Adoption: The Making of Me. An Oral History of Adoptee Stories

Louise Browne & Sarah Reinhardt
  • 4.7 (131)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Two adult adoptees, Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne, delve into all things adoption - from their perspectives as adult adoptees. Each season Sarah and Louise recap a chapter from a book centered on adoption and then interview a guest. Sarah and Louise come out of the 'fog' in real-time through Seasons One and Two and are advocating for change in the adoption industry. They want to give voice to all adoptees. Adoptee stories are needed to reframe the narrative around adoption.Sarah and Louise, two former business partners who had a successful ice cream truck in Los Angeles, team up again - this time in frank and honest conversations about all things adoption from the adoptee perspective. Both were adopted shortly after birth, but they had very different experiences. These will be intimate conversations, but also fun - because Sarah and Louise know how to lighten things up and have a good time. They also have an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a subject with anyone who crosses their path - so conversations will take many turns.

  1. 5d ago

    Dana: The Truth Worth Finding

    Dana was born at St. John’s Hospital in Cleveland in 1973. She was adopted through Catholic Charities in November of 1973. Her adoption was never kept a secret from her, but she still wondered where she came from. She was able to find her biological mother’s name after the state of Ohio released her OBC (Original Birth Certificate). Sadly, she also found out her biological mother had passed away, and there was no name given for her biological father. She could have given up her search after finding an obituary for her biological mother, but she didn’t. With encouragement from her family and friends, she reached out to her first mother’s sister and, through her, connected with more family. She received a false lead from her aunt that made her believe her biological father had passed away, but an Ancestry DNA test led her to the truth and four paternal half-brothers. Today, Dana shares her story through podcasts and blog posts, and she is writing a memoir called A Girl and Her Four Families. She believes every adoptee has the right to know where they came from, and even if it comes with heartbreak, the emotional roller coaster is always worth it. Dana on YouTube This Episode Is Sponsored by Lovebug Probiotics We spend a lot of time on Adoption: The Making of Me talking about the experiences that shape who we are. But there's also something important — and much more everyday — that deserves our attention: taking care of ourselves and our health. This episode is brought to you by Lovebug Probiotics, a mom-founded probiotic brand with science-backed options for adults and families. Lovebug's story began with co-founder Ashley Harris. During the birth of her son, Hudson, Ashley received broad-spectrum antibiotics. That experience led her to start learning more about the gut microbiome and ultimately inspired her to create Lovebug. Today, Lovebug offers probiotics for women and adults, along with options for babies, toddlers, and kids, making it easy to find products for different ages and stages of family life. Sarah and Louise also had the opportunity to personally try Lovebug, and we each found ways it fit into our lives when we needed a little extra support. Sarah loved Lovebug for the support it gave her during a busy move. With so much going on, she appreciated having it as part of her wellness routine and felt really good while using it. Louise tried Lovebug while she was sick and recovering. She found it incredibly helpful as part of her overall health and wellness routine during that time. Lovebug probiotics are designed to support digestive and immune health as a simple addition to an everyday wellness routine.* Because taking care of yourself doesn't have to be complicated. Ready to find the right Lovebug for you or your family? Shop Lovebug Probiotics: https://lovebug.com/ Use code MAKINGME20 for 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. ------------------------------------ Sign up to be part of our mailing list & find out details about our April 2027 Live Event in Los Angeles! Thank you to our Patrons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, November 21st at 1 pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees who identify as queer gathering in community on Zoom: For details, email adopteequeer@gmail.com and on Instagram. Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Celia Center Inc., a non-profit organization in Los Angeles supporting all members of the foster care and the adoption constellation. Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Dana: The Truth Worth Finding

  2. Oct 13

    Jeanette: Foster Care, Adoption and Identity

    Jeanette Yoffe, M.A., M.F.T. earned her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, specializing in adoption and foster care for the past 20 years. She treats children, teens, and adults with serious psychological problems secondary to histories of abuse, neglect, adoption, and /or multiple foster care placements. She is also an adopted person, raised in foster care for 6 years. ​​ She is the Founder of Celia Center Inc., a non-profit organization in Los Angeles supporting all members of the foster care and adoption constellation, which includes birth parents, foster youth, adoptees, foster and adoptive parents, as well as professionals working in the field. ​ She is also the Clinical Director of  Yoffe Therapy Inc. A mental health center in Los Angeles provides services to families, children, teens, and adults connected by foster care and adoption. ​ In 2019, she published a one-woman show she performed back in 2000 titled What's Your Name? Who's Your Daddy? and is on Audible. ​ She published her first mental health book of interventions for working with children in foster care and beyond titled The Traumatized and At-Risk Youth Toolbox: Over 160 Attachment-Informed Interventions for Working with Kids and Families in Foster Care and Beyond. A must-have intervention book for all professionals and parents working with children in foster care and adoption. She also has a set of children's books: What is Adoption? and What is Foster Care? ​Jeanette created a YouTube Channel devoted to educating the world about foster care, adoption, and mental health called Jeanette-ically Speaking, launching Hand Model of The Brain Video for kids. ​ She is also a Psychology Today Contributor for the column The Inner Life of Foster Care. Jeanette on YouTube Sign up to be part of our mailing list & find out details about our April 2027 Live Event in Los Angeles! Thank you to our Patrons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, November 21st at 1 pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees who identify as queer gathering in community on Zoom: For details, email adopteequeer@gmail.com and on Instagram. Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Celia Center Inc., a non-profit organization in Los Angeles supporting all members of the foster care and the adoption constellation. Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Jeanette: Foster Care, Adoption and Identity

  3. Oct 6

    Wilson: Marked by Adoption

    Wilson Munsterman is a 20-year-old author and adoptee who uses his experiences to bring greater attention to the complexity of adoption and the adoptee perspective. He is the author of Marked by Adoption: 10 Key Insights from an Adoptee’s Perspective, an Amazon #1 New Release that has reached readers internationally and been accepted into the Library of Congress. His advocacy has been recognized by the Nebraska Legislature through Legislative Resolution 483, along with letters of recognition from Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and State Senator Rita Sanders. His story has also been featured across television, radio, and podcasts. Adopted from China as an infant, Wilson believes adoption is not a one-size-fits-all experience. At 17, he testified before the Nebraska Legislature on adoption and continues to support the adoption community through writing, advocacy, and mentorship with younger adoptees. Rather than defining adoption as entirely positive or negative, Wilson encourages space for the different experiences and emotions that come with it. At the center of his work is a larger question: even when we cannot control every part of our story, can we still build meaningful lives? Wilson encourages others to acknowledge their past, focus on what they can control, and recognize their ability to shape what comes next. Wilson's Website Wilson on YouTube Sign up to be part of our mailing list & find out details about our April 2027 Live Event in Los Angeles! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, October 10th at 1pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees who identify as queer gathering in community on Zoom: For details, email adopteequeer@gmail.com and on Instagram. Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Wilson: Marked by Adoption

  4. Sep 29

    Live Episode from Minneapolis: Candi

    Born in the Baby Scoop Era in 1969, Candi was adopted at five days old in a closed adoption. While loved by her adoptive family, adoption was rarely discussed beyond the narrative of being "chosen." She grew up with two older brothers who were biological to her parents, and a sister who was adopted 18 months after her. When her adoptive mother passed away from cancer during Candi's junior year of high school, the profound grief overshadowed and masked the underlying trauma of her relinquishment. After several early search attempts, a 2017 DNA test finally helped her connect with her biological family, though in-person meetings were delayed for several years. Today, she cherishes the meaningful relationships she is building with her biological relatives and their families. It was only two years ago that Candi finally learned the language to express how adoption has impacted her life. Discovering that there wasn’t something “wrong” with her but instead she was having normal reactions to what happened to her — was incredibly freeing. Since that breakthrough, Candi has immersed herself in adoptee-centered healing, education, and rights advocacy. Founding an in-person adoptee peer group and participating in community events have become the most transformative parts of her ongoing journey. Professionally, Candi has worn many hats, working in various positions across different businesses throughout her career, although her favorite title is mom to her three children. Candi on YouTube Season 13 Book: Who is a Worthy Mother? by Rebecca Wellington Sign up to be part of our mailing list & find out details about our April 2027 Live Event in Los Angeles! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, October 10th at 1pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees who identify as queer gathering in community on Zoom: For details, email adopteequeer@gmail.com and on Instagram. Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Live Episode from Minneapolis: Candi

  5. Sep 22

    Samantha: The Art of Becoming Whole

    S13, ep.1: Samantha Samantha Verrone is an interdisciplinary artist. Exploration of how time is spent, what holds our attention and a slow, mindful method using plant and mineral dyestuffs, hand stitchwork and foraged materials form the taproot of her process. Sam is a baby scoop era adoptee from New York City, raised in Northern Westchester, NY along with her brother, Dave (S11, Ep. 14). After reunion, it took another 2 decades for the FOG to lift. As Sam discovered, the closed adoption system is built upon a foundation of shame, secrecy, identity erasure and forced gratitude. It takes time, determination, resilience and connection with other adoptees to dismantle. The experience of coming out of the FOG has illuminated how deeply relinquishment and adoption have affected Sam’s life. Her lifelong fascination with found objects and materials marked by time and imperfection reflects an ongoing exploration of identity, belonging, loss, fracturing and connection. She works with foraged fragments without erasing histories, instead blending, mending, rearranging, deconstructing and reconstructing, transforming them into something new, collaborating with the past. Her work considers what we inherit, what we claim and let go and centers integration. Through caring for her adoptive mother with dementia, Sam developed a method of supporting people experiencing cognitive decline. This work has deepened her understanding of care as a creative, relational practice—one that honors identity and preserves the dignity of the individual. Again, integration is the nexus. Care, craft, and culture are intertwined. Art is powerful healing. Samantha on YouTube Season 13 Book: Who is a Worthy Mother? by Rebecca Wellington Sign up to be part of our mailing list! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, September 26th at 1 pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Kristal Parke Because She Is Adopted Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Samantha: The Art of Becoming Whole

  6. Sep 15

    Jean: The Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective

    Season 12 Final: Jean Kelly Widner is the author of The Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption into Perspective, a powerful exploration of the complex realities of adoption. Born in 1965 and adopted at birth in Washington State, Jean lives the paradox she writes about-experiencing both love and loss, belonging and separation. In her book, she shares stories from all sides of the adoption triad: adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families, alongside insights from mental health experts. Jean brings clarity and compassion to a subject often wrapped in silence and misconception. With a background as a marketing consultant and joint venture affiliate marketing expert, she and her husband have built and sold two successful e-commerce companies. She also owns a local news and storytelling blog in Boulder City, Nevada, where her love of writing continues to grow. Jean lives in Southern Nevada with her husband and two dogs, and often escapes the desert heat in their camper van, where they work remotely and explore new places. Through her writing, she invites readers to see adoption not as a simple narrative of rescue or loss-but as a layered, human experience that deserves honesty, empathy, and ethical reflection. Jean on YouTube Season 12 Book: The Adoption Paradox by Jean Kelly Widner Sign up to be part of our mailing list! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, September 26th at 1 pm ET. Jean on YouTube RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Kristal Parke Because She Is Adopted Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Jean: The Adoption Paradox: Putting Adoption in Perspective

  7. Sep 8

    Pushpa: The Courage to Belong

    Pushpa Devi is an author and creative director whose work explores identity, belonging, courage, and the meaning of home. Born in India, she was adopted at age six and traveled from Calcutta to rural America in 1968 to join a family she had never met. English was her fourth language, and storytelling would later become her way of giving voice to the memories and emotions of that life-changing journey. Pushpa first shared her story in her memoir, The Lucky Lotus. She later turned to children’s literature, transforming her childhood memories into the Blue Bear Series. Beginning with Journey Home, the series follows a young girl and her powder-blue teddy bear as they navigate uncertainty, change, and new beginnings. Other titles include My New World and What the Ocean Brought Me. Through honest and hopeful storytelling, Pushpa invites readers of all ages to see adoption through a child’s eyes and to discover how kindness, resilience, and love can help us find where we belong. Pushpa on YouTube Season 12 Book: The Adoption Paradox by Jean Kelly Widner Eventbrite Link: Live Podcast Event in Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 11th-13th Sign up to be part of our mailing list! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, September 26th at 1 pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Kristal Parke Because She Is Adopted Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Pushpa: The Courage to Belong

  8. Sep 1

    Janice: Adopted, Adored, and Afraid

    Janice Jones was adopted in 1947 at age four-and-a-half months by charismatic doctor and surgeon, Ralph Beare, and his socialite wife, Lou, of Celina, Ohio. Jones grew up as a lonely, only, privileged child who found herself an outlier in her family and at school. While her adoption was no secret, discussing it was taboo. To be curious was to be ungrateful. When she was often reminded by those who admired her parents that she was a lucky girl to have been adopted by such wonderful parents, she could only smile while thinking, You don’t know what it is like to live with them. As an adult, Jones has had a long career as a freelance writer and editor. She has also been a dog-obedience instructor, children’s book buyer for a large, independent bookstore, and inventor of jigsaw puzzles that teach reading skills to children. The two things she values most in life are truth and connection to others. She considers the world at large to be her big, human family. Dr. Beare’s Daughter: Growing Up Adopted, Adored, and Afraid is her fourth published book. Janice on YouTube Season 12 Book: The Adoption Paradox by Jean Kelly Widner Eventbrite Link: Live Podcast Event in Minneapolis, MN, Sept. 11th-13th Sign up to be part of our mailing list! Thank you to our Patreons! Join at the $10 level and be part of our monthly ADOPTEE CAFE community. The next meeting will be Saturday, September 26th at 1 pm ET. RESOURCES for Adoptees: Adoptees Connect Adoptee Mentoring Society Gregory Luce and Adoptee Rights Law Fireside Adoptees Facebook Group Dr. Liz Debetta: Migrating Toward Wholeness Movement Moses Farrow - Trauma therapist and advocate National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255 OR Dial or Text 988. Kristal Parke Because She Is Adopted Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Janice: Adopted, Adored, and Afraid
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4.7
out of 5
131 Ratings

About

Two adult adoptees, Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne, delve into all things adoption - from their perspectives as adult adoptees. Each season Sarah and Louise recap a chapter from a book centered on adoption and then interview a guest. Sarah and Louise come out of the 'fog' in real-time through Seasons One and Two and are advocating for change in the adoption industry. They want to give voice to all adoptees. Adoptee stories are needed to reframe the narrative around adoption.Sarah and Louise, two former business partners who had a successful ice cream truck in Los Angeles, team up again - this time in frank and honest conversations about all things adoption from the adoptee perspective. Both were adopted shortly after birth, but they had very different experiences. These will be intimate conversations, but also fun - because Sarah and Louise know how to lighten things up and have a good time. They also have an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a subject with anyone who crosses their path - so conversations will take many turns.

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