Best Adrian Has Issues Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 180: Tiny Miracles (with Ro Panuganti) 1:13:31

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3M ago1:13:31

1:13:31

On this week’s episode I once again have the pleasure of speaking with Seattle-based guitarist Ro Panuganti. It’s been some time since our last podcast conversation, so there was much to discuss. Ro recently released his latest album entitled “The Ocean.” Released through the GameGrooves Alliance, “The Ocean” is a sprawling 8-track instrumental pro…

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EP143: Open Mic Episode 1:10:19

4M ago1:10:19

1:10:19

Open Mic Episode with Heidi, Elle, and Amy – Hosts of Pulled By The Root. Before recording interviews, we always take time to dive deep with one another. Amy thought it would be meaningful to share some of those behind-the-scenes conversations with you. For this episode, the only guideline was simple: bring a few topics—but don’t tell anyone what t…

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EP142: Adrian Burks 58:00

5M ago58:00

58:00

Adrian Burks is currently working on a documentary called Finding Home which is a search for honest answers about family and identity. Adrian documents three adopted people (including himself) as he explores the different stages of connection with their adoptive and biological parents. He is also a dynamic and rising talent in the world of film and…

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EP141: Heather Sachs 47:46

6M ago47:46

47:46

In this episode, Heather Sachs courageously dives into the issues surrounding adoption loss. Here are her words: I am adopted and see myself as a disrupter as well. The more we put our stories out there, the more we can change the narrative to being adoptee focused! I was adopted at two when my mother relinquished me to her then boss. Like many oth…

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Ep140: Dr. Deborah Sweet 1:02:45

9M ago1:02:45

1:02:45

Dr. Deborah Sweet is a licensed Psychologist who specializes in adults recovering from childhood trauma. To treat trauma she uses Somatic Experiencing, EMDR, Brainspotting, the Havening Technique, IFS and the pit model. She is also certified coach for personal growth. Before her career in mental health, she worked in the music and film businesses. …

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Ep139: Nick Fontana 59:52

9M ago59:52

59:52

Trigger warning: In honor of Joshua’s life, Nicholas Fontana agreed to film with PBTR a few years ago to share his experience of losing his adopted friend Joshua to suicide. I ran into Nicholas at a mutual friends party a few weeks ago. Everything fell away as we began to speak about the effort to heal and all of the ways he has made progress. I as…

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Ep138: Ashley Smith 1:03:21

10M ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Ashley is a 40-year-old wife and mother of three. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ashley moved to New York City after college and has remained in the area ever since. She now resides in South Orange, NJ, a town she loves. She enjoys a balance of yoga and tennis and cherishes her friends and close-knit community. Professionally, Ashley hol…

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Ep137: Lena and Scott 1:03:36

10M ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Scott, a high school math teacher from New Jersey, placed his daughter for adoption in the 1980s after a teenage pregnancy. In 2002, he reunited with her through an online search. Scott has three other children who were also part of the reunion. Lena, a domestic closed adoptee from New Jersey/New York, was adopted in the 1980s and raised as an only…

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Adrian & Atlas Still Have Issues: The 10th Anniversary Special (feat. Atlas) 1:13:08

10M ago1:13:08

1:13:08

The Adrian Has Issues Podcast celebrates its 10th anniversary! Joining me on this special occasion is one of my closest friends, Atlas. We started what would be my first-ever show Adrian & Atlas Have Issues back in 2013 and the rest is history. I am not exaggerating when I say that if it weren’t for Atlas there would be no podcasting at all. Our sh…

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Ep135: Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Best Selling Trauma Research Author 56:45

11M ago56:45

56:45

Find our book using this link: Pulled By The Root Bessel van der Kolk is a Dutch psychiatrist, author, researcher and educator. Since the 1970s his research has been in the area of post-traumatic stress. He is the author of The New York Times best seller book “The Body Keeps the Score.” He has spent his career studying how children and adults adapt…

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Ep134: Anna Maria DiDio MSW: Children’s Author and Adoptive Mom 53:15

11M ago53:15

53:15

Anna Maria DiDio, MSW - is an adoptive mother and children’s author whose adoption-themed books encourage open and honest conversation between parents and children. Anna Maria was inspired to write her memoir, Love at the Border, An Adoption Adventure after her own family journey to Mexico. Now her L.I.F.E.* Adventures children’s books feature stor…

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Ep133: Holiday Gift Series with Robert & Ken 1:36:38

12M ago1:36:38

1:36:38

We know the holidays can be a whiplash of emotions for our community. Elle Klassen has spent months recording long form conversations. Our amazing returning guests are: Moses Farrow, Megan Galbraith, Anne Heffron, Robert and Ken. This series is our gift to you! Pulled By The Root is so grateful to our loyal and brave audience. May you be comforted …

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Ep132: Holiday Gift Series with Anne Heffron 43:08

12M ago43:08

43:08

We know the holidays can be a whiplash of emotions for our community. Elle Klassen has spent months recording long form conversations. Our amazing returning guests are: Moses Farrow, Megan Galbraith, Anne Heffron, Robert and Ken. This series is our gift to you! Pulled By The Root is so grateful to our loyal and brave audience. May you be comforted …

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Ep131: Holiday Gift Series with Megan Galbraith 1:10:12

12M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

We know the holidays can be a whiplash of emotions for our community. Elle Klassen has spent months recording long form conversations. Our amazing returning guests are: Moses Farrow, Megan Galbraith, Anne Heffron, Robert and Ken. This series is our gift to you! Pulled By The Root is so grateful to our loyal and brave audience. May you be comforted …

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Ep130: Holiday Gift Series with Moses Farrow 1:46:27

12M ago1:46:27

1:46:27

We know the holidays can be a whiplash of emotions for our community. Elle Klassen has spent months recording long form conversations. Our amazing returning guests are: Moses Farrow, Megan Galbraith, Anne Heffron, Robert and Ken. This series is our gift to you! Pulled By The Root is so grateful to our loyal and brave audience. May you be comforted …

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Ep129: Julie Brumley “Coming Home To Self” Adoptee Informed Coach 58:06

12M ago58:06

58:06

Julie Brumley is a domestic infant adoptee who was adopted seven weeks after birth in 1973, following four relinquishments during that time. Her birth mother had attempted to abort her twice, between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. Julie only became fully aware of the influence of the primal trauma she experienced about three and a half years ago, th…

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Ep128: Zelly Ruskin: Author, “Not Yours To Keep” 38:15

1y ago38:15

38:15

In her first career, Zelly was a social worker in the adoption and foster care field. From there, she owned an online retail store specializing in hand-painted children’s gifts and party favors. Along the way, Zelly volunteered and raised funds for several non-profit organizations. In an alternate universe, she is probably an event planner. But onc…

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Ep127: “Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter” Cathy Terkanian 29:48

1y ago29:48

29:48

Cathy Terkanian is the subject of the new Netflix documentary “Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter.” When Cathy received word that the daughter she gave up for adoption many years ago had disappeared, Cathy embarked on an extraordinary and tenacious journey to find her, steered by the unbeatable bond of a mother and child to discover the truth. The ho…

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Ep126: Mark Wills 53:29

1y ago53:29

53:29

Mark Wills is a true definition of what it means to turn trauma into triumph. He is one of the highest producing notary loan signing agents in the country. Owner of a national loan signing service, best selling author and the course instructor of Loan Signing System, the premier notary signing agent training to thousands of people coast to coast. M…

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Ep125: Paul Fiscus #Free Eliza 46:31

1y ago46:31

46:31

Paul Fiscus, a devoted natural father, brings a unique perspective to the discussion on adoption and custody rights. His personal experiences have propelled him to become a passionate advocate for the rights of natural fathers. Paul's unwavering determination and in-depth understanding of the legal intricacies surrounding adoption highlight the hur…

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Ep124: Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne ATMOM (Adoption: The Making of Me) 52:53

1+ y ago52:53

52:53

Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne, two adult adoptees and former business partners who had a successful ice cream truck in Los Angeles, team up again — this time in frank and honest conversations about adoption, centered on the adoptee experience. Each season Sarah and Louise recap a chapter from a book focused on adoption and then interview a fell…

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Ep123: Simon Benn 51:13

1+ y ago51:13

51:13

Simon Benn was adopted at 5 weeks old, and is the founder of “Thriving Adoptees” podcast that honorably focuses on the issues adopted people face. Simon came out of the fog at 40 years old, and all was going well until he discovered that his teddy bear was a gift from his birth mother. This unleashed an eruption of anger, and feelings of rejection …

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Ep122: Anne 1:06:25

1+ y ago1:06:25

1:06:25

In this episode, our guest who wishes to remain anonymous shares her story with remarkable detail and honesty. The death of her adopted sister Susie motivated her to become an advocate for adoptees. Her journey began in 1953 when her 19-year-old mother, under pressure from relatives, gave her up for adoption. Anne was adopted at birth through a pri…

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Ep121: “Mae Mae” 56:18

1+ y ago56:18

56:18

“Mae Mae” is an adopted person who leads a double life as a teacher and songwriter anchored in the Northwoods with a heart rooted in the West. During the school day she’s building resiliency with her middle schoolers, knee deep in equal parts shenanigans and hope. On her lunch breaks and down time, she gets muddy in song and tales with her various …

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Ep120: Stephen Rowley, Ph.D. 49:25

1+ y ago49:25

49:25

Stephen Rowley, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist practicing in Bainbridge Island, Washington. His professional past includes serving as an elementary school teacher and principal, and a school district superintendent in Washington and California. He has been a college professor at three universities, teaching courses in educational administration and or…

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Ep119: Gretchen Sisson, Ph.D. Author, Qualitative Sociologist 54:27

1+ y ago54:27

54:27

Gretchen Sisson, Ph.D. is a qualitative sociologist who studies abortion and adoption in the United States. She is a researcher at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco. Gretchen’s studies on adoption include hundreds of in-…

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Ep118: Carl Niedzielski (Director, Grants and Researcher Development at American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) 51:21

1+ y ago51:21

51:21

Carl Niedzielski, named John DellaPenna at birth, was born in Western Massachusetts during the Baby Scoop Era of the late 1960s, and was relinquished and then adopted at some point at or soon after birth. Due to the low birthweight documented on his original birth certificate, it is assumed he spent time in NICU and also probably in foster care or …

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Ep117: Kevin Berthia (Suicide Survivor, Advocate, Speaker) 52:40

1+ y ago52:40

52:40

Kevin Berthia’s journey as a suicide survivor, adoptee, advocate, and speaker encapsulates the human spirit's capacity for redemption and renewal. From enduring silent suffering through his youth to a very public suicide attempt at the Golden Gate Bridge, Kevin's narrative is one of profound transformation. Since 2013, he has shared his experiences…

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Ep116: Patti Eddington “The Girl With Three Birthdays” 52:33

1+ y ago52:33

52:33

Patti Eddington is a newspaper and magazine journalist whose favorite job ever was interviewing the famous authors who came through town on book tours. She never dreamed of writing about her life because she was too busy helping build her husband’s veterinary practice, caring for her animal obsessed daughter—whose favorite childhood toy was an infl…

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Ep115: Sabrina 1:04:53

1+ y ago1:04:53

1:04:53

Sabrina is an adopted person with many questions, her story begins in Texas where she was born and adopted illegally. She was abused the entire time she was with her adopters. After years of therapy and healing Sabrina tried to reach out to the state of Texas to get her original birth certificate without success. Her story takes so many twists and …

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Ep114: Jeff Forney 51:46

1+ y ago51:46

51:46

Jeff Forney is an adoptee and an LA based photographer focusing on advertising, music and celebrity. He is in reunion-currently working on a project in the adoptee world called the ‘Innocent People Project’ where he aims to share the adoptee experience. In this powerful episode, Jeff speaks to the issues surrounding adoption with deep compassion. H…

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Ep113: Monica Hall 53:25

1+ y ago53:25

53:25

Monica Hall is an adoptee and birth mother. She is also the author of her memoir, "Practically Still a Virgin”, which will be released on Saturday March 23rd. Born in Canada, she was adopted by American parents and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where she spent the first sixteen years of her life and had many of the foundational experiences that driv…

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Ep112: George Barbakadze 46:59

1+ y ago46:59

46:59

George is a filmmaker, writer/director living in Los Angeles. One of the first questions he is frequently asked is "where is your accent from?" Here it goes, George was born in 1974, in Russia (Soviet Union). He was adopted from an orphanage in 1976 and raised in Georgia (the country). In 2000, he migrated to Australia and was granted a gay refuge …

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Microdosing Discomfort (feat. Eileen aka The LatiNerd, Jayel Draco & Lynsey G) 1:00:54

2y ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Here it is, folks—the first post-hiatus episode of Adrian Has Issues! Joining me in the co-hosting chair is none other than Eileen aka The LatiNerd. We sit down for a thought-provoking conversation with the co-founders of Oneshi Press: Jayel Draco (Lead Designer) and Lynsey G Editor-In-Chief). Oneshi Press is an independent publishing company with …

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Ep111: Lena Rosenbloom 57:26

2y ago57:26

57:26

Lena Rosenbloom is a domestic closed adopted person from New Jersey New York. She was adopted in the 80’s and raised as an only child in an adoptive family that could not have children. She entered reunion in 2002 with her paternal biological family. Elena discovered her biologic family through the adoption.com website and message boards She has th…

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Ep110: Greg Gentry 57:13

2y ago57:13

57:13

Greg Gentry is a domestic baby scoop era adoptee, born in California in 1969. He spent the first 6 weeks of his life in foster care before going to live with his adoptive family. Greg has gone through the ups-and-downs of reunion with his maternal side since 2006. In 2021, a fellow adoptee helped him locate his paternal family. He has been in reuni…

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Ep109: What’s new with our crew 50:35

2y ago50:35

50:35

In this episode, you will get the chance to get to know our team at PBTR. Stephanie Joy Pipes/ Creative Director /Producer, Amy Hansen Co-Host/ Operations Manager/ Publicity , Elle Klassen Co-Host/Art Curator and Sean Farley Sound Engineer/Co-producer will be joining us today. The definition of a team is a group of people working collaboratively to…

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Ep108: Michelle Madrid “Let Us Be Greater” 58:49

2y ago58:49

58:49

Michelle Madrid is a life coach and guidance mentor who is passionate about igniting the light within every adoptee. She seeks soulful modalities of healing to support clients in feeling a deeper connectedness with themselves and with others. Michelle is a former foster child from the United Kingdom and an international adoptee. She understands the…

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EP107: A message from Heidi Marble 5:29

2y ago5:29

5:29

A special message from Heidi: With the tremendous support of my family, the PBTR team, and our adoption community, I am back to interviewing and embracing the work I am called to do. This week's solo episode is not just a reflection of my gratitude but also an exciting prelude to what's ahead. We are thrilled to be releasing future interviews soon …

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Ep106: Christelle Pellecuer 58:07

2y ago58:07

58:07

Christelle Pellecuer is a certified coach who helps adoptees to navigate their stories so they can find their authentic voices and identity. She has have been on a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance as her adoption journey, like for many adoptees, has not been straightforward. She was adopted in South of France from Madagascar at the age…

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Ep105: Lora K. Joy 1:01:29

2y ago1:01:29

1:01:29

“Lora K. Joy is the progression of me. Lora was the name my biological mother gave me, but did not feel she had the right to put on my birth certificate. K. stands for her last name and for Kimberly. A name that is on my adoption record, but I am not sure who gave it to me. Joy was my adoptive name and how everyone knew me until January 2022 when I…

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Ep104: Jessica Pearson 57:45

2y ago57:45

57:45

Jessica Pearson is a Certified Life and Health Coach, Co-Founder of Path Nutrition and Co-Host of Weight a Minute Podcast. Her work dives deep into the world of anti-diet culture and self acceptance. She's on a mission to help people to break free from diet culture and develop a profound and compassionate relationship with both their bodies and foo…

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Ep103: Betsy McCoach 1:04:09

2y ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Betsy McCoach is a full professor in the Educational Psychology department at the University of Connecticut where she teaches quantitative research methods and conducts research in education and psychology. Born in 1970, Betsy was placed with her adoptive family at 7 weeks old. Betsy grew up in a stable family and has always known that she was adop…

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Ep102: Julie Ryan McGue 53:00

2y ago53:00

53:00

Julie Ryan McGue is an author, a domestic adoptee, and an identical twin. She writes extensively about finding out who you are, where you belong, and making sense of it. Julie’s debut award winning memoir Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging (https://juliemcgueauthor.com/books/)(She Writes Press) came out in May 2021. It i…

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Ep101: Linda Pevac: “A Fire Is Coming” Emma Stevens 50:34

2y ago50:34

50:34

Joining us this week is returning guest from March, 2022 (episode 68) Linda Pevac where we learned about her adoption journey and discussed her first book, “The Gathering Place.” Linda has since released her second book, “A Fire is Coming,” available both on Amazon.com and audible. Linda, “Emma Stevens,” is a US domestic adoptee who was adopted at …

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Ep100: “Pulling Each Other Through” with Heidi Marble 3:40

2y ago3:40

3:40

Thank you for being part of this journey, as we celebrate this milestone of 100 episodes with you! Pulled By The Root wishes to continue to shed light on the intricate journey of adoption, highlighting the resilience and strength of our community. In this episode, we are joined by Heidi Marble with a special message of hope and gratitude. Click her…

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Ep99: Dana Ozak 49:31

2y ago49:31

49:31

Dana Ozak is a full time preschool teacher, passionate adoptee advocate, and author of her soon to be released memoir, “A Girl and Her Four Families.” Dana was born at St. John’s Hospital in Cleveland in 1973. She was adopted through Catholic Charities in November of 1973. Her adoption was never kept a secret from her, but she still wondered where …

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Ep98: Fred Nicora 56:34

2y ago56:34

56:34

This week we are joined by author, late discovery adoptee, and adoptee advocate Fred Nicora. Fred discovered he was adopted at the age of 41 years old, through a slip of the tongue by an elderly aunt at a large family gathering, when Fred’s parents had already passed away. The subsequent revelation was the discovery that he had no legal right to le…

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Ep97:Jenny Clark 54:23

2+ y ago54:23

54:23

Jenny has a deep connection to the human spirit, and a lifelong passion for health and wellness. Over the span of her life and career she has worked with thousands of individuals in fitness, with special needs, education, and business communities. Jenny has 21 certifications in alternative health and fitness, and an extensive background in business…

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Ep96: Ken DeStefano 58:18

2+ y ago58:18

58:18

Ken is an adoptee who was always wondering. Wondering about what if? Wondering about why? Always wondering and feeling rudderless. Ken suspects many adoptees have experienced the same insecurities. He decided that he needed to explore this further, examining his own journey and that of his birth mother on a deeper level. This examination inspired K…