Kacey Vu Shap had no desire to return to the Vietnamese orphanage of his youth. As a child, whenever he told people he was adopted, he would say that he came “premade” — that he spontaneously appeared one day at the Baltimore airport, greeted by a new family bearing flowers and kisses. “It was easier to sanitize my story by speaking only of my life as Kacey, ... Show More
Oct 28
How Unthinkable Loss Led Me to the Top of Mount Everest
After tremendous loss and heartbreak, Jim Morrison didn’t feel he had anything left to lose. Then he went for a walk. Next, a hike. Soon, he was running. He found challenging himself in nature helped him work through his grief, and before long he was seeking out increasingly diff ... Show More
42m 11s
Oct 21
On Our Third Date, I Asked for a Joint Bank Account (Encore)
Janene Lin loathed the moment when the dinner bill would hit the table. When her date would pay, she felt like her love was for sale. Splitting the bill felt like no one had anything at stake. Most of the time, she would pay the bill herself, but that left her feeling uncared-for ... Show More
46m 6s
Oct 14
Does My Son Like His Stepmother More Than Me?
One thing that comforted Denise Ryan after her divorce was that she and her ex-husband still talked every day. Even though they lived apart, they were still co-parenting their son, Alexander, and they were constantly jumping on the phone to tell each other what he was up to at th ... Show More
48m 18s
Dec 2022
My Model Family Loved Me Until I Took Off My Makeup
"Makeda! Keshon!"Mrs. Abbot, the Head of the orphanage, screamed at us. Keshon swung at me but I dodged his blow and punched him in the stomach. Before I could deliver another blow, Aunty Pearl, one of the workers at the orphanage, held my hand. That night I went to bed without d ... Show More
11m 38s
Jun 2022
Mom Always Told Me I Was Special, Now I Know Why
“Welcome to your new home. I hope that you enjoy living here. I just wanted to let you know how special you are,” Mrs. Craig smiled at me then gave me a hug. Hi, my name is Tiffany.I had been back at Mrs. Silver’s Orphanage about a year when she called me into the office and said ... Show More
12m 3s
May 2020
Lacey: Healing from a neglectful mother
Growing up, there was a lot of conflict in Lacey’s family. After her parents divorced, the conflict stopped, but Lacey and her sister were often left alone. By connecting with her younger self, Lacey realises what she was missing: being seen and loved just as she is. Now, Lacey i ... Show More
29m 5s
