When a child is in need of support to help navigate the traumatic experiences in their lives. Renowned psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and leading authority on childhood trauma Dr. Bruce D. Perry is the man to call. Dr. Perry has researched childhood trauma and its impact on brain development and behavior throughout his decades, long distinguished career. Perry's dedication to understanding and addressing the effects of trauma on individuals, families, and communities has played a pivotal role...

Doris, who lives between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, California, was adopted after her adoptive mother's repetitive attempts at pregnancy. Doris then had to endure herself centeredness -- a residual trauma of her failed pregnancies -- and her narcissism, which prevented her from being the mother Doris needed. I n reunion, Doris was welcomed by some of her extended family, but chose to try to meet her birth mother face to face, to hopefully avoid being rejected. You will be stunned by the...

Monica, from outside of Sacramento, California, shares her double story as an adoptee and a birth mother. When Monica was a kid getting dumped by her adoptive mother sent her down a path of bad-girl attention seeking that, put her in dangerous situations. In reunion she discovered her heritage is tied to native people of North America and that her instinct to search was well-timed because her passionate drive was matched by someone else very important to Monica who was looking for her too....

Angela, from Seattle Washington, grew up in a home full of adoptees whose adoptions were prioritized because of perceived medical needs, including her own. Angela pursued reunion, expecting she would search for and find her birth mother and they would look just the like, Instead, Angela first found a man who was loved by his community and when she appeared there in his town where she was born, everyone knew exactly who she was because of her close. paternal resemblance. Angela's maternal...

Jane, from outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, grew up knowing she was adopted, comfortable with the fact, and even knowing her birth name from a young age. After her adoptive parents passed away, Jane obtained as much identifying information as possible and submitted two DNA tests. The amalgamation of resources all provided supporting clues to her maternal and paternal sides. In reunion, Jane found a man who didn't even know she existed, but wanted to get as much information about what...

Brad, from McKinney, Texas, just outside of Dallas grew up thinking something was off in his family. But Brad internalized his differences from his parents as his own inability to adapt to their personality traits and abilities. As an adult DNA testing revealed that something far more foundational to his being was the reason for their differences. The revelation set off a series of forced confrontations, unexpected sibling introductions, and being face to face with an incarcerated man Brad...

In collaboration with my friends, Louise Brown and Sarah Reinhardt I'm bringing you a conversation we had a while back when I appeared on their show "Adoption, The Making of Me. Sarah and Louise are both adoptees with unique stories of their own. These two friends and former business partners Launched adoption, the making of me to open up more frank, honest conversations about adoption with a unique twist. In each episode of their podcast, they recap a chapter of a book that focuses on...

Deanna, from outside of Tampa, Florida, could see in her youth that she didn't look like her adoptive family. In elementary school she discovered her name change documents under her parents bed which added to her desire to search for her birth family. When Deanna found her birth mother, she cried repeatedly listening to the woman's voice and when her husband found her she told him, 'We have to go to her now'. Unfortunately, her birth mother kept her vow of taking Deanna's birth father's...

Nina, from Minnetrista, Minnesota felt nothing but love in her adoptive family so much so that she wore her adoption as a badge of honor. Early in Nina's life, her adoptive father shared identifying information about her and, coupled with the birth of her children, Nina could no longer push down her desire to search. Nina's search did not turn out the way that she had hoped at all, But she she tries to move forward from a place of empathy for everyone involved in her origin story.   This...

Margaret Jane lives right in the middle of rural Michigan, outside of Carson city. When Margaret Jane asked her mother if she was adopted it was an emotional revelation both for her adoptive parents and for MJ who learned her community already knew she was adopted. Incredibly, since her earliest days, MJ has been connected to her husband, her in-laws, and unbelievably her birth mother too -- but she didn't even know it. MJ shares her challenges with everyone knowing that she was adopted...

John, from Bowling Green, Kentucky grew up in Houston, Texas questioning why he looked different from his parents. When he asked about himself as a baby, his parents broke down. His adoption from Chile happened during a tumultuous time when their government supported the adoption of its own children, but the source of John separation from his family was much closer to home. In reunion John made the long journey to be face-to-face with his biological parents, see his homeland and reconnect...

Bethany, from Gaithersburg, Maryland could see differences in herself and her white family, but her parents explained to those differences away and she believed what she was told. Unexpectedly, Bethany's birth mother found her, but the woman was not prepared to discuss her past nor reveal the truth about Bethany's true heredity. Fortunately DNA testing revealed the one thing that everyone close to Bethany was trying to hide, unlocked the relationship with her birth father, uncovered the...

Tracy, from Ottawa, Canada lived in a unique situation with a mother who was the disciplinarian in their home. When Tracy found her birth family, she was shocked to see how much she resembled her sister among other huge family surprises. After reunion, Tracy's adoptive mother was not able to accept what she perceived as Tracy's betrayal once she found her birth parents. But Tracy says she has no regrets about any part of her search and reunion. This is Tracy's journey Who Am I Really? Who...

Mike, from Modesto, California, is a self-proclaimed introvert who was raised by a family of extroverted performers. With his adopted brothers, help Mike located his birth family, was well received on his paternal side, but was blocked out by a wall of defense by his birth mother. Thankfully Mike approached the reunion process with no expectations and lots of patience. He held out hope that one day she would change her mind about meeting him. This is Mike's journey. Who Am I Really? Who Am...

Barbara who called me from Grand Rapids, Michigan, grew up an emotional child adopted by two refugees of war. When she found her birth mother, Barbara felt an immediate connection, struggled to get answers about her birth father, and uncovered lies about her origin story after the woman passed away. DNA helped Barbara locate her birth father, But the man refuses to admit he may have been with her mother. So Barbara is left feeling lied to and disconnected from family members from every...

John, from Southern California, learned at 10 years old he was adopted. But he didn't do anything with the information for four decades while he lived a dream playing the game of basketball as a collegiate star, professional player, and international coach. On his search John found the man who transacted his adoption, heard stories of another man like himself who had trekked deep into Mexico to find his roots, and finally reached the inner calm that comes with knowing where he is actually...

Becky, from Sydney, Ohio, said she has always searched for someone who resembled herself. When she found her birth mother, she was wounded by the woman's fear reaction to having been found after two decades apart. Becky lived with her adoption reunion rejection trauma for years until she found the adoptee community, gained clarity on her birth mother's probable trauma, then finally reached out to give the woman a second chance to release the pressure of her secret. Finding her birth...

Elianna who called me from Santa Cruz, California, said growing up her family moved frequently, which taught her it was easy to uproot and restart. When her adopted brother triggered her search with his own desire to find his birth mother, Eliana got very emotional about her inability to locate the woman she wanted to find. Wishing and praying their, connection became reality, but Eliana could not have predicted the eruption of resentment she would feel when she moved in with her birth...

Linda, who called me from St. Petersburg, Florida, said that when her adoptive mother found herself single parenting her two daughters, they moved to the south where her family shunned the children for being adopted. In reunion with her birth mother, Linda found a woman who had a tough story to share about her conception, who was seemingly afraid of the truth coming out to her family, and who went to extreme criminal lengths to try to make Linda lose custody of her own daughter. Through it...

Fred called me from outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near lake Michigan. Fred grew up an only child loved and supported by his parents, but sometimes feeling out of place and misdirected by them when he tried to pursue some of his interests. As an adult, a slip of the tongue of one of his relatives revealed something he had never suspected. That he was adopted. In reunion with his birth mother, Fred found a woman so deeply traumatized that she wanted to maintain her secrets after her death....

Kamina called me from Dubai, but she grew up in Texas. Kamina said she was always confused about why she didn't look like her adoptive family and no one would ever admit she was adopted. Turmoil between her adoptive parents led both of them to alcoholism, poor judgment, and an awful love triangle that got Kamina kicked out of her home at a tender age. After years on the street, then time in the military Kamina decided part of ending her years of self-sabotage was to finally face the truth...

Trish from Arlington, Texas had open access to her adoption records which provided the information she needed to find her birth mother. But just because she was found didn't mean the woman wanted to talk. When her birth mother's reluctance to meet Trish softened, they formed a relationship that lasted many years until suddenly it was over. Trish has tried to put the adoption reunion rejection behind her. She focuses more on trying to build a relationship with her birth father and hopes to...

Today we're going back to Lisa's journey from episode 197 that started this season. When I spoke with her last, she was filled with anxious anticipation for meetings with a paternal cousin, who was also adopted, and then her birth father. In reunion. Lisa got some answers she had been looking for, but those answers just led to more questions. Thankfully, Lisa has found a diamond in the rough of it all who has been key to completing some of her origin stories, narrative. This is the rest of...

Dr. Ryan Hanlon, Pres. & CEO of the National Council For Adoption shares a special update about the adult adoptee survey. This is the third in a three part series, Profiles In Adoption. If you're an adult adoptee in the U.S. please make time to share your adoption experience on the survey. You can find the survey on the NCFA website. Who Am I Really? Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story Find the show on: InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer...