#18: Ridghaus Follows the Golden Threads - A Story of Adoption, Grief and Meaning.
03/15/25 • 87 min
Can you imagine learning at 35 that you were adopted? In this episode Ridghaus, my friend and Level I IFS Program Assistant, shares how this discovery transformed his sense of identity and led him to advocate for adoptee rights and communities.
We also explore the profound loss of his 18-year-old son and how he has grieved. Through our conversation, Ridghaus reflects on the "golden threads" that have guided him—moments of insight, connection, and healing. We discuss how Internal Family Systems (IFS) has played a role in his process, helping him hold space for his parts and for others in their own healing journeys.
This episode is part of a series on my Level I IFS training experience, in which I introduce the IFS model (#16), introduce my Lead Trainer Jory Agate (#17). Upcoming episodes will introduce another trainer Margaret Conley (#19), who is an expert in complex trauma and legacy burdens, and then an audiodiary (#20) will follow. My intention in this series is to share this exciting new model of healing with classically trained therapists and anyone else curious about mental health and meaning.
- Timestamps:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction to Developing Meaning and Ridgehouse
- 00:05:42 - Early Life: A Misfit in Kansas
- 00:17:28 - Discovering Adoption at Age 35
- 00:30:49 - Facing Unimaginable Loss and Grief
- 00:43:02 - First Encounter with Internal Family Systems
- 01:00:34 - Becoming a Healer: IFS and Identity Work
- 01:11:27 - Plateaus and Valleys of Meaning
- 01:15:33 - Final Reflections on Intention and Starting Over
Developing Meaning is NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY INSTITUTIONS, and is NOT MENTAL HEALTH ADVICE.
Theme Music by The Thrashing Skumz.
This episode was produced by Dirk Winter, Fariha Fawziah and Caroline Hinton and is brought to you by Consilient Mind LLC.
Can you imagine learning at 35 that you were adopted? In this episode Ridghaus, my friend and Level I IFS Program Assistant, shares how this discovery transformed his sense of identity and led him to advocate for adoptee rights and communities.
We also explore the profound loss of his 18-year-old son and how he has grieved. Through our conversation, Ridghaus reflects on the "golden threads" that have guided him—moments of insight, connection, and healing. We discuss how Internal Family Systems (IFS) has played a role in his process, helping him hold space for his parts and for others in their own healing journeys.
This episode is part of a series on my Level I IFS training experience, in which I introduce the IFS model (#16), introduce my Lead Trainer Jory Agate (#17). Upcoming episodes will introduce another trainer Margaret Conley (#19), who is an expert in complex trauma and legacy burdens, and then an audiodiary (#20) will follow. My intention in this series is to share this exciting new model of healing with classically trained therapists and anyone else curious about mental health and meaning.
- Timestamps:
- 00:00:00 - Introduction to Developing Meaning and Ridgehouse
- 00:05:42 - Early Life: A Misfit in Kansas
- 00:17:28 - Discovering Adoption at Age 35
- 00:30:49 - Facing Unimaginable Loss and Grief
- 00:43:02 - First Encounter with Internal Family Systems
- 01:00:34 - Becoming a Healer: IFS and Identity Work
- 01:11:27 - Plateaus and Valleys of Meaning
- 01:15:33 - Final Reflections on Intention and Starting Over
Developing Meaning is NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY INSTITUTIONS, and is NOT MENTAL HEALTH ADVICE.
Theme Music by The Thrashing Skumz.
This episode was produced by Dirk Winter, Fariha Fawziah and Caroline Hinton and is brought to you by Consilient Mind LLC.
Previous Episode
#17: Past Year Review (PYR) and Setting Intentions for Beginner's Mind, Questioning Assumptions, and Consilience in 2025.
This episode invites listeners to engage in a meaningful past year review, turning away from traditional resolutions toward a more insightful approach to personal growth. By exploring the themes of beginner's mind, questioning assumptions, and the importance of consilience, Dr. Dirk Winter provides a framework for navigating mental health and self-discovery in 2025.
• Dissecting the concept of a past year review
• Sharing personal peaks and lows from 2024
• Introducing guiding themes for 2025: beginner's mind, questioning assumptions, and consilience
• Exploring the significance of various healing modalities
• Challenging traditional mental health assumptions
• Encouraging listeners to conduct their own past year review and set meaningful intentions
Go ahead, do your past year review, get yourself maybe into some beginner's mind question patterns, look for areas of consilience, or come up with your own ideas or mantras for the coming year.
Them Music by The Thrashing Skumz
Produced by Dirk Winter
Next Episode
#19: Margaret Conley - How We Heal Complex Trauma and Legacy Burdens with IFS.
Margaret Conley, LCSW, Minister, and IFS Assistant Trainer, joins me to explore how trauma is passed down through families, culture, and society —and how we can heal. Drawing from her own powerful story, Margaret explains the Internal Family Systems (IFS) concept of legacy burdens and how she helps clients release inherited patterns related to race, religion, gender, and family history. This episode is part of my IFS Level 1 training series and offers deep insight into how healing across generations is not only possible—but transforms how we create meaning.
Timestamps
00:19 – Welcome to Developing Meaning
04:50 – Meet Margaret Connolly: Healer and Minister
12:40 – Childhood Trauma to Professional Path
27:20 – Discovering Internal Family Systems
47:30 – Understanding Legacy Burdens
1:04:40 – Creating Meaning Through Curiosity
1:14:10 – The Art of Repairing Relationships
1:19:30 – Final Thoughts: Moving at Speed of Trust
Them music by The Thrashing Skumz.
This episode is produced by Dirk Winter, Fariha Fawziah and Caroline Hinton and brought to you by Consilient Mind LLC.
Developing Meaning is NOT MEDICAL ADVICE and NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY INSTITUTIONS.
Developing Meaning - #18: Ridghaus Follows the Golden Threads - A Story of Adoption, Grief and Meaning.
Transcript
Free audio post production
Dirkby alphoniccom .
DirkWelcome to Developing Meaning , a podcast where we seek to understand mental health from a perspective of meaning rather than psychopathology . I'm your host , dr Dirk Winter , board-certified adult and child psychiatrist . I work in community mental health and in p
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/developing-meaning-319865/18-ridghaus-follows-the-golden-threads-a-story-of-adoption-grief-and-m-87473935"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to #18: ridghaus follows the golden threads - a story of adoption, grief and meaning. on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy