Ep. #136: Why an Adoption Consultant? Three Families, Three Journeys, Zero Filter

Ep. #136: Why an Adoption Consultant? Three Families, Three Journeys, Zero Filter

No two adoption journeys look the same — and that’s exactly what makes this conversation so powerful. In this special panel episode, Rebecca sits down with three adoptive parents whose paths to parenthood couldn’t be more different: Lisa, a single mom by choice; Kirk, an adoptee turned adoptive father raising a son with his husband; and Jennifer, who navigated infertility, open adoption, and the unexpected twists that ultimately led her to her daughter. Together, they share the moments that challenged them, surprised them, and ultimately shaped the families they have today. From navigating fertility struggles and years of waiting to sitting beside birth mothers in hospital rooms and welcoming children through adoption, this conversation is filled with the kind of honest insight only lived experience can provide. Whether you're just beginning your adoption journey or are already parenting through adoption, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and a reminder that there is no one right way to build a family. In this episode, we talk about: • The moment each family knew adoption was the right path for them • The assumptions they had about adoption that turned out to be completely wrong • How open adoption looked different than they expected • The reality of fall-throughs, waiting, and navigating uncertainty • What it was like meeting birth parents and being in the hospital for placement • How their unique family structures shaped their adoption experiences • Raising children through adoption while honoring identity, culture, and belonging • The lessons they've learned that they wish every hopeful adoptive parent knew • Why so many of them nearly gave up — and why they're grateful they didn't About Our Guests: Lisa is a single mom by choice who built her family through adoption after navigating both fertility treatments and foster care. Her journey offers a unique perspective on perseverance, parenting, and embracing the unexpected path to motherhood. Kirk is an adoptee and adoptive father who, alongside his husband, welcomed their son through adoption after experiencing multiple fall-throughs and a NICU placement. His perspective bridges both sides of the adoption experience as both a child and parent touched by adoption. Jennifer is an adoptive mother, licensed clinical social worker, and advocate for open adoption. Alongside her husband, she welcomed her daughter through adoption and shares openly about building relationships with birth parents, navigating uncertainty, and parenting with empathy and connection. Together, their stories highlight the many different ways families are built through adoption — and the common threads of resilience, hope, and love that connect them all. RG Adoption Consulting Website → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠  Book a Complimentary Adoption Strategy Session → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact Are You Ready to Adopt? Take the Quiz to Find Out → https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz Before you choose an agency, spend money, or move forward—start with these 10 honest conversations that will help you: https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/10-conversations-before-you-adopt Tune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow, a 5-star rating & review! THANK YOU!   For questions about adoption, episode suggestions, or to appear as a guest on The Adoption Roadmap Podcast, email⁠⁠⁠⁠ support@rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠

Ep. #135: The Adoption Roadmap, Part 1: What Hopeful Parents Need to Understand First

Most people begin the adoption process thinking the hardest parts will be the paperwork, the waiting, or the uncertainty. In reality, the biggest challenge is often unlearning what you've been told about adoption in the first place. In this episode, Rebecca shares the first step of her Adoption Roadmap and explains why education, emotional preparation, and a deeper understanding of adoption matter long before you complete a home study or match with an expectant mother. You'll learn what hopeful adoptive parents often misunderstand about adoption, how expectant mothers experience the process, what really happens behind the scenes with agencies and matching, and why approaching adoption with humility can shape the entire journey. Whether you're just beginning to explore adoption or are already moving forward, this episode will help you build a stronger foundation for what's ahead. What We Cover: * The foundation every adoptive parent needs * Why adoption starts with education, not paperwork * The emotional side of adoption most people overlook * What really happens during home studies and matching * Common myths about expectant mothers * Why preparation matters more than perfection * Honoring every part of a child's adoption story * Building a stronger path forward through adoption RG Adoption Consulting Website → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠  [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠ ] Book a Complimentary Adoption Strategy Session → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact] Are You Ready to Adopt? Take the Quiz to Find Out → https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz [https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz ] Before you choose an agency, spend money, or move forward—start with these 10 honest conversations that will help you: https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/10-conversations-before-you-adopt [https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/10-conversations-before-you-adopt]   Tune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow and 5-star rating & review! THANK YOU! For questions about adoption, episode suggestions or to appear as a guest on The Adoption Roadmap Podcast, email⁠⁠⁠⁠ support@rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠

Ep. #134: The Adoption Story That Defies Every Expectation | Angela H. Legg

This episode is unlike any adoption conversation we’ve had before. Angela’s story begins with impossible odds: born two months premature, weighing barely three pounds, surviving life-threatening medical complications, and spending the first months of her life fighting to stay alive. But what unfolds after that is a story about far more than survival. It’s about identity, belonging, race, reunion, resilience, and the power of choosing your own narrative. In this episode, Rebecca sits down with Angela H. Legg, speaker, communication expert, and adoptee, for a deeply honest and at times controversial conversation about what it meant to grow up as a Black adoptee raised by a white single mother in the 1980s. This conversation explores interracial adoption, reunion, family dynamics, identity, healing, and the complexity of navigating two very different worlds — all through Angela’s unapologetically authentic perspective. Whether you agree with every viewpoint shared or not, this episode invites you to think more deeply about adoption, perspective, personal responsibility, and the narratives we choose to carry. In this episode, we talk about: • Angela surviving impossible medical odds after being born premature • Growing up as a Black child in a white family and predominantly white communities • The difference between race and culture — and how Angela views both • Navigating identity, belonging, and societal expectations as an adoptee • Angela’s reunion story with her biological sister, mother, and father • What Angela wishes adoptive parents understood about raising adopted children • Why honesty, vulnerability, and freedom shaped her relationship with her adoptive mother About Angela:Angela H. Legg is a speaker, communication expert, sales strategist, and leadership coach who helps executives, entrepreneurs, and creatives find and own their voice. Drawing from her extraordinary life story and background in sales, branding, and storytelling, Angela teaches people how to communicate with authenticity, confidence, and impact. Her work focuses on helping individuals and brands connect more deeply through narrative, identity, and human connection. Connect with Angela:  Website: https://bio.site/angelahlegg [https://bio.site/angelahlegg] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelahlegg/ [https://www.instagram.com/angelahlegg/] RG Adoption Consulting Website → ⁠ [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/]https://rgadoptionconsulting.com [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/]⁠ [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/]  Book a Complimentary Adoption Strategy Session → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact] Are You Ready to Adopt? Take the Quiz to Find Out → https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz [https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz] Before you choose an agency, spend money, or move forward—start with these 10 honest conversations that will help you: https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/10-conversations-before-you-adopt [https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/10-conversations-before-you-adopt]  Tune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow, a 5-star rating & review! THANK YOU! For questions about adoption, episode suggestions, or to appear as a guest on The Adoption Roadmap Podcast, email⁠⁠⁠⁠ support@rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠

Ep. #133: “Where Are You REALLY From?” | Jade Amez

This episode will probably make some adoptive parents uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why you should listen. Jade Amez grew up in a white family in the Midwest constantly being asked questions like: “Where are you really from?” “Do you know your real parents?” “Aren’t you grateful you were adopted?” And while most people thought they were “just being curious,” Jade explains what those questions actually feel like from the adoptee side. In this conversation, Jade opens up about the moments that made her feel different, the subtle ways adoptive families can unintentionally erase culture, and why representation matters more than many parents realize. She also shares what happened when she reunited with her birth mother in Taiwan — and the complicated emotions that came with it. This isn’t a conversation about being a “perfect” adoptive parent. It’s a conversation about listening harder, asking better questions, and realizing that love alone doesn’t erase identity struggles. If you’ve ever said: “We don’t see color in our family,” “She’s just like any other kid,” or “I don’t want adoption to define them…” …this episode may challenge you in ways you weren’t expecting. In this episode: * The adoption questions adoptees are exhausted from answering * Why “Where are you really from?” hits differently than people think * The subtle ways adoptive parents can unintentionally “whitewash” their children * What Jade wishes her parents had done differently growing up * The emotional reality of reconnecting with biological family * Why adoptees don’t all feel the same way about adoption * How books, culture, food, and representation shape identity Connect with Jade: Website: whereamifrombook.com Follow Jade on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whereamifrombook/ RG Adoption Consulting Website → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠  Book a Complimentary Adoption Strategy Session→ ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact Are You Ready to Adopt? Take the Quiz to Find Out: https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz   Tune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow, a 5-star rating & review! THANK YOU! For questions about adoption, episode suggestions, or to appear as a guest on The Adoption Roadmap Podcast, email⁠⁠⁠⁠ support@rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠

Ep. #132: What Adoptive Parents Get Wrong About Trauma | Jeanette Yoffe

Why does your child’s behavior feel so hard… even when you’re trying to do everything right? In adoption, behavior isn’t just behavior. It’s layered with loss, attachment, and experiences that often go unseen. And in the moments that feel the most overwhelming—when your child is melting down, shutting down, or pushing you away—it’s easy to wonder: Am I handling this wrong? In this episode, we’re breaking down what’s really happening beneath those moments—and how to respond in a way that actually builds trust and connection over time. I’m joined by Jeanette Yoffe, adoptee, therapist, and founder of the Celia Center, who brings both lived experience and over 20 years of clinical work supporting adoptive families. This conversation goes beyond surface-level parenting advice. We talk about why behavior can feel so intense in adoptive families, how early experiences shape the way children relate to their parents, and what it really looks like to stay grounded when emotions run high. If you’ve ever felt triggered, unsure, or like you’re not getting it “right,” this episode will meet you there—and give you a different way to move forward. In this episode, we talk about: * Why behavior in adopted children can feel more intense and personal * What’s actually happening beneath meltdowns, shutdowns, and pushing away * The difference between reacting vs. responding in high-stress moments * What “co-regulation” really looks like in real life * How trauma and early separation impact attachment and trust * Why children often internalize blame—and how that shows up in behavior * Recognizing when your child is emotionally younger than their age * The 5 A’s framework and how to use it in everyday moments * How to manage your own triggers so you can show up more consistently * What helps build safety, connection, and long-term trust About Jeanette: Jeanette Yoffe is a licensed psychotherapist, adoptee, and founder of the Celia Center, a nonprofit supporting individuals and families impacted by adoption and foster care. With over two decades of experience, she specializes in attachment, trauma integration, and family healing. She is also the author of The Traumatized and At-Risk Youth Toolbox and creator of the YouTube channel Genetically Speaking, where she breaks down complex topics into practical, accessible tools for families. Connect with Jeanette: https://www.jeanetteyoffe.com [ https://www.jeanetteyoffe.com] Learn more about Celia Center: https://celiacenter.org [https://celiacenter.org] RG Adoption Consulting Website → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠  [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠ ] Book a 30-Minute Consult → ⁠https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact [https://rgadoptionconsulting.com/contact] Are You Ready to Adopt Your Baby Quiz: https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz [https://www.rgadoptionconsulting.com/quiz] Tune in to The Adoption Roadmap Podcast every Wednesday. If you like what you hear, I'd appreciate a follow, a 5-star rating & review! THANK YOU! For questions about adoption, episode suggestions, or to appear as a guest on The Adoption Roadmap Podcast, email⁠⁠⁠⁠ support@rgadoptionconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠