*This episode contains sensitive and possibly triggering content. Please take care while listening.*

In this episode of Chats with Kat, we meet James, who is adopted from Whales. He spent the first few years of his life in foster care before he was placed for adoption in Whales. James shares his upbringing, his views on post-adoption resources for both his biological family and adoptive family. James touches on the support he has found and his work as a student, studying screenwriting.

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Liz, an author, an activist and advocate through her writings about gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and other aspects of identity. She is an affiliate faculty at IRWG and part of the Diversity Scholars Network and works at The Center for the Education of Women+ at the University of Michigan. She uses her writings and authorship to explore her trauma, pain, grief, and healing. She offers coaching services as well to help adoptees, create social change, and explore healing through writing.

Visit her website here: https://www.lizdebetta.com

Follow Dr. Liz @dr.liz.debetta

Buy her book here.

In this episode, we hear from Kat, who is an author and creator of Beyond Adoption and SELF-Academy. Kat is adopted from California. Kar discusses her upbringing and the accompanying feelings. She talks about her personal transformation and discovery her biological family. Kat's tells her journey of working with her adoption coach and "moving beyond adoption" to create her workbook and self-love coaching program.

Check out Kat's website here: https://www.movingbeyondadoption.com/

You can purchase her workbook here.

Follow Kat @adopteecoachkat

Kat interviews Jenny, who is adopted from Florida and who is a clinical social worker, who specializes in wholistic therapy for adoptees. Jenny touches on the struggles her mother faced, which led to her need to place a child for adoption. She and Kat touch on the complex topic of adoption trauma and living through nature vs. nurture. They discuss intergenerational trauma, mental health, and identity. Jenny discusses the topics her clients face and ways they cope.

Visit Jenny's website here: http://jennyflorawells.com/

Follow Jenny @jennyflorawells

*Please note: this episode contains sensitive content. Please take care while listening. If you or someone you know feels suicidal, please call or text the suicide and crisis hotline at 988, available 24 hours a day.*

In this follow up to part 1, released on December 27th, 2023, we get a deep, personal dive and extension of Roman's story. Roman shares his personal journey as he went through high school and college and how his self-image created negative and self-destructive feelings about himself; feelings which led to depression and suicidal thoughts. He discusses the struggles to find the right therapist, but ultimately, he was able to overcome his pain through his music creation and production, which is a passion of his today.

If you are interested in hearing Roman's music, check it out here: https://on.soundcloud.com/ypnVs2noHuSf9EX96

In this episode, we meet Grace, a transracial and transnational Chinese-American Adoptee. Grace is working toward her Ph.D degree in Cultural Anthropology, specifically researching how media plays into adoptive narratives for Asian-Americans . Grace shares her upbringing and how her perspective about her own adoption slowly changed over time. She explores her Asian identity and what is means to her as well as her graduate research. Tune in today!

Adopted from Florida, Lauren is an author, Tik Tok adoptee advocate, and a legal assistant. Lauren relays how she came to be adopted and her feelings about her closed adoption. We learn of her complicated experience to connect with her biological family. We hear about her writing career and how she came to be healed and whole.

In this episode, we meet Ludmila, who is a writer and was adopted from Crimea when she was 14 years old. Ludmila tells about her time before adoption, her time in the orphanage, about her adoptive family, the writing of her book, and her future plans!

Connect with Ludmila on Facebook at Ludmila Rits

Connect with Ludmila on Instagram @ludmila_ritz

Ludmila's website

*This episode contains sensitive content and may trigger some listeners. Please take care while listening.*

In this fantastic episode, we meet Monica, an author, speaker, writer, life coach, and entrepreneur. In this powerful story, we hear Monica's memoir of her adoption, giving a child up for adoption, and the search for her biological family. Tune in to hear her incredible story and buy her book, Practically Still a Virgin, today to hear more and an in-depth perspective of her story.

Connect with Monica here: https://linktr.ee/monicahallauthor

Visit her website here: https://www.monicahall.com/

You can purchase her book wherever books are sold!

We meet Kellan, who was adopted at 8 moths old from China. They are a breathwork and somatic therapist. They discuss their adoption and the intersection of their adoption and identity. They also discuss their professional work. Listen to Kellan's story today!