219 episodes
Who Am I Really? Damon L. Davis
-
- Education
-
-
4.9 • 214 Ratings
-
Adoptees telling their own stories of life in adoption, their search for their birth family, and how their reunion attempt turned out. Stories that make you laugh, cry, or simply say "wow".
This podcast has two purposes:
1) To help you explore your own feelings about your adoption, accept your desire understand your own personal history, and decide for yourself whether reunification with your biological relatives is right for you. It will help you understand how others have dealt with issues related to protecting the feelings of their adopted families who may be supportive of your search, or question your motives and present challenges.
2) For non-adoptees, this podcast will help you understand some of what is in the minds of your friends, family members, or others who are adopted. Perhaps you had questions for them but you didn’t know if you should ask.
The stories will make you smile or bring you to tears, but they’re all true as told by the people who lived them. In them, I hope you’ll find something that inspires you, validates your feelings about wanting to search, or motivates you to have the strength along your journey to learn “Who Am I Really?”
-
210 - Not Begging, Just Moving On
Trish from Arlington, Texas had open access to her adoption records which provided the information she needed to find her birth mother. But just because she was found didn't mean the woman wanted to talk.
When her birth mother's reluctance to meet Trish softened, they formed a relationship that lasted many years until suddenly it was over. Trish has tried to put the adoption reunion rejection behind her.
She focuses more on trying to build a relationship with her birth father and hopes to put her training as an adoption competent therapist to use for other adoptees.
This is Trisha's journey.
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean -
211 - The Gift He Gave Me
Kamina called me from Dubai, but she grew up in Texas. Kamina said she was always confused about why she didn't look like her adoptive family and no one would ever admit she was adopted.
Turmoil between her adoptive parents led both of them to alcoholism, poor judgment, and an awful love triangle that got Kamina kicked out of her home at a tender age.
After years on the street, then time in the military Kamina decided part of ending her years of self-sabotage was to finally face the truth about her adoption she seemed to be running from.
This is Kamina's journey.
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean -
212 - Forbidden Roots
Fred called me from outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near lake Michigan. Fred grew up an only child loved and supported by his parents, but sometimes feeling out of place and misdirected by them when he tried to pursue some of his interests.
As an adult, a slip of the tongue of one of his relatives revealed something he had never suspected. That he was adopted.
In reunion with his birth mother, Fred found a woman so deeply traumatized that she wanted to maintain her secrets after her death.
Fred is now on a quest to remove adoption stigma while fighting for open records in adoption.
This is Fred's journey.
This is Fred's Book: Forbidden Roots
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean -
196 - A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Child At A Time
Rob called me from right here in Maryland. Trigger warning. Rob shares his harrowing story of his childhood surviving, mental and sexual abuse under the guardianship of his parents. After their deaths Rob went into foster care and became homeless, navigating life with his belongings shuttled from place to place in trash bags. Rob fought hard but struggled to overcome the trauma of his life until he finally visited his mother so he could set himself free.
Rob found love with his husband, Reese, and they've created a family.
He is the founder of Comfort Cases (www.ComfortCases.org) a charity that helps foster children to navigate foster care with dignity.
Rob's Book: A Forever Family: Fostering Change One Family At A Time
This is Rob's journey.
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean -
197 - Why Such A Secret?
Lisa and I connected right before she was going to meet her biological father for the first time and a cousin she's completely enamored with. Lisa shared that she was adopted as an infant into a failing marriage where divorce soon followed. While other people outwardly noticed how different she looked from her brother, she considered him, her brother, no matter what, despite her status as an adoptee.
But after everyone passed away, Lisa felt like she was finally free to pursue connections to her birth family. I would normally share a bit about her reunion here, but we don't know anything yet. So I'll simply say this is Lisa's journey so far...
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean -
198 - So Many Twists And Turns
I think of Pam, from outside of Richmond, Virginia, as a late discovery adoptee who learned she was adopted when another child spilled the tea. Speaking with her adoptive mother about the news she was adopted, Pam learned that she was supposed to be placed temporarily, not adopted into another family.
Pam's reunion journey has multiple twists and turns as she grew up in the town where she was born and her birth family lived. She had awkward reunions in inappropriate places and sibling relationships that started out as one thing, but ending up being something completely different.
Finally Pam found her birth father and a man who calculated that he wasn't the guy but DNA testing revealed the real story. This is Pam's journey.
Who Am I Really?
Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
Find the show on:
InstagramFacebookAppleYouTubeSpotifyGoogleTuneIn StitcherPlayer FMPodbean
Customer Reviews
You Matter.
No one will believe me. People will think I’ve lost my mind if I open my mouth. No one will understand. I try so hard to fit in, but I feel like I don’t belong anywhere or with anyone.
If, like me, you’re an adoptee who’s experienced these thoughts once or twice (or thousands of times), then welcome home. Here, you’ll hear relatable stories from other adoptees, cheer on strangers whose lives may run parallel to yours, and see that you’re not alone & you do matter. Oh, and you’ll thank Damon for providing this fantastic forum forum for his fellow adoptees.
Insightful and interesting
I am an older adoptee (63), I find myself increasingly drawn to researching my maternal and paternal family trees and seeking a reunion with each biological parent before my “backstory” is lost forever. This podcast not only gives me hope, it also gives me new perspectives to consider and apply to my own path. Damon is a great active listener, teasing out additional thoughts and details with compassion and insight. Although many stories have similar threads, each adoptee’s journey weaves its own tapestry and I am captivated throughout each episode. So glad I found this podcast. So grateful Damon provides adoptees with this platform. Damon, you rock!!!
Superb and extraordinary
This is an excellent podcast. Damon has given us as adoptees a platform to tell our story in a safe positive no judgement atmosphere. Damon’s calm manner draws out the details and he helps shine light into the dark corners, he has so much empathy for each adoptee and their own personal story comes out as he gently probes and prompts. If you are an adoptee you need to give this s serious listen.
Top Podcasts In Education
You Might Also Like