The Happily Never After

S3E7: Adoptee Voices with Anna Bryant

Society embraces the narrative that adoption is simple, but the truth is much more complex. By centering adoptee voices, we can speak more truthfully about the adoption experience. Anna Bryant’s journey into her Black identity, her reunion with family of orgin, and her search for belonging reveal the fuller side of adoption.  In this episode, you’ll discover how societal narratives around adoption erase the true depth of adoptees’ experiences, and the importance of embracing both love and loss in the process of healing. Anna shares the emotional rollercoaster of reconnecting with her family of orgin as an adult, revealing how those reunions—sometimes overwhelming, sometimes healing—add new layers to her story. Anna breaks down the impact of cultural disconnection and how the adoptee community offers vital support for navigating those complex feelings. You’ll learn about the significance of Atlanta as a cultural mecca, how social media is transforming the conversation around adoption, and why hearing adoptee stories is crucial for both prospective parents and adoptees. Anna emphasizes the importance of acknowledging trauma, honoring heritage, and building relationships that honor a child's full identity. This episode is perfect for adoptees searching for their roots, parents considering transracial adoption, or anyone interested in the reality behind one of society’s narratives.  ABOUT ANNA BRYANT Anna Bryant is a transracial adoptee from Iowa. She grew up in a multiracial household with White parents and international adoptee sisters from South Korea. She has been in reunion with her family of origin for 8 years which has brought both joys and heartbreaks. She is currently working on her memoir Cultural Fraud which explores her reunion journey and her search for Black identity. She currently resides in the Black Mecca of Atlanta with her husband and loves to travel, spend time with friends, and occasionally review new snacks. * Follow Anna on Instagram: @annab_living [https://www.instagram.com/annab_living/] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E6: Grace in the Face of ALS with Phillip Klapperich

In this episode of The Happily Never After, host Heather McG is talking with Phillip Klapperich, a writer and friend who was diagnosed with ALS about a year ago. Phillip shares how his diagnosis has connected the dots of his life, leading to epiphanies of presence, love, gratitude, and ultimately, grace. This is a compelling conversation with deeply meaningful takeaways for any listener. ABOUT PHILLIP KLAPPERICH Phillip Klapperich has worn many hats throughout his life. He is a playwright, who has in contrast also acted as a tour guide and HVAC controls administrator. He's gotten very drunk with a Russian air force colonel, been dressed down by Sheryl Crow in a lilith fair press conference, and gotten cursed in a market in Cairo. Phillip has never been one to pass up an adventure. * Learn and read more from Phillip at www.rocketcorps.com [http://www.rocketcorps.com] ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E5: The Well-Trained Wife with Tia Levings

Tia Levings is talking to The Happily Never After about her escape from Christian fundamentalism, domestic abuse, and her journey to healing. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Well-Trained Wife. Her new book I Belong to Me offers a first-hand account of overcoming deep indoctrination, psychological abuse, and building a new, authentic life. Tia talks about the links between her experiences and Christian nationalism, political power, and the fight to strip away women’s rights, all rooted in a strategic effort to uphold particular visions of control and dominance.You'll hear key insights on: * The spiritual practices and pressure tactics that keep women obedient and unheard * The high-control religious practices that silence questions about health, safety, and bodily autonomy * How the “Quiverfull” movement aims to swell the ranks of white Christian supremacy * The not-so-subtle ways legal and societal restrictions are aligned with religious agendas, threatening women’s freedom * The healing journey from religious trauma to sovereignty, empowering survivors to break free and rebuild their lives Tia's work sheds light on the intersection of faith, trauma, and political power, sharing her journey in an effort to empower others.  ABOUT TIA LEVINGS Tia Levings is the New York Times Bestselling author of A Well-Trained Wife, her memoir of escape from Christian Patriarchy. She writes about the realities of religious trauma, evangelical patriarchy, and the trad wife life, decoding the fundamentalist influences in our news and culture. Her work and quotes have appeared in Teen Vogue, Salon, Newsweek, and The Huffington Post. She also appeared in the hit Amazon docu-series, Shiny Happy People. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, she is mom to four incredible adults and likes to travel, hike, paint, and daydream. Find her on social media @TiaLevingsWriter. Her second book, I Belong to Me, releases May 5, 2026. ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E4: No More Mediocre Relationships with Laura Danger

Laura Danger, a licensed educator and domestic equity advocate, shares her personal and professional insights into the hidden traps of the toxic American dream. Laura’s powerful book, No More Mediocre, unveils how societal norms keep us stuck and offers a radical re-imagining of relationships and personal fulfillment. She explores how stress, gendered expectations, and societal myths have created a cycle of burnout and resentment—especially for women locked into the “nag paradox” and the “sitcom syndrome.” Laura breaks down: * The “nag paradox”: a cycle that erodes relationships through endless demands and emotional labor * The trouble with the “sitcom stereotype”: how media narratives distort perceptions of gender roles and emotional labor * Actionable steps to re-imagine partnership * The expanding possibilities for love and connection outside traditional models, including co-parenting and chosen families ABOUT LAURA DANGER Laura Danger is a licensed educator, author, and domestic-equity advocate known on Instagram and TikTok as @thatdarnchat. Her book, No More Mediocre: A Call to Reimagine Our Relationships and Demand More, combines candid interviews, personal stories, and research to expose how unpaid domestic labor and dynamics like “weaponized incompetence” and “the nag paradox” shape inequity in relationships. ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en]@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/]on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]

S3E3: Infertile Black Girl with L'Oreal Thompson Payton

Author, journalist, and small business owner L’Oreal Thompson-Payton visits The Happily Never After to talk about her experience with infertility. L'Oreal pulls back the curtain on excruciating fibroid battles, heartbreaking IVF disappointments, and her battle with post-partum depression. She talks about writing her upcoming memoir, Infertile Black Girl, to be released in 2027. L'Oreal shares how systemic racism, health disparities, and cultural stigma compound the pain, leaving many feeling isolated and unseen. She also talks about the pressure on Black women and girls to be “twice as good,” and how embracing rest can change everything.  ABOUT L'OREAL THOMPSON PAYTON L’Oreal Thompson Payton is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker, and founder of Zora’s Place, a Black feminist bookstore and community hub in Evanston, Illinois. She is the author of Stop Waiting for Perfect, Amanda Gorman: Poet and Activist, Violet Goes Voting (September 2026) and the highly-anticipated memoir Infertile Black Girl (Spring 2027). Her byline has appeared in outlets such as Essence, Fortune, New York magazine and SELF. Her work centers Black women and girls, mental health, and the power of storytelling. She lives in Evanston with her husband and daughter.  * Learn more at lorealthompsonpayton.com [https://www.lorealthompsonpayton.com/] * Follow L'Oreal at @ltinthecity on all social platforms ABOUT THE HAPPILY NEVER AFTER The Happily Never After is a podcast that features stories of big endings that led to personal breakthroughs. While endings can hurt, they also provide opportunities to heal and grow, and sometimes, they even set us free. Endings can offer an opportunity to begin anew, in a better way, and that’s what we’re here to talk about. * New episodes every Tuesday. * Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thatheathermcg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thatheathermcg/?hl=en] on IG for related content and discussion. * Read The Happily Never After on Substack at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thehappilyneverafter.substack.com/] * Learn more about Heather McG at ⁠⁠⁠www.heathermcg.com [https://www.heathermcg.com/]