Claim OwnershipWandering Tree ®, LLC Podcast
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Wandering Tree ®, LLC Podcast is the ultimate audio companion for curious and adventurous minds, offering a journey through thought-provoking discussions and unique perspectives on life, culture, and the journey of an adoptee. This show has been established with the simple goal of reaching other adoptees who may benefit from just hearing other adoptees share on the lived experience. Host, Adoptee Lisa Ann, will share the tangled roots of the life long journey as an adoptee, the search for biological connections, the good and bad of reunions and how saying "I am adopted" has connected to so many others. The candid discussions between Adoptee Lisa Ann and her guests will tackle the term "adoption" and how it is covers so many aspects of our society.
62 Episodes
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Born amidst cultural complexities in Korea to an American soldier and a Korean mother, Mark Wills faced an extraordinary start to life. Discover how Mark's journey from an orphanage to a diverse family of 25 siblings in America shaped him into the notary coach and family man he is today. This episode of the Wandering Tree Podcast highlights Mark's experiences, the enduring impact of early love from his biological mother, and how gratitude has played a pivotal role in his personal growth and s...
What if the very essence of who you are could remain untouched, even in the face of profound rejection and trauma? Join us for an insightful conversation with Simon Benn, the creative force behind the Thriving Adoptees Podcast, who courageously shares his personal journey of reaching out to his biological father. Despite facing rejection once again, Simon's story reveals the incredible resilience adoptees often possess, emphasizing that rejection often reflects the other person's struggles ra...
What if reclaiming your true identity felt like swimming back to shore after being adrift in the ocean? Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Melissa Brunetti, host of Mind Your Own Karma, the Adoption Chronicles, as she shares her own transformative journey as a domestic adoptee from the baby scoop era. Melissa opens up about the emotional complexities her birth mother faced and the unwavering support of her adoptive parents when they discovered her hip dysplasia. Through her engaging na...
The Wandering Tree Podcast is peeling back the layers of adoption narratives in a heartfelt roundtable featuring adoptees and birth mothers who are bravely sharing their stories. Join Jenny Becknell as she sheds light on the complexities of open adoption and Amy Seek as she reflects on her 24-year journey in the adoption world. Together with guests like Denise Palmer, Sharon Cummins, Elle Clausen, Suzanne Bachner and Dr. Liz DeBetta, we delve into the intricate tapestry of emotions—from regre...
What would you do if you had to make one of the toughest decisions of your life? Join us on the Wandering Tree Podcast as we explore the heartfelt and emotional journeys of a birth mother navigating the experience of open adoption. In this episode, Jenny Becknell candidly shares her lived journey, from the moment she went into labor with her daughter Anna, through the tender hours spent in the hospital surrounded by family, friends, and Anna's adoptive parents. Through Jenny's moving journal ...
What happens when your world is turned upside down at 18? Jenny Becknell knows firsthand the whirlwind of emotions that come with an unexpected pregnancy during college and the life-altering decision of adoption. Join us as Jenny, a birth mother, shares her intimate story, beginning with her shock and initial excitement upon discovering she was pregnant while balancing school and family expectation. She opens up about navigating her complex family dynamics, where her sister's simultaneous pre...
Art meets advocacy when the transformative power of storytelling takes the spotlight. As a playwright, Suzanne Bachner channeled the raw emotions and experiences of the adoptee's pursuit into narratives that resonate beyond the stage, touching hearts and influencing legislative change. This episode doesn't merely trace Suzanne's path to discovering her beginnings; it also celebrates the broader victories for adoptee rights, highlighting the vital role of the arts in this movement. Through the...
When Lori Knisely offers a window into her soul, revealing the intertwined paths of being an adoptee and storyteller, we're reminded that life is rich with complex patterns. Our hearts travel with Lori to the remnants of St. Anthony's Home for Infants, feeling the gravity of each stone and the stories they carry as we follow her quest for information. Imagine holding a piece of your origin in your hands, a doorknob from a place that once held you but left no memory—such is the profound longin...
Have you ever pondered the threads of history of adoption and how it intertwines to shape lives? Rebecca Wellington joins us in a thought provoking conversation that reaches into the depths of her own adoption story, the heartache of losing her sister, and the impetus behind her touching book, "Who is a Worthy Mother? An Intimate History of Adoption." Through her eyes, we journey across the emotional landscape adoptees traverse, with societal pressures lurking like shadows along the path, and...
Sometimes the bonds of family and the fabric of our identities need mending, a truth that Joe Beth know all too well. On this episode of Wandering Tree Podcast, we hear their powerful journey through adoption, suicide and addiction. The conversation leads up down a path which involves unraveling the deep emotional complexities that come with Joe courageously sharing his story, from the trauma of being adopted from Japan to the solace he sought in substances; all painting a picture of the isol...
Have you ever stood at the crossroads of identity, where the past and present collide in a mosaic of loss and discovery? Monica Hall's life is a living embodiment of such a crossroads, as she gracefully carries the dual mantle of being both an adoptee and a birth parent. In this episode, Monica recounts her story of growing up in a Catholic family in Alaska, the heart-wrenching decisions she faced as a teenager, and the complex journey of self-discovery that followed. Join us to unravel the i...
When Kira Omans opens up about her life as a transracial adoptee, you can't help but be drawn into her world. Her narrative is not just a story of adoption but a profound testament to the search for identity and belonging. In today's conversation, we navigate Kira's childhood and growth into a confident Chinese American, actress, and advocate for the adoptee community. Her candid reflections on the complexities of fitting in and the evolving nature of her relationship with her own adoption na...
Have you ever felt like a piece of your identity was missing? Mary Ellen Gambuti joins us to weave the heartfelt narrative of her life as an adoptee from the baby scoop era, a time when societal pressures and moral expectations often forced the hand of birth parents. Her candid recollection begins with the harrowing tale of her abandonment at birth, her experience in a foundling home, and the eventual adoption by a military family—an upbringing that carved a unique background against the back...
When Ohio native Dana Ozak was brought home on her mother's birthday, little did she know that her life would unfold as a tale both profound and inspiring. Our latest Wandering Tree Podcast episode encapsulates Dana's journey as an adoptee, weaving through family dynamics, identity formation, and the ceaseless quest for belonging. Her narrative is not just her own but echoes the experiences of many who've grappled with the complexities of adoption—a story punctuated with familial pride and th...
A Tapestry of Belonging in the Complex World of Adoption with Adoptee Julie McGue When the quest for identity entwines with the intricacies of adoption, it's a journey worth sharing. This is precisely what Julie McGue, the award-winning author of "Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family and Belonging," offers as she unfolds her narrative of self-discovery as an adoptee on our latest Wandering Tree Podcast episode. Her story, marked by the complexities of closed adoptions and a lack o...
When Edward Di Gangi sat down with us, we knew we were about to embark on a journey unlike any other—a quest for identity that turns the pages of the past to illuminate the present. He mesmerizes us with his narrative, one that began with his adoption during a time known as the baby scoop era and flourished into an idyllic upbringing by his loving adoptive parents. His story, detailed in "A Gift Best Given," unravels the complexities of adoption experiences and society's evolving views on the...
As your host, I'm thrilled to welcome our guest, Matt, a beacon of hope and resilience who brings us an extraordinary tale of adoption, medical adversity, and the quest to find, define and anchor to his family roots. Born as a premature baby with an array of health complications, Matt's story begins with a life-threatening situation, taken under the wing of a compassionate doctor and his nurse practitioner wife, who later become his adoptive parents. This episode is a testimonial to the power...
Ever wonder how it feels to grow up feeling chosen, only to discover that your life's narrative was built on a web of half-truths? Get ready for an adoptee rollercoaster as we sit down with Jack Rocco MD, author of "Recycled." Jack takes us through his adoption journey from his loving upbringing in a tight-knit Italian family to his path of self-discovery sparked by an eye-opening blind date and a transformative book. As our conversation unfolds, Jack candidly explores the emotional labyrint...
Imagine being 41 years old and discovering at a family gathering that you were adopted. That's exactly what happened with our guest, author and adoptee, Fred Nicora. A unintentional disclosure sparked a massive transformation in Fred's understanding of his identity and started him on an ongoing journey of self-discovery and healing. He offers an incredibly honest view into the life of a late discovery adoptee, revealing the intense struggle to reconcile a new identity and learn to trust again...
Have you ever wondered about the deeper psychological impacts of adoption? Join us as we plunge into the emotionally charged story of Andy Wallis, a man adopted in 1973 who has grappled with undiscovered impacts of adoption trauma for over a decade. Andy's unique and poignant tale navigates through his experiences with attachment and detachment in relationships, and how his current partner has been instrumental in his healing journey. Andy doesn't shy away from sharing his trials and tribula...
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