The Adoption Files

First mom Dani Joy joins me as we discuss spiritual trauma through the lens of adoption. We are reading and discussing the book Holy Hurt, by Hillary L McBride PhD. We hope the listeners will join us in this journey to understand and to navigate adoption related spiritual and religious trauma.

https://medium.com/@danijoy

https://hillarylmcbride.com/holy-hurt-book/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&cjevent=acd48c2d0b8111f1804e00550a1eba24&cm_mmc=CJ-_-100357191-_-5250933-_-Evergreen+Link+for+Mayo+Clinic+Diet&utm_source=cj&utm_content=100357191&utm_capaign=3-months

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/txessentials/complex_ptsd_assessment.asp

https://www.nicabm.com/program/a1-brain-trauma-fb2/?del=bing.1718.ptsd&network=o&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=530620131&ad_group_id=1351302280065123&utm_term=traumatic%20stress&utm_content=&del=bing530620131&msclkid=bee2c579db9c177b015bacea48f39198

https://www.mhanational.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/MHM-2025-Resource-List.pdf

https://rainn.org/

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/vagus-nerve-reset

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/box-breathing-benefits

The opinions of the host and their guest are just that, our opinions. The host is not a therapist, a lawyer or an adoption professional.

Dani Joy, first mom, birthmothers rights advocate, adoptee ally. amazing friend joins me in reviewing the book Holy Hurt Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing by Hillary L Mc Bride PhD.

https://hillarylmcbride.com/holy-hurt-book/

We are reviewing the book from the perspectives of a mother of loss to adoption and a person lost to adoption. Religion contributed a great deal to the trauma we have both experienced and informs the family severance narrative to this day.

We hope you will join us in this journey.

Please be aware that the episodes will discuss things that may be triggering to many of our listeners. Please take care of yourself.

The host and their guest are not adoption professionals, lawyers or mental health professionals. Our opinions are just that, our opinions. They are informed by our respective educations and lived experiences.

This episode is the conclusion to my trip to Georgia, hoping to meet maternal family, and walk in circles for a lot of hours just in case no one showed up.

Day two here. My day to stretch out after traveling. One of my free time days that I hoped to meet family. I deliberately included a week day and a weekend day, because, timing?

Have you ever thought about the way you move? How some, any of your gestures may mirror those of a family member? How seeing them in yourself may make for a sense of belonging?

I would love to experience that. Have you?

This is a messy episode. I recorded this at the end of a very long day where i woke up at 2 am, drove an hour to an airport and then wore an itchy mask for ten hours to get to a place I am not sure I want to be in order to do one thing I want to do and feel conflicted about another thing I am not sure is going to happen or if I want it to happen if it does.

I am in Georgia for an Ultra. I am in Georgia to maybe, finally, meet my mom. And maybe my maternal siblings.

And also, the Ultra, which is put on by a group called Yeti Trail Runners and is called The Dark Anchor. If you have never done an endurance event-think about participating. Training to complete a marathon or an ultra or a century or, well, there are lots of options, teaches you a lot about yourself and about other people.

Listen to learn about Californias new bill designed to restore unrestricted access to original birth certificates for people adopted in California. You can be a part of making history and restoring equality!

The bill: CA SB 381 2026 (this number was assigned to a housing bill for last legislative session. This will change when session for this year opens)

Sponsor: Author Senator Aisha Wahab

The bill restores unrestricted access to original birth certificates for adult people who were adopted as minors in the state of California



https://caallianceforadopteerights.org/legislative-updates/

https://concernedunitedbirthparents.org/how-we-can-help

https://bastards.org/

https://savingoursistersadoption.org/

https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

https://registertovote.ca.gov/

https://www.adopteerightscoalition.com/

The opinions of the host are just that, their opinion. The host is not a lawyer or an adoption professional.

The road to hell is paved in good intentions. What might this have to do with adoption? Listen to this conversation with embodiment instructor and adoptee rights advocate Lorah Gerald, also known as The Adopted Chameleon on social media. Information about Lorah and links to her social media can be found at https://lorahgerald.com/

Mentioned in the episode

http://kathrynjoyce.com/books/the-child-catchers/

https://www.relinquishedbook.com/

https://thefamilypreservationproject.com/

https://adopteerightslaw.com/

https://adopteesunited.org/

https://www.adopteesforjustice.org/

https://savingoursistersadoption.org/

The host is not a lawyer or a therapist. The opinions of the host and their guests are just that, our opinions.

Mary Kae Kelsch was adopted in 1970 in North Dakota, but was she born there? Where is her birth certificate located? Please join as we talk about the laws in North Dakota and Minnesota, about reunion, and about the importance of every voice.

Mentioned in the episode:

https://www.health.state.mn.us/people/vitalrecords/adoption.html

https://adopteerightslaw.com/north-dakota/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057773/

The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional.

Thank you for listening!

Please join us for the conclusion of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person fraudulently adopted to Canada as an infant in 1991.

Adriana can be found on social media @adriana.citizenornowhere on ig and TikTok.

More of Adrianas story can be found using the links below. Adriana was the subject of a documentary in French, as well as several news aritcles. A link to an English translation is included below.

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2024/12/07/adoption-et-trafic-denfants-en-roumanie-une-quebecoise-part-a-la-recherche-de-sa-veritable-identite

http://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203240

http://database.againstchildtrafficking.org/node/203241

You can support the work of Echoes From Home by donating to their efforts to provide DNA testing for Romanian and Roma adopted people and their families. Please use the link below to visit their page on FB

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562822742468&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=Y1Sywgo8oI2TBW2Z&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1F9LtvsUd9%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#

You can also help Adriana with her mounting expenses by donating to her gofundme. The podcast always encourages listeners to research and confirm information whenever making donations to any fundraiser or organization.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/adriana-sapproprie-sa-vrai-identite?attribution_id=sl:52b49f82-71bd-4128-a568-069984fe5967&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

The Never Forgotten Children group was instrumental in helping Adriana. They may be found at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/373713406098147

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The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoy the podcast, please take a moment to rate the show. This will help make the podcast easier for others to find and enjoy. Thank you.

Please join us for Part 3 of my conversation with Adriana, a Romanian person trafficked to Canada for the purpose of adoption, who only recently discovered she was adopted under another persons name.

This was meant to be the conclusion to the three part series, but we experienced a technical difficulty. The conclusion to the series will be up soon.

Adriana can be found on social media on Ig and Tiktok @adriana.citizenofnowhere

For people interested in helping support Adriana in her efforts to establish an identity secure her citizenship rights, and begin her life as her own person (at 35!), here is a link to the gofundme set up to help her. https://www.gofundme.com/f/adriana-sapproprie-sa-vrai-identite?attribution_id=sl:52b49f82-71bd-4128-a568-069984fe5967&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Adriana has also set up a foundation to help others in similar situations to herself. DNA has become a vital resource help reunite families. By supporting Echoes From Home, you support the purchase of DNA test kits to make reunion possible. https://www.facebook.com/people/Echoes-From-Home/61562822742468/

The opinions of the host and their guest(s) are just that, their opinions. The host is not a lawyer, a therapist or an adoption professional.

Thank you for listening!