Jan 16, 2023
In this week’s Unraveling Adoption podcast (formerly Safe Home Podcast), Beth talks with Alex Baquero, a 31yo from Philadelphia who was adopted at 6 months old from Colombia. His adoptive parents are white, and he started reuniting with his birth family 12 years ago. He shares his adoption story and his complicated reunion story, plus he lets us know what tools have helped him along the way.
===============
đź’Ś Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption's email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX
===============
RESOURCES:
Alex’s information:
Other Resources:
===============
Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson
Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao
Email questions or comments to Beth@UnravelingAdoption.com
Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Support Unraveling Adoption on Patreon: Patreon.com/UnravelingAdoption
===============
TIME STAMPS:
1:33 Alex’s adoption story as a child
5:15 Both extremes are invalidating to adoptees
6:46 Growing up Colombian in a white family and white suburbia
8:02 Alex’s initial search for his birth family
10:30 How adoptive parents often get in the way of adoptees’ healing and reunion
16:10 Reuniting with his Scandinavian sisters
19:24 How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has helped Alex
21:30 How Alex got connected with his birth mother in Colombia
24:22 The complexities of traveling in Colombia
25:35 How Covid added to the complexity of reunion with his mother
28:25 Meeting Alex’s father’s side of the family, unexpectedly
31:10 How Alex managed his emotions and thinking during his time in Colombia
33:35 Aftermath back at home
37:55 Telling his adoptive parents about his reunion
39:03 Going forward…what are Alex’s future plans?