Once Upon A Time...In Adopteeland

Jennifer Dyan Ghoston
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Once Upon A Time...In Adopteeland

Through an audio drama and episodes of thought-provoking conversations, the listening audience can learn some of the issues faced by those affected by adoption. The adoptee is at the center of all conversations had with other members of the adoption constellation.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    239. Laura L. Engel: "You'll Forget This Ever Happened: Secrets, Shame and Adoption in the 1960's"

    Original air date: May 2, 2023 Laura L. Engel likes to say she is late to the game as a budding new author. Originally from Biloxi, Mississippi, Laura has lived in Southern California for over 50 years. She and her husband, Gene are the proud parents of six grown children along with their significant others. They are delighted to be Grammy and PaPa to ten grandchildren. Recently retired after 30 plus years as a regional sales representative for an international title insurance company, Laura left the corporate world and plunged headlong into her second career as a writer in 2017. Laura has had two scenes from her memoir chosen for the San Diego Memoir Showcase. Her scene, 'Secret Son' is published in the award winning anthology 'Shaking the Tree'. Her scene 'Do They Know?' was selected as one of the ten winners for the San Diego Memoir Showcase in 2018. It was published in 2019 in Amazon Best Seller and Award winning Shaking The Tree 2 and Shaking The Tree 3. She is a current member of the International Women Writers Guild and President of the San Diego Memoir Writers Association. Laura's memoir is 'You’ll Forget This Ever Happened'. Check out her website for more information regarding her memoir. https://lauralengel.com/ Music by Corey Quinn

    1h 17m

  2. 1 JUL

    238. Rosalyn "Roz" Carter: "I Found Her"

    Rosalyn “Roz" Carter is the co-host of the I Found Her podcast and Taya's birthmother. At the age of 16, Roz became pregnant and placed Deana, now Taya for adoption.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Phoenix and is a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM). She was a member of Toastmistress in the early 1970’s before women could join Toastmasters.  In 2005, she joined Toastmasters while employed at the City of Moreno Valley, and has served in many leadership positions, including District Governor in 2012-2013 and Region Advisor in 2017-2019. Roz has presented workshops and keynote speeches on corporate relations, leadership, marketing, mentorship, coaching, program quality, club growth and retention, public relations, staff development and team building for Toastmasters, Chambers of Commerce and other community organizations.  She received Humanitarian of the Year from Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce in 2011 and awards for marketing, education and training. Please contact Roz Carter to share her expertise, the benefits and value of Toastmasters, and lessons learned with your organization's employees and members. https://ifoundherpodcast.com/ Music by Corey Quinn

    57 min

  3. 24 JUN

    237. Taya Reed: "I Found Her"

    Taya Reed is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor with over 15 years of therapeutic experience. She established her private practice, Sound House Therapy, 5 years ago. Adopted in 1970 during the Baby Scoop Era through the LA County Adoption Agency, Taya's personal experience within a closed same-race domestic adoption has profoundly shaped her professional journey. Taya is a US Armed Forces veteran and served in the Gulf War.  Taya presented at the Adoption Knowledge Affiliates conference and participated in an Adoption Mosaic panel discussion. She has participated in multiple writing groups such as Migrating Towards Wholeness: Rewriting Adoption Narratives in the Constellation with Dr. Liz DeBetta and Adoptee Voices Cohort 14 with Sara Easterly. Reuniting with both of her birth parents has provided first-hand experience of adoption's complexities. ifoundherpodcast.com https://www.soundhousetherapy.com/ Taya shares her journey openly having co-hosted the podcast "I Found Her" with her birth mother and is writing an adoptee-guided journal, also titled ‘’I Found Her,’’ planned for 2025 publication. Her mission is to provide compassionate and effective support to fellow adoptees as they navigate their adoption identity. Music by Corey Quinn

    59 min

  4. 17 JUN

    236. Angie: "Interconnectivity Among Adoptees"

    Angie was born in Washington, DC in 1971. She spent the first couple of months at St. Ann's Maternity Home before being adopted by a somewhat older couple. She learned about her adoption as a young child after asking her mother if she had been adopted, as suggested by some classmates. Angie searched for and found her biological family in her early twenties and has been in reunion for about 30 years.  https://www.patreon.com/c/adopteeland Music by Corey Quinn

    49 min

  5. 10 JUN

    235. Danna Schmidt: "Rituals of Healing From Birth to Worth"

    Danna Schmidt is an end-of-life navigator, ceremonialist, and adoptee who often writes about ritual and threshold moments at the bedside or graveside. Her writings have appeared in Adoptee Voices, Severance Magazine, Grown and Flown and in Maggie Oman Shannon’s Crafting Love: Sharing Our Hearts Through the Work of Our Hands. She has two works in progress: a hybrid guidebook, Funerals, Families & Other Exciting F Words, and her adoption memoir, What the Stork Brought, which chronicles family secrets and the prices we pay to keep them. https://waypointceremonies.com/ Rituals of Healing from Birth to Worth - Waypoint Ceremonies https://AltaredMoments.substack.com Music by Corey Quinn

    1h 4m

  6. 3 JUN

    234. Ed Di Gangi: "Gliding Through Goodbye"

    Ed Di Gangi is a returning guest. He was adopted at the time of his birth. It wasn't until late in his adulthood that he chose to explore the identity of the woman who had placed him for adoption so many years before. His meticulous research led to his learning the circumstances of his birth and subsequent adoption. A dna sample helped him identify his birth father. While neither his father nor his first mother were still alive when Ed made his discoveries, he is in reunion with both maternal and paternal half brothers and a number of first cousins. His search and these reunions are chronicled in Ed's first book, The Gift Best Given: A Memoir. His second book, Gliding Through Goodbye traces his birth mother's travels and her emotional journey in the years after relinquishing him for adoption. Ed lives with his wife, Linda, in Hillsborough, North Carolina. They recently became grandparents for the first time. Emery Kramer Di Gangi made an early appearance on Easter Sunday and is flourishing. https://www.digangiauthor.com/ Music by Corey Quinn

    44 min

  7. 27 MAY

    233. Jean Widner: "The Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective"

    Jean Widner is the author of a new book, The Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective. Today we’re talking about her road to understanding adoption and why she wrote this important book. Jean was born in 1965 and raised in Washington State as an adoptee. After having a mostly positive adoption experience growing up, she shares her story, as it continues to evolve navigating adoption’s complexities. Her book includes a fascinating history of adoption, as well as individual stories from birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees that bring an authenticity to the adoption narrative. Jean currently lives in Boulder City with her husband and two dogs and loves traveling the American west in their camping van while they work and play. https://adoptionparadox.com/ Music by Corey Quinn

    51 min

  8. 20 MAY

    232. Chris Benton: "Why Can't We Talk About My Relinquishment and Adoption?"

    Chris Benton from the UK (Birmingham) was fostered until 2 years of age prior to adoption. He listens to OUATIA podcast while doing landscaping work for his business. He recently transitioned from tree surgery to grounds maintenance (landscaping). He has an adoptive older brother (troubled) and in contact with bio brother who is 4 years younger (also adopted out) who lives in the US (Michigan). Chris has spoken with foster father (foster mother has dementia) and in contact with bio mom (psych issues). He is in contact with a bio paternal uncle and unaware if his bio dad is alive. Chris subsequently submitted DNA through Ancestry. Within his home there was no talking about adoption; “if parents don’t, then I won’t”. Music by Corey Quinn

    56 min
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About

Through an audio drama and episodes of thought-provoking conversations, the listening audience can learn some of the issues faced by those affected by adoption. The adoptee is at the center of all conversations had with other members of the adoption constellation.

Information

  • Creator
    Jennifer Dyan Ghoston
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    239
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Jennifer Dyan Ghoston
  • Show Website
    Once Upon A Time...In Adopteeland

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