Wandering Tree ®, LLC Podcast

Wandering Tree welcomes the Sibling to the show. The Sibling is one of Lisa Ann's three paternal biological sisters, a domestic adoptee from Baby Scoop era and an adopter of three in the late 1990's. Host Lisa Ann and The Sibling connected via their shared DNA match on Ancestry.com in 2019 and started to build out their current relationship from there. It was a virtual roller coaster from the beginning, but through the years, the two have built a great foundation of shared adoptee understanding and strength. 

In this episode, Sibling discusses a bit of her own adoption story but quickly dives deeply into her experience of becoming an adopter. She shares everything on how the children came to them, what were some of the most difficult decisions to make to protect their future and how adopters need to enter into this life choice with eyes and hearts wide open. 

With all the discussion in the media regarding abortion and adoption positioned as an alternative, the previously recorded session could not have been more appropriate for availability this week. My continued encouragement is to not take a side per se, but to engage by asking questions and listening. The beautiful thing about humankind is we do not have to agree or see it through the same lens. We don’t even have to agree on the content, context or account of the information. 

Breaking this topic down a bit further, point blank, adoption is not simple! You see in the space where the response is to position adoption as a no brainer alternative I advocate we don’t take the bait.

Please continue to step back, find an adoptee and talk to them about their lived experience.  There are millions of them out there who can discuss the reality of how adoption can be great, in the middle or horrific. 

Find your people, cherish your people and love your people!

Guest Mary shares the many ups and downs on the years of search for her birth mother, how the longing to find and meet her became a cycle associated with birthdays and holidays and how she never gave up. We listen as Mary talks about the first planned visit to the final goodbye of the woman she was destined to connect with all in the right timing. 

A little about Mary:

As a mom of four and an adoptee, Mary envisioned meeting her birth mother for as long as she can remember. Her story begins as a teen and through many unexpected hurdles and closed doors, her primal pursuit eventually grants her what she’s always been hopeful for. A meeting with her birth mother. The meeting was not what she ever imagined and the surprises that accompanied this meeting truly tested her belief of self worth. 

The lessons learned through the process of Mary’s search paved a way for self awareness and growth into adulthood but not without many questions and concerns for herself and other adoptees who may be searching and reuniting. 

Mary has spent the last several years sharing her story in the public eye by speaking to groups of people about the importance of adoption and its lifelong effects on adoptees as well as education about the benefits of open adoption and involvement of the birth mothers. 

Mary loves to  bring hope, education, and knowledge to all people involved in adoptions. She enjoys speaking to potential adoptive parents, foster parents, birth mothers and other adoptees.  Mary is working on her first book and continues to enjoy her speaking career locally and virtually across the country. Mary currently resides in the DC area.

Find Mary at:
Website - https://becauseadoption.com/
IG - https://www.instagram.com/becauseadoption/

Guest Elle Klassen and Host Lisa Ann prepare for another weekend where the ideology of great parenting is celebrated. You guessed it, we jump right in, speak our lived experience and it gets real! We sit down and spend our time together to address another key topic for many adoptees - Fathers.

We want to welcome Elle Klassen back to Wandering Tree Podcast. Elle is an artist, wife, mother, friend. She was adopted near the end of the baby scoop era in 1970, in Canada. She found her first family four years ago, and has since become estranged from her adoptive parents. She has thoughts on adoption. Thoughts that have grown, and evolved during the past few years. She figures it's time to say them out loud, even if they may be difficult for some to hear.


Article mentioned in the episode: https://www.today.com/parents/essay/asian-adoptee-marriage-lost-culture-rcna28379

Host Lisa Ann sits down with two-time author Paige Adams Strickland, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and adopted at 13 months of age.  In this episode, Paige shares bits of her story and how her search for biological family began in 1987.  While we agree not all adoptees have a great life, and ours was fairly normal, being adopted made us feel exposed. 

Connect with Paige via here: 
Blog: https://stricklandp.wordpress.com/

Akin to the Truth found on Amazon at:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F28TM86/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

 After the Truth found on Amazon at: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076GQ249K/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Host Lisa Ann sits down with two-time author Paige Adams Strickland, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and adopted at 13 months of age.  In this episode, Paige shares bits of her story and how her search for biological family began in 1987.  While we agree not all adoptees have a great life, and ours was fairly normal, being adopted made us feel exposed. 

Connect with Paige via here: 
Blog: https://stricklandp.wordpress.com/

Akin to the Truth found on Amazon at:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F28TM86/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

 After the Truth found on Amazon at: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076GQ249K/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Guest Elle Klassen and Host Lisa Ann decided to dive into one of the most difficult topics for many adoptees - Mothers. You guessed it, we jump right in, speak our lived experience and it gets real! 

We want to extend a warm welcome to Elle Klassen. Elle is an artist, wife, mother, friend. She was adopted near the end of the baby scoop era in 1970, in Canada. She found her first family four years ago, and has since become estranged from her adoptive parents. She has thoughts on adoption. Thoughts that have grown, and evolved during the past few years. She figures it's time to say them out loud, even if they may be difficult for some to hear.

Rebecca Autumn Sansom, director of Reckoning with The Primal Wound, spends time with Host Lisa Ann sharing her love of the book, the process of creative projects and what is on the horizon.  A beautiful conversation covering so many thoughts and feelings. It was an honor to have Rebecca read a poem in process called, "I have a secret."

She is excited about the upcoming first theater screening of the movie: Reckoning with The Primal Wound and the opportunity to join remotely for a live question and answer session.   

Here is how you can get tickets and find out more about the the first theater screening of Reckoning with The Primal Wound coming to Tulsa, OK, Sunday, May 15.

Go to https://linktr.ee/Lorahwg  for tickets. There is a link to the trailer and more information about the movie. There is also information about Circle Cinema and things to do in Tulsa.


Connect with Rebecca via:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/reckoning_with_theprimalwound/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reckoningwiththeprimalwound
Email: [email protected]

Host Lisa Ann sits with The Adopted Chameleon, Lorah Gerald and talks all things adoption. The double quest in Tennessee to find her biological mother and father, three generations of rejections and how a book revered by adoptees was written out of love.  To close us out, Lorah shares information on the upcoming first theater screening of the movie: Reckoning with The Primal Wound by Rebecca Autumn Sansom.

Here is how you can get tickets and find out more about the the first theater screening of Reckoning with The Primal Wound coming to Tulsa, OK, Sunday, May 15 

Go to https://linktr.ee/Lorahwg or here website. There is a link to the trailer and more information about the movie. There is also information about Circle Cinema and things to do in Tulsa. 

Part of the proceeds from ticket sales are going to local nonprofit, Humble Warrior Collective  HUMBLE WARRIOR COLLECTIVE builds strong communities filled with hope by providing access to mindfulness and yoga tools, empowering individuals to overcome cycles of neglect, violence, and trauma.

Lorah Gerald, The Adopted Chameleon, can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Pinterest. 

Wandering Tree welcomes Author Emma Stevens, The Gathering Place, to the show. 

In today's conversation with host Adoptee Lisa Ann, our guest touches on her multi-decade journey of search and reunion; even teasing a bit on the adventures and detective skills needed to find ourselves. Having read/listened to this book myself, I can share that it is a must for adoptees! Emma's writing style and narration pull you in from the very beginning and keeps you till the last word. We loved having her as part of the show and look forward to her return and updates in the future. 

From Emma Stevens:
Do you have a story to tell? I know you do. We all do. When I told mine in “The Gathering Place,” I was aware that it wasn’t going to be readily accepted by all. What is? The vulnerability it takes to tell your story is no joke. Here’s to us standing strong together.

The Gathering Place: An Adoptee's Story found on: Amazon.com

Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/.../ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp...

#emmastevensthegatheringplace

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emmastevens99
IG: https://www.instagram.com/emmastevensthegatheringplace

Wandering Tree welcomes Mary to the show; a first mother who was forced to relinquish her child for adoption. The day we spoke was a first for both myself and Mary. Neither of us really knew what to expect when it came to having a conversation on the topic of adoption from our differing viewpoints. It was a new experience for me to be talking to a first mother who was not my own; and for Mary to speak to an adoptee not her own. 

The end result is this fantastic episode on just how hard it was to be a pregnant teen and how the situation was handled with little regard to her own feelings and mothering desires. 

Mary is welcoming of all first mothers and adoptees, supporting their journeys and sharing  to help others. 

Connect with Mary via TikTok @contrarybirthmom