Born in Ontario, Canada in 1965, Bill Stewart always knew he was adopted. What he didn't understand until much later was how profoundly that separation and the abuse he experienced growing up would shape his identity, relationships and sense of belonging.

In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Bill reflects on growing up in a home where adoption couldn't be spoken about, surviving physical and emotional abuse, searching for his biological family before the internet, and navigating reunion with both of his parents. He speaks candidly about addiction, suicidal ideation, healing through nature, and the enduring impact of relinquishment throughout his life.

One image stays with you long after the conversation ends: Bill describes himself as a branch grafted onto a tree that never quite grew as it should. It is a powerful metaphor for his experience of adoption and one that many adopted people may recognise.

Before Bill's story begins, Jo also briefly explores Canada's history of forced adoption and the ongoing calls for a national apology and meaningful redress.

This episode contains discussion of child abuse, addiction and suicidal ideation that some listeners may find distressing.

Keywords: adoption, personal story, childhood trauma, identity, family, loss, resilience, Canada, search for roots, mental health

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bill Stewart's Story

01:35 Growing Up Adopted: Early Experiences

06:17 Family Dynamics and Abuse

08:52 The Search for Biological Family

12:26 Meeting Biological Family: Expectations vs. Reality

14:31 Reflections on Identity and Belonging

17:52 The Impact of Adoption on Mental Health

20:51 Conclusion and Hope for the Future

22:17 NEWCHAPTER

For more information go to ⁠⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠⁠)

Connect with usInstagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-AdoptionCentre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's ForcedAdoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In everyother state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients nowlive on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and theirunique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

What happens when lived experience becomes art?

In this powerful episode of Adopt Perspective, we explore Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives – an original musical testimony that brings the hidden stories of Australia’s Forced Adoption Era to the stage through music, performance and truth-telling.

Host Jo Sparrow speaks with Louise Kirk, a mother impacted by forced adoption who, as a teenager in the 1970s, was coerced into the adoption of her six-month-old son. Louise shares her deeply personal story of love, loss and lifelong grief, as well as her journey into advocacy and peer support for other mothers affected by adoption separation.

They discuss how Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives is transforming lived experience into theatre, amplifying voices that have too often been silenced, and creating opportunities for healing through storytelling.

The production team is also seeking more men affected by forced adoption to become involved by sharing their experiences and potentially performing as part of the project.

Listen now and discover how creativity can honour memory, challenge silence and foster understanding.

To find out more email: swagssbunbury@gmail.com

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Broken Bonds Fractured Lives

01:17 Louise Kirk's Personal Journey

11:23 The Impact of Forced Adoption

16:03 The Struggles of Reunion and Identity

17:38 Advocacy Through Art and Music

20:04 The Birth of a Song: Tiny Hands

21:04 From Concept to Performance: The Journey Begins

23:17 Emotional Resonance: The Power of Storytelling

25:27 Expanding the Narrative: Including Fathers and Male Perspectives

29:01 The Right to Know: Advocating for Adoption Awareness

30:29 Sharing Truths: The Importance of Lived Experiences

34:28 Invitation to Participate: Engaging Men in the Conversation

Keywords:

Adoption, forced adoption, storytelling, theatre, advocacy, mental health, trauma, reunion, public truth-telling, music, community support

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

What happens when the story you were told about your conception begins to unravel?

In this episode of Adopt Perspective, Jo Sparrow speaks with Katherine Dawson, creator of Origin Archives, about her experience as a donor conceived person, the shocking discoveries she made about her donor, the growing number of siblings she has found, and the serious questions her story raises about fertility clinics, records, health information, genetic identity and accountability.

This conversation explores donor conception in Australia, Assisted Reproductive Technology, family secrets, biological truth, systemic failure and the power of lived experience to create change.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Donor Conception and Personal Stories

06:36 The Complexities of Identity and Family

14:35 Marketing and Perceptions of Donor Conception

24:14 Navigating Medical Concerns in Donor Conception

29:27 The Search for Identity and Siblings

33:22 Health Implications and Genetic Awareness

38:45 Creating Change Through Origin Archives

Resources

Origin Archives

Donor Conceived Australia

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

Did you know that behind every adoption story, there’s a painful truth that’s rarely discussed?

In this episode of the Adopt Perspective podcast, Jo Sparrow interviews Bev Shipway, who shares her harrowing experience of being coerced into giving up her son for adoption in Western Australia at the age of 17. Bev recounts the trauma of her pregnancy, the pressure from her family and the system, and the long-lasting effects of her adoption experience. She discusses the challenges of consent, the emotional turmoil of reconnecting with her son, and her journey towards healing. This conversation sheds light on the complexities of adoption, the impact of societal norms, and the importance of personal agency.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Bev's Story

03:36 The System of Coercion and Secrecy

06:52 The Experience of Pregnancy and Birth

09:58 The Impact of Institutional Practices

12:49 The Aftermath of Adoption

16:28 Reflections on Consent and Freedom

23:27 The Weight of Silence

24:27 The Struggle for Connection

25:54 The Journey to Revocation

29:38 Reconnecting with the Past

32:51 Moments of Joy and Reflection

35:52 Defining Healing

37:13 Advice to the Younger Self

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

SUBSCRIBE! If this conversationresonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised.

For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your hostis Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or youcan call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to cultureand the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

In this episode, Jo Sparrow speaks with Caroline Liesegang about her journey of discovering her adoption at the age of 27. Caroline shares her experiences growing up in a family where all siblings were adopted but none were told the truth. The conversation delves into the emotional impact of secrecy, the complexities of trust in relationships, and the challenges of navigating family dynamics after such a revelation. Caroline reflects on her reunion with her biological family and the ongoing struggles with identity and belonging, offering insights for others who may find themselves in similar situations.

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Discovery

04:39 The Impact of Secrecy

09:48 Navigating Trust and Relationships

15:17 Conversations with Adoptive Parents

20:07 Reunion with Biological Family

25:15 Reflections on Identity and Belonging

30:20 Understanding the Wider Experience

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, late discovery adopted people, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

In this episode, Ben Straker shares his journey of self-discovery as an adopted person. He reflects on his childhood, the complexities of family dynamics, and the impact of adoption on his identity. Ben discusses the trauma associated with his birth experience and how it resurfaced during the birth of his own child. He explores the concept of the primal wound and the emotional turmoil of searching for his biological family. Despite facing rejection and unanswered questions, Ben emphasises the importance of finding peace and connection within himself and his family through ritual.

Chapters

00:00 Ben's Adoption Journey

09:00 The Impact of Adoption on Identity

18:34 Trauma and the Birth Experience

22:10 Discovering the Primal Wound

28:15 Searching for Roots and Original Identity

30:53 Unpacking Identity and Adoption

33:37 Discovering Birth Family: The Search

37:31 The Emotional Impact of Discovery & Using ritual for healing

40:19 Navigating Silence and Rejection

50:12 The Search for Father: Challenges and Obstacles

56:08 Finding Peace in Unanswered Questions

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

Jeannot Farmer is from Glasgow, Scotland, although she is joining us today from Melbourne Australia where she is holidaying with family. In 1978 she lost her son to forced adoption. Thirty-one years later they were reunited. In more recent years, Jeannot has become a powerful advocate in Scotland’s forced adoption space.

Jigsaw Qld first connected with Jeannot in 2023 when she reached out while undertaking a Churchill Fellowship. Her research explored what happened in Australia following our 2013 National Apology for Forced Adoptions so that Scotland could learn from our experience after its own national apology, delivered a decade later in the Scottish Parliament on 22 March 2023.

Jeannot travelled to Australia in September 2023, meeting with advocates, support organisations and stakeholders across Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, including Jigsaw, and published her findings in 2024.

In this episode she shares her personal story of losing her son to forced adoption and their reunion and how it led to her to stepping into the advocacy space, and what she learned about Australia's post national apology response.

This episode will resonate with adopted adults, parents who lost children to adoption, siblings, adoptive parents, practitioners, policy makers, and anyone seeking a deeper, more honest understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Jeannot Farmer's Journey

04:58 The Birth Experience and Hospital Treatment

10:34 The Aftermath of Birth and Adoption Process

15:42 Reunion After 31 Years

34:58 The Journey of Connection

41:56 Isolation and the Power of Shared Stories

47:54 Advocacy and the Path to Apology

55:41 Insights from Australia: Adoption Policies and Support

🎧 If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website. (scroll down)

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.

Felicity Lawson is an adopted person born at Hornsby Hospital, NSW in 1975. Over the past 32 years, she has searched for and reunited with both her mother and father - a long and complex journey marked by hope, heartbreak, and identity shifts.

In this episode of Adopt Perspective, Felicity shares her lived experience of adoption reunion in Australia, reflecting on growing up adopted, navigating adoptive family dynamics, and the emotional realities of searching for biological parents.

We also explore the broader legacy of the Forced Adoption Era (1940s–1980s) and the ripple effects of reunion - not just for adopted people, but for mothers, fathers, adoptive parents, siblings, partners and extended family members.

Felicity is currently writing a resource book focused on adoption reunion in Australia, documenting lived experiences across the adoption community. In this conversation, she shares what reunion has taught her and how others can contribute to this important project. To find out more, you can email Felicity at adoptionreunion@outlook.com.

If you are an adopted person, parent of loss, adoptive parent, sibling or child of an adopted person, or someone navigating search and reunion, this episode offers insight, validation and practical wisdom.

Chapters

00:00 Felicity Lawson's Adoption Journey

08:57 The Impact of Reunion on Identity

15:51 Navigating Relationships with Birth Parents

22:51 Understanding the Forced Adoption Era

30:53 The Importance of Documenting Experiences

🎧 If this conversation resonates, subscribe for more honest discussions about adoption, identity and the lived experience of adopted adults, mothers and fathers who lost children to adoption and therapists, researchers and policy makers in this space.

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connect with us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook - Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or you can call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to culture and the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.