Advertise on podcast: Because She's Adopted Podcast

Join Kristal and her brother Mike, featured in the award-winning documentary Because She's Adopted, for a meaningful conversation about the importance of listening to adoptee voices, learning from lived experience, and what it truly means to support the adoptee in your life.

Episode 32 | Angela Nicole Angela Nicole is a Counselling Therapist in Kelowna, BC, who believes in the innate ability of every individual to heal and grow. She creates a compassionate and collaborative space where clients can reconnect with themselves, heal past wounds, and build lives aligned with their values. Angela's areas of focus include navigating anxiety, grief, relationships, and life transitions, as well as supporting those recovering from religious harm or faith transitions. Her approach centers on empowerment, self-discovery, and fostering self-compassion. ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Angela Website: https://innerguidancecounselling.janeapp.com IG: @inner.guidance.counselling    Email: [email protected]   __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 31 | Lisa Ayton Born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965, Lisa always knew she was adopted.  It wasn't until age 56 when she read the book "Attached" about attachment styles and subsequently "The Primal Wound" that she began to make sense of a life long nagging feeling "What is wrong with me?"  From books, to therapy, breathwork and plant medicine, Lisa is here to share her adoption story & healing experience.    ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Lisa IG: https://www.instagram.com/b.c.gal/  Email: [email protected]  __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 30 | Chris Williams Chris Williams is a stand-up comedian and producer from Los Angeles, as well as the proud owner of a Chihuahua mix named Daunte. At the time of this recording, Daunte had four legs. Thanks to an unfortunate accident in Canada, he's now rocking three. The good news: Daunte has absolutely nothing to do with this podcast episode, but it felt important to mention. More importantly, Daunte is thriving. Much like Daunte, audiences are drawn to Chris's intelligent, relatable, and irreverent style of comedy. His material is rooted in his own life experiences, including his adoption story—though Chris prefers to say he is "thrifted." ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Chris Email: [email protected]  Website: https://crwspeaks.com/  Socials: @crwspeaks  __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 28 Pt.2 | Dr.Alana Berg ND  Dr. Alana Berg, ND is an author, speaker, mother, Naturopathic Physician, and self-described healing facilitator. She has been practicing full time as a Naturopathic Doctor since graduating in 2005 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Since graduation, she has continually embarked on the journey of developing and honing her professional skills having achieved certification by her College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia in: chelation, acupuncture, IV therapy, pharmacology, and ozone. As well, she has trained in several therapies like neural therapy, trigger point injections, and Bodytalk therapy to name a few. Other expertise has been gained directly from working with other doctors and practitioners from the United States, across Western Canada, Mexico and Spain, in order to fully dive into the healing arts. She has enjoyed living and working in Kelowna, BC, since 2006 with her beautiful family, where she owns a successful naturopathic practice, Axiom Health Clinic. She has a general naturopathic family practice, with a special interest in Lyme disease and chronic infections, detoxification and environmental medicine, digestive conditions, auto-immune diseases, men's and women's health, and mind-body medicine. She also had to navigate her own journey of healing, after a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2009, which ultimately led her to find her own cure. That journey inspired her to write a book, called The Courageous Cure, to share her story and to empower others to overcome their own health challenges as well. Connect with Dr. Alana Berg Social Media: @dralanaberg (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) Email: [email protected] Website: https://dralanaberg.com Connect with Kristal Parke Email: [email protected] Website: https://kristalparke.net Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 28 Pt.1 | Dr.Alana Berg ND Dr. Alana Berg, ND is an author, speaker, mother, Naturopathic Physician, and self-described healing facilitator. She has been practicing full time as a Naturopathic Doctor since graduating in 2005 from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Since graduation, she has continually embarked on the journey of developing and honing her professional skills having achieved certification by her College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia in: chelation, acupuncture, IV therapy, pharmacology, and ozone. As well, she has trained in several therapies like neural therapy, trigger point injections, and Bodytalk therapy to name a few. Other expertise has been gained directly from working with other doctors and practitioners from the United States, across Western Canada, Mexico and Spain, in order to fully dive into the healing arts. She has enjoyed living and working in Kelowna, BC, since 2006 with her beautiful family, where she owns a successful naturopathic practice, Axiom Health Clinic. She has a general naturopathic family practice, with a special interest in Lyme disease and chronic infections, detoxification and environmental medicine, digestive conditions, auto-immune diseases, men's and women's health, and mind-body medicine. She also had to navigate her own journey of healing, after a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2009, which ultimately led her to find her own cure. That journey inspired her to write a book, called The Courageous Cure, to share her story and to empower others to overcome their own health challenges as well. Connect with Dr. Alana Berg Social Media: @dralanaberg (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) Email: [email protected] Website: https://dralanaberg.com Connect with Kristal Parke Email: [email protected] Website: https://kristalparke.net Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 27 | Patrece Maluzynsky Patrece Maluzynsky is a writer, former English teacher and funeral celebrant from St. Albert, Alberta. She finds joy and healing in her writing and yoga practices, and she loves connecting with her recovery community and other adoptees. Patrece hopes to publish her recently completed memoir, A Surprising Peace: How One Adult Adoptee Transcended Her Anxiety and Addiction and Reconciled Her Grief. It's a deeply honest account of how she faced her fears, overcame addiction, and learned to love herself. She believes it will resonate with the adoption and addiction recovery communities, those living with anxiety, and those caring for aging parents. Never be afraid to do the hard work of self-exploration. Dig deep. The rewards are immeasurable. —Patrece Maluzynsky ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Patrece Email: [email protected] Instagram: @asurprisingpeace https://www.instagram.com/asurprisingpeace/ Website coming soon: www.asurprisingpeace.com  __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 26 | Tanis Burnett Tanis is a transracial adoptee from South Korea. She was adopted at 5 months old and joined her adoptive family in BC in 1987. She has two older brothers who are identical twins, who were also adopted (as a domestic adoption). She grew up in a white family, in cities and towns that are predominantly white. She played competitive hockey and baseball growing up, but now prefers golf and spending time with her dog. Part of her journey has been taking a deeper look into identity development for adoptees and the unique dynamics within adoptive families. Her journey began when she decided to go back to school to become a clinical counsellor. This prompted her to explore her adoption with a more critical lens, leading to identity growth and development. Currently, Tanis has a practice in Kelowna and enjoys working with folks who have experienced trauma and chronic pain, while also working with adult adoptees.  ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Tanis IG: https://www.instagram.com/vantagepointwellness.ca/ and https://www.instagram.com/mystickyfeelingsco/ FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557833002222 Email: [email protected] Website: https://vantagepointwellness.ca  __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 25 | Virginia McQueen Join Kristal Parke and Virginia McQueen as they recap this past weekend at the Adoption: The Making Of Me Live Podcast event April 17-18, 2026 in Austin, Texas. In this episode, they explore impactful moments, discussing topics like support systems, triggers, self care and their love for the adoptee community and beyond. ______________________________________________________________________ ADOPTION:THE MAKING OF ME, LOUISE BROWNE & SARAH REINHARDT https://www.adoptionthemakingofme.com/ MONICA HALL; PRACTICALLY STILL A VIRGIN https://www.monicahall.com/ JEFF FORNEY; INNOCENT PEOPLE PROJECT https://jeffforney.com/innocentpeople/ DAMON DAVIS; WHO AM I REALLY PODCAST https://whoamireallypodcast.com/ TONY CORSENTINO https://corsent.substack.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Virginia Email- [email protected] Counseling website: bozemanidentitycounseling.com Socials- @virginiamcqueen or @bozemanidentitycounseling __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 24 | Dylan Paul Dylan Paul is a queer, adopted individual whose experiences have shaped a deep curiosity around identity, belonging, and connection. Navigating both adoption and sexuality has given him a unique perspective on what it means to find and define a sense of self. Dylan discusses grief and the loss of both his adoptive and bio mothers at a young age as well as his reunion journey. Through open and honest conversation, Dylan hopes to share his story and connect with others on similar journeys. ______________________________________________________________________ TUITION ASSISTANCE & SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ADHD https://studentaidbc.ca/explore/grants-scholarships/provincial-tuition-waiver-program https://studentaidbc.ca/sites/all/files/form-library/appendix_8.pdf ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Dylan Paul IG https://www.instagram.com/dylanjpaul/ Email: [email protected] __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 23 | Dr.Liz Debetta & Julie Brumley Un-M-Othered: A Revolution in Adoptee Healing. Dr.Liz Debetta and Julie Brumley announce and discuss an upcoming adoptee event May 23-24, 2026 in Moscow, Idaho.  Dr. Liz is an award-winning solo performance artist, writer, educator, and the founder of Migrating Toward Wholeness™, a trauma-informed, arts-based narrative healing framework. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies with emphases in creative writing, feminist critical theory, and social justice. She has spent over a decade working at the intersection of lived experience, research, and storytelling for systems change. She is the author of Adult Adoptees and Writing to Heal: Migrating Toward Wholeness and creator of the award-winning one-woman show Un-M-Othered, exploring adoption and patriarchy. Her work centers voice reclamation, identity integration, and the healing power of transforming silence into language and action. Un-M-Othered emerged directly from her long-term creative, scholarly, and embodied inquiry into adoption, trauma, and becoming the subject of one's own story.  Julie Brumley, M.A. Adoptee, trauma-informed somatic coach, and creator of the 7-Phase Belonging Blueprint™, a body-based framework supporting adoptees in moving from fragmentation toward embodied self-belonging. Julie is also the host of the Resilience Project Podcast, where she illuminates the unseen impacts of adoption. Drawing from her master's-level training in counseling, somatic practices, and lived adoptee experience, Julie supports individuals in reconnecting with their bodies, regulating their nervous systems, and gently releasing long-held trauma patterns through compassionate, integrative, and embodied practices.   ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ UN-M-OTHERED: A REVOLUTION IN ADOPTEE HEALING May 23-24, 2026 Moscow, Idaho https://www.lizdebetta.com/un-m-othered-adoptee-healing-retreat ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Dr.Liz Links: www.lizdebetta.com My book: Adult Adoptees and Writing to Heal: Migrating Toward Wholeness FB: @Dr.LizDeBetta https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Liz-DeBetta/100071093076051/ TikTok & IG: @dr.liz.debetta https://www.instagram.com/dr.liz.debetta/ BlueSky: @dr-liz-debetta.bsky.social  LI: linkedin.com/in/liz-debetta-ph-d-7b4ba953 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Julie Website -  www.cominghometoself.co Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/juliebrumley_/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/julierasbrum Podcast link - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-resilience-project/id1849822021 __________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 22 | Catherine Talbott Retired and taking to social media to ask "Who Cares?" Catherine Talbott was adopted as a toddler and she was removed and placed back into government care at the age of twelve; she never lived with her family again. Catherine has worked in the child welfare sector for over 30 years and has recently retired. She was the founder of NOW Canada, a multi service agency based in Kelowna, BC which has served thousands of homeless and street entrenched youth, women and children. She has worked in the downtown Eastside of Vancouver for seven years with BC Housing, leading a multidisciplinary team of psychiatric nurses, drug and alcohol counsellors, youth workers, homelessness prevention workers and relocation support specialists.  Catherine has worked on reserve with Indigenous communities, she was the Executive Director of an anti-violence organization (BC Society of transition Houses) and she was responsible for the province's response to domestic violence in BC through the Provincial Office of Domestic Violence within the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD). For the past eight years Catherine has led the MCFD strategic team responsible for the foster care giver rate reform which resulted in the first financial raise for foster and kinship caregivers in BC, the systemic overhaul of supports for over ten thousand youth aging out of government care now known as the SAJE program and she delivered the province's first strategic framework with Indigenous partners for youth justice reform in BC.  Catherine has received multiple awards including the YM/ YWCA, Women of Distinction Award. Catherine is a mom, a wife, a very proud nana and she resides on Vancouver Island, BC.     ______________________________________________________________________ RESOURCES/REFERENCES *Severe trigger warning Don't Look Away report calls for collective action to ensure safety for children - Ending Violence BC. NOW Canada https://www.nowcanada.ca/ BC Society of Transition Houses https://bcsth.ca/ BC Housing https://www.bchousing.org/about ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Catherine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/who_caresinbc/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ct.cares?lang=en Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 21 | Haley Radke | Sullivan Summer | Lora Alegria | Lilly Anspach Adoptees for Family Preservation is a registered 501(c)(3) organization that exists to raise awareness about family separation issues and the long-term impact on adoptees and their families. The organization is currently supporting the investigative podcast, "On Adoption," produced by Haley Radke Media, Inc., a podcast exposing the unethical practices of the modern-day adoption industry through the lens of adult adoptees, and recent birth/first mothers' experiences. In this episode we chat with Haley Radke as well as the board members of Adoptees for Family Preservation about the developing podcast and how we can help to bring it to life.  President: Sullivan Summer Secretary: Lora Alegria Treasurer / Funds Development Officer: Lilly Anspach Haley Radke is a Canadian domestic adoptee, the founder of Haley Radke Media, Inc., and host of Adoptees On, one of the most successful and longest-running adoption-related podcasts in the world, with over 1.5 million downloads globally. Haley's commitment to centering adoptee stories has made her a sought-after expert within the field of adoption, and within the realm of podcast storytelling more broadly. Her project-in-progress, On Adoption, is investigating adoption's impact on adoptees and birth/first parents. You can find her at adopteeson.com, adoptionpop.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Sullivan Summer is a US domestic, transracial adoptee, independent scholar, essayist, critic, poet, and podcaster. After more than two decades as an attorney and corporate executive with some of the world's most recognizable brands, she returned to her first love: reading and writing. Sullivan is a host with the New Books Network, the largest books podcast network in the world, where her portfolio of author interviews includes winners of the Pulitzer Prize, NAACP Image awards, National Book Critics Circle awards, and MacArthur Geniuses. Her essays, interviews, poetry, and criticism have been published in numerous popular and academic outlets, and she is a 2025 "Best of the Net" anthology nominee. She also serves as the President of Adoptees for Family Preservation. Sullivan is a member of the National Book Critics Circle, the New York Society Library, the New York Historical (where she is also a Docent), the African American Intellectual History Society, and the Biographers International Organization. She is currently agent-shopping a completed novel manuscript, as well as a Civil War-era biography proposal. You can find her at her website, on Instagram, and on Substack. Lora K. Joy/Lora Alegria. Lora is a domestic, same race adoptee. She is fully estranged from her adoptive family and reunited with both maternal and paternal biological family. In 2022, she legally changed her name back to her birth name and Lora's biological mom reclaimed her through an adult adoption. Lora has self-published 3 illustrated books and a blog at www.myadopteetruth.com. She also co-led the publishing of the adoptee anthology The Flourish Experience. Lora is the Secretary of Adoptees for Family Preservation . Lora co-leads a peer support group on estrangement through Adoption Knowledge Affiliates. And she is a Producer for the Adoptees On podcast.You may contact Lora via e-mail at [email protected].  You may also email from the website www.myadopteetruth.com. Lilly Anspach is a nationally recognized leadership strategist, entrepreneur, and adoptee advocate with over 25 years of experience in operations, system design, and executive development. She is the founder of The Yuri Group, a consulting firm specializing in human-centered operational excellence, and a licensed affiliate of the Shingo Institute. Lilly is also the creator of Center to Shape, an innovative leadership workshop that blends hands-on pottery with deep self-leadership reflection. An adoptee and survivor of early childhood trauma, Lilly brings a personal and systemic lens to her advocacy. She reclaimed her name and voice as an adult and now uses her platform to elevate the stories and rights of adoptees. In addition to her consulting work, she is a speaker, artist, and coach who supports women in midlife as they reconnect with their values, reclaim their leadership, and design lives rooted in authenticity and purpose.  ______________________________________________________________________ Adoptees For Family Preservation Tax deductible donations can be made here: https://www.adopteesffp.org/donations Website: https://www.adopteesffp.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/adopteesffp/ Email: [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 20 | Sarah Reinhardt Co-host of Adoption:The Making Of Me Podcast talks about…you guessed it, the adoptee experience. Sarah Reinhardt is an adoptee and co-host of Adoption: The Making of Me. She is a writer, empty-nester, OCD dog parent, and works in Public Media in Kansas City. Sarah was born in the baby scoop era in St. Louis, MO, but only by chance - her birth mother's water broke on the ascent from JFK to St. Louis. When Sarah found that out later, her lifelong obsession with New York City made sense. Sarah grew up in a small town in Missouri with a younger brother who was adopted, and younger twins (brothers) who were the biological children of her adopted parents. It was only when Sarah was pregnant with her own child that she began to wonder 'who' she was. The search for her biological roots began. What followed was a reunion with her birth mother and siblings and the discovery that her birth father had died before she was able to locate him. It wasn't until starting the podcast and reading The Primal Wound that, in the adoptee universe terms, Sarah's 'fog' began to lift. Sarah loves providing a platform for adoption stories, and she hopes to be involved in adoptee advocation for years to come. ______________________________________________________________________ JOIN US IN AUSTIN, TEXAS - APRIL 17TH & 18TH 2026 ADOPTION:THE MAKING OF ME - Live Podcast Event Purchase tickets here: https://bit.ly/4ranliv ______________________________________________________________________ Adoption:The Making Of Me Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themakingofmepodcast4472 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themakingofme_podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themakingofmepodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themakingofmepodcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Website: https://www.adoptionthemakingofme.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Sarah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reinhardtsarah?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.

Episode 19 | Greta & Patrece Adoptees, Eating Disorders & Recovery Greta Handgis (Fadness) is a domestic infant adoptee born during the Baby Scoop Era in 1968. She found her first family in 1989, which included a full-blood brother and sister, and was in reunion for over 30 years. She is estranged now from her first mother and sister as well as her adoptive family siblings. Both her adoptive parents have passed away. Greta played NCAA college basketball and majored in Theatre. She has worked as an actor in both Los Angeles and Phoenix, Arizona, and as a criminal defense paralegal for over 18 years in the Public Defender system. Greta is a writer, actor, solo-performer currently living in Phoenix with her husband Mark and rescue dog Gilda. She has been in recovery from anorexia since 2022. Patrece's story reveals the complex realities of closed government adoption during Canada's "Baby Scoop Era." After a childhood marked by unacknowledged trauma, she became overwhelmed by fear and anxiety and developed an eating disorder as a means of coping. At thirty, desperate to escape the grip of an unrelenting addiction, Patrece sought help. Today, she continues her healing journey by writing, by connecting with other adoptees, and by finding belonging in a yoga-based recovery community. Patrece hopes to publish her recently completed memoir, A Surprising Peace, and to share her experience and hope with the adoption community. ______________________________________________________________________ RESOURCES: Suicide lifeline text 988 HEAL - theprojectheal.org NEDA -  nationaleatingdisorders.org ANAD - - National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders  www.anad.org   Definitions of different eating disorders https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/eating-disorders/what-are-eating-disorders  American Non-Profit providing help/resources for individuals and families https://feast-ed.org/  Overeaters Anonymous https://oa.org/  Recovery 2.0 (A community for those with any addictions, including food) https://r20.com/ Adoptees and Addiction https://www.adopteesandaddiction.com/ ______________________________________________________________________ Connect with Greta Greta can be found on Facebook and Instagram, as well as her website, www.gretafadness.com and her email is [email protected] Connect with Patrece Email: [email protected] Instagram: @asurprisingpeace Substack: Patrece Maluzynsky (asurprisingpeace) Website: www.asurprisingpeace.com Connect with Kristal Website: https://kristalparke.net/ Merch | Voices Collection: https://kristalparke.net/merch/ Email: [email protected] Socials: @kristalparkeofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristalparkeofficial/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KristalParkeOfficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristalparkeofficial Support the Show If this conversation resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and share the podcast to help more people discover these powerful stories of healing and identity.