How Adoption Echoes Across Generations | Rachel Tham's Story

When Rachel Tham set out to understand her mother's past, she uncovered a family history that changed everything she thought she knew about herself.

What began as a search for her mother's origins became the discovery of hidden siblings, family secrets spanning generations, informal adoption, DNA revelations, and the profound intergenerational impacts of adoption.

Although Rachel was never adopted herself, adoption shaped her identity in ways she could never have imagined. Through Ancestry DNA, historical records and extraordinary reunions, she pieced together a story that had been hidden for decades - one that reveals how adoption doesn't affect just one person or one generation. Its impacts ripple through families, relationships, identity and belonging for generations to come.

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel and Jo discuss:

• The lifelong impact of family secrets and silence
• Intergenerational trauma and adoption loss
• Informal adoption and hidden family histories
• Discovering three previously unknown brothers through DNA testing
• Reunion, identity and belonging
• The healing power of truth and lived experience
• Why listening to those affected by adoption matters

Rachel's story is a powerful reminder that adoption is never a single event. Its effects continue long after the legal process ends, shaping lives across generations.

If this conversation resonates with you, please subscribe, leave a review, or share the episode to help amplify lived experience voices.

Keywords: adoption, adoption trauma, intergenerational trauma, adoption reunion, ancestry DNA, family secrets, informal adoption, identity, genealogy, hidden family history, adoptee voices, adoption podcast, Jigsaw Queensland.

Chapters

00:00 The Intergenerational Impact of Adoption

02:54 Uncovering Family Secrets

06:23 The Journey of Discovery

08:54 Exploring Ancestry and Family History

12:07 Connecting with Lost Family

14:49 The Unraveling Truth

20:29 Processing the Emotional Impact

23:09 Confronting Family Dynamics

26:59 Navigating Emotional Support in Adoption Processes

28:03 Uncovering Family Secrets: The Adoption Records

29:46 Identity Crisis: The Collapse of Family Narratives

31:06 Connecting with Siblings: The Journey of Discovery

36:06 Meeting Family: The Emotional Reunion

38:34 Exploring Maternal History: Unraveling the Past

43:43 Intergenerational Trauma: Understanding the Impact

46:06 Finding One's Voice: Healing Through Storytelling

48:59 Future Aspirations: Advocacy and Community Engagement

This episode discusses adult themes and listener discretion is advised. For more information go to ⁠http://www.jigsawqueensland.com/podcast⁠

To be considered for interview on the podcast, fill in the prospective guest form you'll find on the podcast page of the website.

Your host is Dr Jo-Ann Sparrow - President of Jigsaw Queensland (⁠www.jigsawqueensland.com⁠)

Connectwith us Instagram - adopt_perspective_podcast

Facebook -Jigsaw Post-Adoption Centre Queensland

If you are looking for support and reside in Queensland, Australia, you can reach Jigsaw Queensland's Forced Adoption Support Service on toll-free 1800 21 03 13, or youcan call Jigsaw on 07 3358 6666. If you live in another state of Australia, you can still call the Forced Adoption Support Service in the state that you're calling from. In every other state of Australia, Relationships Australia operates this service.

A big thank you to Matt Sparrow for composing and recording our original theme music.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and the many lands that our clients now live on and we wish to acknowledge and show our respects to Elders past and present for their continuing connection to cultureand the contributions they make to community. We acknowledge how much we have to learn from them and their unique understanding of connection and adoption and their recognition that at the base of every change is truth telling and healing.