The Empowered Adoptee Podcast

In this episode, Laurie and Claire delve into the nuanced topic of microaggressions within the adoption community. 

This discussion was inspired by a KAAN (Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network) Conference workshop that Laurie and Claire attended. We want to help bring microaggressions into the light so that we can talk about them, normalize our feelings around them, and give us tools to navigate through them.

Key...

In this follow-up conversation, we welcome back Julie Duvall—an aged-out Korean orphan, late-life adoptee, and fierce advocate for adult Korean orphans. Julie returns to share more deeply about her ongoing journey of healing, faith, and purpose.

We dive into the realities faced by those who grow up in orphanages without ever being adopted, and the emotional landscape that unfolds in adulthood—from identity formation to grief, resili...

This week, join Laurie and Claire for a special mini-episode as they share their pre-KAAN conference jitters and excitement! Heading to a large conference, even one filled with supportive community, can bring on a mix of emotions. Laurie and Claire open up about their feelings and, in true Empowered Adoptee fashion, offer some quick and easy tools to help you navigate any nervousness or anxiety you might be feeling about attending ...

In this powerful and validating episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore the real reasons why breakups and loss can feel so devastating—not just emotionally, but physically and biochemically.

Whether it’s the end of a romantic relationship, the loss of a close friendship, estrangement, heartbreak activates some of the deepest parts of our nervous system and attachment wounds—especially for adoptees and anyone who has exp...

In this vulnerable episode, Laurie and Claire dive deep into the complex topic of self-sabotage, particularly among adoptees. We explore the subconscious strategies that lead us to undermine our own relationships and goals, often driven by fear and core wounds. Join us as we uncover the common triggers, patterns of behavior, and the beliefs that perpetuate self-sabotaging actions. More importantly, we discuss practical steps to cha...

In this powerful episode, we’re joined by Kari Rudd, a Korean adoptee based in Santa Barbara, California. Kari shares her transformative journey of searching for identity and belonging after her challenging experiences with adoption.

Kari was adopted at around six months old into a family that faced significant struggles. After being removed from her adoptive family as a teenager, she has lived a life marked by resilience and q...

In this heartfelt episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we honor Mental Health Awareness Month by sharing personal stories from our own journeys with mental health as adoptees. We speak honestly about the challenges we’ve faced—grief, anxiety, depression, isolation—and the tools, practices, and moments of connection that helped us keep going.

We explore:

• The unique mental health challenges adoptees often experience
• The hidden ...

In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with Julie Duvall, a Korean aged-out orphan who was adopted later in life. Julie’s unique perspective sheds light on the complexities of growing up in an orphanage in Korea and her journey through finding her way in life without any support from a family of her own. With heartfelt honesty, she shares her experiences, the challenges she faced, and how she transformed her life from struggles...

In this heartfelt episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore a tender and complex question:
“What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to Asian American adoptees?”

For many of us, this month brings up a mix of celebration and sorrow — pride in our cultural roots, grief for what was lost, and sometimes uncertainty about where we belong. Together, we unpack these emotions and share how adoptees are finding ways to reclaim iden...

Get ready for an incredibly validating and eye-opening discussion for adoptees preparing for (or processing) a visit to Korea. Laurie and Claire share vulnerably about their experiences visiting Korea and all the feelings, emotions, and awarenesses around their journey back to their homeland as an adoptee.

What to Expect in This Episode:

Join Laurie and Claire as they explore their personal motivations for this episode, exp...

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore attachment theory—a powerful psychological framework that helps us understand how we connect, love, and feel safe in relationships.

We take a closer look at the four core attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized—and how these show up in the lives of adoptees. From early separation to inconsistent caregiving or the deep longing for connection, adoptees ...

In this episode, we delve into how adoptees can find their path back to calm and connection by tapping into the power of the vagus nerve. This crucial nerve helps regulate your nervous system and supports feelings of safety and belonging.

Practicing these tools for just 10 minutes or less each day can significantly help improve your body's ability to regulate it's nervous system and become healthier and more calm.

In this episode, we dive into the shocking findings of South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which has exposed systemic fraud and human rights violations in the country’s international adoption program. With over 140,000 Korean adoptees sent overseas, many under falsified circumstances, this revelation forces us to reexamine the ethical failures of adoption policies and the profound impact on adoptees worldwide.

We...

In this special panel discussion, we sit down with fellow Korean adoptees Nate Choi and Kirsten Mathis to explore the complexities of the adoptee experience—from finding strength in community to navigating deeply personal emotions. Together, we reflect on the importance of taking pauses, honoring our individual journeys, and creating safe spaces for open expression.

Nate Choi is a Korean adoptee who overcame open heart surgery ...

Finding Safety in Uncertain Times: A Guided Meditation for Adoptees

In this special episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, Laurie offers a gentle, grounding guided meditation to help adoptees regulate their nervous systems and cultivate a sense of safety amidst uncertainty.

With so much unknown in the world, especially for Korean American adoptees facing the fear of deportation, it is essential to have tools that help us feel anch...

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore how befriending our anxiety can help us navigate the adoptee journey with more ease and self-compassion. Instead of seeing anxiety as something to fix or get rid of, we discuss how it can actually be a protector, a messenger, and even a guide to deeper self-awareness.

We dive into how anxiety often shows up in the adoptee experience—whether through hypervigilance, perfecti...

In this episode, we dive into the complex emotions tied to feelings of unworthiness experienced by many adoptees and explore paths to healing and empowerment. By understanding primal wound theory, societal influences, and cultural displacement, we aim to uncover why these feelings emerge and how adoptees can reclaim their sense of self-worth.

Laurie and Claire sit down for a super vulnerable and honest conversation about what l...

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast we’re amplifying adoptee voices to share what we want adoptive families to understand in order to help us feel truly supported and seen. Transnational and transracial adoptees often have complex, layered experiences that can be difficult to articulate to their adoptive families. While every adoptee’s journey is unique, we see common themes that emerge from adoptee spaces and we hope ...

In this powerful episode of the Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Hollee A. McGinnis, a Korean adoptee, educator, scholar, and healer with nearly 30 years of experience in adoption and child welfare. Hollee’s work focuses on amplifying adoptee perspectives, advocating for socially just child welfare policies, and supporting individuals raised in alternative care—including adoptees, foster youth, and those from orphana...