How do we celebrate ourselves when we don't know how we came about, feel unwanted or an accident? Listen in as adoptee, adoptive parent and adoption professional Anita shares profound insights on finding meaning, a reason for being and more. She also shares how following Christ has helped her along the way.

Find out more about Anita here:

https://www.brookhills.org/staff-elders/anita-bucher/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-bucher-a8233725/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

So many of have so much going on we can't see the wood for the trees. Today's interview is a chance to stand back and see the big picture - what helps us thrive, what helps our kids thrive and much more. Listen in - adoption professional Cindy really knows her stuff!

https://www.allforkids.org/

https://www.facebook.com/AllForKids.CA/

https://www.facebook.com/AllForKids.CA/

https://x.com/AllForKidsCa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-stogel-2a1093171/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

How do we free ourselves from the past? By seeing that it doesn't define us. Listen in as Krystal, adopted in her 30's talks about getting stronger through adversity, processing tough emotions and more.

Connect with Krystal here https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystal-trocki-1372321a3/

Find out about her employer here https://26health.org/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

What if there's part of us that's not traumatised? Because it can't traumatised? Wouldn't that be a great place to find and live from? Listen in as we dive deep into thriving, touch on religion and explore the part of us that's beyond trauma.

Adoptive mother Dana Hargus, M.Ed., LPC, is a seasoned health professional with over 25 years of experience in trauma-informed care. Before becoming a counselor, she spent nine years as an educator, building a foundation of compassion and connection that continues to guide her work today. Dana is the owner of a thriving private counseling practice and the visionary behind Restore of Ada, a new healing center devoted to wholeperson wellness and rapid nervous system resetting.

https://restoreofada.com/

https://www.facebook.com/restoreofada

https://www.instagram.com/restoreofada/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-hargus-681519340/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

What happens when your search for belonging leads to both love and heartbreak? Listen in as adoptee Lisa shares what she's learned from her rollercoaster ride of reunion including lovebombing, jet black darkness and, eventually, light. Very powerful. Deeply profound. Listen with big ears.

Find out more about Lisa here:

https://www.instagram.com/drmommypoppins/?hl=en-gb

https://www.theadoptednurse.com/

https://www.facebook.com/lisa.astalos.chism/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Do you feel disconnected from your cultural heritage or identity? Tami did - even though she wasn't adopted. She was determined her daughter who was born in Ethiopia would feel connected with her heritage. Listen in as we dive into cultural heritage, identity and more.

Here's a bit about Tami from her website:

I grew up disconnected from my Dominican and Jamaican roots, always feeling like I wasn't “enough” of anything—not Latina enough, Caribbean enough, not even Black enough. I carried shame, confusion, and uncertainty about whether I even had the right to claim a heritage I barely knew. 

When I began exploring my roots, there were no guides, no roadmaps, or no one to show me where to start. I had to find my own way—slowly, and in a way that felt authentic to me.

When I adopted my Ethiopian-born daughter, I promised she wouldn’t grow up with that same disconnection. That promise became my purpose.

I’m living this work every day—raising an Ethiopian daughter, caring for my aging mother, and navigating my own Dominican/Jamaican identity, all under one roof in Mexico. I know what this journey really looks like—and I’m here to walk it with you.

Now, as a Cultural Heritage Reconnection Coach, I offer the support I once needed. I guide people to rediscover their roots, reclaim pride in who they are, and create a legacy so future generations never have to wonder where they belong.
You don’t need permission to reconnect.

You just need a place to begin—and you don’t have to do it alone.

https://www.instagram.com/tamideegarcia/

https://www.tiktok.com/@tamideegarcia

https://www.tamigarcia.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TamiDeeGarcia

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Can we thrive despite what happened in to us? If so how? Listen in as Wilson describes how he turned his life around after some difficult years in his mid-teens. It's an incredibly uplifting interview from the youngest guest we've ever had on the show. Wilson is just 19!

Here's a bit about Wilson..

"Hi! I’m Wilson. I’m a transracial international adoptee with a deep appreciation for history, tradition, and the values that shape us. Growing up, I was always told I was an “old soul,” and honestly, they weren’t wrong. My love for classic country and rock ‘n’ roll records, as well as old Western films, has always made me feel connected to a time before my own.

Being adopted from China and raised in America has given me a unique perspective on identity, belonging, and the legacy we leave behind. I believe in honoring the past while building a better future, and for me, that means leading with hard work, respect, and kindness. I want to be a positive example—not just for adoptees, but for anyone trying to navigate who they are in a world that doesn’t always make it easy.

I have faith that we are more than just where we come from—we are also what we choose to do with the life we’ve been given. I find so much inspiration in the people who came before me, and even more in those who are writing their own stories now."

https://www.facebook.com/wilson.munsterman.3/

https://www.instagram.com/wilsonmuns/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilson-munsterman-09782732a/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2ZW5CVK

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Looking for inspiration? Andrew, father of three - including one through adoption - shares his insights on igniting our passion, finding meaning and community. A powerful and empowering episode.

Andrew is a passionate supporter of foster care and adoption. Andrew launched the KPMG National Foster Care and Adoption Network in 2021, which has now grown to more than 45 of KPMG’s US offices. Focused initially on mentoring and coaching opportunities for new and prospective foster and adoptive parents, the network has grown to serve as a platform for connecting foster and adoptive parents, adult adoptees, birth parents, and adoption advocates. The network also connects with key community organizations that focus on foster and adoption and are actively supported by KPMG’s partners and employees.

Andrew has received numerous awards and recognition, including Seramount’s National Working Dad of the Year, and the Association of Government Accountants’ Andy Barr Award, National President’s Award, National Treasurer’s Award, and National Author’s Award.

Andrew and his wife are adoptive parents and former foster parents. They have three children, and live in Maryland.

If you'd like to connect with Andrew you can email him at [email protected] or connect here https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-c-lewis/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

Looking for more peace and less pain? Listen in as Korean adoptee Tanya shares her learnings so far.  We dive into healing, freedom with painful emotions and much more.

Tanya is a Korean adoptee and former academic. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology and an M.S. in Student Affairs in Higher Education with a focus on intercountry adoption, identity formation, emotion work, advocacy, and agency. Prior to Ties, she worked 20 years in higher education supporting students, teaching sociology, and conducting evaluation research. She has spoken at multiple Heritage Camps and first started working with Ties as an adjunct team member for Kazakhstan in 2019, where she loved connecting with both adoptees and parents. Along with her husband and teenage daughter, she currently splits her time between Colorado and living abroad, while their son attends college in Colorado.  In her free time you can find her walking along the ocean or reading romance novels.

https://www.instagram.com/tanyakaanta/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyakaanta/?originalSubdomain=pa

https://www.instagram.com/the.ties.program/

https://www.facebook.com/TheTiesProgram

https://www.thetiesprogram.com/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.

What if thriving is being comfortable with where we are on our journey? Comfortable with what we don't know? Comfortable in our own skin? Listen in as adoption professional Meredith dives into comfort and lots more...

Meredith Shepard joined Heart of Adoptions in August 2013 as the Adoptive Parent Coordinator. She works closely with waiting adoptive families handling day-to-day needs and assisting with matching adoptive families to birth families. In July of 2020 Meredith became the Director of Programs for the agency.  As of April of 2022 Meredith is the Executive Director for Heart of Adoptions. She is responsible to coordinate and supervise agency staff, volunteers, and handle day-to-day operational duties. Meredith has worked in the area of social work for over 20 years and has experience working within the fields of child development, adoption, foster care, and developmental disabilities.

Meredith graduated with honors from Eckerd College with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Walden University with a Master of Science in Non-Profit Management & Leadership. She was also a Licensed Massage Therapist prior to obtaining her degree. While born in Ohio, which will always be home, she is also a die-hard hot weather fan and loves nothing more than cruising in her Jeep with the top down and the music loud! She has a son in college and has recently added a new fur-baby “Voodoo” to her home. Meredith can typically be found at Disney on the weekend or enjoying a camping trip and a nice kayak trip down a river when the weather is nice.

https://www.facebook.com/HeartOfAdoptionsInc/#

https://heartofadoptions.com/

https://x.com/HeartAdoptions

https://www.instagram.com/heart_of_adoptions/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-shepard-1357a678/

Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their own opinion only. Seek qualified advice if you need help.