Advertise on podcast: Cate & Ty Break It Down

In Part 1 of today's interview, Tyler sits down with Renee Gellin, founder of Saving Our Sisters (SOS), to explore her personal experience with infant relinquishment and the systemic issues within private adoption. Renee recounts the "perfect storm" of temporary crises that led her to relinquish her son in 2011. Tyler and Renee unpack common industry misconceptions, breakdown the psychological impact on existing siblings, the history of open adoption as an industry survival strategy, and how unfulfilled open adoption promises create lasting trauma for birth families. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tyler and Cate return for Part 2 with filmmaker, and adoptee, Lisa Elaine Scott to discuss her upcoming documentary, All You Have Is Love. For more info on the film and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit https://allyouhaveislove.com For all inquiries about the film, you can reach Lisa directly at [email protected], and follow @allyouhaveislovefilm for updates. Thank you to our sponsors! Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Tyler and Cate sit down with filmmaker and adoptee Lisa Elaine Scott to discuss her upcoming documentary, All You Have Is Love. Drawing from her experience as a Baby Scoop era adoptee, Lisa exposes the hidden realities of the multi-billion dollar infant adoption industry and examines how open adoption is often used as a marketing tool. Together, they offer an unique look at the different complexities of open adoption, the struggles and quiet grief of birth parents, and the urgent need for transparency to help prevent unnecessary infant adoptions. COME BACK FOR PART 2! For more info on the film and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit https://allyouhaveislove.com For all inquiries about the film, you can reach Lisa directly at [email protected], and follow @allyouhaveislovefilm for updates. Thank you to our sponsors! Arya: Get $10 off your first month at GETARYA.COM/CATEANDTYProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the FINAL PART of a three-part discussion! Cate and Tyler finish their conversation with Elle and Bri talking about the importance of having original birth certificates, education on guardianship & kinship, and the framework to differentiate between healthy boundaries and demands. Also, comments about the modern adoption industry being predatory and profit-driven, and that it ultimately takes advantage of and serves as a disservice to all involved: birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adoptees themselves. Follow Bri: https://www.tiktok.com/@briinthemaking Follow Elle on YouTube and Tik Tok! Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cate and Tyler are back with Bri and Elle to continue PART 2! The group continue discussing the misunderstandings the audience has had with Cate & Ty's story, the infamous text messages, and more about Bri's experience with religious aspects of adoption. They break down the different options available when it comes to placing a child in a safe environment. Follow Bri: https://www.tiktok.com/@briinthemaking Follow Elle on YouTube and Tik Tok! This is PART 2 of a three-part discussion! Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!Quince: Go to Quince.com/breakitdown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returnsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Ty and Alé (@wildheartcollective) as they go through the complex realities of maternal mental health, using the high-profile Lindsay Clancy case. Sharing her own journey through a psychiatric emergency, Alé sheds light on the invisible struggles of severe depression and dissociation, while highlighting why the current mental health and crisis support systems continue to fail vulnerable mothers. Together with Tyler, they examine the critical importance of proactive care, systemic accountability, and hyper-vigilance in supporting those battling postpartum crises. Thank you to our sponsors! Cashapp: Download Cash App Today https://click.cash.app/ui6m/hn9nkrvk #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. ● Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. ● Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!Vinted: Download Vinted app for free to start listing with no seller fees and free shipping in the US for a limited time! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cate and Tyler sit down with marriage and family therapist, and fellow adoptee, Bri to pull back the curtain on the American adoption industry. Moving past standard narratives, they openly discuss the grief and systemic flaws of the birth-parent journey, and how "open adoption" can be leveraged as a coercive tool. From deconstructing hospital postpartum pressure to exploring child-centric alternatives like kinship care and legal guardianship, this conversation is an urgent look at institutional accountability and the true impact of adoption. Follow Bri: https://www.tiktok.com/@briinthemaking This is PART 1 of a three-part discussion! Thank you to our sponsors! Arya: Get $10 off your first month at GetArya.com/CATEANDTYProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Cate and Ty, Tyler sits down with Desiree (@mojaveandwolf) to explore the messy, beautiful landscape of religious deconstruction. After being abruptly cast out of her church community, Desiree shares how she rebuilt a solid, unshakeable spiritual foundation from the ground up. From uncovering the lost gospels to understanding the power of collective consciousness, this conversation serves as a gateway to anyone wanting to follow their curiosity outside of the traditional box. Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthCashapp: Download Cash App Today https://click.cash.app/ui6m/hn9nkrvk #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. ● Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. ● Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Tyler sits down with Dr. Kristen Kirkland for a multi-layered conversation about the complexities of the adoption industry. Drawing from her professional background in public health and her personal experience as a private infant adoptee, Dr. Kirkland shares her journey of coming out of the adoption "FOG" (Fear, Obligation, and Guilt) and recognizing the parallels between private infant adoption in America and the legal definitions of human trafficking. Dr. Kirkland also discusses briefly the goal of her book Orphan Sunday is the Worst (slated for Spring 2028), which examines how evangelical Christian theology has historically cherry-picked scriptures to glamorize adoption. Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!Quince: Go to Quince.com/breakitdown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returnsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this part 2, Amber Boone returns to unpack the beautiful and complex reality of motherhood across generations. Amber shares her journey of becoming a grandmother at 32, navigating the shock of her daughter’s teenage pregnancy, and the battle against a broken foster care system to bring her granddaughter home. She explains the devastating toll of addiction, the long road to three years of recovery, and the unique, often confusing dynamics of co-parenting a grandchild you’ve legally adopted. Amber opens up about the generational trauma she’s working to undo, the importance of choosing compassion over judgment, and why she believes the true alchemy of life is found in the moments of stillness between the chaos. Thank you to our sponsors! Magnetic Me: New customers can get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In part one of this conversation, Cate and Tyler sit down with fellow Detroiter Amber Boone (@getrealwithab). She opens up about the reality behind her viral 25-million-view TikTok, surviving severe childhood trauma and system failures, escaping a life-threatening teenage marriage, and talks about the complexities of navigating generational trauma as a helicopter mom—only to watch her own daughter follow closely in her footsteps. This is PART 1 of a two-part discussion! Thank you to our sponsors! Arya: Get $10 off your first month at GetArya.com/CATEANDTYMagnetic Me: New customers can get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.comZenni: Go to zenni.com/podcast and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first orderSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cate is back with D.A. (@difficult.adoptee) to continue the exploration of trauma, systemic failure, and survival. DA shares her journey of growing up in a controlling, highly restrictive kinship adoption and the moment she realized her family was built on performance and lies. From navigating a volatile reunion with her biological mother and a dangerous encounter with her biological father, DA reflects on the systemic lack of regulation in kinship placements. She also shares the layering grief of losing her infant son in the second trimester, drawing powerful parallels to her own mother’s unacknowledged postpartum grief. Thank you to our sponsors! Alloy: Get your menopause treatment plan today. Visit myalloy.com and use code BREAKITDOWN for $20 off your first order!Cashapp: Download Cash App Today https://click.cash.app/ui6m/hn9nkrvk #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement, for the Sutton debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton and for the Bancorp debit flex card at cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp. Savings and Offers provided by Cash App, a Block Inc. brand. Offers may not be affiliated with third party merchants. Parents and legal guardians can open a managed account for kids 6-12. Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. To earn interest on your Cash App savings balance, you need to have sponsor approval. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.Quince: Go to Quince.com/breakitdown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this deeply personal episode of Break It Down, guest D.A. (@difficult.adoptee) joins the show to deconstruct her experience growing up within a kinship adoption. She shares her journey of discovering at age seven that the woman she thought was her cousin was actually her biological mother. She discusses navigating preverbal trauma, surviving a toxic and narcissistic home environment, and the challenges of advocating for her own mental health as a teenager in a system that often preferred silence over real healing. This is PART 1 of a two-part discussion! Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthK12 Powered Schools: Enroll online today at K12.com/breakitdownMagnetic Me: New customers can get 15% off sitewide at magneticme.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mercury is in retrograde and out to get us. Cate & Ty are back from their camping trip and share how they plan to keep up with the kids this summer. They share their thoughts on the double standards between young girls and boys when it comes to dressing "appropriate" Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthQuince: Go to Quince.com/breakitdown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returnsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's revisit an episode from 2025 Cate & Ty sit down with psychotherapist and adoptee Amy Silvia (@psychotherapist.amy_) , who shares her personal journey through the Baby Scoop Era and the complex process of reconnecting with her birth family. Drawing on decades of clinical experience working with thousands of adoptees and birth parents, Amy unpacks the profound impact of genetic mirroring, attachment trauma, and the crucial need for "adoptee-focused" therapy. Amy sheds light on the crucial difference between "adoption competence" and truly "adoptee-focused" care, highlighting the mental health struggles faced by adoptees and birth parents, including the shockingly high rates of suicidal ideation. Discover how normalizing difficult adoption conversations can lead to profound healing for the entire adoption triad. Thank you to our sponsors! Alloy: Get your menopause treatment plan today. Visit myalloy.com and use code BREAKITDOWN for $20 off your first order! #AgeGracefullyBetter Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthK-12: Enroll online today at K12.com/breakitdownMarathon: Start earning rewards on every gallon of gas. Available at participating Marathon locations. Terms and Conditions apply. See MarathonRewards.com for detailsProgressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!Zenni: Go to Zenni.com/PODCAST and use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.