Welcome to the "Beneath the Branches" podcast. In this first episode, three of The Adoption and Foster Care Clinic staff members sit down to talk about why we’re launching this podcast and what we hope it will become.

Our goal? To be real, to be vulnerable, and to normalize the hard. Adoption, foster and kinship care come with so much beauty—but also deep challenges, messy emotions, and moments that feel overwhelming. We want this podcast to be a space where you don’t feel alone in any of it.

So, here’s our commitment to you: Presence over perfection. We’ve walked this road, we are walking this road, and we want you to know—you’re not alone.

Adoption is often described as a beautiful solution—but for adoptees and their families, it's never the beginning of the story. It's born out of loss.

In this first episode of Beneath the Branches, we open the conversation with honesty and heart, exploring the invisible losses that come with adoption—loss of biological connection, identity, culture, history, and sometimes even safety and stability.

We talk about how early trauma—whether remembered or not—shapes the nervous system and emotional world of an adoptee, and how those wounds may show up in behavior, relationships, or self-understanding. Most importantly, we offer insight into how parents and caregivers can support healing by leaning into connection, curiosity, and compassion.

This conversation is a foundational one. It’s for families who want to move beyond the highlight reel and into the real work of building trust, honoring grief, and cultivating belonging.

Because the beauty of adoption is real—but so is the loss. And we believe there's space to hold both. We are so glad you're here!