Episode 76 | August13, 2024
Betsie Norris, Executive Director of The Adoption Network, talks about her personal story of finding her biological family as an adult adoptee, supporting those who have been adopted, experiencing mental health challenges surrounding their adoption journey, and families who have adopted or biological parents who have chosen adoption as the option for their child.
Betsie explains how adoption effects all those involved throughout the entirety of a lifetime. We dive into early conversations, searches for biological families, and other potential challenges and experiences.
INTRO
Welcome to “That’s a Hard No” – the podcast about learning to say no and set boundaries to live our best lives.
Follow along with me as we learn from fellow strugglers and experts, so that you too can start saying no without feeling fear, guilt, or FOMO.
SHOW NOTES
Betsie Norris is the Founder and Executive Director of Adoption Network Cleveland: The Ohio Family Connection. Betsie is an adoptee who searched for and was reunited with her birthparents and siblings in 1986, when she was in her mid-twenties. She emerged from that experience with strong convictions about the lifelong journey of adoption for all involved, and the need for systemic change. She found Adoption Network Cleveland in 1988, was a volunteer for the first 7 years, and has been the Executive Director since 1995.
Listen is as Betsie discusses the trauma around adoption, how to find support, her personal reunification and search process, as well as what boundaries to set for a healthy experience for all involved parties.
Key Takeaways
[00:03:15] Adoption as a lifelong journey
[00:11:11] Search Challenges & Reunion Experiences
[00:23:19] Navigating Family Boundaries
- Adoptive family positions
- Biological family positions
[00:25:19] Modern Family Dynamics
[00:29:19] Trauma in Adoption
- Trauma informed care in adoption
- The primal wound theory –
[00:38:13] Setting Boundaries During Your Search
- As the adoptee
- As the adoptive parents
- As the biological parents
[00:42:34] What boundaries can look like in an open adoption
[00:49:18] Supporting Foster Care Practices
Where to Find Betsie Norris & The Adoption Network
- LinkedIn – Betsie Norris
- Instagram – @AdoptionNetCLE
- Website – AdoptionNetwork.org
Credits and Thanks
- Many thanks to our friends and families (our “villagers”) for listening, and for your continued support.
- That’s a Hard No is a production of Clever Girl Marketing
- Marketing and Production Coordinator, Maura Del Rosario
- Production Support, Evergreen Podcasts, Noah Foutz, Producer
- New Rock Anthem Music: Written by Noah, and performed by his band, The Big Leagues
- Videographer, Kae Holmberg