story to help others find healing and learn more about foster care and adoption.  

Destini’s most recent endeavor is the publication of her memoir, Set Free in May of 2020. Set Free is Destini’s personal childhood memoir that begins at her birth and ends with the birth of her first child at the age of 23. Her extensive case file with child protective services began when she was seven months old due the abandonment by her biological mother and the state of health, she was left in.  

Destini’s intention in writing her memoir is to give an inside look into the mind of a child experiencing layers of childhood trauma. It is her heart to advocate and give a voice to other’s who share similar stories. This episode covers the difficult subject of sexual abuse and suicide, we also talk about trauma bonding. Destini's survival is nothing less than miraculous.

Click here to send us a text. Also, our book “Pulled By The Root” is available at https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/book

https://www.pulledbytheroot.com/