231 episodes

Adoptees telling their own stories of life in adoption, their search for their birth family, and how their reunion attempt turned out. Stories that make you laugh, cry, or simply say "wow".



This podcast has two purposes:

1) To help you explore your own feelings about your adoption, accept your desire understand your own personal history, and decide for yourself whether reunification with your biological relatives is right for you. It will help you understand how others have dealt with issues related to protecting the feelings of their adopted families who may be supportive of your search, or question your motives and present challenges.



2) For non-adoptees, this podcast will help you understand some of what is in the minds of your friends, family members, or others who are adopted. Perhaps you had questions for them but you didn’t know if you should ask.



The stories will make you smile or bring you to tears, but they’re all true as told by the people who lived them. In them, I hope you’ll find something that inspires you, validates your feelings about wanting to search, or motivates you to have the strength along your journey to learn “Who Am I Really?”

Who Am I Really‪?‬ Damon L. Davis

    • Education
    • 4.9 • 233 Ratings

Adoptees telling their own stories of life in adoption, their search for their birth family, and how their reunion attempt turned out. Stories that make you laugh, cry, or simply say "wow".



This podcast has two purposes:

1) To help you explore your own feelings about your adoption, accept your desire understand your own personal history, and decide for yourself whether reunification with your biological relatives is right for you. It will help you understand how others have dealt with issues related to protecting the feelings of their adopted families who may be supportive of your search, or question your motives and present challenges.



2) For non-adoptees, this podcast will help you understand some of what is in the minds of your friends, family members, or others who are adopted. Perhaps you had questions for them but you didn’t know if you should ask.



The stories will make you smile or bring you to tears, but they’re all true as told by the people who lived them. In them, I hope you’ll find something that inspires you, validates your feelings about wanting to search, or motivates you to have the strength along your journey to learn “Who Am I Really?”

    210 - Not Begging, Just Moving On

    210 - Not Begging, Just Moving On

    Trish from Arlington, Texas had open access to her adoption records which provided the information she needed to find her birth mother. But just because she was found didn't mean the woman wanted to talk.
    When her birth mother's reluctance to meet Trish softened, they formed a relationship that lasted many years until suddenly it was over. Trish has tried to put the adoption reunion rejection behind her.
    She focuses more on trying to build a relationship with her birth father and hopes to put her training as an adoption competent therapist to use for other adoptees.
    This is Trisha's journey.
    Who Am I Really?
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
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    • 55 min
    211 - The Gift He Gave Me

    211 - The Gift He Gave Me

    Kamina called me from Dubai, but she grew up in Texas. Kamina said she was always confused about why she didn't look like her adoptive family and no one would ever admit she was adopted.
    Turmoil between her adoptive parents led both of them to alcoholism, poor judgment, and an awful love triangle that got Kamina kicked out of her home at a tender age.
    After years on the street, then time in the military Kamina decided part of ending her years of self-sabotage was to finally face the truth about her adoption she seemed to be running from.
    This is Kamina's journey.
    Who Am I Really?
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
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    • 1 hr 12 min
    212 - Forbidden Roots

    212 - Forbidden Roots

    Fred called me from outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, near lake Michigan. Fred grew up an only child loved and supported by his parents, but sometimes feeling out of place and misdirected by them when he tried to pursue some of his interests.
    As an adult, a slip of the tongue of one of his relatives revealed something he had never suspected. That he was adopted.
    In reunion with his birth mother, Fred found a woman so deeply traumatized that she wanted to maintain her secrets after her death.
    Fred is now on a quest to remove adoption stigma while fighting for open records in adoption.
    This is Fred's journey.
    This is Fred's Book: Forbidden Roots
    Who Am I Really?
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
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    • 52 min
    213 - Why Lie About A Human Being?

    213 - Why Lie About A Human Being?

    Linda, who called me from St. Petersburg, Florida, said that when her adoptive mother found herself single parenting her two daughters, they moved to the south where her family shunned the children for being adopted.
    In reunion with her birth mother, Linda found a woman who had a tough story to share about her conception, who was seemingly afraid of the truth coming out to her family, and who went to extreme criminal lengths to try to make Linda lose custody of her own daughter.
    Through it all Linda stands strong on the firm base her adoptive mother gave her.
    This is Linda's journey.
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
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    • 1 hr 9 min
    214 - Letting Go Of Old Resentment

    214 - Letting Go Of Old Resentment

    Elianna who called me from Santa Cruz, California, said growing up her family moved frequently, which taught her it was easy to uproot and restart.
    When her adopted brother triggered her search with his own desire to find his birth mother, Eliana got very emotional about her inability to locate the woman she wanted to find.
    Wishing and praying their, connection became reality, but Eliana could not have predicted the eruption of resentment she would feel when she moved in with her birth mother.
    Eliana was separated from her birth parents, broke ties with her adoptive parents, and reunited with everyone.
    This is Elianna's journey.
    Who Am I Really?
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
    Find the show on:
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    • 1 hr 7 min
    215 - Taking My Power Back Was Incredible

    215 - Taking My Power Back Was Incredible

    Becky, from Sydney, Ohio, said she has always searched for someone who resembled herself. When she found her birth mother, she was wounded by the woman's fear reaction to having been found after two decades apart.
    Becky lived with her adoption reunion rejection trauma for years until she found the adoptee community, gained clarity on her birth mother's probable trauma, then finally reached out to give the woman a second chance to release the pressure of her secret.
    Finding her birth father gave Becky a sense of taking her power back as she figured out her conception story, located the man at a live event, and was welcomed into his heart.
    This is becky's journey
    Who Am I Really?
    Who Am I Really? Website Share Your StoryDamon's story
    Find the show on:
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    • 49 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
233 Ratings

233 Ratings

Mimi Diggs ,

Salve for the adoptee soul

Hearing all these other adoptee stories makes me feel less alone in this world of adoption. There is nothing like community to heal. Thank you for creating this space for us.

LittleLindsayG ,

I'm an adoptive mother learning so much from this podcast.

I've really enjoyed going back and listening to so many of these episodes in hopes that it will help keep my mind open to any struggles my daughter may have in the future. She's only a year old, but knows her bio mom and will know anything she wants to know.

Zlighting ,

What a gift!

Thank you, Damon, and everyone who shares their stories. You have given me a great gift. Listening to you has given me a deeper understanding of the struggles my daughter may be experiencing. This understanding allows me to view the anger my daughter directs towards me, or at least some of it, not as a personal attack but as an outgrowth of the pain/trauma she suffered because of our separation and not that she doesn’t want me in her life. Which, in turn, allows me to view her actions with more empathy and gives me the strength to stay on the “reunion rollercoaster ride.”

Again, thank you. It is long overdue for society to understand the trauma caused by the separation of mother and child.

Respectfully,

Lynn

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