Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive
Episodes
Freedom WITH Trauma With Adoptee Molly McCaffrey
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Trauma is scary. Of course we adoptees have been through trauma and experience it when triggered. So we desperately want it gone. We want to be FROM t...
The Superhero Inside With Amanda Baum
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you compare yourself to others? Then beat yourself up for doing it? Would you like to forgive yourself for that or being angry? Would you like to l...
With Christine Murphy
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Usually it's us adoptees that doing the searching for our birth mothers and fathers. But what if they find us? That's what happened to today's guest. ...
Realising Our True Selves With Adoptee Diane Bay
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all want to love and accept ourselves. But how can we do that when we don't know who we are? What else gets in the way of us loving ourselves? List...
Seeing Our Own Self Worth With Adoptee Kay
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a bit different and experimental. Listening back to it, I'm a little hesitant and fumbling. I start by reading a poem about my diamond...
How Do We Get To Thrive With Adoptee & Adoptive Mom Maline Carroll
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thriving can seem impossible given our trauma. So how DO we thrive? Maline and I dive into freeing ourselves up, re-configuring our brains and letting...
Riding The Emotional Rollercoaster Of Search & Reunion With Adoptee and Genetic Genealogist Gerri Berger
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Considering searching? Scared of rejection? Confused about the next step? Adoptee and Genetic Genealogist Gerri shares what she's learned riding her o...
Upping Our Empathy Game With Adoptee Danielle Gaudette
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Empathy helps us understand the important others in our lives - like our adoptive parents as well as people who may not be in our lives such as our bi...
Surviving Rejection With Adoptee Lori Jakiela
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many adoptees - myself included - delay the search for our birth mothers for fear of rejection. We don't believe we could handle it. We are still feel...
Rewriting Our Story With International Adoptee Oleg Loughheed
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Oleg became an orphan at 9. But he's NOT a prisoner of the past. How has re-written his story to serve him? What has he learned that helps him thrive....
Resolution With Transracial Adoptee Matthew Salesses
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Transracial adoptee Matthew shares how he's found clarity and resolved confusion about who he is to find peace. There are insights aplenty on shame, f...
Satisfying Skin Hunger With Adoptee Nicole J Burton
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nicole pledged to herself that she'd search for her birth mother at the tender age of 4. Now in 60's she has been in reunion for over half her life. L...
Finding Our True Self With Adoptee Melissa Brunetti
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in as Melissa shares what she's learned after coming out of the fog and finding her true, authentic self. We go deep on higher self-esteem, spo...
God Hated Me With Adoptee Lorah Gerald
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about one of the most dramatic turnarounds we've ever heard on the podcast. Lorah used to think that God hated her. That she was a...
Unstuck With Adoptee Kirsten Weatherford
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kirsten never wanted to be stuck. So how did she become unstuck from her trauma? So she could heal, grow and move forward. How did she keep going when...
No Longer An Outsider With Adoptee Leah Cooper
05 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling like an outsider. So many of us felt like that growing up. And that feeling has stayed with us into adulthood. Listen in as Leah shares her jo...
Beyond Shame With Birth Mother Patricia Florin
04 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shame is incredibly toxic. Birth mothers suffer, adoptees suffer. Listen in as we go deep into shame from birth mother Patricia's perspective. Some th...
Patience & Persistence With Adoptee Alice Diver
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen on as Alice shares how she found the patience and persistence on her quest to find and meet her birth mother. There are bags of insights, reali...
Leaps in Wisdom With Adoptee Terrie Novak
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wisdom is a lot quieter than the negative voice in our heads. Listen in as Terrie and I explore finding truth and peace in that quieter place. From th...
More Than Good Enough
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How can the anguish of losing our birth mothers become the belief that we are not good enough? Join Vin and me as we explore the origins and growth of...
Becoming Who We Want To Be With Adoptee Julia Brewer Daily
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Julia Brewer Daily is a Texan with a southern accent. She has a B.S. in English and a M.S. degree in Education from the University of Southern Mississ...
Treasures From The Tough Stuff With Karen Springs
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a break from the norm as we go into what Karen has learned hosting adoptive parents in Ukraine and interviewing 63 adoptive families b...
How To Prevent Bullies Upsetting Your Adopted Child With Amanda Angel
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing more upsetting than seeing your child upset. Adopted kids can be more sensitive and easily upset. I'm adopted and bullies often mad...
Personal Growth With Adoptive Mom Beth Syverson
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we explore what adoptive mom Beth learned - and continues to learn - as her son struggles with addiction. It's raw, deep and profound.Here'...
Lifesaving Insights With Adoptive Mom Lori Schumaker
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Insights, epiphanies and aha moments. Our eyes open to reveal something different. We see the world differently, more clearly, better. And when we see...
Love From Within With Adoptee Amanda Medina
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda felt alone and angry. But she refused to stay that way and went on a deep journey within. Listen in as she shares her biggest learnings on that...
Overcoming Our Fear Of Rejection With Adoptee Ann Kief
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As adoptees our most overwhelming fear is that of another rejection. Ann and I explore the insights have helped her overcome this and other fears in l...
Why Do We Care About What Other People Think With Adopted Person Lynn Deiulis
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding WHY we do the things we don't want to do often initiates stopping doing them. So please stick with my lengthy set up this episode - it's...
Lightbulb Moments With Adoptee Suni Zmich
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Trauma experts talk about neuroplasticity as our brain's ability to change but they don't explain how to harness it. It's a lot simpler than it seems....
Healing Is Always Possible With Adoptive Mom Michelle Vandepas
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The adoption world is trauma obsessed. I believe we should be trauma informed and healing obsessed. Michelle does too. We go deep on holding the energ...
Relationships Start With Us With Birthparents Tony & Heather Bertauski
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a first for the podcast this lovely couple provide an incredible insight into what goes on for birth parents, how they kept going (and together) de...
Changing The Narrative With Valerie Cantella
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we get through the toughest stuff? When a life-threatening medical condition, an alcoholic husband, and a traumatic special needs adoption shat...
Conversations Matter With Adoptee Julie McGue
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Conversations oil our understanding of other people's perspectives and our relationships with them. They also give us a comparison to our own perspect...
Making Trauma Less Traumatic With Adoptee Paul Kimball
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What comes after the fog? What helps us navigate that? What do we do to feel good? Adoptee Paul and I go deep for answers, because that's where the pr...
Being The Hero In Our Own Story With Adoptee And Therapist Lisa Floyd
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us adoptees tell ourselves a tough story about ourselves. A story that we are not good enough. Adoptee Lisa has taken what she's learned - and...
If no-one else can love me, then how am I to love myself
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Shifts happen when we see through the story we've been innocently telling ourselves about ourselves. After setting the scene Vin and I go deep into se...
Whole - Healing My Primal Wound (Webinar recording)
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Am I stuck with the Primal Wound?Will it ever heal?How do I live with the scars?What on earth do I do to be whole?I've been searching f...
The Truth Heals With Adoptee Joanne Sayre
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The feeling of not being wanted haunts us adoptees. Being lied to exacerbates that feeling. The feeling moulds our thinking in a vicious circle that t...
Coming Home With Adoptee Susannah McFarlane
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Australian adoptee Susannah felt cut adrift. This episode is all about her journey back to home - finding herself. Listen into her wisdom for your own...
Finding Peace With Adoptive Mom Ann Angel And Adoptee And Birth Mother Amanda Angel
02 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda is an adoptee AND a birth mother. She's on the show with her mother Ann. That's a totally unique combination that we've never brought to you be...
Finding Peace With Late Discovery Adoptee Carlyn Montes De Oca
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Finding out she was adopted at 57 left Carlyn feeling fragmented and deeply unsettled. Listen in as she shares how she put herself back together and f...
For Adoptive Parents At Breaking Point With Adoptive Mum Cate Tumman
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Flexing stops us breaking. Cate is an adoptive mum who's been through tough stuff herself. She's also an educational professional too who helped many ...
Can Adoptees Be Whole? With Alice Stephens
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alice felt that there no was no place for people of mixed race like her. Adoption had destroyed her sense of identity. She felt fractured. Listen in a...
Seeing Our Untarnished Soul With Adoptee Danielle Gaudette
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I love meeting kindred spirits and interviewing them so they can share their learnings with you dear listener. Fellow adoptee Danielle is a total one ...
Addicted To Love With Alex M Frankel
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is it any wonder us adoptees crave love given the loss of the one who gave us life? Alex and I explore what he's learned on his journey to self love. ...
Knowing & Doing Better With Erin Bouchard
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When we know better, we do better. So what do adoptive parents need to know? Erin shares what she's learning raising her own kids adopted from foster ...
New Rights For Irish Adoptees With Patricia Carey
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptees born in Ireland can now access their birth information and apply for a tracing service. Listen in as Patricia Carey, CEO Adoption Authority o...
Growing, Healing, Loving & Creating With Joy Castro
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here's a bit about Joy from her website :Adopted as a baby and raised by a devout Jehovah’s Witness family, Joy Castro is constantly reminded to tel...
Shame & Adoptees With Susan Beale
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shame seems to exist on a scale from mildly debilitating to totally wrecking adoptees' lives. Listen in as explore shame, where it comes from and comi...
Faith, Hope and Perseverance With Diane Gray
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptee Diane's search & reunion process was epic and, ultimately, rewarding. Listen in as we take a deep dive into faith, hope & perseverance that po...
Healing Our Feelings With Laurie James
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling unwanted is a central theme to many of adoptees' lives. We ache for connection. And it's a deep throbbing heartache that hurts like hell. Li...
Ending My Identity Crisis With Thomas Kirst
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Transracial adoptee Thomas felt anger was stitched into him. Listen in as we explore how he saw through that to find peace and end his identity crisis...
A Transracial Adoptee's Insights On Peace & Identity
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Resolving identity is often particularly tricky for transracial adoptees given the extra layer of complexity that race brings to adoption. Lucy felt d...
Healing Parents With Therapist Catherine Young
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Taking our kids' behaviour personally stops us being the parents we need to be. So how do we become agents of healing? Listen in as therapist Catherin...
Absorbing Identity Shock
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us adoptees struggle with identity. Christiana became Christina at 8. All of a sudden she was in a new country, in a new continent, with a new...
Trauma FC 1 - Adoptees United 3
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Check out my free event in January https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/whole-healing-my-primal-wound-tickets-473258638327 Guests and the host are not (unle...
Filling The Hole In My Soul
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptee Paula and I go deep - because where the treasure is - the priceless insights that helped her heal the hole in her soul. Adoptee Paula and I go...
Healing Through Self Compassion
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Trees seal, people heal. Adoptee Kate helps us to self understanding and compassion in this profound episode. Sit back and drink this all in - especia...
Infinite Love With Birth Mother Suzanne Asha Smith And Adoptee Cynthia Stone
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Love isn't finite. But what does that even mean? In a fantastic first for Thriving Adoptees an adoptee and her birth mother talk about this and much m...
Helping Adopted Kids Grow With Danny Huerta
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If we want our kids to grow, we need to grow. So how do we do that? Danny shares a wealth of insights into how we can grow based on a lifetime's exper...
The Power Of Epiphanies With Lora K. Joy
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Coming out of the fog marks the start our healing journey not the end of it. Listen in as adoptee Lora shares what's turbo-charged her healing. We go ...
Attaching Securely With David Cross
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How many ex foster kids are professors? How many have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of children from hard places. Dr David Cross is uni...
Trusting Ourselves As Parents With Nancy McCabe
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Doubt and insecurities are part and parcel of parenting. And deeper for those adopting given the potential complexities growing their families that wa...
The Hidden (and not so hidden) Burdens of the Adoptee With Lisa Ann
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What's the journey from hardship, anxiety and grief to love, joy and hope. Lisa Ann explores our burdens, how they develop over the stages of our live...
From Surviving To Thriving With Tami Lowe
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adopted at 22, Tami's story is anything but typical. Neither is her transformation from surviving to thriving. So what has she learned on the way? Wha...
Transcending Trauma With Jenny Rose Asher
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Trauma can overwhelm our kids. So how do we help them transcend it? Adoptive mom Jenny Rose Asher and I go deep on allowing, validating and evaluating...
How To Talk To Our Kids About Adoption
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you are afraid you are definitely not alone. Fear is a familiar feeling for all parents but adoption can take it to another level. That's what adul...
How To See Your Self Worth With Allison Olson
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Self worth is THE issue for us all. How we see ourselves determines how we see the world. Allison and I both had profound insights about self worth du...
The Truth Heals With Edward Di Gangi
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We adoptees have lots of thoughts about adoption. Those thoughts decide how we feel. But what if those thoughts are wrong? And what if being wrong hel...
The Key To Adoptees' Happiness With Charlotte Laws
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Where do we find happiness? Is it nature or nurture? Adoptee Charlotte came through some very tricky times in her adoptive family including her mother...
Connecting With Our Kids With Susan TeBos
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you immerse yourself in learning before adopting and yet still feel you're learning on the job? You're not alone. Adoptive mum/mom Susan has 3 kid...
How We See Adoption With Mary Beth Osowski
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Beth has 7 kids including 2 adopted from China and one from foster care. Ahead of our conversation she talked to her kids about what what helps t...
Reshaping The Narrative Of Adoption With Marci Calabretta Cancio-Bello and Alice Stephens
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptee writers Alice and Marci go deep on changing the narrative around around adoption. We explore changing the narrative out there in the world and...
Finding Birth Parents With Jay Rosenzweig
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're an adoptee looking to find your birth parents, listen in. Jay shares over 30 years of knowledge on both the practical and emotional aspects ...
The Other Side Of Shame With Marcy Pusey
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've all felt shame - it's part of the human experience. But beyond it lies the peace we seek for ourselves and those we love. So how do we get to th...
Self Awareness
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
GINA ROGERS – PRESIDENTGina Rogers is a dynamic, passionate individual who is eager to serve at-risk children and families. Currently, Gina works a...
Resilience In Reunion With Jenni Alpert
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jenni Alpert (Cami) - Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Jenni Alpert (Birth name: Cameron, Cami) was born in Los Angeles, CA and adopted out ...
Safe, Worthwhile & Lovable With Richard Rose
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Rose is the Director of Therapeutic Life Story Work International (TLSWi). TLSWi provides consultancy and training on Therapeutic Life Story W...
Perseverance, Persistence & Thriving With Phil Scarpelli and Mike DiBrizzi
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Seasoned professionals Phil and Mike share 2 lifetimes worth of insights, learning and understanding into what helps adopted kids thrive. Given the de...
How Adoptees Change - Safety, Addiction & More With Dr Brett Furst
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptee & therapist Brett dives deep into how we change. We want to change and yet the work involved seems daunting. Why is that? How does safety keep...
How Does Mentoring Help Adoptees Thrive? With Jessica Luciere
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Therapy is often seen as THE route to overcoming trauma and thriving. Mentoring is less known and less common. In this episode I interview mentor Jess...
Love Always Prevails With Heather T Forbes
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Life can feel really tough when our kids are showing the signs of their trauma. Adoptive mom of two Heather has been there and felt like throwing in t...
Healing Through Story With Alisa Matheson
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Known stories heal. So how do we do that? Adoptive mom and story expert Alisa shares a host of practical insights into this vital topic. She breaks th...
Empathy, Connection & Healing With Maria Nanos
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Being where the other is. Putting ourselves in our kids' shoes. Seeing life through their lens. Maria goes deep on how we build empathy and connection...
Helping Kids Heal From Trauma With Melissa Corkum
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If our kids come from trauma life can be dark. Where's the bright light of hope? It's in neuro-plasticity, the brain's built in capacity to change. Me...
Gold Dust, Advocacy And More...Lindsay Hermida And Lindsay Rustan
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lindsay Hermida helped Lindsay Rustan adopt. She's now raising 6 (yes 6!) teenagers. Her gold dust insight absolutely blew me away. So be sure to list...
The Healing Power Of God With Herbie Newell
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The title may cause some to question this episode or simply not listen to it. I chose the topic out of deep respect for Herbie's beliefs and because I...
Overcoming Struggles With Transracial Adoptee Claire Magenheimer
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do transracial adoptees come to terms with feelings of loss and shame? Clare shares what she's learning as we dive deep into mental health and lim...
What Do We Focus On So Our Kids Thrive? With Danielle Gletow
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Life can be chaotic for all families. So how do get comfortable with the chaos? What do we focus on to help our kids thrive? How do we need to be so t...
Freedom With Emma Stevens
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adoptee Emma shares what she's learned about how we break from addiction whether that's our thinking or other addictions like alcohol. It's a particul...
Helping Our Kids To See Their Iron Clad Value With Mark Andrews
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A low sense of self worth can plague adoptees. So how do we make our kids see their iron clad value? To be comfortable in their own skins? How does be...
Unleashing Our Greatness With Mike Thorne
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mike's sense of self crumbled on finding out he was adopted at 9. It took him decades to become secure in himself. How did he? What can we learn to un...
Open To Learning With Kelly Raudenbush
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly thought that her experience raising 3 bio kids, her knowledge of trauma and qualifications in children and infant mental health would make raisi...
Trauma Informed, Hope Obsessed With Marcy Bursac
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here's the link to the other podcast episode on unpacking our own baggage as adoptive parents that I mention in the interview https://thriving-adopte...
Making Your Dream A Reality
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Connect with me at www.simonbenn.co.uk email [email protected] Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists a...
Doing Our Own Work With Meg Manning
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here's a bit about Meg and the Trust she works for. As the Director of Home Visiting Training and Professional Development, Meg oversees all initial a...
Empowering International, Transracial Adoptees To Thrive With Genevieve Jacobi
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Genevieve is the Executive Director of A Family in Bloom Adoption and also one of the Placement Supervisors. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the ...
Overcoming Challenges With Rita Soronen
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For more than 30 years, Rita Soronen has worked on behalf of abused, neglected and vulnerable children, providing leadership for local, state and nati...
Being Who Our Kids Need Us To Be With Gayle Swift
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An adoptive mother of two now-adult children and a former foster parent, Gayle H. Swift is also a certified coach, co-founder of GIFT (Growing Int...
Are you your worst critic?
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Check out www.simonbenn.co.uk to book me as a speaker Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their o...