In this episode of Voices of Adoption, I spoke with Vinnie Vinzetta, a sports multimedia journalist and adoptee, about his personal adoption journey. Vinnie discussed his experience of growing up as an adoptee, the emotional complexities of searching for his biological family, and the impact of adoption on identity. 

He also shared insights from his memoir, Finding Them, and highlighted the work of his organization, Adoption Priorities, which supports families in crisis. 

Our conversation also explored how adoptees sharing their stories can create a deeper connection and understanding within the adoptee constellation.

In this episode of Voices of Adoption, I had the opportunity to speak with Ty Cliffel, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner, and Director of Programs at Adoption Network Cleveland, about the emotional realities of adoption. 

Ty is a domestic adoptee in reunion since 1993, and through her work with Adoption Network Cleveland she has since supported those impacted by adoption, foster/kinship care, and family separation. 

Together, we explored how trauma shapes relationships, the importance of community support, and how approaches like TBRI can help adoptees and families heal and connect.

In this episode of Voices of Adoption, I had the chance to speak with Beth Steury, adoptee, member of the National Association of Adoptees and Parents and DNA search expert. We discussed the complexities of adoption, personal stories of searching for biological families, and the emotional impact of these journeys. 

Beth shared her experiences as a foundling adoptee, the role of DNA in uncovering family histories, and the importance of community support for adoptees. 

It was a pleasure to discuss the need for understanding and compassion within the adoption community, as well as the significance of identity and belonging for those who have been adopted.

In this episode of Voices of Adoption, I had the opportunity to speak with Marcella Moslow, a trauma therapist and adoptee, about the complexities of the adoptee experience. We discussed the impact of neurobiology on adoption, the importance of understanding cultural identity, and the role of play therapy in healing. 

Our conversation also touches on the challenges of reunion, the need for critical thinking about adoption narratives, and the birthright of belonging for adoptees. 

Thank you, viewers, for engaging with these deeper conversations about adoption! 

In this conversation, Janet Sherlund (adoptee + author of debut memoir Abandoned At Birth) and Dr. Jeffrey Werden (psychoanalyst-psychotherapist with more than four decades of dedicated clinical practice who brings a nuanced and integrative approach to psychotherapy) explore the multifaceted emotional experiences of adoptees, discussing the trauma associated with early separation from birth parents, the challenges of identity and belonging, and the importance of therapeutic support. 

They emphasize that while adoptees can experience love and care in their adoptive families, they may still grapple with feelings of otherness and a lack of connection to their origins. The discussion highlights the need for open dialogue around the trauma of adoption and the genealogical bewilderment anyone suffers who is separated from their family of origin.