Brainspotting in Adoption Therapy with Brooke Randolph - Ep 100
Release Date: 07/03/2023
Unraveling Adoption
I think for my mother, she didn't always really see me quite as a person of equal value. - Janell Strube A biracial adoptee, Janell Strube, shares her powerful journey of navigating racial identity and the impact of racism behind closed doors. Did she ever find the acceptance and understanding she sought? In this episode, you will be able to: Realize the complexities of biracial identity. Begin to understand the impact of racism on identity formation. Navigate the unique challenges of biracial identity. Learn how to create a supportive environment for biracial or transracial adopted...
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While I'm away this Thanksgiving week, I wanted to make the recording of our recent Adoptee Remembrance Day vigil available to you all. The live Zoom event was on October 30, 2023. Hear powerful personal stories, emotional poetry, and calls for greater awareness of adoptee suicide, murder, and deportation. TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE EVENT, click here: TO ACCESS THE WRITTEN PROGRAM FOR THE EVENT, click here: =============== 📆 Community Calendar: ✨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: =============== SUICIDE PREVENTION...
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Reserve your FREE ticket to the Sacred Plant Medicine for Healing the Adoption Constellation webinar featuring Mee Ok as one of the panelists, December 3 at 1pm PST: When you're in the margins and outside of the dominant narrative, you're very aware of what is just taken for granted. - Mee Ok Icaro A transformative journey unfolds as Mee Ok, a Korean transnational adoptee, embraces the healing power of Ayahuasca, finding dramatic physical healing, challenging her beliefs, and finding spiritual growth amidst the risks and rewards of this sacred plant medicine. In this episode, you will...
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"Being commodified, treated as an object, as a thing that can be returned or exchanged, deeply affects us. I am not a thing." - Moses Farrow Did you know that adoptees are at least four times as likely to attempt suicide as their non-adopted peers? In this episode, Moses Farrow will shed light on the truth behind high suicide rates among adopted people, and will provide resources to help prevent adoptee suicide. In this episode, you will be able to: Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by adoptees and how to provide meaningful support throughout their journey. ...
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Register at or at Do you have a child or loved one struggling with addiction or mental health issues? Are you dreading the holidays? Happy Enough Holidays is an interactive workshop hosted by Heather Ross and Beth Syverson Tuesday, November 14th 4:30 – 6:00 pm PST / 7:30 – 9:00 pm EST $20 for 90-minute interactive workshop Here's What You Get: A Supportive Immersive Experience: Curate your holiday experience with other parents who face similar challenges and understand you during this live workshop. Custom exercises tailored to your needs and situation...
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"Supporting a birth mother doesn't mean just offering empty words, but actively showing her what support looks like and helping her make informed decisions." - Abby Hasberry Have you ever experienced a life-changing twist that completely altered your life view? Abby Hasberry's story of being raised in a transracial adoptive family takes an unexpected turn at age 16, revealing the complexities and challenges faced by both transracial adoptees and birth parents. =============== 📆 Community Calendar: 💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: =============== In this episode, you...
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"You can't make this up. It's a beautiful journey of discovery and connection." - Rick Wertz Adoptees searching for their birth family are often met with dead-ends and heartache, which can be overwhelming. But Brian and Rick's story will give you hope. They demonstrate the grace and determination required to HANG ON when riding the complex roller coaster ride of reunion. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the complexities and emotional challenges of adoption, providing insight and understanding into the adoptee's and the birth parent's journey. Learn effective strategies for...
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"I spend a lot of my life, and even through my art, just looking for belonging." - Nicole Rademacher Join us as we delve into the world of art therapy and adoption with guest Nicole Rademacher. Discover how Nicole uses art to heal on her own journey as an adoptee, and explore her upcoming project, "We Are Not Our Cruxes," that aims to empower adoptees and former foster youth. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover the healing power of art therapy and how it can help adoptees do deeper work on their adoption trauma. Explore the complexities of transracial adoption...
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Belonging and Racial Identity for Late Discovery Adoptee Peter Capomolla Moore Access a written transcript here, in case you have trouble understanding Peter's lovely Australian accent: "It's important for adoptees to understand and embrace their racial identity and sense of belonging. We must challenge the labels we are given and create our own narratives." - Peter Capomolla Moore Have you ever heard these myths about the significance of racial identity and belonging for adoptees? Myth #1: Adoptees don't need to worry about race because love is all that matters. Myth #2: Adopting a child...
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"Don't let shame and stigma add to the struggles of being adopted. Personalized genetic testing can provide valuable insights and guidance for addiction treatment. Let's break the cycle and empower individuals to heal." - Dr. Evelyn Higgins Are you feeling overwhelmed by the endless trial and error of finding the right treatment for your mental health and/or addiction issues? Are you trying various medications and therapies that don't seem to alleviate your pain or provide lasting relief? I think many adoptees (and others!) can relate! It can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening to...
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Does this sound familiar? You've been told to simply provide love and support to your adopted child, but despite your best efforts, they still struggle with emotional trauma. Or maybe you're an adult adoptee and struggling with ongoing distress from your relinquishment. The pain of watching your child - or yourself - suffer and feeling helpless can be overwhelming. But there is hope. In this episode, we explore the power of Brainspotting as a therapy for trauma in the adoption constellation. By understanding the critical role of support structures, nurturing openness and connection, and mastering emotion regulation strategies, adoptive parents can help support their child's emotional healing. And adult adoptees can access this same healing for themselves with the help of a trained therapist. Join us to learn more and take a big step forward in your healing journey.
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📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar
💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX
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In this episode, you will be able to:
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Understand the undisputed importance and benefits of thorough education and adoptee-centered support for adoptive parents.
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Become aware of the life-changing impact of nurturing openness and connection in the adoption continuum for the adoptees’ wellbeing.
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Explore the intricacies of Brainspotting, specifically tailoring its application for trauma management in the adoption space.
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Master the art of regulating and balancing emotions for both adoptees and adoptive parents.
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Step into the world of therapy, appreciating the sanctuary it provides for both adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents.
My special guest is Brooke Randolph
Meet Brooke Randolph, a captivating blend of therapist, author, speaker, and trainer who brings her own hands-on adoption experience to the table. In adopting her first son from Samoa in 2013, Brooke truly embraced and navigated the complexities of adoption. Her work is informed by her personal experiences, plus she enriches it with a groundbreaking healing approach called Brainspotting. Brooke is a passionate advocate for therapy excellence and training, openness in adoption, and family preservation.
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
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Look up Brooke's website: https://brooke-randolph.com/
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Check out Brooke Randolph's book, It's Not About You: Understanding Adoptee Search, Reunion & Open Adoption: https://amzn.to/3Jz4mdX
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Find out more about Brooke's humanitarian work in Oceania: https://brooke-randolph.com/humanitarian-trainings-in-oceania/
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Here's Brooke's group practice with a list of their Brainspotting therapists: https://www.greenhouseindy.com/brainspotting
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Here's a list of Brooke's favorite books about adoption: https://amzn.to/3pnJDmA
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Read one of Brooke's latest blog posts, "Why Brainspotting for Adoption Therapy: 4 Foundational Elements": https://brooke-randolph.com/blog/why-brainspotting-adoption-therapy-4-foundational-elements/
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APtitude Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoption's Challenges: UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude
Other Resources:
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APtitude Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoption’s Challenges: UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude
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Other Parents Like Me - oplm.com
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Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents who have a child struggling with addiction: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/
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Adoptee-Therapist Directory: https://growbeyondwords.com/adoptee-therapist-directory/
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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson
Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao
Email questions or comments to [email protected]
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Support Unraveling Adoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption
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Adoption Support Group for Parents
Adoptive parents often grapple with unique challenges throughout their adoption journey. Joining a support group can provide an avenue to share experiences, seek guidance, and gain emotional support. This helps parents better understand their child and provide them the emotional support they need. Beth, the host of Unraveling Adoption, recognized the importance of such support, founded 'APtitude', a support group that provides resources to adoptive parents. During their conversation, she shares how APtitude offers resources, a private Facebook community for adoptive parents, and a book club to facilitate the sharing of experiences and provision of support. It's an effective and safe container for parents to navigate their unique journey of adoption.
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:00 - Introduction,
Host Beth Syverson introduces the podcast and welcomes guest Brooke Randolph, an adoptive mom, therapist, author, speaker, and trainer. They discuss their commitment to helping those affected by adoption and promoting excellence in therapy, openness in adoption, and family preservation.
00:02:09 - Brooke's Adoption Story,
Brooke shares her adoption journey, including working at an international adoption agency and adopting her son from Samoa in 2013. She discusses the benefits of open intercountry adoption and how she intentionally created an open relationship with her son's biological family.
00:07:06 - The Importance of Openness in Adoption,
Brooke emphasizes the importance of openness and information in adoption, providing adoptees with a solid foundation of their identity, and answering their questions. She stresses that withholding information can damage relationships and lead to distrust.
00:09:28 - "It's Not About You",
Brooke discusses the title of her book, It's Not About You: Understanding Adoptee Search, Reunion, and Open Adoption, and emphasizes that adoptive parents need to get out of their own way and prioritize their child's needs over their own. She also discusses the concept of co-regulation and the importance of attachment figures in regulating emotions.
00:14:57 - Importance of Regulation and Felt Safety
Finding one's own regulation is crucial to avoiding complications in a situation. It is essential to focus on felt safety and attachment to help kids feel safe enough to process trauma. Beth and Brooke discuss the importance of parents' goals not overtaking children's goals and how behavior is just a symptom of something else.
00:17:33 - Working with Adoptive Parents and Kids
Beth and Brooke discuss the dynamics of working with adoptive parents and kids. Brooke emphasizes the importance of helping the child determine their goals and focusing on those in therapy. She also mentions that while parents may come in with their own goals, their child's behavior is a symptom of something else, and the focus should be on helping the child feel safe enough to process trauma.
00:19:19 - Felt Safety and Brainspotting
Brooke explains that felt safety is feeling safe, not necessarily being safe, and it differs from person to person. She also discusses Brainspotting, a brain-body mindfulness-based therapy that utilizes a fixed eye position to increase access to the issue or pain. Brooke mentions that Brainspotting is an intuitive and flexible therapeutic modality that allows clients to feel seen and individuated.
00:23:51 - Brainspotting and Eye Position
Brooke explains that Brainspotting is a relational therapy that identifies and follows the client's lead, allowing for individualized sessions. Eye position affects how people feel, and finding a fixed eye position that increases or decreases activation can help clients access the issue or pain.
00:30:03 - Eye Position in Brainspotting,
Brooke mentions that a specific eye position does not correlate to a specific part of the brain. The positioning of the extraocular muscles is different for every person. The brain is complicated. We're just accessing different parts at different times based on what's most needed.
00:31:20 - Personal Brainspotting Experience,
Brainspotting helped both the guest and the host find a part of herself that was trying to come out for a long time. Different modalities, such as Brainspotting, breathwork, and EMDR are using our own brain's power to find our own healing. Brainspotting just helps uncover what our own brain has been trying to tell us all this time and hasn't had a chance.
00:35:05 - Adoption and Brainspotting,
Brainspotting has a relational foundation and a client-centered focus that is very healing for people in the adoption constellation. It is helpful for people who may not have words for their experience, whether because it was very early or because memories are encoded in a different language.
00:37:37 - Finding a Brainspotting Therapist,
To find a therapist, Google "Brainspotting" and see who comes up in your area. Consider joining an adoptive parents group such as APtitude which has a database full of directories and articles that are useful for their family's journey.
00:40:37 - In-Person vs. Zoom Brainspotting,
Zoom works fine - or even better - for some people, but it depends on the situation.
00:43:44 - Adoption Support Group for Parents,
Beth shares about her support group, APtitude, for adoptive parents facing adoption challenges. The group offers a database, a private Facebook group, a monthly speaker series, and bookclub as resources for adoptive parents to learn and grow together.