Finding Her Beat: Healing and Identity Through Taiko with Jennifer Weir - Ep 144
Release Date: 05/06/2024
The Impact of Colonization on an Inuit Greenlander Adoptee in Denmark with Kâlánguak 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." -- Kâlánguak Absalonsen 📘📘📘Join the Book Launch Team for our soon-to-be-published book Adoption and Suicidality by clicking here: 📘📘📘 Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Kâlánguak Absalonsen, an adopted person from Greenland living in Denmark. Kâlánguak shared her unique perspective on adoption, colonization, and the...
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Finding Meaning in Adversity with Stephen Rowley - Ep 154
Unraveling Adoption
"The experience of being stuck is a pretty good place to be, I think, a lot of times in therapy and life." - Stephen Rowley 📘📘📘Join the Book Launch Team for our soon-to-be-published book Adoption and Suicidality by clicking here: 📘📘📘 Podcast Episode Synopsis: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Rowley, a school administrator, college professor, and psychotherapist who shared his fascinating journey of adoption and destiny. Steve's memoir, The Lost Coin: A Memoir of Adoption and Destiny, delves into the complexities of adoption...
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Unraveling Adoption Update: New Book Launch and Other Collaborations with Beth Syverson - Ep 153
Unraveling Adoption
Podcast Episode Synopsis: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I, Beth Syverson, provide a detailed update on the latest happenings within the Unraveling Adoption community. As an adoptive mom to my son Joey, we are dedicated to delving into the complexities of adoption and providing support to those impacted by adoption. Book Launch Announcement: The main highlight of this episode is the impending launch of our first book in the Unraveling Adoption book series. Titled Adoption and Suicidality, this anthology features stories, poems, and resources for adoptees, families, healthcare...
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Insights from Plant Medicine for the Adoption Constellation with Mee Ok Icaro and Leslie Pate Mackinnon - Ep 152
Unraveling Adoption
“Psychedelics can offer a portal to other consciousnesses and open spaces beyond our regular reality.” -- Mee Ok Icaro (adoptee) “Psychedelics can be a powerful tool for deep work and accessing feelings”. - Leslie Pate Mackinnon (birth mom) “Psychedelics can lead to transformative experiences, dividing life into before and after the journey.” -- Beth Syverson (adoptive parent) *********** All adoption constellation members (adoptees, birth/first parents, adoptive parents, and other allies) are invited to a Medicine Circle on July 7, 2024, led by Mee Ok Icaro and...
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Pride and Resilience: A Transgender Adoptee's Path with Sanjay Pulver - Ep 151
Unraveling Adoption
"Being trans was not in my product description, and my 30-day money-back guarantee return policy has long since expired." -- Sanjay Pulver Read the transcript here: Episode Synopsis In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of hosting Sanjay Pulver, a transracial intercountry adoptee from India, who shared his unique journey as a trans man raised by white parents in San Diego, California. Sanjay's story sheds light on the complexities of being an adoptee and navigating the intersections of adoption, gender identity, and cultural heritage. Sanjay shared his origin story,...
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A Deep Dive into Adoption History and Motherhood with Rebecca Wellington - Ep 150
Unraveling Adoption
"I think it's really important at this moment for us in our society to understand that we collectively and continuously, in every little micro level ways and macro level ways, differentially value mothers in America, and we are still making decisions that are rooted in really bigoted assumptions, that are rooted in racism." -- Rebecca Wellington Read the transcript: Podcast Episode Synopsis: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson welcomes guest Rebecca Wellington, an adoptee, mom, and historian, to discuss the complexities of motherhood in the context of adoption....
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Chasing the Buzz: A Foundling's Quest for Identity with Ryan Anderson - Ep 149
Unraveling Adoption
"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: 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...
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Behind the Scenes of Because She's Adopted: A Filmmaker's Journey with Kristal Parke - Ep 148
Unraveling Adoption
"I truly felt the weight of the world telling the story. I felt like it was a great responsibility, but I had to do it." -- Kristal Parke Read the transcript here: EPISODE SUMMARY: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristal Parke, an adoptee and filmmaker behind the acclaimed documentary Because She's Adopted. Kristal shared her journey of self-discovery and identity exploration through the creation of her film, which delves into her childhood, reunion with her birth mother, struggle with addiction, and intentional reconnection with her Indigenous...
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The Impact of Divorce on Adopted Children with Jane Spreckley - Ep 147
Unraveling Adoption
“I didn't want to lose them. I loved them both and I thought, it's hard to think about your life separated. I guess now knowing all that I know about being separated from the first person that I was supposed to be with, you know, I just never wanted to be separated from either one of them.” -- Jane Spreckley Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, the host, Beth Syverson, interviews Jane Spreckley, an adoptee whose adoptive parents divorced when she was 14 years old. Jane shares her experience of how the divorce activated her abandonment issues and impacted her...
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Wrestling with Social Anxiety as an Adoptee with Tammy Murphy - Ep 146
Unraveling Adoption
“I have a hard time believing in love, that love just really exists, that you can love somebody. Then I feel like I have a hard time loving men and stuff, so I wouldn't want them to get hurt if they ever felt like I didn't love them.” - Tammy Murphy Episode Summary: In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the privilege of speaking with Tammy Murphy, a Black, same-race, domestic adoptee living in Indiana. Tammy shared her struggles with social anxiety and dissociation, stemming from her adoption experience. She recounted how her adoptive mother's inconsistent responses to her...
info_outline"Taiko drumming is a wonderful way to release lots of negative energy and have it transformed into positive energy. " -- Jennifer Weir
Podcast Episode Synopsis:
In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, host Beth Syverson welcomes guest Jennifer Weir, a Korean adoptee who connected with her Asian identity through Taiko drumming. Jennifer shares her journey of being adopted from South Korea at a young age and growing up in North Dakota with very little Asian representation. Despite facing bullying and struggles with identity, Jennifer found solace in Taiko drumming, eventually becoming the executive director of Taiko Arts Midwest.
The episode delves into Jennifer's experience organizing a groundbreaking concert featuring elite women Taiko drummers from Japan, the US, and Canada. The concert, captured in the award-winning documentary Finding Her Beat, highlighted the challenges faced by women in the male-dominated Taiko industry. The film showcases the power of Taiko drumming as a form of expression and healing, resonating with audiences worldwide.
Beth and Jennifer discuss the complexities of Asian identity, the importance of processing grief, and the transformative power of Taiko drumming in navigating personal struggles. Jennifer's journey from a Korean adoptee to a Taiko drumming powerhouse serves as an inspiration to adoptees and individuals exploring their cultural heritage.
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📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar
✨Healing the Adoption Constellation database: UnravelingAdoption.com/Healing
💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX
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Resources mentioned in this episode:
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Finding Her Beat documentary: https://www.herbeatfilm.com/
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HERbeat: Taiko Women All-Stars (Full Concert Video): https://vimeo.com/ondemand/herbeat
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TaikoArts Midwest: https://www.taikoartsmidwest.org/
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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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
Check out our website: www.UnravelingAdoption.com
Create your own podcast through Libsyn: https://signup.libsyn.com/?promo_code=ADOPTION
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Timestamps:
00:01:05 - Guest Introduction: Jennifer Weir, Korean Adoptee
00:02:20 - Jennifer's Adoption Story: Arrival in the U.S.
00:03:31 - Growing Up in North Dakota as an Asian Adoptee
00:06:00 - Lack of Asian Cultural Connection in Childhood
00:08:00 - Experience of Bullying and Microaggressions in School
00:09:37 - Jennifer's Response to Bullying and Racism
00:11:59 - Vulnerable Story of Dealing with Bullying
00:13:32 - Coping with Rage
00:15:11 - Taiko Drumming is Cathartic and Therapeutic
00:16:08 - Women in Taiko Drumming: Gender Dynamics
00:17:13 - Empowering Women in Taiko Drumming
00:19:53 - Production of "Finding Her Beat" Documentary
00:21:38 - Jennifer's Family Involvement in Taiko Drumming
00:22:05 - Choosing Japanese Taiko Drumming over Korean Drumming
00:25:20 - Impact of Finding Her Beat on the Adoptee Community
00:27:02 - Information on Finding Her Beat film and TaikoArts Midwest
00:28:02 - Support Unraveling Adoption Podcast and Patreon Membership