Episode
S1E35 Unraveling Michelle S
- Podcast
- Unraveling Me
- Published
- Jul 2, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3723
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/unraveling-me-7569853/episodes/s1e35-unraveling-michelle-s/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/unraveling-me-7569853/s1e35-unraveling-michelle-s.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
S1 E 35 Unraveling Micelle S - Michelle’s story is layered, funny, honest, and full of hard-earned wisdom. She shows us that adoption is not a single event, but something that shapes a person across a lifetime—in identity, relationships, parenting, advocacy, and healing. Michelle grew up knowing she was adopted, and by many measures, she had what people often call a “good adoption.” She was loved, cared for, and raised by parents who told her the truth from the beginning. But as Michelle’s story reminds us, even a good adoption does not erase the trauma of separation, the ache of missing genetic mirrors, or the lifelong work of figuring out where you belong. A Baby Scoop Era adoptee, Michelle was five days old when she was brought home by her raising parents. Adoption was known in her family, but not always easy to talk about. Beneath the surface, Michelle carried a deep fear of hurting or disappointing the parents who raised her, especially her mother, whose own unresolved grief shaped much of Michelle’s experience. SHOW NOTES In this conversation, Kara and Michelle discuss: Growing up adopted while sensing there were still emotional limits around the topic What it means to have a “good adoption” and still be deeply affected by adoption Feeling othered in childhood, even in small everyday moments The pressure to protect a raising parent’s feelings Meeting her husband, who was also adopted, and building a family together The experience of genetic mirroring when their first child was born Holding relationships with genetic family while managing fear, obligation, and guilt Advocating for adoptee rights and helping change law around original birth certificates Child welfare reform, Safe Haven baby boxes, and the need for child-centered policy This episode is about reunion…