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PODCAST

Who Am I Really?

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

education self-improvement

All Episodes

01:33:49

270 - Glimmers of Light The Little Girl In Me Needs

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/11/01

Neshia, from outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, said her birth mother lived the street life and exposed her children to the full dark side of the choices she was making back then. Neshia credits one amazing foster family with showing her what a normal life as a child should be, but it was short-lived. Transplanted from the city into a rural transracial adoption, she was cast out as a teen, and trauma cycles repeated themselves. But today, Neshia is doing her best to be a mom to her own children,

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57:03

269 - It's Amazing How It All Fell Into Place

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/10/25

Today is a special double adoptee episode with Noreen and Adrian. They both live in Massachusetts, but they were together in New Hampshire to meet someone special in Noreen's search. Her adoptive mother was very supportive and even spoke with her first mother.For Adrian, the maternal search has had its ups and downs, including finding a grave, but their stories ended up converging when they found each other through DNA, developed an instant bond, and have since supported each other through a shared

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01:01:26

268 - I've Gained Peace With Every Piece

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/10/18

Lori, from Missouri, said that growing up she wondered who her birth mother was, but it wasn’t until she received her original birth certificate that the gravity of her identity truly hit home.Incredibly, documenting her search on social media led her to a very supportive search angel who already knew exactly who Lori was looking for.She tried to correspond with her birth mother, but Lori was blocked and rejected, leaving her with only hope for the future. Still, Lori said finding each piece has

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01:10:31

267 -Things Worked Out The Way They Were Supposed To

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/10/11

Sharla, from West Texas, grew up never wanting to find her birth family. But in truth, she knows she was suppressing that feeling. After a DNA test, Sharla finally figured out she had made a paternal connection, but she didn't realize how close she had actually come to meeting her birth father.Unfortunately, Sharla has gotten mixed signals from her birth mother, and now the woman has left her with negative comments. Sharla refuses to let her negativity drag her down.This is Sharla's journey.Who Am

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55:23

266 - You Don't Have To Run Anymore

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/10/04

Elina, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was born in Russia. She spent her early years in her birth family’s care before moving into foster care. Then, as a minor, she finalized her own adoption before departing for America. Elina grew up as one of four adoptees, each experiencing the impacts of adoption at different stages of their lives.Elina has been contacted by her extended family, but she’s not interested in reconnecting with her birth mother. Instead, she’s focused on the deep healing work she

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45:12

265 - Captain of Her Ship

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/09/27

Angie, from Southern Maryland. Growing up, Angie was frequently defined by her skin tone, as her relationship to her adoptive parents was questioned. Her contrast against her schoolmates and surrounding community made her stand out. When Angie found her birth mother, she was welcomed home—even by the woman responsible for her placement. But her paternal reunion was marked by an unremarkable connection and vitriolic remarks, which led Angie to take control of who she keeps in her life.This is Angie’s

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30:40

264 - Connected By Cousins

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/09/20

Donna, from New Jersey, grew up questioning the origins of her looks. In college the uniqueness of her appearance sparked curiosity. Donna spent years with no way to locate her birth family until DNA testing presented links to her maternal and paternal families simultaneously. While it was tough to find graves on her search, Donna takes fulfillment from the acceptance she's gained and the fostering she provides to children in her community. This is Donna's journey. Who Am I Really?Who Am I Really

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49:48

263 - I Know From Whence I Came

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/09/13

Rosalyn spoke to me from the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. As a teenager, she learned the truth about her adoption at her adoptive mother’s funeral—a discovery that was revealed harshly and without warning.In reunion, Rosalyn said she found peace in the mirroring she saw with her first mother and her paternal family connections. But she refused to remain an unacknowledged secret with her birth father.Make sure you listen through to the end, where Rosalyn reveals why her informal adoption has created

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01:08:38

262 - Un-M-Othered

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/09/06

Dr. Liz Debetta spoke to me from Plymouth, Michigan. Growing up, adoption was an open topic until her younger brother's birth changed the family's focus. A series of bad relationships and feeling lost in life led Liz back to school where she rediscovered writing and the award-winning adoption story she's always had inside.In reunion, Liz found the first mother whom she always knew wanted to know her. But herdeep exploration of her adoption has driven a wedge between Liz and her older brother. This

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01:05:02

261 - Born Without A Race

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/06/28

Sean from, Fishers, Indiana, grew up the only person of color in his entire rural town. Yet his ethnicity was hidden from him by his adoptive mother. In Reunion, Sean finally met his birth mother, but realized he needed to establish a special boundary with her to protect his adopted children. Lacking mirroring all his life, Sean finally heard one of his paternal relatives say, he looks just like someone special in their family. Sean's book is called Born Without a Race. This is Sean's journey.Born

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01:01:15

260 - Il Mio Posto a Tavola (My Place at the Table)

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/06/14

Santo, from Redding, PA, grew up knowing he was adopted, and that his family could have also adopted his siblings from Italy. As an adult, when a friend's wedding took him to Spain, he arrived early to make the long drive across Europe to northern Italy to be face to face with his birth mother. Santo and his team made a documentary about his life is called Il Mio Posto a Tavola, or My Place at the Table where he uncovers research about his thread in the mosaic of European children adopted into the

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01:03:22

259 - The Innocent People Project

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/06/07

Jeff, from southern California, grew up with the knowledge of and separation anxiety about his adoption. In reunion, he found his birth mother who mirrored his looks, but who has pushed the boundaries of their relationship, and a birth father who is simply not his type of guy.Jeff is the inspirational photographer behind the adoptee focused innocent People Project. This is Jeff's journey.Jeff Forney.com/Innocent PeopleIG: @JeffForneyFB: Jeff Forney PhotographyWho Am I Really?Who Am I Really

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54:48

258 - Twice the Family

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/05/31

Julie from Chicago, Illinois is rare in the world of adoption because she wasn't adopted alone. She and her identical twin sister were placed together, secure in their sense of family. The twins never sought adoption reunion until health concerns emerged for Julie in adulthood. Julie describes the initial rejection of her first mother, the misidentification of her birth father, and the eventual softening of the feelings of a mother of twins who finally needed to know that her girls were okay.This

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01:17:36

257 - Unjustified Rejection

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/05/24

Melissa, who called me from Harrison, Arkansas, says she always felt chosen and grateful for her adoption. But after decades of peace with her origin story, something shifted. A small-town newspaper article, a newborn daughter, and an aging parent all conspired to push her toward a search.When the time was finally right—when a DNA match opened the door to her paternal family—she stepped forward in grace, only to be met with silence on her maternal side. Melissa took a clandestine trip to see the

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47:20

256 - I'm Not The Finished Package

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/05/17

Ryan, from Edinburgh, Scotland, grew up ashamed of his Moroccan heritage and faced bullying due to his background and religion. At 18, a letter from his mother revealed his adoption, shaking his world and leading him to hide the truth for 13 years. Ryan struggled with depression, substance abuse, and a pervasive sense of otherness. Eventually Ryan confronted his adoption trauma, seeking therapy and connecting with the adoptee community. Ryan's continues his relentless search for his birth family in

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47:47

255 - This Is Me, But Why Is It Me?

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/05/10

Katie was adopted from China as a baby and raised in a predominantly white suburb south of Boston. Her adoptive family gave her a life full of opportunity—but as she grew older, the distance between who she was and the world around her only deepened. In this episode, Katie shares how her search for identity has expanded beyond finding her birth parents. She opens up about being raised without cultural mirrors, navigating the silence around her story, and reclaiming pieces of herself that were left

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42:55

254 - I Do Not Want My DNA In Their System

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/05/03

George grew up in Soviet Georgia knowing he was different—both visibly and emotionally—in a society where adoption and his sexuality were dangerous secrets. He spent his early life navigating fear, hiding truths, and surviving systems designed to silence him.When a search angel from Russia responded to a single Facebook post, everything changed. George embarked on a digital trail of late-night texts, uncovering the truth of his birth, a sister who had been searching for him for 50 years, and a

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46:14

253 - The Veteran Community Helped Me Save Myself

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/04/26

Forrest's life began in chaos, abuse, and danger at home and in the foster care system. Forest says he joined the military to make an honorable exit from this life and shares the moment he found his calling as a tattoo artist to his brothers in Iraq. But when Fort decided to get his passport, the process revealed that he had been adopted by a devious woman who had taken him in, but had never told him her plans. Today he has transformed his life into one of purpose and healing. This is Forrest's

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49:18

252 - Stoicism and Radical Acceptance

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/04/19

Raised in the mountains of the midwest, Misty endured neglect and abuse when she was a child. She took matters into her own hands to separate from her family, survived a period in foster care, then was adopted by her extended family. Misty, was forced to learn what life should be like in a properly functioning family while unlearning what she had experienced in her first family. Today Misty uses lessons from her past to maintain stoicism to move forward in life.This is Misty's journey. Who Am I

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51:30

251 - Adult-Adoptees.com, Dr. Amy Geller

Who Am I Really? ·

2025/04/12

Dr. Amy Geller, from Wykoff New Jersey, had had an idyllic adopted life as the youngest child and the only girl in her family. But an accidental discovery put her in front of her adoptive parents facing an uncomfortable situation and feelings she chose to bury. As a young adult, Amy was found by her birth mother, found herself angered by the intrusion, but had the presence of mind to pause to gather herself in order to enter reunion with caution. Today, Amy is a therapist and adoption researcher

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46 results

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