Facilitators

Cassandra is a late-discovery transethnic sperm donor-conceived person working on awareness of issues surrounding donor conception. Her focus includes educating parents on best practices, advancing legislative changes for reforming the fertility industry, writing, speaking, performing, and other creative outlets, delving into the emotional impact and ethics of donor conception, particularly the trauma of late discovery, exploring the complexities of finding significant ethnicity changes, and revealing the dynamics of families dealing with secrecy. Cassandra is a stay-at-home mom living in New Jersey, a proponent of gentle parenting, and someone always striving for a healthy, meaningful lifestyle.

Elissa is the owner and creator of Wild and Free Painting which facilitates self-care, personal growth and exploration workshops through Process Painting.

Amy Barker is a Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMHC) and owner of Adoption Savvy. She is certified in Attachment-Trauma Focused Therapy (ATFT) and is trained in TF-CBT, Art Therapy, and Sand Tray. Her private practice in Seattle focuses on individuals impacted by adoption, foster care, and genetic identity issues. She serves as Newsletter Editor on the national Board of Concerned United Birthparents, Inc. (CUB). Amy is a closed adoption Baby Scoop Era Adoptee in long-term reunion and a Birth Mother of a grown son of an open adoption.

Annette is a licensed clinical social worker, author of Ancestry Discoveries – What Happens Under the Sheets Doesn’t Stay There and nationally board-certified clinical hypnotherapist and heart-centered hypnotherapist. She is also a level 2 EMDR clinician. Annette is in private practice and works with children and families and has a specialty in autism and developmental differences. Primary concerns revolve around loss, anxiety, trauma, depression, and other mental health challenges. On April 7, 2018, Annette discovered she joined the "club that nobody wants to belong to" and learned that her dad was not her biological father. Annette is an NPE. She has been working with NPE clients, donor-conceived individuals, and those who are adopted with a whole new understanding of searching for connection, meaning, and identity. Annette presented on the topic of Ancestry Discovery at the NASW conference in Florida in 2019. She has published an article in the Florida Mental Health Counselor Magazine called, DNA Discoveries - What Happens Under the Sheets Does Not Stay There Forever, has been published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine on the use of weighted blankets and anxiety in a mental health hospital and has written a book called, "Warren is Wonderful" - which is a book for children on the spectrum. Annette authored a chapter on “Understanding and Treating Autism” in the Social Work Desk Reference by Oxford University Press. Currently, Annette keeps a blog and is speaking on the NPE experience while she continues to write. Annette is a provider for continuing education credits in the state of Florida. Annette is licensed in the states of Florida and New Jersey. Websites: AnnetteLBecklund.com and https://ancestrydiscoveries.com/

Dr. Jai, as she is known professionally, is a Certified Trauma Recovery Coach - Advanced, Certified Family Trauma Professional and Certified Grief and Loss Specialist in Baltimore, Maryland where she sees clients in her private practice, The Trauma Recovery Consulting and Coaching Community, LLC. Through her own trauma healing journey, Dr. Jai has envisioned and created a community for healing, recovery, and education about family, cultural and racial trauma, grief and loss and the lasting effects of emotionally immature, mentally, or physically absent parents. Dr. Jai's blog, Jai's Nest" and her upcoming podcast 'Messages to My Daughters" addresses these issues. Dr. Jai develops training and programs that address the need and complexity of being a culturally responsive practice. She uses her circles, groups, writing, her podcast, and her role as a Trauma Recovery Coach, Coach Mentor and advocate to share her message that "we cannot change our circumstances until we challenge our conditioning.”

Tracy is a certified performance coach and entrepreneur with a special focus on health and wellness. She is certified in Emotional Freedom Technique and is trained in a number of modalities including; Aromatherapy, Tai-chi and Reiki as a master trainer. She has earned a black belt in martial arts. Tracy is most passionate about helping people shift out of fear and into comfort. She is a mom to 4 children, 3 boys and a girl and 5 grandchildren with one arriving any day now! Tracy also has 3 dogs and a 21 year old fire bellied newt, named Newt. https://www.tracylinn.com/

Gina is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice since 2012. She has recently earned her doctorate and will share her clinical findings on the NPE/LDA dynamic and her plans for future therapeutic options and treatment plans for NPEs nationally. https://www.ginadaniellcsw.com/tem description

Donna is a Reiki Master Practitioner and a facilitator of Reiki Melody Energy Drumming workshops. Donna assists in Celtic woman's circles with Susannah Spanton in addition to co-facilitating many energy healing classes. As a professional over the years Donna has been in the healing arts as a Veterinary Technician for 18 years and 16 years as a Dental Hygienist. Donna has an ability to be gentle and kind which provides safe space for healing and discovery. Donna has a gentle, thoughtful approach utilizing Yoga and Reiki techniques as she cares for the clients she serves. Donna's loves are getting lost in the kitchen preparing healthy recipes and sharing them with others, going for walks and noticing the little magical things, backpacking in the wilderness to see a million stars, hula hooping and dancing as if no one is watching or sometimes when they are.

Amy Ebbeson, LCSW is the Clinical Director of Worcester ACTs (Addresses Childhood Trauma) and a Lead Consultant for the Collaborative for Youth and Community Justice at Clark University. She has Master’s in Clinical Social Work from Boston University and has worked in a variety of social service agencies, including the Department of Mental Health. Since 2000 she has taught Mental Health and Community Health, among others, at area colleges including Worcester State University and the Wheelock College School of Social Work. She consults to the Department of Public Health and served as Chair for the Worcester County Commission on the Status of Women. She is the 2018 recipient of the YWCA Erskine Award in Education. She considers herself a lived experience practitioner and speaks about the lifelong impacts of untreated trauma in early childhood.

Moses is an Adoption Trauma Educator and has worked in the mental health field for over 20 years specifically in community-based services, family preservation and adoption. He currently is on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Adoptees and Parents, naapunited.org and the owner of Transform Adoption, transformadoption.com. Since the release of his blog “A Son Speaks Out” in 2018, Farrow has led initiatives for anti-racism, mental health and suicide awareness and has started the #truthislouder movement with the mission to save the lives of adopted people by empowering them to speak their truths. Farrow has spoken internationally about the mental health and suicide crises within the adopted population and has shared his personal story as a survivor of suicide loss and child abuse. As a Vegan, he values living consciously to support and protect the planet and all life on it. He believes that by learning who we are, we can then make the world a better, healthier and safer place for future generations.

Christina is an adoptee and licensed clinical psychologist with an impressive resume of extensive work with individuals with trauma and attachment issues, substance use, and anxiety and depressive disorders. She is committed to providing trauma-informed care in the areas of the nature of grief and loss, vulnerability, and mindfulness. In addition to spending time with family, she spends as much free time as possible in her sewing studio, creating a handmade wardrobe.

Lorah is a Kundalini Yoga Instructor, TIYT(Trauma Informed Yoga therapy) instructor, Reiki Master, Adoptee, Intuitive, and Ordained Minister. She writes and makes videos about her lived experiences with trauma and as an adoptee. She shares these experiences on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Pinterest as the @theadoptedchameleon. She writes memoir, inspirational, educational, opinion pieces and a blog on her website LorahGerald.com and her social channels. Lorah hopes to help others heal their trauma, adopted or not, by sharing her lived experiences as an adoptee as well as her education in breath work, energy healing and natural intuitive abilities.

Denyse is a certified life coach specializing in unexpected change (including DNA surprises). A wellness professional with over 20 years experience, Denyse is no stranger to challenges. Having experienced several blindsiding events throughout her life she has turned her adversity into a passion for helping others. As a special-needs parent, divorcée, family secret discoverer, and an NPE, Denyse channels her life experience, along with an expertise in communication, to empower her clients to lead their best lives. Denyse also enjoys animals, dancing, wine, and a sassy sense of humor.

Susannah is a Professional Trainer and Supervisor for Lakeside Global Institute teaching university level courses, whose topics include understanding emotional trauma and relational health. In addition, she is President and Founder of Shanachie Studio, home of Reiki Melody and Bio-Energy Healing sessions and training. Susannah provides holistic opportunities for personal enrichment. She is a storyteller, intuitive life coach, drummer, poet, and author. Her loves are family, snow playing with her beautiful dog Bailey, daily yoga, walking, dancing, promoting lifelong education, reading, spirituality, the ocean, children, horses and travel, especially Ireland! https://www.reikimelody.com/

B.K. J is the founder of Severance (www.severangemag.com), an online magazine and community for adoptees, donor conceived people, NPEs/MPEs, and others separated from biological family. For more than 25 years, she’s been creating and editing magazines for allied health professionals and writing for a range of publications about topics such as health, grief, psychology, social issues, food and nutrition, and travel. She’s taught writing and editing to small groups and is especially interested in helping individuals understand the healing power of writing. More recently, in addition to editing, she’s revising a memoir and working in creative nonfiction, writing essays about family secrets and other topics for publications such as The Sun Magazine, Visible Magazine, Survivor Lit, and Huffington Post. She’s on twitter @jaxbkjax and on Instagram @b.k.jackson.

Jamie is a certified K-12 public school Art Teacher & Traveling Art Teacher with over 16 years experience. She hosts creative events for children & adults and offers private & group art lessons. In her “spare” time she enjoys simply being with her husband, children and 2 chihuahuas. https://www.facebook.com/Lil_Monsters_Art-162441707771614/

Kristin is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor with a private practice in the state of Utah. She is a trauma informed clinician with over twenty years of experience helping children, adolescents and adults. Her goal as a counselor is to provide people with a safe and caring environment in order to facilitate change and growth. She is a domestic adoptee who grew up in Utah and lived in Texas, Korea, and California before returning to Utah. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, biking, reading, traveling, eating delicious food, and spending time with her family.

Kathleen was born in Vermont and raised in New Hampshire. She is a recently retired registered nurse, aspiring author and accomplished artist. She has illustrated 3 children’s books, The Christmas Pony, 2012, The Adventures of Stanley the Cat, 2015, and The Winter Adventure of Stanley the Cat, 2018. Kathleen is a late discovery adoptee AND NPE. In her free time, Kathleen loves to write, create and grow!

Theresa M. Knorr, is a Certified Addiction Recovery Coach and Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator and an adopted person in recovery.  She is the owner of BALANCE Recovery Consultation, and the creator of Tai Chi for Recovery.  

She currently serves as the Senior Director of Recovery Education and Training for Friends of Recovery – New York, is a member of the ASAP-NYCB trainer registry, and the former co-facilitator of Adoptee Paths to Recovery peer support meeting, with David B. Bohl for National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP).

Theresa earned a BA in psychology (UAlbany 1984) and completed holistic medicine and Tai Chi training at Green Mountain Institute in 2000.  She has been credentialed as a substance use disorder counselor in New York (CASAC, 1997 2014) and Arizona (CADAC, 2014 -2017).  She has presented at local, statewide, national and international conferences on multiple topics including Tai Chi 4 Recovery. 

Theresa has over 30 years of experience working as a clinician, clinical supervisor and program director.  More recently, she has worked as a recovery coach, peer professional trainer and community educator.  She has overseen the development of the program for the NYS Recovery Conference since 2016,  founded the FOR-NY Best Practice Trainer program in 2019 and served as a SME for ASAP-NYCB in the development of the Peer Supervision Professional certification in 2023.  

Theresa is a daily practitioner of meditation and has been teaching self-care, meditation, and Tai Chi since 2001.  

Email:  TaiChi4Recovery@gmail.com  Website , Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn, YouTube

Kate is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a psychotherapy practice in Atlanta, GA. One of her specialties is supporting people in the adoptee and MPE communities. She became a therapist at mid-life due to a drive to help people on a deeper level. Prior to the career change, she worked at various organizations within positions of leadership. She thrives on helping people find their voice and realize their potential. Kate was adopted domestically during the Baby Scoop Era. Her long search for family finally yielded results through the wonder of DNA in 2015. Now in reunion, she finds that peace and acceptance around adoption loss is truly found through connection with others who were adopted. When not reading books on trauma and adoption, she can be found hanging out with her wife and chosen family friends eating a great meal or planning their next adventure.

Janet is a Nevada Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and Nevada Board Approved Supervisor for Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Professional Counselor interns. She works with adults and children from all walks of life and as a foster care alumnus, she has a special place in her heart for children in the foster care system. She is an expert in adoption as she has been adopted her whole life, which gives her special insights into the needs of children and adults who have experienced relinquishment and disconnect from their families of origin. She is a sought-after teacher, presenter, facilitator, and podcast guest. She often presents on the topics of the importance of play, working with the inner self, and adoption related topics. Janet has lived in Las Vegas her entire life. In a “previous life,” she worked in the Las Vegas hotel industry and understands the unique culture of the city. She has interests in the local food scene, live Theatre, travel and loves to read, write and explore life through lived experiences. She is a wife and mother to 2 amazing adult children and one really cute dog. experiencecourage

Chelsea is a poet, artist, and musician and the creator of The Write Journey workshops with research on how writing heals both the body and the mind. She holds a MFA in Poetry from Drew University and is a writing and poetry professor. https://thewritejourneyworkshop.com/

Linda Campbell Pevac, aka Emma Stevens, is an independent publisher and author of two memoirs, The Gathering Place: An Adoptee’s Story and A Fire Is Coming. Her memoirs share her lived experiences as a baby scoop era, closed file, same race adoptee who was relinquished, then adopted at three months of age. Linda has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and has completed master’s level coursework in psychology from Pepperdine University, Orange County, California. Most recently, Linda has been named as a 2024 indie author in the Tucson Festival of Books that was held this past March 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. She currently resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is working on her third book.

Zara Phillips is a singer and songwriter, actor, author, and activist. As an adoptee herself, much of her work is centered around the adoption world and is focused on improving understanding the lifelong impact of adoption. She is a mother of three and is married to musician Richard Thompson. She divides her time between London and New Jersey. Zara was raised in Totteridge, North London, and was adopted as a baby. She found her birth mother at 24 and after a lifelong search, her birth father at 51. She was always singing and writing as a child, which led to her becoming a harmony singer in the 80s, with acts like Bob Geldof, Matt Bianco, David Essex, and Nick Kamen. After a spell of addiction, she became sober at age 22, and devoted more of her time to her own music, writing and activism. Her 2006 CD ‘When The Rain Stops’ and ‘You me and us” 2011. were produced by Ted Perlman. Her 2008 Film ‘Roots Unknown’ won Best Homegrown Documentary at the NJ Garden State Film Festival. Her 2008 book, ‘Mother Me’ describes the unfolding as an adoptee raises a family of her own. Her song ‘I’m Legit’, cowritten with Darryl McDaniel’s of DMC, has been a huge hit in the adoption world and beyond. ‘Beneath My Father’s Sky’, a one woman show that Zara wrote and performed, was the winner of Best Direction at NYC United Solo festival in 2014, and was also performed in LA, San Francisco, Connecticut, and in London in 2016. She was presented with an ‘Angel in Adoption’ award 2015. In the past, Zara has facilitated workshops with adopted families and mental health professionals. She engages the teens to create songs about their experience. Zara’s book ‘Somebody’s daughter’ published by John Blake/Bonnier Publishers, was released February 2018 in the UK and August 2018 in the USA. Zara has written and performed a play with the same title in England and the US in 2022.A production of a film version of the play will be released in early 2024. Zara tours with her husband Richard Thompson performing as a harmony singer.

Jennifer Joy Phoenix is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSWAIC). She completed her master’s in social work at Columbia University, is certified in Relationally-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and is a trainer for the Attachment-Trauma Focused Therapy (ATFT) post-graduate certificate. In her private practice in Yakima, WA she works mostly with people impacted by adoption and foster care. Jennifer is a very involved Birth/First Mother and has a unique open adoption experience with her 22-year-old daughter. She also experienced a DNA surprise and has been in reunion with her half-sister since 2011.

Hope Sacher, is a Registered Nurse, Certified Yogi and Kripalu certified Mindful Outdoor Guide. As a Holistic & Integrative nurse, Hope integrates the mind, body and soul, to achieve elevated health and wellness for her clients. She sees clients individually and offers group coaching workshops (both remotely and in person in her NC office.) Her approach to health and wellbeing is rooted in our connection to nature. 

Jennie is a certified life coach and Behavior Analyst with a special focus on identity issues and trauma recovery. She is certified in Emotional Freedom Technique through the ACEP and is trained in a number of other modalities including Reiki, expressive art, and qigong. She is an intuitive reader who specializes in life purpose readings. During her free time, she loves to make art and walk on the beach with her 2 dogs Mac and Trudy. https://transformationalhealingarts.com/

Jen is a licensed counselor in several states, a certified trauma professional, a functional medicine practitioner in training, and a newly minted NPE Coach. She has an acronym soup list of licenses and training credentials (LCPC, LPCC, LPC-MHSP, CCTP, SEP, blah blah blah)... that really just mean she’s passionate about being a therapist. REALLY passionate! A self described “rabidly passionate” Trauma Therapist. Her heart holds a special place for people who buck the system, and she adores supporting rebel rousers, non-conformists, family scapegoats, and black sheep. Her own traumatized childhood and family system has afforded her a great reverence for anyone brave enough to step outside The Matrix, deprogram from family and societal conditioning, and become a cycle breaker of transgenerational trauma. She believes in the power of making meaning from suffering and that all people can experience post traumatic growth and rediscover their birthright of self authority and personal power. She loves a good challenge and works with lots of clients who are fed up with the broken medical-industrial complex system. Many of her clients have been iatrogenically injured, abused by the system that hurt them, and then gaslit by doctors and psychologists. Her framework of care is holistic and integrative. She has an affinity for all things “outside the box” and incorporates somatics and energy psychology into her work. She sees herself as a survivor of the human experience (just like her beloved clients) and in 2020 discovered that she is an NPE. Prior to 2020 she was exploring the country, living the van life lifestyle, and working remotely. After her NPE discovery she moved home to Chicago, so she could spend some time getting to know her newfound family. In 2021 she moved to the Red Rocks of Sedona where she could focus on her own NPE discovery healing. She emerged from that work in 2022 refreshed and ready to help other NPEs. She has now settled down in rural Tennessee where she runs a humble private practice, focuses on good old fashioned one-to-one psychotherapy, does some bee-keeping, and enjoys a peaceful and quiet life in the country.

Eve is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT #103942) in California where she sees clients in her private practice, MagpieLife Psychotherapy. After her own DNA Discovery, she launched her podcast “Everything’s Relative with Eve Sturges,” where she explores MPE issues with other people who have experienced shocking results. Eve worked hard against adversity to create a thriving existence for herself and strives to inspire the same for others. She uses her writing, her podcast, and her role as an LMFT to share her message that it is possible to “create a life you love with the life you have.”

Daryn is an adult adoptee who began his adoption reunion journey in 1995 after locating his maternal family in Canada. He uses his 25+ years of experiences in reunion to guide other adoptees through their adoption reunion journeys. Daryn is a contributing author to two books on adoption: “The Adoptee Survival Guide” edited by Lynn Grubb and “Flip the Script: Adult Adoptee Anthology'' with Diane Rene Christianson. Daryn is a Certified Life Coach for Adoptees, Birth/First Parents and others who have been affected by adoption. You can find him on Facebook and IG “@TheAdopteeMind” or his website https://www.adoptionreunioncoaching.com/