Adoption Trauma, Mental Health, and Suicide Risk with Lina Vanegas

Sep 8 2023 • 46 mins

Lina

Though Lina Vanegas was born to a Colombian family, she was forced to assimilate as a white jewish person. 38 years later, she’s unable to fully connect with her bio family nor speak their language. Forced assimilation is trauma.

Her mission is to educate people on adoption trauma. In the episode, she gives a crash course on why adoption is trauma, what to do if you want to adopt in a trauma-informed way, and how to go down the rabbit hole of being adoption-trauma informed.

What we discussed

(00:32) Can you make up for 38 years of loss?

(05:08) Forced assimilation in childhood

(07:11) Can’t speak my own language

(09:14) Rescripting the narrative

(10:31) If you’re thinking of adopting, do THIS.

(20:05) Why she’s educating the public

(24:42) Adoption is preventable trauma OR Mental health and adoption

(28:07) Suicide among adoptees OR Why is adoption trauma? [EXPLAINED]

(31:57) Intervention for adoptees

(38:07) Finding an adoption-competent therapist [HOW-TO]

(42:00) Educate yourself