Chasing the Buzz: A Foundling's Quest for Identity with Ryan Anderson - Ep 149
Release Date: 06/10/2024
Unpacking Adoption Trauma: Insights from an Adoptive Parent with Stacey Uhrig - Ep 164
Unraveling Adoption
âThey [our kids] can't be more regulated than you are. They can only be as regulated as the least regulated person in the house.â - Stacey Uhrig EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stacey Uhrig, an adoptive parent and certified trauma recovery coach. Stacey shared her journey into adoption, which began after her own struggles with infertility. She emphasized the emotional complexities and challenges that come with adoption, particularly the trauma that both adoptees and adoptive parents may face. Stacey discussed her...
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Personal Trust Communities in Adoption with Mike Thorne - Ep 163
Unraveling Adoption
"When I was nine years old,...my parents just looked at each other and looked back at me and said, Michael, we just want to tell you that we love you very much and that you're adopted." -- Mike Thorne =============== đGet our new book Adoption and Suicidality: đ Community Calendar: â¨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: đSign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: ============== EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mike Thorne, an adoptee and community leader. Mike shared his journey of discovering his adoption...
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The Importance of Adoptee-Led Initiatives with Jessica M. Luciere - Ep 162
Unraveling Adoption
"I tell every adopted person that I meet that their story changes my own story. And it's the truth. It is the absolute truth." - Jessica M. Luciere In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews Jessica M. Luciere, an inter-country, interracial adoptee from Colombia who works at Spence Chapin, a nonprofit adoption agency. Jessica shares her personal adoption story and highlights the importance of adoptee-led initiatives in the adoption community. She discusses the programming she has created at Spence Chapin, including Voices of Adoption for adoptees over 18 and...
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Shedding Light on Children of Priests with Brendan Watkins - Ep 161
Unraveling Adoption
"The Church, of course, is doing everything it can to silence victims." - Brendan Watkins EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, the host, Beth Syverson, interviews Brendan Watkins, an Australian adoptee who shares his emotional journey of discovering his origin story filled with religious intrigue. Brendan found out that his birth mother became pregnant in the 1950s and relinquished him for adoption, and later became a nun. He then discovered that his birth father was a Catholic priest. Brendan's memoir, Tell No One, sheds light on the challenges faced by children of priests...
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Homeschooling Complexities for Adopted Children with Rae (Adoptee Reclaimed) - Ep 160
Unraveling Adoption
"I never learned the word stress until I was 14 years old. And I can guarantee you I was very stressed well before the age of 14." -- Rae =============== đ Order our book Adoption and Suicidality: đ Community Calendar: â¨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: đSign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: =============== EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews Rae, whose handle is Adoptee Reclaimed. Rae discusses how being homeschooled from kindergarten through high school in a conservative family led to feelings of isolation...
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The Stolen Legacy of Indigenous Adoption with Pete Patton - Ep 159
Unraveling Adoption
"I really want to focus on the collective nature of being stolen, because it wasn't just me. It was the vast majority of Native adoptees." -- Pete Patton Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, co-hosted by Beth Syverson and her son Joey, they interview Pete Patton,LCSW, an Indigenous Inuit adoptee who shares his experiences of being stolen and adopted. Pete discusses the historical context of racism in Oregon and the impact it had on Native American communities there and elsewhere. He also delves into his journey of reconnecting with his Indigenous heritage and the healing...
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Adoption and Suicidality with Joey Nakao, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, Bruce Porth, Janell Strube, Laura L. Engel, Lorraine Dusky, Terri Dreismeier, and Melissa Brunetti - Ep 158
Unraveling Adoption
Adoption and Suicidality with Joey Nakao, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, Bruce Porth, Janell Strube, Laura L. Engel, Lorraine Dusky, Terri Dreismeier, and Melissa Brunetti - Ep 158 "Despite working hard on a daily or moment-to-moment basis to stay alive, the poem revealed a thin thread of hope that by turning toward and befriending my pain, I might just find a way through it." -- Bruce Porth, one of the bookâs contributors â¤ď¸â𩹠If you or someone you know is suicidal, please call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (Outside US, call your areaâs crisis line.) â¤ď¸âđŠš...
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Rituals and Relationships in Adoption Reunion with Elizabeth Barbour - Ep 157
Unraveling Adoption
"I think my mom, my adoptive mom, was probably scared that she was going to lose me to my birth family." -- Elizabeth Barbour EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson interviews guest Elizabeth Barbour, an adoptee who has been in reunion with her birth parents and 11 siblings since 1999. Elizabeth shares her personal adoption story and highlights the importance of navigating search and reunion in a healthy way. She emphasizes the need for support, education, and personal growth for all members of the adoption triad. Elizabeth also discusses the significance...
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Understanding The Foster Care to Prison Pipeline with Desmond DeRoo and Sara DeRoo - Ep 156
Unraveling Adoption
âLove is the biggest and best thing that she did â unconditional love." Desmond DeRoo EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of the podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Desmond DeRoo, a 30-year-old currently serving his second prison term in Michigan. Desmond, who was adopted by Sarah DeRoo at the age of five after being in the foster care system, shared his experiences of growing up as a biracial child in a small white town in Michigan. Despite facing intense early childhood trauma and struggles with impulsive behavior, Desmond emphasized the importance of unconditional love and...
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The Impact of Colonization on an Inuit Greenlander Adoptee in Denmark with Kâlånguak Absalonsen - Ep 155
Unraveling Adoption
"We have only ourselves. And when I'm thinking about that, I'm thinking how strong we are. Because we have survived and still live and still create and still talk about our history." -- Kâlånguak Absalonsen Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Kâlånguak Absalonsen, an adopted person from Greenland living in Denmark. Kâlånguak shared her unique perspective on adoption, colonization, and the challenges faced by Inuit people in Denmark. She highlighted the impact of colonization on adoption practices and the struggle to maintain...
info_outline"I'm just enjoying the journey. What happens when the journey is over? Then what? So I'm just chasing the buzz." - Ryan Anderson
Read the transcript; or read along while listening, if you have trouble udnerstanding Ryan's lovely Scottish accent: https://app.swellai.com/t/tp_01HZTEF176BBAYC769S710N7JB
Podcast Episode Synopsis:
In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Ryan Anderson, a foundling and transnational, transracial, and late discovery adoptee. Ryan shared his incredible journey of being found on the streets of Morocco as an infant and later being adopted by an English mother and Moroccan father in Scotland. The revelation of his adoption at the age of 18 sent him on a tumultuous path of self-medication with alcohol and drugs, but he has been sober for 10 months now.
Ryan's story is one of resilience and determination as he embarks on a relentless search for his birth family in Morocco. Despite facing challenges such as language barriers and limited resources, Ryan has not given up hope. He has explored various avenues, including DNA testing, visiting hospitals and courts in Morocco, and even appearing on Moroccan TV to share his story.
Throughout the episode, Ryan candidly discusses his struggles with mental health, the impact of his adoption on his identity, and the ongoing quest to find his roots. Despite facing negative comments and setbacks, Ryan remains steadfast in his pursuit, driven by a deep yearning to connect with his biological family.
As the host, I was struck by Ryan's unwavering determination and vulnerability in sharing his story. His journey serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of adoption and the profound longing for belonging. Ryan's courage and resilience in the face of adversity are truly inspiring, and his willingness to share his experiences sheds light on the emotional complexities of the adoption journey.
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đ Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar
â¨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: UnravelingAdoption.com/Healing
đSign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX
===============
RESOURCES:
Ryan (Peshy)âs information:
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Connect with Ryan on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/peshy37
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Or find him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/peshy
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Watch Ryanâs 15-minute YouTube video about his life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=4C-LNcmxdFk&feature=youtu.be
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Read Ryanâs 37-page story: https://peshy37.wordpress.com/2021/02/18/my-story/?
Other Resources:
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APtitude Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoptionâs Challenges: http://UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude
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Other Parents Like Me - http://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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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: http://Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption
Check out our website: http://UnravelingAdoption.com
Create your own podcast through Libsyn: https://signup.libsyn.com/?promo_code=ADOPTION
If you enjoy our podcast, please RATE and/or REVIEW Unraveling Adoption on Apple or Spotify. It really helps our episodes reach more ears. Thank you!
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Timestamps:
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00:00:02 - Introduction to Unraveling Adoption: Beth Syverson introduces the podcast and herself as an adoptive mom.
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00:03:10 - Desire to Help Others: Ryan Anderson discusses his burning desire to help others and his people-pleasing tendencies.
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00:06:42 - Discovery of Adoption at 18: Ryan shares his experience of finding out about his adoption at the age of 18 and the impact it had on him.
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00:10:06 - Coping Mechanisms During COVID: Ryan talks about how COVID-19 impacted his partying habits and led to a period of sobriety.
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00:12:25 - Ongoing Search for Birth Family: Ryan discusses his ongoing search for his birth family in Morocco and the challenges he faces.
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00:21:14 - Near Kidnapping Experience: Ryan recounts a harrowing experience of almost being kidnapped during a trip to Morocco.
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00:24:43 - Balancing Life and Adoption Search: Ryan reflects on the balance between searching for his birth family and living his life to the fullest.
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00:30:07 - Journey to Sobriety: Ryan shares his journey to sobriety and the importance of finding balance in his life.