
Welcome!
Adoption: The Long View Podcast
Latest Episode


About the Show
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, If I only knew then what I know now, Adoption: The Long View is the podcast you need to hear right now. Get invaluable insights about the all-encompassing journey of parenting an adopted person from people with lived experience in adoption. Make the most of your adoptive parenting journey and arrive at your destination in the healthiest, most connected and integrated way possible. Join host Lori Holden (The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole) as she explores Adoption: The Long View. Trailer below.

Recent Episodes
410: Best Advice of Adoption Experts from Season 4 + Something EXTRA
It’s December of 2023, which means that my new book, Adoption Unfiltered, written with Sara Easterly, an adoptee, and Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, a birth
409: Unfiltering Adoption: What’s Been Filtered From Us Hurts Us
This is a really special episode for me because not only am I the host, as I always am, I am also a guest. I’m
408: The Dance of Adoptive Parenting: When to Lead & When to Follow
So many parents end up wishing they’d had a time machine to go back and know earlier what we didn’t know then about parenting, which is the whole premise of this podcast – to take the long view. With adoptive parenting, that wish can be even strong
407: What My Adoptive Parents Did – and Didn’t – Do Well
So many parents end up wishing they’d had a time machine to go back and know earlier what we didn’t know then about parenting, which
Browse by Topic
102: Ashley Mitchell on the necessity for better adoption education for everyone involved.
103: Carolyn Savage tells her inconceivable story about pregnancy, adoption, and surrogacy.
107: How birth mom Clemencia Deleon developed emotional intelligence when her kinship adoption went all wrong.
110: Birth mom Kim Court and adoptive mom Linda Marie Mueller on the pioneer days of open adoption. Hint: Brené Brown.
204: Birth mom Candace Cahill on double loss, connection, and healing.
205: Adoptee Sara Easterly and birth mom Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard bust 5 myths adoptive parents still believe.
304: Janelle Ison, adoptee and birth mom on what adoptive parents need to know about the power they hold in adoption relationships.
401: Rebecca Ricardo, whose adoption resume includes adoptee (1960s), birth mom (1980s), adoption professional (1990s). Lots of insights here!
409: Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, co-author of Adoption Unfiltered, on her new groundbreaking book destined to unfilter adoption.
101: Leah Campbell on adoptive parenting and living in open adoption, even when it’s hard.
103: Carolyn Savage tells her inconceivable story about pregnancy, adoption, and surrogacy.
108: Improving adoption now with Family to Family Support Network’s Rebecca Vahle.
110: Birth mom Kim Court and adoptive mom Linda Marie Mueller on the pioneer days of open adoption. Hint: Brené Brown.
202: Adoptive parent group facilitators Katie Biron and Kara Andersen on being the adoptive parent your child needs you to be.
301: Barbara Herel, mom of a teen, and adoption learner, on 9 awkward adoption situations that WILL arise.
402: Dawn Davenport: why and how adoptive parents can say YES to continuing parenting education and NO to parenting echo chambers.
405: Adi Tilford on what it takes to become a Therapeutic Parent and make yours a Therapeutic Home.
406: Dr Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, interracial adoptee and psychologist, on how to talk about race with adoptees.
408: Maureen McCauley, seasoned parent, on the delicate dance of adoptive parenting.
109: The latest research from following adoptive families for 15+ years, explained by Abbie Goldberg, PhD.
201: Gabrielle Glaser, American Baby author, on the effects of closedness in adoption.
102: Birth mom Ashley Mitchell on the necessity for better adoption education for everyone involved.
104: Shifting from shame and secrecy to truth and transparency, with adoptee Rich Uhrlaub.
108: Improving adoption now with Family to Family Support Network’s Rebecca Vahle.
201: Gabrielle Glaser, American Baby author, on the effects of closedness in adoption.
302: Maggie Gallant and Suzanne Bachner: we write plays about being adopted to help all adoptees — including yours.
303: Damon L Davis, adoptee and host of Who Am I Really? podcast on what adoptees need from their parents to answer that question.
409: Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, co-author of Adoption Unfiltered, on her new groundbreaking book destined to unfilter adoption.
103: Carolyn Savage tells her inconceivable story about pregnancy, adoption, and surrogacy.
104: Shifting from shame and secrecy to truth and transparency, with adoptee Rich Uhrlaub.
303: Damon L Davis, adoptee and host of Who Am I Really? podcast on what adoptees need from their parents to answer that question.
307: Interracial adoptee Tony Hynes on creating an adoption that doesn’t “split the baby.”
403: Brad Ewell and Fred Nicora: Why an adoptee’s truth matters more than their parents’ comfort (coming in April).
404: Brad Reedy, PhD: Guilt, Shame, and Boundaries in Adoption (coming in May).
407: Greg Gentry, facilitator at Fireside Adoptions, on what his parents did well and not so well.
104: Shifting from shame and secrecy to truth and transparency, with Rich Uhrlaub.
105: On being wedged between the pain of one set of parents and the joy of another, with Angela Tucker.
106: Author Sara Easterly on the dreaded phrase “you’re not my real mom!”
111: LMFT Lesli Johnson on babies as a blank slate.
205: Adoptee Sara Easterly and birth mom Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard bust 5 myths adoptive parents still believe.
206: Anne Heffron on how and why to heal from infertility grief to make room for a child.
302: Maggie Gallant and Suzanne Bachner: we write plays about being adopted to help all adoptees — including yours.
303: Damon L Davis, host of Who Am I Really? podcast on what adoptees need from their parents to answer that question.
304: Janelle Ison, adoptee and birth mom, on what adoptive parents need to know about the power they hold in adoption relationships.
305: Joanna Ivey, adoptee and adoptive mom, on entrance narratives and how a seemingly harmless one can, in fact, cause harm.
307: Interracial adoptee Tony Hynes on creating an adoption that doesn’t “split the baby.”
309: From “lucky” child to “loved” child, with children’s storybook author Allison Olson.
401: Rebecca Ricardo, whose adoption resume includes adoptee (1960s), birth mom (1980s), adoption professional (1990s). Lots of insights here!
403: Brad Ewell and Fred Nicora: Why an adoptee’s truth matters more than their parents’ comfort.
406: Dr Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, interracial adoptee and psychologist, on how to talk about race with adoptees
407: Greg Gentry, facilitator at Fireside Adoptions, on what his parents did well and not so well.
409: Sara Easterly, co-author of Adoption Unfiltered, on her new groundbreaking book destined to unfilter adoption.
111: Adoptee and LMFT Lesli Johnson on babies as a blank slate.
202: Adoptive parent group facilitators Katie Biron and Kara Andersen on being the adoptive parent your child needs you to be.
207: What adoption-competent therapist Jen Winkelmann, MA, LPC, NCC, thinks you need to know and do for your adopted child.
401: Rebecca Ricardo, whose adoption resume includes adoptee (1960s), birth mom (1980s), adoption professional (1990s). Lots of insights here!
404: Brad Reedy, PhD: Guilt, Shame, and Boundaries in Adoption.
406: Dr Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, interracial adoptee and psychologist, on how to talk about race with adoptees
208: Rita Soronen, CEO & President of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption on finding permanent homes for children.
402: Dawn Davenport: why and how adoptive parents can say YES to continuing parenting education and NO to parenting echo chambers.
105: On being wedged between the pain of one set of parents and the joy of another, with adoptee Angela Tucker.
307: Interracial adoptee Tony Hynes on creating an adoption that doesn’t “split the baby.”
308: A Twist on the Challenges of Transracial Adoption with Lynn Brown.
306: Jess Tennant and Greg on what if adoption doesn’t work? What happens then?
112: Best Advice from 12 adoption thought leaders from Season 1.
209: Best Advice from 10 adoption thought leaders in Season 2.
310: Best Advice from Season 3’s experts.
410: Best Advice from Season 4’s experts.
Video Series
Adoption Unfiltered
Adoption Unfiltered is presented by adoptee Sara Easterly, birth parent Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and adoptive parent Lori Holden. Collectively, we bring 75 years of lived experience relating to adoption, and we span the Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial generations. We understand the history, challenges, and trends experienced by people living in adoption and the broader adoption constellation, and we are recognized throughout the adoption community as thought leaders, influencers, and bridge-builders.
Adoption Unfiltered - Season 2
Season 2 episodes
Adoption Unfiltered - Season 1
Season 1 episodes
Adoption Unfiltered
Watch Now
New episodes whenever we feel inspired by current events
Season 4 Episodes






















Quotables from Adoption: The Long View Podcast
Each guest has amazing insights to share with you, and I consider every episode my absolute favorite. Each one has given me multiple a-ha! moments, and I know you’ll want to hear every one of them.
Below are highlights so you can decide where to dig in. Platform links above.
Season 3 Episodes















Season 2 Episodes










Season 1 Episodes












