Unlocking Inner Wealth: Helen Harrison on Adoption and Identity

In this episode, Jo speaks with Helen Harrison, a New Zealand-born adopted person whose story is one of identity, loss, grief and the long journey towards finding a sense of self. Helen grew up as one of ten children in a large, multicultural family, with seven of the children adopted from different cultural backgrounds. As she grew older, she became increasingly aware of feeling disconnected from herself and learned to adapt, people-please and become what she describes as a "chameleon" in order to feel safe and accepted.

Helen shares her experience of searching for her biological mother, being prevented from accessing identifying information for almost a decade, and the profound impact of later experiencing rejection in reunion. She also reflects on motherhood, relationships, hypervigilance, addiction and the devastating loss of two of her siblings to suicide.

Through years of personal work, Helen came to understand that what she had spent much of her life searching for outside herself was something she ultimately needed to find within. It's a deeply reflective conversation about adoption, grief, belonging, self-trust and what it can mean to finally cone home to yourself.

Keywords: adoption, identity, loss, resilience, self-trust, multicultural family, personal growth, emotional well-being, reunion, grief

Chapters

00:00 Childhood in a Multicultural Family

02:24 The Impact of Scarcity and Survival

05:03 Adoption Dynamics and Family Changes

07:58 The Journey of Self-Discovery

10:43 Understanding Grief Through Adoption

13:17 Searching for Biological Roots

15:33 Navigating Rejection and Loss

18:19 Motherhood and Its Challenges

20:33 Connecting with Biological Family

23:36 Coping with Profound Loss

25:55 Unpacking Anger and Emotional Regulation

27:28 The Impact of Adoption on Relationships

31:07 Grappling with Addictions

34:16 Searching for Biological Roots

38:08 Reconnecting with the Adoptive Mother

42:44 Finding Self and Belonging

48:24 Empowerment and Self-Awareness

Helen wrote a book about her experience titled, "Inner Wealth: From Pain to Purpose". You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Inner-Wealth-Purpose-Helen-Harrison-ebook/dp/B0DLLKKJHR/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

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)

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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 you can 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 culture and 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.