Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

Are you happy with your healing? If not it may be because there are still some parts of you yet to heal. Listen in as Danielle explores where we heal and what hinders our healing. Here are Danielle's previous interviews on Thriving Adoptees:

https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/upping-our-empathy-game

https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/seeing-our-untarnished-soul

Here's a bit about Danielle from her website:

My name is Danielle and I am an Earth Citizen 🙂 .

What I mean when I say that, is I have a sincere desire to see a healthier, happier and more peaceful world, and I believe it starts with me.

I have dedicated my life to growing my own light by helping others to grow their light also.  For this, I currently work as a Regional Manager of Body & Brain Centers in Seattle, WA., giving lectures and leading training and coaching sessions.

My journey with this work and this path began over 20 years ago – when I started to seek healing for my own body, mind and spirit.  I have created Healing Tree – the blog, and now the book – in order to share my stories and inspirations family, friends, my students, and anyone else who may be interested in the healing journey.

It is a journey – and a long one at that!  Sometimes it’s nice to know you have companions along the way, traveling down similar roads as you.  It is my hope that the words you discover here become comforting friends for you, finding their way to your heart.  Who knows, they may even turn on a small light in there 🙂 When my light, your light, and our lights shine bright together, what a beautiful world it will be! 

“Our adopted angel” – that’s what Danielle’s adoptive parents called her. She grew up adored, doted on, and unconditionally loved. It wasn’t until she was in college that she first felt a gnawing curiosity about her roots. From time to time, she would wonder: Where did this face come from? Where did this body come from? Where did this blood come from?  Her search to find her biological parents had begun – one full of surprises and revelations.

After reuniting with her birth mother – and uncovering the primal wound that lay deep within her – Danielle embarks on a twenty-year healing journey of self-discovery, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

At once a heartfelt memoir and a guide to self-awareness, Healing Tree offers a compassionate exploration of self, family, and what it means to be whole. Rooted in her twenty-year practice in Body & Brain holistic mind/body techniques, Danielle offers an approachable eight-step method for anyone wishing to heal from emotional or psychological wounds. This method invites readers to cultivate a loving relationship with their authentic selves and charts a pathway to inner peace.

For anyone who feels stuck, hurt, or rudderless in the sea of life, for anyone interested in doing the deep work of self-healing, becoming liberated, and realizing the potential to heal beyond themselves, Healing Tree is a source of direction, inspiration, and hope.

Find out more at:

https://www.daniellegaudette.com/

https://www.facebook.com/danielle.gaudette.33

https://www.facebook.com/DGhealingtree

https://www.instagram.com/danielle.gaudette/

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.

Are you confused about who you are? Identity has many layers is inextricably linked with healing. Transracial Adoptee Corissa suffered in the deep darkness of depression and addiction. Listen in as she shines clarity on who we are and how we heal.

Here's a link to her first interview https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/how-we-find-ourselves-with-corissa-saint-laurent

Here's more about Corissa from her website:

WHO AM I?

I’ve been asking myself this question my entire life. I’m a Korean-born, adopted, American, mother, wife, entrepreneur, energy worker, storyteller, teacher, mystic, marketer, connector, curator, manifesting generator, ENFP, nature worshipper, and spiritual explorer.

When my mother was pregnant with me, she awoke from a dream of a giant shooting star falling to earth, and named me Byul Nim, the honorific form of the word ‘star’.

It’s my destiny to shine light in this world.

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?

Being given up for adoption at 3 years old and moved to the United States to be raised by a new family who didn’t look, sound, or act anything like what I knew created a deep sense of abandonment and uncertainty about my identity.

I adapted. I had to. And in the process locked all of my needs, hurts, and traumas away where they wouldn’t interfere with the success of my life. Other childhood traumas piled upon the already shaky foundation....

More at:

https://corissasaintlaurent.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/corissasaintlaurent/

https://www.youtube.com/@corissasaintlaurent

https://www.instagram.com/theeverydaymystic/

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 been fighting our feelings for so long that war is all we know. Pamela's whole life typified that. So how do we find peace? Listen in as she shares key moments, insights and much more on her hard fought journey to peace.

Here's Pamela's interview from earlier this year https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/finding-happiness-within-with-pamela-karanova

Here's the adoptee therapist directory https://growbeyondwords.com/adoptee-therapist-directory/

Pamela Karanova, an adult adoptee, living in Lexington, Kentucky, was born in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1974. Although Pamela’s roots are scattered all over Iowa, she considers Kentucky to be her home.

Pamela is the President of a National Nonprofit called Adoptees Connect. Adoptees Connect is focused on putting adoptee voices first, creating irreplaceable adoptee-centric spaces where adoptee voices meet. The original connect group was planted in Lexington, KY, in January 2018. In just three short years, 50 connect groups have been planted in different locations around the USA, with two being in Canada. Pamela’s vision for Adoptees Connect didn’t stop in her community. She desires all adoptees to have an adoptee community to fall back on, so these groups are growing and expanding globally. They are designed to take online relationships offline and get to know the person behind the profile. In April 2019, Pamela won the “Angel In Adoption” award on behalf of the National Association for Adoptees and Parents for her role in the adoption community. Pamela is the creator and founder of Adoptee Remembrance Day – October 30th.  Here is a Adoptees Connect, Inc. Google Earth Project she’s created that shows all the group locations scattered all over the USA, Canada and even Queensland, Australia.

Check out The Real Adoptea Moxie - adoptee-centric writings that boldly highlight the adoptee experience where motivation meets moxie at:

therealadopteamoxie.substack.com

https://www.facebook.com/pamelakaranova

https://www.instagram.com/pamelakaranova

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelakaranova/

https://open.spotify.com/show/2FGmPmog8cFONagMM7ILja?si=a8a26cdc659c4a4d&nd=1

https://pamelakaranova.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.

Do you feel broken? Or that bits of you are? Adoptee and psychotherapist Elliott and go deep on figuring out the broken bits including the hard to get bits we don't have words for. Empowering insights into the things stored in our implicit memory.

Elliott Driscoll (he/him) is a psychotherapist at The Resource Group, and has been practicing for more than 20 years in New York, New Jersey and Maryland. He works with clients ages 22 and older. He holds a Master’s of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Loyola College. He specializes in treating individuals struggling with addiction, trauma, and depression. Elliott is Psychodynamically trained and uses aspects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Enhancement Therapy, and Logotherapy

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-driscoll-13434a7/

https://resourcegrp.org/

https://www.facebook.com/ResourceGroupMD

https://twitter.com/ResourceGroupMD

https://www.instagram.com/resourcegroupmd/

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.

Spontaneous gratitude from within is way different to being told to be grateful by others. Listen in as we explore Jill's expansive and powerful take on healing - loving our lives.

Jill Uchiyama (Skufakiss) was born in New York City in 1968. She grew up in Hammond, Indiana and attended Indiana University and Western Michigan University where she received a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Her passion for psychology later turned to a lifelong interest in spirituality. As a long-time meditator and seeker, Ms. Uchiyama draws upon her love of nature, philosophy, education, and life in all of her creative endeavors- including writing, playing music, and filmmaking.

Her first collection of poems, "Out of the Fog," was published in 2022. It was inspired over a lifetime of writing poetry dedicated to her family members- her adopted family and her imagined biological family.  Many of the poems touch upon the closed adoption experience. Prior to writing this first book, Ms. Uchiyama was published in many online magazines including The Huffington Post, The BBC, Apple News, Slate, and Time. She was awarded Quora Top Writer from 2013-2018. 

In 2013, Ms. Uchiyama produced her first Legacy film which appeared at the New Filmmaker's Film Festival in NYC and debuted at Boston University's Tsai Performance Center. She is for hire in order to do films and videography about the personal purpose and meaning of the lives of her Legacy subjects and crafts films that artfully express those stories. Her films have been shared and shown all over the world and are available to watch on Vimeo.

In addition, Ms. Uchiyama has had a 30 year career in human service work- beginning as a family counselor in Lowell, MA- she then became an EFL teacher in Japan from 1996-2001. In Boston, she continued to teach English as a Second Language and then became Director of several educational programs. She has taught people from over 40 countries. 

​Currently, she is a grant writer for the Manchester School District and lives in New Hampshire. Her love for walking and nature has inspired her filmmaking and writing. In 2017, she completed the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Her latest adventure is learning the sitar. 

Listen to Jill's first interview here https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/a-clearer-sense-of-self-with-jill-uchiyama

https://www.jilluchiyama.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jill.uchiyama

https://www.facebook.com/legacyfilmsbyJill

https://www.youtube.com/@jilluchiyama

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jilluchiyama/

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 you belong? Being relinquished disrupts our attachment and reunion doesn't always fix that. Julie shares how she found the feeling of belonging and peace when reunion didn't go to plan. 

Here's the link to the article Julie mentions https://www.thebeacher.com/2023/pages/110223p.html#lg=1&slide=19

Julie Ryan McGue is an author, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. She writes extensively about finding out who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it.

Julie’s debut award winning memoir Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (She Writes Press) came out in May 2021. It is the story of her five-year search for birth relatives. Her weekly blogs That Girl, This Life and monthly column at The Beacher focus on identity, family, and life’s quirky moments. 

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Julie received a BA from Indiana University in Psychology. She earned a MM in Marketing from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business, Northwestern University. She has served multiple terms on the Board of the Midwest Adoption Center and is an active member of the American Adoption Congress.

Julie splits her time between Northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida. She is the mother of four adult children and has three grandsons. If she’s not at her computer, she’s on the tennis court, or out exploring with her Nikon. Julie is currently working on a collection of personal essays.

https://juliemcgueauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/juliemcguewrites/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-ryan-mcgue-a246b841/

https://www.instagram.com/julieryanmcgue/

https://twitter.com/juliermcgue

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.

It's hard to heal pre-verbal trauma through talk therapy alone because we literally can't put words to it. So what do we do? Adoptee and adoptee coach dives into a holistic approach to healing. I hope it sets off as many lightbulb moments for you as it did for me.

Here's a bit about Claire from her website:

"I was born in South Korea and was adopted from Star of the Sea Orphanage by an American family in Wellesley, MA.  I have an older brother and a younger sister, also a KAD (Korean Adoptee).

Growing up in a predominantly white community was difficult for me and I never felt like I fit in, or belonged.  I faced racism and bullying pretty much as long as I can remember.  

For most of my life, I suffered from anxiety, depression, and I had low self esteem. I was a rebellious teenager and I developed unhealthy addictions and toxic relationships.  But the worst relationship was with myself.  I knew that I needed a big change in my life but I didn't know how to start.

Over the years, I went through lots of therapy, coaching, and did the hard work on myself so I could change my negative patterns and learn how to transform my mindset.  This is what allowed me to evolve into who I am today and become more aligned with my true authentic self. I have discovered that by following my dharma, it has led me to embrace my true purpose in life - to empower others to go within and find their own light.

As an adoptee empowerment coach, I possess a profound understanding of the unique emotional journey that adoptees face. I noticed that many adoptees were struggling with stress, anxiety, emotional regulation, people pleasing, overthinking, fear of rejection and abandonment, numbing out with unhealthy habits, somatic symptoms, and chronic illnesses. They all were in need of tools to help them navigate these challenges.

My coaching approach is centered on meeting my clients exactly where they are in their personal journeys. I firmly believe in tapping into my clients' inner wisdom to facilitate lasting transformation. I view each client as a whole, resourceful, and complete individual who doesn't need "fixing." My role is to guide and support them on their path to self-discovery.

With over a decade of experience as a health, wellness, fitness coach, and empowerment coach, I’m committed to providing invaluable support and guidance to individuals ready to make positive changes in their lives. My client-centered approach, rooted in neuroscience and nervous system regulation, empowers my clients to embrace their unique journeys, overcome challenges, and achieve lasting transformation.

As a Somatic Breathwork practitioner, I have  been trained to hold space for each client and guide them through a powerful journey using specific breathing techniques. This process allows clients to uncover blocked emotions, release stored stress and trauma in their bodies, and connect with their inner truth and power. After each session, I support my clients in integrating these insights to re-pattern their thoughts and behaviors, ultimately helping them create a more empowered and fulfilling life.

My mission is to empower my clients and partner with them while they navigate the distinctive challenges and emotional complexities that come with being an adoptee. Through my expertise, compassion, and unwavering dedication, I hope to make a profound difference in the lives of people I serve."

Listen to Claire's first interview here: https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/overcoming-struggles-with-transracial-adoptee-claire-magenheimer

Connect with her here:

https://www.facebook.com/claire.magenheimer

https://www.instagram.com/claire_magenheimer

https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-magenheimer/

https://coachwithclaire.mykajabi.com/coach-with-claire

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.

Today's episode is a LOT different. Listen in as I point you towards that healing space beyond trauma.

Here's the link to a spine tingling video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbGC1UWaLQ

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 much compassion do have you for yourself? We give ourselves a hard time, until we don't. Listen in as adoptee and therapist Spring shares insights about giving ourselves more compassion along the healing journey. I learned a lot from this great conversation - especially about being at peace with my anger. I hope you find some healing insights too.

Here's the book I mention:

https://www.amazon.com/No-Bad-Parts-Restoring-Wholeness/dp/1683646681

Here's the interview I mention:

https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/freedom-with-emma-stevens

My name is Spring Hecht and I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with over 20 years of experience supporting individuals, children and their families.  In my former role as the Vice President of Social Services at one of the foremost foster care and adoption agencies in the country, I had the privilege of helping transform the lives of many.  I have served on the Board of Washington Adoption Reunion Movement (WARM) the Vashon Island School Board, and the Adoptee Mentoring Society.  I also enjoy additional volunteer work as co-chair of a Racial Equity & Inclusion Committee in my school district. I have presented at numerous conferences and been a guest speaker on NPR and an NBC-affiliated television station.  I am an adopted person with a unique understanding of the lifelong adoption issues that can impact all members of the adoption constellation.   

Education and Training

I attended Whitman College in Washington State and earned a B.A. in Psychology. I continued my studies at Columbia University in New York where I completed a Masters degree in Social Work in 2001. I am certified as an Attachment and Trauma Therapist through Cascadia Training, and I have post-graduate certification in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) through TCU Institute for Child Development. I am an Emdria trained EMDR therapist and IFS trained therapist. I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).  

Psychodynamic Approach

Psychodynamic therapy aims to address the foundation and formation of psychological processes in order to alleviate symptoms and improve people's lives. My treatment approach is client-centered and tailored to fit your individual or family's needs, in a safe and supportive environment.  Together we will consider emotions, thoughts, early-life experiences and beliefs to gain insight into your life and better understand present-day challenges, and to evaluate the patterns that have developed over time.  I will provide support, encouragement and practical strategies, and help you develop and achieve your goals and find hope and healing. 

Expertise

Adoption, trauma, grief/loss, identity issues including race/culture, depression, anxiety, ADHD, family conflict, parenting, teens, divorce, infertility, post-partum issues, life transitions, and personal growth. I welcome people of all races, ethnic groups, religions/creed, genders, and sexual orientations. 

https://healingworkstherapy.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/spring-hecht-62a3a075/

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.

We don't hear the word mindset a lot in adoptee circles. That's strange because healing often involves a change in what we think. Listen in as adoptee and therapist Megan shares her insights to help you heal.

Here's a bit about Megan from her website:

Megan's specialties are working with all facets of the adoption constellation and with women experiencing stress, anxiety, and burnout. She's trained in TBRI, Theraplay, Brainspotting, and Trauma Informed Care and has worked with families in the child welfare/ adoption realm for the last 18 years. She's very passionate about this work as she is an adoptee.

She has three children and my dog, Tucker, often makes appearances in my telehealth sessions from home.

Megan is licensed in Indiana.

Here's a link to the interview with Cindy of Hiraeth, Hope and Healing https://thriving-adoptees.simplecast.com/episodes/how-we-heal-with-cindy-mcquay

https://www.facebook.com/meganstrouptic/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-stroup-lcsw-3377901b0/

https://inadoptioncounseling.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.