Finding Healing One Song At a Time

  “Do you know BTS?” – Min YoonGi, SUGA   by IAA Co-Founder, Joy Lieberthal Rho My first favorite song of BTS was “Idol”, the sound of Korean traditional instruments in a pop song caught my ears.  Yet, when a dear big sister/friend of mine asked to join her and her daughter to go to […]

Laura Cerrano shares her journey to becoming a Feng Shui Master

IAMAdoptee interviews Laura Cerrano, adopted from Colombia and citizen of the world, as she shares her journey to becoming a Feng Shui Master.   What is your name(s)?  Silvia Céspedes Serrano (my birth name) + Laura Cerrano (the name I use today). I’ve had a few names over the years and I feel each name […]

Anna Grundström – Dancer, Artist, BodyMind Movement Facilitator, Teacher, Healer

IAMAdoptee interviews Anna Grundström, adopted from Indonesia, as she shares her own awakening of her adoption story and how she is now helping intercountry adoptees explore the language of the body, the stories our body tells and finding resilience. What is your name(s)? Anna Grundström How do you identify yourself? Indonesian Adoptee, Transracial Adoptee, BodyMind […]

Reiki Master Heather Schultz Gittens and Her Journey to Healing

IAMAdoptee spoke with Reiki Master Heather Schultz Gittens, adopted from Korea, about her experience in finding meaning and healing through the practice of Reiki. What is your name(s)? My name is Heather Schultz Gittens. My birth name is Huh Mee-Young. My pronouns are she/her. How do you identify yourself? My identity is not limited to […]

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy by Kacy Ames, LCSW

During my first year of postgraduate training in Family and Couples Therapy, my supervisor said something so simple and yet so surprising that it permanently shifted my sense of self.  I was working with a couple that had been struggling with trust, closeness and commitment.  My supervisor advised “Kacy, think about romantic love in terms […]

Attachment Theory Explained by Kacy Ames, LCSW

Nearly 11 years ago, I presented a workshop at the KAAN conference about navigating attachment, intimate partner(s) relationships and love.  It was an extremely memorable experience, predominantly because I went into labor (5 weeks early) on the car ride home.  Everything ended up being fine but I will forever associate these themes of attachment with […]

I Want To Be A Father

“What do you want to be when you grow up my love?,” I ask my little one. He says without hesitation, “I want to be a father.” Too often in adoption, we can be very birthmother centered, and I am guilty of that too.  She has been a presence almost all of my adult life.  […]

Adoption: Adverse Childhood Experience Explained with Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker

IAMAdoptee sat down with Chaitra Witra-Leiker and had the opportunity to more deeply understand the Adoption and Adverse Childhood Experiences Score. To learn more about Chaitra, you can find a full professional bio on our About page. Darci Siegel: My name is Darci Siegel, I use she/her pronouns, and I do Content Development with IAMAdoptee. […]