I will never not be adopted - On adoption, identity, and the search for belonging

Adoption is often described as a happy ending. But what happens when the people living inside that story begin to tell a different one?In this episode of Matters of Consequence, Michael Hanf speaks with writer, educator, and solo performance artist Dr. Liz DeBetta about the lifelong impact of adoption and the search for identity, belonging, and language. Through her acclaimed solo performance Un-M-Othered, Liz explores the emotional realities that often remain invisible: separation, silence, grief, and the challenge of making sense of a story that never felt complete.Liz shares her journey from growing up in a loving adoptive family to questioning the narratives she had inherited about adoption. She reflects on how writing and performance became a way to understand experiences she could not explain for decades, how those discoveries reshaped relationships with the people closest to her, and why telling the full story matters even when it makes others uncomfortable. Along the way, she offers a deeply personal perspective on trauma, healing, and the complexity of belonging to two families while never fully feeling part of either.Why listen?Hear an honest and deeply personal conversation about adoption, identity, and belonging.Explore how early childhood experiences can shape relationships, self-understanding, and the search for connection throughout life.Understand why adoption is more than a single event and how its impact can unfold across decades.Discover how writing, storytelling, and performance can help make sense of experiences that once felt impossible to describe.Reflect on why expanding a familiar story can be difficult, not only for the person telling it but also for everyone around them.Whether you are an adoptee, an adoptive parent, someone connected to adoption, or simply interested in how identity is formed through the stories we inherit, this conversation offers a thoughtful and compassionate exploration of one of life's most personal journeys. Liz's story invites us to look beyond simple narratives and to better understand the experiences that often remain hidden beneath them.Keywords: adoption, adoptee experience, identity, belonging, adoption trauma, maternal separation, adoption stories, adoptive families, biological families, healing through storytelling, performance art, memoir writing, trauma and identity, emotional healing, Dr. Liz DeBetta, Un-M-Othered, adoption reunion, family narratives, lived experience, Matters of Consequence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.