A Late Discovery Adoptee: From Hidden Identity to Advocacy with Melissa, the Adoption Educator

​​Cate ​& Ty sit down with Melissa Guida-Richards, an Adoption Educator and transracial late discovery international adoptee. Melissa shares her ​adoption ​journey, revealing the complexities and challenges of discovering her adoption at 19 after a lifetime of being raised ​as an Italian-Portuguese.​ ​Melissa opens up about ​the profound impact it had on her sense of self​,​ how she dove into educating herself about the trauma of maternal separation, ​and the multi-billion dollar adoption industry​. Melissa also delves into the nuances of transracial adoption, the importance of acknowledging a child's heritage, and the often-unseen struggles faced by adoptees. ​She shares her eventual reconnection with her birth mother in Colombia and other siblings who were also placed for adoption. Learn more about Melissa's work and her book " What White Parents Should Know About Transracial Adoption " at adopteethoughts.com. Follow her on social media ​@adoptee_thoughts Thank you to our sponsors! Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first month ZocDoc : Go to Zocdoc.com/CateAndTy to find and instantly book an appointment today See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .