The Empowered Adoptee Podcast

The Old Man and the Mule: Sasha's Path Through Pain to Freedom

In this powerful and deeply moving episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we sit down with Sasha Frugone, a transpersonal empowerment coach, motivational speaker, and published author who helps people shift trauma-driven patterns so they feel safer in their bodies, clearer in their choices, and more connected in their relationships. Born in Seoul, Korea, and adopted into a German-American Pentecostal family in Kansas in 1957, Sasha shares her story with raw honesty and remarkable wisdom. She walks us through what it was like to arrive in the U.S. at age three carrying the weight of early loss, only to be raised inside a family system steeped in rigid religious beliefs, racism, and abuse. Sasha opens up about the erasure of her Korean identity, the shame she wore "like a coat I couldn't take off," her teenage suicide attempt, her time in the state mental hospital, and the moment she realized her death was not even in her own power. But this is also a story of profound transformation. Sasha describes the therapists, books, and unexpected teachers who guided her into inner child work, present-moment consciousness, somatic awareness, and visualization — the three pillars that became the foundation of her healing and her coaching practice today. She shares how she learned to see her younger self not as broken, but as brilliant — a child who creatively and courageously found ways to survive. Content Warning: This episode contains candid discussion of childhood sexual abuse, suicide and a suicide attempt, religious trauma, racism, and physical abuse. Please listen with care and protect your nervous system — pause, skip, or come back to this episode when you feel resourced and supported. If you are struggling, you are not alone. In the U.S., you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, and RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Your wellbeing comes first. 💜 In this episode, we explore: * Why traditional talk therapy didn't work for Sasha, and what finally did * The lifelong impact of being adopted as "a solution" rather than welcomed as a family member * The loss of Korean identity and the painful journey of trying to be white * Inner child work and the power of separating the adult self from the wounded child * Present-moment consciousness as a daily practice  * Visualization as a tool for healing the body and changing what feels possible * The reframing tool that still makes us laugh ("maybe they just have to fart") * Why our coping mechanisms are tools — not flaws — and how to choose which ones to keep * Grandmother Mago and the call to the children of the stars to come and heal * A tender and crucial message for survivors of childhood sexual abuse Sasha leaves us with a reminder that healing is not linear, that we don't need to relive our trauma to release it, and that the parts of us that learned to survive deserve admiration, not shame. If anything in this conversation resonates with you, we encourage you to reach out to Sasha — and to keep coming back to your own healing, one present moment at a time. Resources mentioned: Somatic Breathwork Daily Practice:  https://www.somaticbreathwork.com/thank-you-free-daily-practice-page Get in touch with Sasha Frugone: coachingbysasha@gmail.com [coachingbysasha@gmail.com] https://www.facebook.com/sasha.frugone [https://www.facebook.com/sasha.frugone] We would love to connect with you and hear from you! Please send us a text and share your story 💜 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/support] laurie@theempoweredadoptee.com claire@theempoweredadoptee.com

Reclaiming Peace and Reframing Triggers as Invitations

Laurie and Claire dive deep into the anatomy of a trigger, reframing it from a moment of suffering into a sacred invitation for self-reflection and healing. They get personal about the challenges of navigating white adoptive families who gaslight lived experiences and the deep biological disconnect of growing up without genetic mirroring. Plus, don't miss a "mind-blowing" discussion on how hormones like estrogen impact our tendency to people-please and why perimenopause might actually be an adoptee’s secret weapon for reclaiming autonomy. Whether you are trying to hold onto your center during a triggering phone call with your family or looking for tools to heal a "festering" emotional wound, this episode offers a roadmap for becoming your own inner healer. Key Takeaways * Triggers as Invitations: Learn to see a trigger not as an attack, but as a mirror reflecting a "blind spot" or a "festering wound" that is finally ready for your own attention, curiosity, and compassion. * The Power of Boundaries: Discover why setting a boundary isn't about shutting people out; it’s about protecting your inner peace so you can show up as your authentic self on your own terms. * The "People-Pleasing Hormone" Reframe: A fascinating look at how declining estrogen in perimenopause and menopause can lead to a newfound sense of autonomy and the strength to stop "giving fucks" about external approval. * The Biological Disconnect: Addressing the specific grief of transracial adoptees navigating significant bodily changes—from puberty to menopause—without the guidance or mirroring of biological kin. * Jeong & Community Healing: The power of communal love and the emotional glue or "jeong" found in shared experiences, like the kitchen duty at Plum Village or the Empowered Adoptee retreats. If this episode resonates, we invite you to listen with curiosity and compassion and maybe ask yourself: Where in my life am I running from my triggers? Are they stealing my peace? We want to invite you to lean in. Treat that trigger like a sacred guest—a mirror showing you exactly where you are ready to heal. Your story matters. If you’d like to connect or share your adoptee journey, we’d be honored to hear from you. Email us at: hello@theempoweredadoptee.com We would love to connect with you and hear from you! Please send us a text and share your story 💜 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/support] laurie@theempoweredadoptee.com claire@theempoweredadoptee.com

Seollal Reflections: Navigating Change, Compassion, and the Year of the Fire Horse

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we come together to honor Seollal and the Lunar New Year, while also grounding into the reality of where we are in these changing times. While we touch on the traditions of Seollal, this conversation is less about doing things “the right way” and more about meeting ourselves exactly where we are. As adoptees, connecting to culture can bring up a mix of emotions and we hold space for all of it. We explore the energy of the Year of the Fire Horse, a time associated with movement, transformation, and bold change and reflect on how this energy is showing up in our lives. Rather than pushing or striving, we focus on how to move through this year with awareness, compassion, and intention. This episode is a gentle and honest conversation about: * Tips on navigating the year of the fire horse * Giving ourselves permission to slow down and feel * Finding balance within intense or shifting energy * Reconnecting with ourselves, our truth, and our inner resilience We also share simple, supportive ways to move through this year with care, reminding ourselves that we don’t have to rush our growth or have everything figured out. Above all, this episode is an invitation to soften, to listen inward, and to remember that wherever you are right now is enough. You are allowed to move at your own pace as you step into this new year. We would love to connect with you and hear from you! Please send us a text and share your story 💜 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/support] laurie@theempoweredadoptee.com claire@theempoweredadoptee.com

From Unrest to Agency: Transforming White Supremacy into Peaceful Activism

In this raw and deeply personal conversation, Claire and Laurie discuss the recent spike in ICE violence—including the high-profile murders of U.S. citizens—and how these events can trigger ancestral and personal trauma for the adoptee community. We are NOT staying small and quiet, we are fighting back! Here are 5 ways to empower yourself and fight back against inhumane acts of violence and racial profiling by federal agents in your communities: 1. Economic Resistance: The Boycott * The Resource: Boycott Citizens - ICE [https://www.boycottcitizens.org/ice] 2. Legislative Action: Calling Your Representatives Direct pressure on senators and representatives is essential to stop the funding of mass detention and profiling. * Who to Call: Find your local officials at commoncause.org [https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative]. * What to Say (Script): "My name is [Name], and I am a resident of [City/State]. I am calling to demand that Senator/Representative [Name] vote to defund ICE's mass detention expansion and support the Adoptee Citizenship Act. I am deeply concerned by the recent reports of U.S. citizens being racially profiled and murdered by federal agents. We need an end to 'absolute immunity' for federal officers and a restoration of our 4th Amendment rights. Our tax dollars should fund community care, not concentration camps." 3. Support the Frontlines: Where to Donate * Adoptees for Justice (A4J): Specifically supports the legislative fight for adoptee rights. adopteesforjustice.org [https://www.adopteesforjustice.org] * National Bail Fund Network: Provides immediate release for those caught in the detention system. communityjusticeexchange.org [https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory] * The ACLU: Leading the legal battles against the 2025/2026 administrative shifts in profiling laws. aclu.org [https://www.aclu.org] * BAJI (Black Alliance for Just Immigration): Direct support and advocacy at the intersection of Black and immigrant rights. baji.org [https://baji.org] 4. Community Defense: Prepare Your City Building a "Community Defense" plan is a radical act of love and safety. * Establish a Rapid Response Network: Use encrypted apps (like Signal) to create a neighborhood alert system. If ICE is spotted, the community can be notified instantly to film, provide legal support, or offer sanctuary. * Know Your Local "Safe Havens": Identify restaurants, churches, or community centers that are committed to opening their doors during raids. * Host "Know Your Rights" Workshops: Partner with local legal aid to teach your neighbors their constitutional rights. 5. Know Your Rights (Constitutional Literacy) Informed citizens are harder to oppress. Here are some legal reminders: * The 4th Amendment: You have the right to be free from "unreasonable searches and seizures." You do not have to open your door to ICE unless they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge (not just an administrative warrant signed by an ICE official). * The 5th Amendment: You have the right to remain silent. If stopped, you can say: "I am exercising my right to remain silent and I would like to speak to an attorney." * The Right to Record: You have the right to film federal agents in public spaces as long as you do not physically interfere with their operations.  We would love to connect with you and hear from you! Please send us a text and share your story 💜 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/support] laurie@theempoweredadoptee.com claire@theempoweredadoptee.com

Collective Trauma, the Nervous System, and Finding Safety in Uncertain Times

In this episode of The Empowered Adoptee Podcast, we explore how collective trauma is impacting us on both an adoptee level and a human level. With so much uncertainty and constant information coming at us, it’s understandable if you’re feeling anxious, numb, overwhelmed, or disconnected. We talk about how our nervous systems were never meant to be in a constant state of alert, and how this moment is inviting us to slow down, reconnect, and come back into the present. Through a gentle and empowering lens, we share why gathering in community, resting without guilt, limiting digital overwhelm, and updating old beliefs around safety are essential acts of care. This episode is an invitation to offer yourself compassion, to remember you’re not alone, and to reconnect with what truly supports healing, regulation, and freedom especially in times like these. If you are looking for support or tools for connection and regulation check these out: 1. Vagal Nerve Awakening  * Ear Massage: Gently massaging the vagus nerve branch in the ear to signal safety to the brain. * The "Basic Exercise" (Stanley Rosenberg): Lying down or sitting up, interlocking fingers behind the head, and moving only the eyes to the far right, then far left, until a sigh, yawn, or swallow occurs. * https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/videos] 2. The Power of Flow: Qi Gong & Tai Chi  * "Shaking the Tree" (Qi Gong): A simple, accessible practice of bouncing gently on the heels and shaking the arms to "discharge" stagnant stress energy. * Tai Chi Opening Breath: Slow, circular arm movements coordinated with deep inhalations to ground the energy into the lower abdomen (Dantian). * https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=qi%20gong [https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=qi%20gong] 3. Targeted Release: EFT Tapping  * The "Overwhelmed to Empowered": Focus on tapping points (brow, side of eye, under nose, collarbone) while acknowledging the "heaviness" of the world and choosing to feel safe in the body. * https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=eft%20tapping [https://www.youtube.com/@BrainEducationTV/search?query=eft%20tapping] 4. The Anchor: Somatic Breathwork  * The "Sigh of Relief": A double inhale through the nose followed by a long, audible "Aaah" exhale through the mouth. * Box Breathing: A 4-4-4-4 count to bring the prefrontal cortex back online when feeling "victimized" by external stressors. * https://insighttimer.com/adamcarbary/guided-meditations/10-min-somatic-breathwork-daily-practice [https://insighttimer.com/adamcarbary/guided-meditations/10-min-somatic-breathwork-daily-practice] Reclaim Your Peace Workshop 1/24, 12pm - 2pm EST Join us for a powerful online workshop specifically designed for anyone experiencing fear and the physical state of carrying the weight of the world's collective trauma in your nervous system. This unique event combines the transformative power of Somatic Breathwork™ with the accessible grounding technique of EFT Tapping to help you gently shed layers of stress and trauma and step into your personal power. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reclaim-your-peace-with-somatic-breathwork-eft-tapping-tickets-1980633698710?aff=oddtdtcreator [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reclaim-your-peace-with-somatic-breathwork-eft-tapping-tickets-1980633698710?aff=oddtdtcreator] We would love to connect with you and hear from you! Please send us a text and share your story 💜 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2306167/support] laurie@theempoweredadoptee.com claire@theempoweredadoptee.com