We are revisiting the topic of estrangement today. Earlier in 2021 we did several episodes that examined estrangement and what made some of us decide to break contact with our adoptive families. When I was producing that series I always wanted to have an episode where we could talk about what it would look like to go BACK to our adoptive family after a period of estrangement. Can you ever go back once you’ve left?

Today Ellianna shares her experiences of reunion with her birth mother, and what lead to a decade-long estrangement from her adoptive family. She talks us through her decision-making process for reunification, and I was amazed to hear the depth of how she’s looked back on this and processed all the things that have gone on in her life so far.

Show Notes

Recommended Resources

No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Dr. Richard Schwartz
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Previous Adoptees On episodes about Estrangement (playlist on Spotify) or there’s a list on the Adoptees On website here.