Thriving Adoptees - Let's Thrive

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...

Helping Our Kids Open Up With Imani Z. Seunarine

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imani Z. Seunarine is Vice President of Behavioral Health and Outpatient Services at The Home for Little Wanderers  https://www.linkedin.com/in/imani...

Resolving Our Identity With Joy Alessi

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Joy Alessi is Policy Director of the Adoptee Rights Campaign, a diverse group of intercountry Adoptees and allies striving to educate, organize and ad...

The One Thing Your Adopted Child Needs To Know

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Check me out and get in touch at www.simonbenn.co.uk Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapists and speak from their ow...

Openness & Understanding With Alex Montgomery

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Alex is a single mother through adoption and a nonprofit professional with over 20 years of experience. In 2011, Alex started her journey to become a ...

Removing The Shrapnel Of Shame Trisha Priebe and Rich Metcalfe

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Trisha and Rich work at Lifesong which  seeks to mobilize the Church to care for the orphan, where each member can provide a unique and special servi...

Ending Trauma

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Check out www.simonbenn.co.uk for more on my work and to book me as a speaker. Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapis...

What Makes An Adoption Successful?

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You can email Jane at [email protected] - please use Simon's Podcast in the subject line Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed p...

Connecting With Our Kids With Marnie Greggs

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Grace Retreat Foster Care and Adoption Services is a licensing agency contracted by the State of Arizona. Grace Retreat is committed to support fami...

Leaving Trauma Behind

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Check out www.simonbenn.co.uk for more on my work and to book me as a speaker. Guests and the host are not (unless mentioned) licensed pscyho-therapis...

Taking Away Our Kids' Pain With Debbie Riley

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT is the CEO and co-founder of the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), a nonprofit meeting the mental health ne...

Nothing Is Impossible In God With Jim Daly

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, heard by more than 6 million listeners a week on nearly 2,000 radi...

Answering Tough Questions With Laurie Sherman Graff

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie is Executive Director of Heart Gallery NYC.Heart Gallery NYC , a non profit organization founded in 2006, utilizes photography to raise awarene...

Truth & Redemption With Billy Williams & Shelbi Walker

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Too Black to be White, and too White to be Black. Billy Williams was raised in Los Angeles, California in a loving home. His Teamster father and stay-...

Helping Kids Feel Loveable & Loved Terri Marcroft

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As an adoptive mom, Terri knows how fortunate she is to have her daughter, and also how very rare her story is. Not quite ten years into raising her d...

Change Starts With Us - Katie Rinaudo

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katie is the founder of OrphanWise, an alumna of Lee University and has a Master’s Degree in Holistic Child Development. She worked as a preschool t...

Healing The Primal Wound With Peter Sleigh

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a bit about Peter from his website.Qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 1999.I qualified as an NLP Practitioner in 2012.In 2017, I ...

When Kids Push Buttons With Katie Fetzer

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Katie serves 10.18 Strategy from a wealth of experience gained from her career as an entrepreneur, business consultant, executive officer, and strateg...

Believing In The Primal Wound With Stef Cybichowski

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here's bit about Stef from his websiteIn 2013, my life had crashed around my ears.After struggling with a lifetime of anxiety and depression, my marri...

Primal Wounded? With Clare Dimond

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a bit about Clare from her website"Hello my name is Clare.For a long time, I wasn’t at ease with who I thought I was.I felt anxious and worri...

Helping Kids Be Cool With Being Adopted With Michele Katz

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Founder of the Plus One Adoption Foundation, Inc., Michele Katz builds connections with charitable services in the space of adoption and fundraising, ...

Searching & Learning With Adoptee Michele Kriegman

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michele Kriegman is a storyteller by nature but she was missing her own backstory well into adulthood. Finding her birth-father helped complete it. D...

Elastic Parenting With Kristine Altwies

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a little about Kristine's organisation from her website:Hawaii International Child (HIC) (founding name, Hawaii International Child Placement a...

Adoptees' Mental Health With Astrid Castro

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Astrid founded Adoption Mosaic. Here's a bit about her from their website:Astrid has a degree in sociology with an emphasis in adoption. For twenty pl...

Ending Overwhelm With Nicole Moore

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nicole Ward Moore is a Board Certified Adoption Attorney and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator who manages and operates the Orlando offi...