Welcome to the Season 8 finale of DNA Surprises.

In this episode, I’m joined by Deanna, who shares her NPE story. Deanna has experienced unspeakable amounts of hardship in her life, from abandonment to abuse to her DNA discovery.

Her story is difficult - and powerful. You’ll hear how she’s still reckoning with the what-might-have-beens and the whys. You’ll also learn how she’s moving forward, including being the person she needed when she was younger.

Thank you for sharing your story, Deanna.

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

Every DNA Surprise is unique—the who, what, when, and why surrounding an NPE vary from person to person. Still, after nearly 100 interviews, I’ve noticed consistent themes in these stories. One of those themes is a complicated mother-child relationship.

When Jennifer took her DNA test, she had no idea that her family tree would change forever. As it turns out, both her mother and grandmother had relationships with the same man, making Jennifer’s aunts also her sisters, and her cousins also her nieces and nephews. To add some clarity here, this man is not Jennifer’s grandfather - he is a man that her grandmother had an affair with, resulting in two of her aunts. She discusses how she’s faced the shame and stigma of this complicated story, and how she’s navigated her relationship with her mother.

Jennifer and I spend quite a bit of time talking about the mother-daughter dynamic, and how she was able to radically accept their relationship for what it is - not what she wants it to be. If you’re currently struggling with this part of your story, I hope this conversation helps you.

Thank you to Jennifer for so openly sharing her feelings on this, as well as her story.

Resources:

• Contact: 00jharris@gmail.com

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

DNA Surprises are confusing. They’re confusing for the people they happen to as they try to make sense of newfound information. With so many characters, twists, and turns in each story, they’re also confusing for people listening to DNA Surprises stories.

This week’s DNA surprise story is no exception. In fact, it features a triple-NPE. So before we begin, I’m going to break down who’s who.

Jessica grew up with a birth certificate dad, who she believed was her biological father. We’ll refer to him as Dad 1. She will go on to tell us about her stepfather, who, after a series of events, becomes Bio Dad 2. Her mother then reveals the truth, or so Jessica thinks - and she identifies Bio Dad 3. To be clear, none of these men are her biological father.

Jessica shares the long and winding road she took to finally identifying her true biological father, with the help of an Ancestry DNA test and her detective skills. She also reveals how she’s navigating a new relationship with her bio dad and an ethnicity shift that uprooted her from a strong Italian heritage.

Thank you for sharing your story, Jessica.

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

To paraphrase The Beatles, we get by with a little help from our friends. This is especially true when it comes to DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, coworkers Robyn and Ida share their NPE discoveries, which happened right around the same time. In fact, Robyn used her genealogy skills to identify Ida’s father.

They each reflect on their personal journeys and how they’ve supported each other as they navigate their emotions. While every journey is unique, Ida and Robyn share many similarities. Their biological fathers have accepted both and both have understanding and empathy for their mothers.

Thank you to both Robyn and Ida for sharing your stories.

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

DNA surprises rarely happen in a vacuum. So many of the people I speak to have experienced other traumas throughout their lives, long before sending off DNA tests. In this week’s episode, Courtney shares how her mother’s mental health struggles played a large part in her childhood.

She knew she was adopted by her stepfather when she was young and grew up feeling abandoned and ignored by her biological father. As an adult, they began repairing their relationship, which led to them taking a DNA test. It’s then that Courtney gets the surprise of her life and begins the search for her true biological father.

Courtney’s story is one of vulnerability, compassion, and a journey to radical acceptance. Thank you for sharing your story, Courtney.

Resources:

DNAngels.org

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

In this bonus episode of DNA Surprises, I chat with Iliamari Vazquez Houston, a therapist based out of the Phoenix metro area. Iliamari will facilitate a session on generational trauma - and generational healing - at the DNA Surprise Retreat, September 19-22, 2024 in Phoenix, AZ.

We discuss what generational trauma is and how we can begin to break the cycles of secrets and shame in the DNA surprise community. She also shares some excellent resources for folks interested in learning more about generational trauma and healing.

If this discussion resonated with you, join us at the DNA Surprise Retreat this year, where we will cover this and more topics in community with people who understand the emotions that follow a DNA Surprise.

Resources:

• withanopenheartllc.com
• instagram.com/withanopenheartllc
• Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational Trauma
• Self-care for Latinas

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

Sometimes, after DNA surprises are revealed, our relationships with our raised parents become strained. Sometimes, this leads to estrangement. But for others, these surprises simply compound already strained relationships.

When Dawn had her DNA surprise, she was already virtually no contact with her mother. In this week’s episode, she shares why she initially made the decision to go little to no contact with her raised family, largely due to her mistreatment compared to her other siblings.

She reveals why she took her DNA test to begin with, and how she finally learned the truth about her parentage. While Dawn’s relationships with her raised family remain distant, she’s built incredible relationships with her newfound step-siblings, who insist that had her biological father known about her, he would have loved and accepted her.

Thank you for sharing your story, Dawn.

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.

In this bonus episode of DNA Surprises, I chat with Jenna Hedstrom, E-RYT 500 and Expert Breathwork Facilitator. Jenna will lead a breathwork session at the DNA Surprise Retreat, September 19-22, 2024 in Phoenix, AZ.

During our conversation, we discuss what breathwork is and how it benefits us. We also chat about how to overcome blockers around practicing something new, like breathwork.

If this discussion resonated with you, join us at the DNA Surprise Retreat this year, where we will cover this and more topics in community with people who understand the emotions that follow a DNA Surprise.

Resources:

• jennapaigehealing.com
• facebook.com/jenna.hedstrom/
• instagram.com/jennapaigehealing

Register for the DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15 to guarantee your space!

September 19-22, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Support the Show.

Reserve your space at the 2nd Annual DNA Surprise Retreat by August 15!
September 19-22
Phoenix, AZ

Learn more at www.dnasurpriseretreat.com!

Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community!
IG: @dnasurprises
Twitter: @dnasurprises
TikTok: @dnasurprises
Website: dnasurprises.com
DNA Surprise Retreat | A bridge to healing for NPEs, adoptees, and DCPs after a DNA discovery.