Apr 17, 2023
In this week’s Unraveling Adoption podcast, Beth talks with Fred Nicora, a Late Discovery Adoptee, or LDA. Fred’s memoir is called Forbidden Roots: A Memoir of Late-Discovery Adoption. Because of his life experience, he now speaks out about truth and transparency in adoption. He has 13 years in recovery from substance use disorder and he now runs a small hobby farm in Southeastern Wisconsin.
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📆 Community Calendar: UnravelingAdoption.com/Calendar
💌Sign up for our Unraveling Adoption email list: http://eepurl.com/hVIAVX
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RESOURCES:
Fred’s information:
Forbidden Roots: A Memoir of Late Discovery Adoption: https://amzn.to/43CUJ6H
Fred’s gluten free bread store: https://www.fredsbreadstore.com/
Other Resources:
APtitude Support Group for Adoptive Parents Facing Adoption’s Challenges: UnravelingAdoption.com/APtitude
Other Parents Like Me - https://www.facebook.com/other.parents.like.me
Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents of Addicted Teens: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/
Find a Tele-Therapist: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/online-counseling
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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
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TIME STAMPS:
1:15 How late is late for a Late Discovery Adoptee? The story of Fred’s discovery of his adoption at age 41
4:08 Did Fred have any clues along the way?
5:54 Life struggles and identity issues that Fred attributes to his adoption, looking back
7:02 Was adoption even on his radar?
8:54 Fred’s relatives’ reactions after his discovery
12:19 Who am I now? The search process with limited access to his own documents
14:03 Wisconsin adoption legislation SB-15
16:20 Complicated reunion with his birth mom
19:25 Is there less stigma around birth mothers today?
24:05 Finding alcohol and using it to cope with complex feelings
26:22 Practicing faith and developing tools to stay spiritually fit
37:58 How does Fred’s LDA journey as an adoptee differ from someone who’s always known they were adopted?
41:16 Late discovery strains relationships
44:04 Fred’s advice for adoptive parents
47:38 NPEs (Non Parental Event), DNA, and protecting birth moms