adoption

Episode 47: The Impact of Adoption with Rebecca Hurdis

On today’s episode, we have Rebecca Hurdis on the show to talk about her life as an adoptee.  Born in Seoul, Korea, Rebecca Hurdis is a transracial transnational adoptee.  She spent her childhood on the east coast, before moving to California when she was 20 years old.  Growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s when most of America believed in the model minority myth and assimilation for Asian Americans, Rebecca argues that such beliefs are false and dangerous. She brings up the idea that adoption is associated with trauma: it has been suggested that trauma is at the ‘Center of all Adoption’ as adoption cannot occur without trauma. And she brings up the theory of the Primal Wound, how abandonment and loss can be imprinted on the unconscious minds of those who have been separated from their biological mothers at birth.  Join us for this fascinating and thoughtful conversation!

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Episode 34: The Gift of Love

We have Monica Martinez, MPA, on the show today, to talk about her family’s experiences with foster care and adoption. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Encompass Community Services, Santa Cruz County’s largest health and human services nonprofit, where she provides vision for large-scale change at the local level. Being a parent is not easy, and being a parent of a child who has experienced trauma has its own challenges. Monica speaks with us today about her own family. Creating a safe, nurturing family environment is our topic of conversation today: feeling safe with our feelings, feeling accepted, having a sense of security, reducing the symptoms of trauma, and blossoming. Join us for this insightful conversation.

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