Pulled By The Root - Amplifying Adoption Issues

Barbara Sumner is the author of the stunning book Tree of Strangers. She has worked in film and journalism and manages Cloud South Pictures with her husband, Tom Burstyn. In 2009 This Way Of Life, their feature documentary about a family living simply in the Rhine Ranges won the Berlinale Generation Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival, was shortlisted for an Oscar and won awards at film festivals around the world. Barbara is currently a PhD candidate studying adoption, third party conception and the creation of identity. 

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/

Lance is an adopted person, reverend, blogger and podcaster of Two Lucky Bastards. He is also a researcher who will be a starting a PhD considering the impact of closed stranger adoption.  He currently resides in New Zealand and is happy to be a antipodean (voice form the bottom of the world) In this episode, he openly shares his lived experience of being adopted and how it has impacted his life and his faith. His podcast Two Lucky Bastards dives into conversations about the book Tree of Strangers by Barbara Sumner. He deeply values adopted peoples voices and believes these conversations need to be had.

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/

In our first episode, Mirah discussed the problems with adoption, in this episode she focuses on the solutions.  As an advocate of family preservation not adoption separation, Mirah seeks an end to the falsification of vital records and believes that adoption as it is currently practiced needs to be replaced with guardian adoption after all attempts to provide resources for children to remain safely within their extended family have been exhausted. Such permanent legal guardianship would give all necessary rights to caretakers without falsifying the adopted person's original birth certificate. 

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/

Heather was found on the streets of Busan Korea in 1973 , then adopted at 6 months old to a family in Michigan. She holds 3 Masters degrees and currently works for Apple in their professional learning group. Heather also has a minor in theatre, taught ballroom dance and took classical ballet for 15 years. She is married with one daughter and a step son. In this episode Heather shares what her lived experience as a transracial adopted person has been like. Her journey has been filled with challenges and unimaginable loss yet she remains strong.   Heather is an example that no matter what has happened we can build a beautiful life.

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/

Kate became a therapist in midlife and has an affinity for working with people experiencing anxiety or undue stress brought on by life transitions. She knows it takes a lot of guts to enter into a therapeutic relationship. As an adopted person, Kate understands first hand the grief adoptees face. In her blog "The Couch", she writes about the 6 stages of grief and how they relate to adoption. In this episode, Kate shares her own lived experience along with her professional insights. This interview validates that we can manage our trauma and that it does not have to manage us.

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/

Kevin Barhydt is an adopted person, YouTube creator, and the author of Dear Stephen Michaels's Mother. His YouTube channel creates a safe space for survivors of addiction, abandonment, adoption and child sexual abuse to explore the healing process. At 45 years old, Kevin began the painful journey to uncover his origins. He agreed to come on our podcast using his Twins Video format (where Kevin's inner child and adult self communicate). What you are about to hear is a planning session I didn't know was being recorded until Kevin surprised me. We cover the themes of loneliness, shame and forgiveness inside the topic of 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/

Sara's book SEARCHING FOR MOM is a "disarmingly honest" mother-daughter story. As an adoptee Sara has lived the effects of intergenerations wounding. The inherent sense of being unwanted drove her into perfectionism. Her mother's death launched her into a spiritual epiphany. Sara's perspective as an adopted person offers insight to anyone in the adoption constellation. She has a passion for helping others understand the often-misunderstood hearts of adopted children. In this episode we discuss our obsession with butterflies, the perils of writing and the complications of motherhood. Sara is vulnerable, hopeful and is making full use of her beautiful wings.

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/

Vin was adopted from India and raised in Australia he is an advocate, photographer and a model with a huge heart. What Vin has survived in hard to comprehend, yet he remains hopeful and full of life. This episode does discuss suicide, rape and sexual orientation. Vin also discusses his personal experience with bullying inside the adoption community. His vulnerability and willingness to share his truth is an act of courage. All sides, all voices need to be heard, thank you Vin for sharing your perspective!

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/

Amanda is a transracial adoptee who grew up struggling with self-identity, racial identity issues, low self-esteem and anxiety. She fought for years to figure out who she was and how she fit in.  She is on a journey of forgiveness, acceptance and discovery which is making her stronger. Amanda wants to inspire other adoptees to heal and empower themselves. She has a FB group for transracial adoptees, adoptive/foster parents of transracial adoptees to learn and network with each other. Amanda also has a youtube channel focused on her experiences as a transracial adoptee. 

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/