Who Am I Really?
byDamon L. Davis
EducationSelf-ImprovementHealthFitnessMentalSocietyCulture
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...
Episodes(40 episodes)
S6E125 - You Can Forgive People From Afar
Lisa called me from New Jersey to share her story of growing up in an abusive home. She had one unrelated adopted sister who didn’t have the same experience in their house that Lisa had. Lisa always felt like the odd person out and hoped that reunion with her birth mother would be a rescue from those feelings.The opposite was true with her maternal connection which fell apart twice, but Lisa’s paternal ties have made her feel accepted for her nature versus how she was… or wasn’t nurtured. This is Lisa’s journey
Published: Jan 24, 2026Duration: 49:59
S5E102 - 102 – It’s Always Maybe
Breanna learned that she was fostered then adopted but for financial gain and she described her home as a hostile environment. Her adopted mother was abusive, and Breanna ultimately ran away from home to the military. But before bootcamp she contacted her birth mother, and learned the hard truth about her conception. In reunion, she was forced to watch her birth father’s judgment for his actions.The post 102 – It’s Always Maybe appeared first on Who Am I...Really? Podcast.Breanna (00:05):She feels really guilty and I think that's why she doesn't want m...
Published: Jan 17, 2026Duration: 37:03
S5E101 - 101 – This Is About Everybody
In Debby’s home adoption was an open topic because she was fostered by her grandparents and adopted by their daughter. Unfortunately, she wasn’t welcome as an adoptee by her adopted father and she and her family faced abuse by her stepfather. In reunion Debby found out her birth parents tried to stay together and she has full blood siblings. But her biological father has tried to deny she is his, even though she and the rest of the family know their truth.
Published: Jan 10, 2026Duration: 50:12
S17E279 - 279 - An Accident of Birth
Alex, whom I spoke with live in Los Angeles, California, said growing up, he could never quite pinpoint the out-of-place feeling he carried in his adopted life. When his children began asking about family medical history, an incredibly lucky mistake with 23andMe DNA testing kits led Alex to his full-blood brothers.Alex and his brothers agree that the timing of their reunion was fortuitous for everyone. Their mother was not forced to face the pain of the past, and his brothers were able to bond without being inhibited by anyone else’s feelings.This is Al...
Published: Jan 3, 2026Duration: 1:03:01
S17E278 - 278 - Consciously Keeping Everyone Separated
Mikayla (alias), from Australia, never wanted to confront her adoption until she began thinking about starting a family of her own. Through DNA testing, she uncovered both maternal and paternal connections, each marked by different levels of openness and receptivity that evolved and, in some cases, completely flipped.Ultimately, Mikayla earned the trust of her birth mother and met her face to face during a busy post-COVID period, amid an early pregnancy and wedding bells for someone special in her life.This is MiKayla’s journey.Who Am I Really?Who Am I...
Published: Dec 27, 2025Duration: 1:20:09
S17E277 - 277 - Adopting Privilege
Dr. Abby Hasberry spoke to me from Baltimore, Maryland. Transracially adopted, Abby was brought into a family that believed in racial harmony but didn’t support her ethnic expression as a teen. She became a first mother and was misled about the choices she made when placing her son. She has endured the ups and downs of adoption reunion with her firstborn and her own biological family.Today, Dr. Abby is a therapist supporting people across the adoption constellation through her practice.This is Abby’s journey.Dear Abby CounselingAdopting Priv...
Published: Dec 21, 2025Duration: 52:48
S17E276 - 276 - I Just Can't Make This Sh!t Up!
Alejandra, who spoke to me from Tampa, Florida, said that growing up she towered over her Mexican parents as a blonde white woman. They loved her deeply, making her feel safe she feels loyalty towards them. But adoption reunion, found Alejandra twice. Her maternal side had searched for decades to find her. Her paternal aunt found her then introduced her to her half-Brother. Alejandra has special gifts that made her super fast, overwhelming maternal reunion, a challenging adventure. This is Alejandra's journey.I Just Can't Make This Sh!t UpWho Am I...
Published: Dec 13, 2025Duration: 1:12:03
S17E275 - 275 - That's The Girl Barbara Got
Yvette, from Memphis, TN, shared that In her childhood no one would say the word "adopted",. After a tense moment in the neighborhood and a series of events, Yvette figured out the truth. In reunion, Yvette learned she was placed for adoption at an odd place in the birth order of her siblings, corroborating an unsettling suspicion she had about her parents' relationship. However, she has also met some wonderful birth family members, one of whom she said is the best thing that has ever happened to her. This is Yvette's journey.Who Am I...
Published: Dec 6, 2025Duration: 46:25
S17E274 - 274 - If Anything More Was Supposed To Happen, It Would've Happened
Lauren, from southwest England in the UK, grew up knowing she was adopted and was loyal to her family, but applying to university and thinking through her life made her want to trace her roots. When she found her birth mother, she met a woman who started off chilly but warmed up when Lauren got to meet her parents, and Lauren learned that mother and daughter have something in common. Her birth father found her too, after Lauren sent a letter, but in the end she's not connected to either side of her birth families, choosing to let things...
Published: Nov 29, 2025Duration: 41:51
S17E273 - 273 - Allowing The Grief of Each Little Separation
Nicole, from outside London in the UK, grew up in Australia. As a teenager, Nicole struggled with her adoption, so after reaching out for help, her birth mother was found, but that caused challenges with her adoptive parents. Soon after, Nicole’s birth father was found and proudly showcased, but she admits she wasn’t ready for that paternal relationship and wishes now that she had invested more in it back then.Nicole also shared her feelings about how adopted people invest in parenting our own children.This is Nicole’s journey.Who Am I R...
Published: Nov 22, 2025Duration: 52:44
S17E272 - 272 - Both Amazing and Bittersweet
Greg, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said when his son was born, he thought he could stroll into the D.C. adoption system to ask for his adoption records, but he learned there were significant barriers to access. He’s one of the few people who found reunion through a registry, meeting his birth mother just in time to form a bond, then inheriting the true documentation of her past, more valuable than anything the courts could provide.Greg still holds out hope that his birth father will warm up more quickly to get to know him one day. Un...
Published: Nov 15, 2025Duration: 48:10
S17E271 - 271 - The Blessing of Hardship is Perspective
Christy, who called me from Utah, was deeply loved by her adoptive parents, who prayed she would be delivered to them. But throughout childhood, she was unable to shake the feeling of being abandoned. In reunion, Christy heard the hard truth of her conception, self-medicated to escape her feelings, then recovered to center herself in motherhood. Christy shared the importance of telling our stories, as another adoptee and journey mate did for her. This is Christy's journey.New Book! Inside the Adoptee ExperienceWho Am I Really?Who Am I Really? Website...
Published: Nov 8, 2025Duration: 1:16:50
S17E270 - 270 - Glimmers of Light The Little Girl In Me Needs
Neshia, from outside of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, said her birth mother lived the street life and exposed her children to the full dark side of the choices she was making back then. Neshia credits one amazing foster family with showing her what a normal life as a child should be, but it was short-lived. Transplanted from the city into a rural transracial adoption, she was cast out as a teen, and trauma cycles repeated themselves. But today, Neshia is doing her best to be a mom to her own children, focusing on the glimmers of hope in her life. <...
Published: Nov 1, 2025Duration: 1:33:49
S17E268 - 269 - It's Amazing How It All Fell Into Place
Today is a special double adoptee episode with Noreen and Adrian. They both live in Massachusetts, but they were together in New Hampshire to meet someone special in Noreen's search. Her adoptive mother was very supportive and even spoke with her first mother.For Adrian, the maternal search has had its ups and downs, including finding a grave, but their stories ended up converging when they found each other through DNA, developed an instant bond, and have since supported each other through a shared paternal search. These are the individual and convergent journeys of Noreen...
Published: Oct 25, 2025Duration: 57:03
S17E268 - 268 - I've Gained Peace With Every Piece
Lori, from Missouri, said that growing up she wondered who her birth mother was, but it wasn’t until she received her original birth certificate that the gravity of her identity truly hit home.Incredibly, documenting her search on social media led her to a very supportive search angel who already knew exactly who Lori was looking for.She tried to correspond with her birth mother, but Lori was blocked and rejected, leaving her with only hope for the future. Still, Lori said finding each piece has given her peace.This is Lori’s jo...
Published: Oct 18, 2025Duration: 1:01:26
S17E267 - 267 -Things Worked Out The Way They Were Supposed To
Sharla, from West Texas, grew up never wanting to find her birth family. But in truth, she knows she was suppressing that feeling. After a DNA test, Sharla finally figured out she had made a paternal connection, but she didn't realize how close she had actually come to meeting her birth father.Unfortunately, Sharla has gotten mixed signals from her birth mother, and now the woman has left her with negative comments. Sharla refuses to let her negativity drag her down.This is Sharla's journey.New Book! Inside the Adoptee ExperienceWh...
Published: Oct 11, 2025Duration: 1:10:31
S17E266 - 266 - You Don't Have To Run Anymore
Elina, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was born in Russia. She spent her early years in her birth family’s care before moving into foster care. Then, as a minor, she finalized her own adoption before departing for America. Elina grew up as one of four adoptees, each experiencing the impacts of adoption at different stages of their lives.Elina has been contacted by her extended family, but she’s not interested in reconnecting with her birth mother. Instead, she’s focused on the deep healing work she wants to do for herself.This is Elina’s journey...
Published: Oct 4, 2025Duration: 55:23
S17E265 - 265 - Captain of Her Ship
Angie, from Southern Maryland. Growing up, Angie was frequently defined by her skin tone, as her relationship to her adoptive parents was questioned. Her contrast against her schoolmates and surrounding community made her stand out. When Angie found her birth mother, she was welcomed home—even by the woman responsible for her placement. But her paternal reunion was marked by an unremarkable connection and vitriolic remarks, which led Angie to take control of who she keeps in her life.This is Angie’s journey.New Book! Inside the Adoptee ExperienceWho Am I Real...
Published: Sep 27, 2025Duration: 45:12
S17E264 - 264 - Connected By Cousins
Donna, from New Jersey, grew up questioning the origins of her looks. In college the uniqueness of her appearance sparked curiosity. Donna spent years with no way to locate her birth family until DNA testing presented links to her maternal and paternal families simultaneously. While it was tough to find graves on her search, Donna takes fulfillment from the acceptance she's gained and the fostering she provides to children in her community. This is Donna's journey. New Book! Inside the Adoptee ExperienceWho Am I Really?Who Am I Really? Website Share Yo...
Published: Sep 20, 2025Duration: 30:40
S17E263 - 263 - I Know From Whence I Came
Rosalyn spoke to me from the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. As a teenager, she learned the truth about her adoption at her adoptive mother’s funeral—a discovery that was revealed harshly and without warning.In reunion, Rosalyn said she found peace in the mirroring she saw with her first mother and her paternal family connections. But she refused to remain an unacknowledged secret with her birth father.Make sure you listen through to the end, where Rosalyn reveals why her informal adoption has created serious problems for some of her most basic freedoms. T...
Published: Sep 13, 2025Duration: 49:48