Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
My Unknown Truth is a podcast sharing the stories and lived experiences of Australians who have been through adoption and foster care.
These stories are often complex, spanning over 50 years and touch on difficult truths, from growing up in an under-resourced system to Australia’s traumatic history of forced adoptions and Stolen Generations.
But within the darkness, there is also light; stories of hope, courage, resilience, and love. Hosted by Nadia Levett, an adoptee born and raised in Australia, this podcast is a deeply personal project.
It’s my wish that by sharing a range of voices and experiences, we can build greater awareness and understanding around adoption and foster care in Australia, spark informed conversations, and encourage others to share their truth, open hearts, minds, and homes to children in need.
Australian Adoption Podcast - My Unknown Truth
Episode 18 - A Thousand Figurines, A Thousand Feelings: Inside Monique’s Therapeutic World
Hey everyone,
Today I am speaking with Monique from the Sunshine Coast. I had a perfect opportunity on my travel around Australia and in January this year I visited her in her home. We comfortably sat on the floor of her upstairs office surround by a large sand tray full of sand, water and figurines. Not long after getting set up did I then notice the two story bookshelf with about 1000 figurines all neatly on display. I was intrigued; but more about this later.
Monique is an adopted person, born in Australia in 1972 at the height of the ‘Forced Adoption Era’. Relinquished at birth and adopted at 6 weeks, she grew up in a family with two older adopted siblings. As a result of this complex experience, along with the rollercoaster of four ‘search and reunion’ journey’s, early pregnancy and parenting, and now estranged from multiple family members, early on Monique was driven to study psychology and psychotherapy. She has spent her career studying and teaching others about the significance of relational attachment, the impacts of pre-verbal trauma and the dynamics of families where relational attachment disruption has occurred.
After two decades in clinical practice, Monique founded 'The School of Integrative Somatic Psychotherapy' in 2020 where she offers post-graduate training and clinical supervision for professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists.
Monique is also passionate about providing appropriate therapeutic support for adult adoptees by promoting an understanding of the specialised nature of post-adoption counselling. In 2024, Monique intends to create and deliver online resources to support adult adoptees throughout their journey of self-discovery.
‘Adoptees Connect’, is a free monthly meeting for adult adoptees, is hosted and facilitated by Monique and her partner (also adopted), on the Sunshine Coast, Qld.
For more information about Monique’s work, you can check out her website here: www.moniquepangari.com
For more information on Adoptees Connect, you can email Monique at adopteesconnectsc@gmail.com
You don’t want to miss this interview - tune in and listen to her story.
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The Australian Adoption Podcast with host Nadia Levett!
