A Late Discovery Adoptee: From Hidden Identity to Advocacy with Melissa, the Adoption Educator

​​Cate ​& Ty sit down with Melissa Guida-Richards, an Adoption Educator and transracial late discovery international adoptee. Melissa shares her ​adoption ​journey, revealing the complexities and challenges of discovering her adoption at 19 after a lifetime of being raised ​as an Italian-Portuguese.​ ​Melissa opens up about ​the profound impact it had on her sense of self​,​ how she dove into educating herself about the trauma of maternal separation, ​and the multi-billion dollar adoption industry​. Melissa also delves into the nuances of transracial adoption, the importance of acknowledging a child's heritage, and the often-unseen struggles faced by adoptees. ​She shares her eventual reconnection with her birth mother in Colombia and other siblings who were also placed for adoption.Learn more about Melissa's work and her book "What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption" at adopteethoughts.com. Follow her on social media ​@adoptee_thoughtsThank you to our sponsors!Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first monthZocDoc: Go to Zocdoc.com/CateAndTy to find and instantly book an appointment todaySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.