Understanding Adoption through a Trauma-Informed Lens: Interview with Lina Vanegas | Episode 117

Sara Easterly, the author of “Searching for Mom” once said “I entered a long period of death ideation in adolescence when I began wondering about my birth mother almost constantly. The losses due to adoption began to feel overwhelming, but it didn’t feel like there was room to grieve.”According to a research study published by the journal of Pediatrics, adoptees are four time more likely to report a suicide attempt than non-adoptees and Lina Vanegas, our podcast guest, has some ideas of why this is so including:

• the trauma of separation from the birth family
• the lack of medical history, which may give insights to health and mental health vulnerabilities
• racism when adoption is transnational or transracial
• isolation from the cultural community of origin
• microagressions from others about how grateful an adopted person should be

About Lina Vanegas






Lina Vanegas is a national speaker, trainer and presenter on mental health, trauma, adoption and suicide. she is also an MSW, suicide loss survivor and lived experience expert and advocate. She is also a co-host of the podcast, Rescripting The Narrative. She has been featured on NPR, multiple panels and podcasts. Her English Bulldog McQueen has an Instagram account.

For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/117