Tag: adoption

Episode, Podcast

DNA Story #5 – Cayla

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Cayla’s biological father

Abandonment takes many shapes and forms and the legacy of closed adoptions can trigger harmful ripples that can last for generations. We wrap up our series on DNA testing and how the rise in these tesiting services opens up a world of discovery with a truly compelling story. Cayla’s story. It is a memoir of family secrets, heartache, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

Cayla grew up without her biological father in her life. Never accepting the reasons why, she embarked on a journey to learn of his identity and get answers to the burning question…”why did you abandon me?” After a multi-year search, she found some of the answers she was looking for. But was the truth enough to make her feel whole? Listen to this incredible story to find out.

Cayla’s grandmother

Music in this episode features DNA (Internal Alchemy) by Ketsa under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Amerika by Audiobinger under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Episode, Podcast

DNA Story #4 – Rachel

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:45 — 10.7MB) | Embed

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When it comes to searching your family tree, there are inevitable roadblocks that can keep you from achieving the kind of progress that you hoped to make. For descendants of slaves, the barriers can be quite difficult to overcome. The same is true for the descendants of some immigrants who worked to forget the past by getting fresh start in America.

The task can be as equally daunting when you are adopted or the child of a parent who was adopted. Without critical information like surnames, birthdates and places, you lose an entire section of family tree and an opportunity to complete yourself. That was certainly the case for today’s storyteller, Rachel. A young woman curious about a section of family that she knew absolutely nothing about. So many question rolling around her mind, so many answers waiting to be discovered. For Rachel, this missing bit of information stood in the way of feeling whole. As you’ll discover after listening to the show, this is ultimately a story of belonging.

People who have a strong sense of belonging tend to be more secure and comfortable with their identity. It’s a basic human need that provides a sense of wholeness and community that can improve motivation, health, and happiness. Enjoy Rachel’s story.

Music in this episode includes Warm Morning and Biscuits by Ketsa under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

And Ground Effect by Bio Unit under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.