Voices of Adoption
Voices of Adoption
Podcast Description
Voices of Adoption amplifies authentic stories from across the adoption triad - birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive families - along with adoption service providers. Host Donna Pope, Executive Director of Heart To Heart Adoptions and Clinical Mental Health Counselor and her co-host Nathan Gwilliam, founder & former CEO of Adoption.com, create a safe space for honest conversations about the complexities of adoption. Birth parents share their journeys of love, loss, and healing. Adoptees discuss identity, belonging, and their lived experiences. Adoptive families open up about challenges and beautiful moments. Adoption service providers offer insights from their professional experience supporting families throughout the process. Each episode bridges different perspectives within the adoption community, helping listeners understand that every adoption story is unique yet connected by common threads of resilience and hope. These conversations don't shy away from difficult emotions or complex questions. Instead, they honor the full spectrum of adoption experiences with empathy and respect. Join us for stories that educate, inspire understanding, and remind us that every voice in the adoption community matters.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast emphasizes themes related to adoption including birth parent narratives, adoptee identity, and the experiences of adoptive families, with episodes such as discussions on the emotional ramifications of adoption reunions, the impact of culture on identity for transracial adoptees, and the importance of understanding the statistics behind adoption practices.
Voices of Adoption amplifies authentic stories from across the adoption triad – birth parents, adoptees, and adoptive families – along with adoption service providers. Host Donna Pope, Executive Director of Heart To Heart Adoptions and Clinical Mental Health Counselor and her co-host Nathan Gwilliam, founder & former CEO of Adoption.com, create a safe space for honest conversations about the complexities of adoption. Birth parents share their journeys of love, loss, and healing. Adoptees discuss identity, belonging, and their lived experiences. Adoptive families open up about challenges and beautiful moments. Adoption service providers offer insights from their professional experience supporting families throughout the process. Each episode bridges different perspectives within the adoption community, helping listeners understand that every adoption story is unique yet connected by common threads of resilience and hope. These conversations don’t shy away from difficult emotions or complex questions. Instead, they honor the full spectrum of adoption experiences with empathy and respect. Join us for stories that educate, inspire understanding, and remind us that every voice in the adoption community matters.
In this episode of Voices of Adoption, host Donna Pope interview Amy Geller, therapist, researcher, and adoptee born in 1970 during the peak year for domestic infant adoptions. As the only girl and only adoptee in a family with four biological sons, Amy shares perspective on adoption dynamics that help families thrive across generations.
The Discovery That Changed Everything
At 14, Amy discovered her adoption paperwork while searching for letterhead. Seeing herself listed as “Baby Girl” sparked questions that led to a connection with her birth mother. Her adoptive parents’ initial uncertainty gave way to support, demonstrating that families can navigate reunion together with openness and courage.
Decades Later, Clarity Arrives
Amy explains “coming out of the fog” as recognizing how adoption has shaped your entire life. Her doctoral research revealed that adoptees benefit most from therapists who remain open to learning alongside their clients. She discovered a 1964 book advocating for acknowledging adoption differences that remain largely unknown today, offering wisdom that can help families build stronger connections.
Amy’s journey demonstrates how adoption complexity unfolds across decades, creating opportunities for deeper understanding and stronger family bonds.
Subscribe to Voices of Adoption for conversations about navigating adoption with honesty and compassion.
Follow or Subscribe to Voices of Adoption on your favorite platform:
Website: VoicesOfAdoption.org | YouTube: @VoicesofAdoptionShow | Twitter/X: voices_adoption | Instagram: voicesof_adoption | Facebook: Voices of Adoption | TikTok: @voices_of_adoption | LinkedIn: voices-of-adoption
Follow Nathan Gwilliam on LinkedIn: @nathangwilliam
Follow Donna Pope on LinkedIn: @donna-pope-41652ba
Follow Dr. Amy Geller:
Website: AmyGellerLCSW.com; Adult-Adoptees.com; AHomeWithin.org | LinkedIn: @Dr-Amy-Geller-DSW-LCSW | Instagram: @Amy.Geller | Facebook: AmyGellerLCSW | Email: [email protected]
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