Episode 25: Healing the Invisible Wounds: Adoption, Identity, and Grief

🎙️ Episode Title: Rooted in Two Worlds – Adoption, Identity, and Grief with Julie Matye

In this introspective episode of The Empowered Grief Journey, Julie Matye opens up about the unique and often unspoken grief that comes with being adopted. Though she expresses deep gratitude for the loving family who raised her and the joyful childhood she experienced, Julie shares how a quiet ache remained—a longing to understand where she came from and who her biological parents were.

Julie discusses how this identity grief shaped her younger years and how her personal journey influenced her work as a social worker supporting children in the state system. Her story shines a light on the complexity of adoption—the coexistence of love and loss, gratitude and longing, belonging and wondering.

This episode is a powerful reminder that grief isn’t always tied to death. Sometimes, it’s about the parts of ourselves we’re still searching for.

🎧 Listen in as Julie shares her path to self-understanding and the healing power of compassion—both for ourselves and the children we serve.