Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
Nadia Levett
Sharing stories and experiences of Australians who have been through Adoption and Foster Care. The stories are sometimes complex and tackle difficult issues which span over 50 plus years. From children that have been in an under resourced system to Australia's traumatic history of forced adoptions and the stolen generations. But through this darkness comes light - there are also stories of hope, courage resilience and love. My Unknown Truth is hosted by Nadia Levett, born and raised in Australia and is a child of Adoption. It is my wish that by sharing a range of experiences will lead to increased awareness and understanding around Foster Care and Adoption in Australia, facilitate informed discussion and encourage more people to share their story, open listeners hearts, minds and maybe homes to children in need.
All episodes
Best episodes
Seasons
Top 10 Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode 19 - Tammy's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
06/28/23 • 78 min
Tammy Richie is an extraordinary woman who has overcome numerous obstacles in her life. Her journey began with a challenging start, as she was abandoned as a baby, losing everything she knew, including an identical twin. This early experience of grief built up her strength and resilience, which she has carried with her throughout her life.
Tammy learned to be resourceful and curious from a young age, and these qualities has served her well as she has become the influential leader she is today. As an international motivational speaker and senior team leader for Tony Robbins she has become an expert at overcoming obstacles, trusting the process, and channeling her energy towards desired outcomes. Her ability to navigate challenges has shaped her into a trailblazer, fearlessly pushing boundaries and leaving legacies.
One of Tammy's greatest strengths is her authenticity, relatability, and her heartfelt approach to life. She loves sharing the lessons she learns on her journey in an effort to help others avoid unnecessary suffering. By being genuine and compassionate, Tammy can inspire and stir the souls of others, showing them what is possible in their own lives.
Tammy's unique blend of intuition, guidance, fearlessness, and creativity allows her to create visions and then surrender and trust in the process. She opens herself up to synchronicities and attracts what she needs to take massive action and bring her visions to life. Her journey is remarkable, and she shares inspiring stories of transformation, reminding others to make their lives count.
In summary, Tammy Richie has triumphed over massive adversity and uses her experiences to empower and uplift others. She shows others what is possible through her authenticity and heartfelt approach. Tammy's remarkable journey and inspiring stories of transformation leave a lasting impact on all those who encounter her.
Remember, "Live the life you desire & deserve & if I can.. Yucan2!”
Find out more about Tammy at www.firstaidyucan2.com
www.yucan2.com.au www.zenarah.com www.theavtarcollective.com www.Avtarcoin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tammy.richie
https://www.facebook.com/ zenarahmarketplace/
https://www.facebook.com/yucan2/
https:// www.facebook.com/FirstAidYUCAN2/
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 18 - Monique's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
05/24/23 • 50 min
Hey everyone,
Today I am speaking with Monique from the Sunshine Coast. I had a perfect opportunity on my travel around Australia and in January this year I visited her in her home. We comfortably sat on the floor of her upstairs office surround by a large sand tray full of sand, water and figurines. Not long after getting set up did I then notice the two story bookshelf with about 1000 figurines all neatly on display. I was intrigued; but more about this later.
Monique is an adopted person, born in Australia in 1972 at the height of the ‘Forced Adoption Era’. Relinquished at birth and adopted at 6 weeks, she grew up in a family with two older adopted siblings. As a result of this complex experience, along with the rollercoaster of four ‘search and reunion’ journey’s, early pregnancy and parenting, and now estranged from multiple family members, early on Monique was driven to study psychology and psychotherapy. She has spent her career studying and teaching others about the significance of relational attachment, the impacts of pre-verbal trauma and the dynamics of families where relational attachment disruption has occurred.
After two decades in clinical practice, Monique founded 'The School of Integrative Somatic Psychotherapy' in 2020 where she offers post-graduate training and clinical supervision for professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
Monique is also passionate about providing appropriate therapeutic support for adult adoptees by promoting an understanding of the specialised nature of post-adoption counselling. In 2024, Monique intends to create and deliver online resources to support adult adoptees throughout their journey of self-discovery.
‘Adoptees Connect’, is a free monthly meeting for adult adoptees, is hosted and facilitated by Monique and her partner (also adopted), on the Sunshine Coast, Qld.
For more information about Monique’s work, you can check out her website here: www.moniquepangari.com
For more information on Adoptees Connect, you can email Monique at [email protected]
You don’t want to miss this interview - tune in and listen to her story.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 27 - Lisa's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
04/27/24 • 52 min
Today’s guest, Lisa was born in England in 1970 and was adopted at six weeks of age into a family who had already adopted a son.
Lisa’s family moved to Australia when she was two years old and the family grew to include a biological daughter.
Lisa’s story of reunion spans decades, two continents and is a testament to her determination, resilience and courage.
And having the belief and hope that a NO would not always stay a no.
Here is Lisa's story.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 21 - Layne's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
08/24/23 • 38 min
Hi everyone, today I am talking with Layne Beachley. Layne is regarded as one of the world’s most successful athletes. She spent 19 years on the surfing pro tour. Won 7 world titles and is the only surfer in history, to win 6 consecutive world titles. 5 however were won in a state of fear. The other 2 that bookends her career were in a state of love.
How did she get there?
Well first of all, Layne’s mother died when she was 6 years old, this would have been devastating, to say the least, then her dad informed her about her adoption when she was 8. This news may have come too late and Layne explains why.
As painful and heartbreaking this chapter was in her life, Layne was able to turn it around and become inspired, using what she knew about herself and her environment. With a determined a fierce attitude, Layne was able to use her love of surfing and support from family to set a goal to become world champion, the reason: to prove to the world that she is deserving of love.
A team member asked her after she had won her 6th world title: Do you think your enough now? Layne hadn’t realised until that point, that the only person who thought she wasn’t enough, had been ingrained within.
Chasing big waves and world titles resulted in many serious injuries such as severe disk herniaton in her neck and a crushed lumbar spine, fractured ribs, 10 stiches in her face and torn ligaments in both her knees, to name a few.
She also suffered 2 bouts of chronic fatigue, lost her stepmother to breast cancer when she was 30, and lost her biological mother to ovarian cancer when she was 45.
All of these challenges and set backs have proven not to hold her down, but used as a transformational tool for growth, lifting others up in her presence, for initiatives and projects she is passionate about, living her life with an attitude of gratitude, to prioritise her health and well-being and commit to doing something she loves, such as surfing and working on her Awake Academy called Own Your Truth, every single day.
Im not going to lie, I felt quite nervous and a bit out of my depth in this interview as Layne is an incredible australian icon and I was extremely grateful to Layne for being so open, raw and honest with me to hopefully inspire and encourage others to “honestly know yourself to develop greater self belief and own your truth”.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 30 - Denna's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
09/04/24 • 32 min
Hey guys,
Today I’m speaking with Denna.
Denna is an intercountry adopted person, born in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 1979. She grew up in Mclaren Vale, South Australia, and an organisation, formerly known as ASIAC organised her adoption from Yayasan Ibu Sayap. At 4 months of age, Denna took her first international plane trip, and since then has travelled extensively around the globe in both career and personal life.
Denna views her adoption experience as being a positive one, she has dabbled in searching for her birth mother and learning more about her origins over the years. But In hindsight, Denna wishes she started this search earlier. She realised she had been avoiding her feelings. Her curiosity and desire grew when she had 3 children but the experience of mothering also brought unpleasant feelings that was laying dormant. from never feeling enough to rejection and abandonment issues. feelings that are similar to other inter country adoptees she has encountered. Over the years she has faced struggles with her marriage and her relationships.
She is yet to find more about her biological family but remains positive, and looks upon her journey as a lifelong quest.
Denna is a former travel consultant, business development manager, and online business mentor, Denna has "adopted" her life mantras into her business endeavours which are “Make a Difference. Collaborate, Travel. Inspire and Grow."
Her latest emerging passion project: a podcast called My Adoptive Heart is for the inter country adoptee community. She wants to help build a supportive community for others so hearts can heal and to help guide her through her own self discovery.
If you would like to connect with Denna her You can contact at: www.denna.com.au/my-links
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 32 - Kura's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
11/05/24 • 53 min
Hi everyone, today I speak with Kura.
Kura Perkins is a Perth-based adoptee. Born in 1975 and was adopted in Western Australia at 6 weeks of age to newly arrived immigrants from New Zealand. They decided to give her a Māori, name and although she wasn’t Māori, her adoptive parents had heard of this incredible name Kura and loved it, her name would soon have coincidental significance, becoming clear 25 years later.
Growing up, Kura always knew she was adopted., She has met both of her birth parents and most of her siblings on both sides of her natural family. Kura shares details of meeting her birth parents and many anecdotes about their time together over the years, both happy and sad.
With a largely positive lived experience, in her own words she describes her adoption as the gift that keeps on giving. As much as she was loved and secure growing up, Kura hit a low during her teen and early adulthood, eventually a run in with police was the silver lining to get help get her back on track and provided a catalyst to find her birth family.
Kura is working on a memoir of her adoption for her three daughters and so has kept a record of all adoption correspondence throughout her whole life. Writing about her adoption experience has always been on her mind to do; so much so, she has recorded interviews with her birth family, talking about how it was for them and their experience when placing her for adoption all those years ago.
Kura is an enthusiastic adoption advocate and feels sad that in Australia, too many at risk children are caught up in a broken system and may miss the opportunity for a safe, permanent and loving home.
Here is her story.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 31 - Jim's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
09/29/24 • 46 min
Hi Listeners,
In this episode I sit down with Jim Moginie. We had an amazing conversation over zoom from his home in Ireland and I was fortunate to meet him for the launch of his new book earlier this year.
For 50 years, Jim was a driving force behind one of Australia’s most iconic bands Midnight Oil.
He grew up in Sydney’s northern suburbs and attended high school in the city, where he befriended drummer Rob Hirst. Together with another friend, Andrew James, they formed the band FARM before recruiting singer Peter Garrett and Martin Rotsey and changing their name to Midnight Oil. Jim is best known as a songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist for the band, and has explored other creative adventures during his career such as playing traditional Irish music and collaborating with prominent artists such as silverchair, sarah blasko, the warumpi band, the living end, kasey chambers, neil finn and the Australian chamber orchestra.
In addition to his musical talents, Jim recently released his book titled- The Silver River; a memoir of family, lost made and found. We learn that Jim found out he was adopted when he was 11. His mum broke the news very matter of factly as the family returned by sea from a holiday in Tasmania. Endless questions quickly began to race through Jim’s mind.
Why did people give me away? Was there something wrong with me? Did they give me away without a fight? Wasn’t I good enough for them? I probably deserved to be abandoned. He states “I felt like a fake, a mistake. My aunt wasn’t really my aunt, my cousins weren’t my cousins. My brother wasn’t my brother and my parents weren’t my parents. No questions were asked by me or explanations offered by my parents then, or for many of the years that followed. All I knew was that I had to get onboard with the new paradigm.”
By the time Jim hit high school he had discovered his love for the Beatles and a passion for music which he clung to. Teaching himself how to play and record music and aquiring many musical instruments helped him make sense of the world. Music became his refuge and a language he wanted to express himself with.
When Midnight oil was juggling chart success, political activism and global tours, the initial wave of stardom and limelight felt different for Jim, difficult even and unexpected and whilst at times he struggled to find meaning behind it all, he realised something fundamental was missing.
At the height of his career Jim began his quest to find his birth family that led him in many different directions, to the quiet suburbs of Canberra and across the rivers and rolling hills of rural Ireland, he talks about his career and being in the band, interweaving his journey of adoption and finding his roots. Jim craved information about his family background and began to fill in the gaps of his identity, sourcing medical records and electoral rolls. He confronted his infant trauma while in therapy and learned how this shaped his behaviour in adult life. Finally he writes about finding his birth family and sharing deeply emotional reunions with long lost relatives.
You don’t want to miss this episode.
Here is Jim’s story.
Jims Memoir contains vivid recollections of childhood, behind the scenes stories of band life and fascinating insights into the creative process that produced some of this country’s most beloved songs, The Silver River is at once a lyrical coming of age story, a heart-warming family chronicle and a must read for anyone interested in the history of Australian music.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 13 - Margaret's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
11/18/22 • 15 min
Margaret holds a Bachelor of Arts ( Welfare Studies) and a Certificate of Somatic Psychotherapy. Margaret has worked in community justice, social welfare ,human rights advocacy, disability and health services, as a Tribunal Member on NSW and Qld disability Tribunals. During the past 10 years, Margaret continues to work as a Counsellor, Advanced Practitioner for Post Adoption Resource Centre in NSW, Australia.
Margaret learned for the first time of her adoption at age 40. This was a traumatic life event, leading Margaret to immerse herself in successful searches and reunion with biological family. Margaret is passionate and committed to working with all parties impacted by adoption , encouraging clients to develop and grow away from the “false self” created by adoption and to understand and educate themselves on the impact of adoption trauma.
Margaret enjoys time in nature, swimming, body surfing, reading, meditation, music, arts , time with family and friends, good food and good Prosecco. Here is her story.
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 12 - Trauma and talking with Kate
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
09/27/22 • 35 min
Today I will be talking with Kate. A Gestalt and Family Constellations Psychotherapist, Shamanic Bodyworker, Yoga Teacher, Sacred Ceremony Facilitator and has an online learning academy called, The Black Cockatoo School.
Gestalt is a non-pathologizing and humanistic modality that pays regard to a person in their wider field. It utilises the body in the present moment to process any unfinished traumas, emotions and narratives that may be hindering one's life. Her work is about bridging the gaps between research and real life, healing and present moment practice.
Lets Get Into It!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Episode 29 - Alyson's story
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
07/26/24 • 45 min
Welcome to today's podcast.
My guest is Alyson, an Australian adoptee from the Baby Scoop Era of the 1970s. Alyson holds a Bachelor's degree in Naturopathy and is certified in a wide array of modalities through her business, “Your Authentic Self.” Her expertise includes Homeopathy, Sanum Therapy, Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, Nutrigenomics, Applied Kinesiology, Touch for Health, Brain Gym, the Biology of Trauma, Somatic Healing and Creatrix transformology.
Alyson's journey of healing is deeply personal. She considered herself a lucky adoptee until she turned 50 as life began to unravel. This period of self-discovery and self-healing led her to completely transform her approach. At one point, a lack of self-worth and self-value caused her to leave her beloved profession and become a Domino’s franchisee. However, she eventually found her way back to her true passions.
Now, Alyson focuses on healing the heart before healing the body, using the Creatrix Method designed specifically for the female brain to release generational trauma.
She describes herself as a "woo-woo pathology-loving Naturopath," and shares her experiences as an adoptee through epigenetic predispositions. Alyson uses her experiences and knowledge to support healing ranging from self-esteem issues to complex inflammatory health conditions. She is dedicated to uncovering root causes of our ailments and designs individualized healing plans as a specialised adoptee health consultant.
Alyson's unique journey has enriched her approach to health and healing. Our conversation shows the powerful intersection of personal and professional transformation.
Here we go!
Thanks for listening! Follow me on Instagram or find me on Facebook or Twitter.
The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
Show more best episodes
Show more best episodes
FAQ
How many episodes does Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth have?
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth currently has 33 episodes available.
What topics does Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth cover?
The podcast is about Identity, True Stories, Adoption, Society & Culture, Mental Health, Family, Documentary, Podcasts, Connection, Relationships and Biology.
What is the most popular episode on Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth?
The episode title 'Episode 12 - Trauma and talking with Kate' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth?
The average episode length on Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth is 43 minutes.
How often are episodes of Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth released?
Episodes of Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth are typically released every 37 days, 7 hours.
When was the first episode of Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth?
The first episode of Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth was released on Aug 15, 2021.
Show more FAQ
Show more FAQ