Advertise on podcast: Open Adoption Project

This National Adoption Month Book Club episode dives into the shocking true story of Georgia Tann, a once-celebrated American adoption pioneer who was, in fact, a baby trafficker. This book, written by Journalist Barbara Raymond, who uncovered this dark history, shares how Tann’s legacy continues to influence adoption laws and practices. We discuss Raymond’s book, “The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption,” with adoptee Heather Rodriguez. Tann operated in Memphis from 1924 to 1950, and stole thousands of children—many from poor or unwed mothers—and sold them to wealthy families, all while being protected by powerful political allies. Her actions helped shape modern American adoption, introducing secrecy and falsified records that still impact adoptees today.

In this special book club episode, we’re joined by adoptee Anna Lehnardt to discuss All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung—a powerful memoir about transracial adoption, identity, and the search for belonging. We explore themes of race, family, and truth as Nicole retraces her roots and confronts the myths she was told about her adoption. Anna offers her personal insights as an adoptee, and together we reflect on the emotional impact of Chung’s story and its relevance to the broader adoption community. Email Anna at: [email protected]

In this episode, Allison Olson, an adoptee and adoptive parent, returns to the podcast, sharing her unique perspective from two sides of the adoption journey. She discusses her upcoming children’s books, which aim to offer authentic and balanced narratives for adoptees—especially those in LGBTQ+ families. Our conversation explores the representation of adoption in media, including books, movies, and television, and highlights the importance of creating sensitive, accurate content that resonates with and supports adoptees and children. Visit her website here: https://www.ouradoptionbooks.com/ Visit her blogs here: https://www.ouradoptionbooks.com/blogs

In this episode with Dawn J. Post, a New York City–based children’s rights attorney, we talk about her work addressing critical issues within the adoption system—particularly broken adoptions and the warehousing of children in unregulated facilities. Dawn shares about the tragedy that inspired her to become an advocate for youth and how that led to the founding of Themis Youth Law and Advocacy. Our conversation explores the systemic failures impacting abandoned adoptees, including the lack of support systems, unmet educational needs, and the consequences of unethical adoption practices. Dawn underscores the urgent need for stronger oversight, improved screening processes, and greater protections for vulnerable youth. https://www.themisyouthlawadvocacy.org/ https://www.instagram.com/dawnjpostesq/#

In this episode, we sit down with Janelle Basham, Executive Director of BraveLove. Janelle shares her personal journey as a birth mother, beginning at age 17 and leading to her current role with BraveLove. She reflects on the evolving identity of birth mothers, the importance of community and therapy, and the need for greater empathy and support in adoption spaces. Janelle highlights Brave Love’s initiatives, including birth mother dinners and hospital tote programs, and emphasizes the power of storytelling in changing public perceptions. The episode closes with a call to amplify diverse voices in adoption and foster deeper understanding between birth and adoptive families. Maryalice's Story: https://www.bravelove.org/stories/maryalices-story/

In this episode, we sit down with Anna Lehnardt, an international adoptee, to learn about the personal and emotional challenges from her experience of growing up in a family across borders. From navigating identity to facing the complexities of belonging, this conversation sheds light on the realities of international adoption.

In 2019, when Beth Syverson's adopted son Joey was 15, he was hospitalized with a mental health crisis. While there, Beth discovered he had been using cannabis, psychedelics, and more. It has been a sometimes-excruciating marathon since then, with runaways, overdoses, psych hospitals and treatment centers, relapses, suicidal ideation, and anxiety & depression. But Beth's family is now on a healing journey, and they are committed to walking beside each other with positive and compassionate relationships, no matter what. Beth has discovered that Joey’s relinquishment trauma from his inter-country adoption at 7 months old is one of his core issues. Beth wants to help other families struggling with adoption, addiction, mental health, and diversity. Join her in this heartfelt episode where we sit down with Beth Syverson, the author of Adoption and Suicide. Beth shares her deeply personal journey, discussing the sensitive topics of suicide and suicidal ideation. We advise listeners to approach this episode with care. Beth's son, Joey, who has faced his own struggles, is still with us and fully supports his mom in sharing their story. Join us for this important conversation that sheds light on these critical issues. If you or someone that you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, please call 988. https://unravelingadoption.com/ https://www.instagram.com/unravelingadoption/

Linda R. Sexton shares her experiences and insights regarding open adoption, including the challenges and benefits involved. She also discusses the importance of prioritizing the child's needs, maintaining open communication with birth parents, and the potential for intergenerational trauma to impact adoptees. Additionally, Linda shares about her book, The Branches We Cherish: An Open Adoption Memoir and about her open adoption journey.

Birth mom, Sara Jane, returns to the podcast with her daughter, Courtney, who she placed for adoption, and Courtney's adoptive mom, Jeanette. We get to hear thoughts from these three women who are from different parts of the adoption triad, and who have all become family. They share what open adoption looks like for them and how their relationships and understandings of openness have evolved over time. We wish you all a peaceful holiday season, and will return with more episodes after the new year.

Anna Lehnardt, a Chinese-born adoptee, shares her experience and thoughts after reading "Selling Transracial Adoption" by Elizabeth Raleigh. She shares some of her own experiences as a transracial adoptee and thoughts on how policy and practice can be improved to focus more on adoptees rather than adoptive parents.

Sharolyn Swenson, an adoptee, joins our special NAM book club episode to discuss Christina Baker Kline’s book “Orphan Train.” If you haven’t read the book yet, please skip this episode to avoid potential spoilers. Sharolyn shares her thoughts and insights after reading the novel. Lanette and Sharolyn delve into the book’s portrayal of adoption and foster care, as well as the historical context of the orphan train movement. They also explore the characters of Vivian and Molly and their struggles with identity, as well as the complexities of adoption and the mother-daughter relationship. Sharolyn shares her personal experience of discovering her Jewish heritage, and Lanette recommends “Orphan Train Rider” by Andrea Warren as a more historically accurate account of the orphan train phenomenon. If you’d like to join the conversation about this book, head over to our social media pages. We welcome your thoughts and discussions.

An adoptee shares her personal journey of adoption and the impact of the book, "The Girls Who Went Away," by Ann Fessler, also an adoptee, in this special NAM book club episode. "The Girls Who Went Away" is a memoir/biography about mothers who relinquished their children for adoption before Roe v. Wade on her perspective towards his birth mother, leading him to search for her. The adoptee discussion leader in this episode discussed the evolution of adoption practices, the challenges faced by birth mothers in the past, and the importance of open adoption and transparency.

Adoptee Devanie Roberts discusses the book "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway in this special National Adoption Month book club episode. Please do not listen to these episodes if you have not read these books and do not want to potentially hear spoilers. "Far From the Tree" is discussed through lenses of adoption, and Devanie shares her thoughts after reading it. If you would like to join the conversation about this book, head over to our social media pages. We welcome your thoughts.

Dr. Jeff Thompson discusses how we can establish and maintain psychological safety within relationships. He shares how active listening can enhance connections. We also discuss how to address conflict and find resolutions. This episode offers incredibly valuable insights for anyone looking to improve important relationships, both within the adoption community and beyond.

In our last episode, we discussed Family Communication Patterns Theory (FCPT), which describes how families communicate and create a shared social reality. The theory was developed by Koerner and Fitzpatrick in 2002. In this episode, we discuss how FCPT and how families can improve and enrich communication, applying Dr. Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory, and discussing additional thoughts on how families can evaluate and improve communication patterns.