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Artwork for Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets

Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets

Corey and Kendall Stulce
Adoption
Family Secrets
DNA Testing
Identity
Family Dynamics
Mental Health
Donor Conception
Open Adoption
Trauma
NPE
NPE (not Parent Expected)
Family Relationships
DNA
Childhood Trauma
Grief
Mental Wellness
Resilience
Healing
Community Support
NPE Community

Family Twist shares real-life stories of DNA surprises, adoption, donor conception, NPE discoveries, and the secrets that reshape families.

Hosted by Corey and Kendall Stulce, each episode explores what happens when the truth about identity, parentage, or family history comes to light. These revelations sometimes happen by choice, often by accident, and always with life-changing impact.

Through... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes238Founded4 years ago
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Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets

Latest Episodes

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Nicole Davis had already found her biological mother’s side of the family years earlier, but she had pretty much given up on finding her father. In fact, she had been led to believe he was dead.

Then an Ancestry notification showed... more

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Nicole Davis always knew she was adopted. What she didn’t know was how strange the story behind her adoption would look once she started examining it as an adult.

Nicole was born in Alabama in 1974. Her adoptive parents had spent y... more

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What does it mean to reclaim an Indigenous identity you didn’t have the opportunity to grow up with?

In Part 2 of our conversation with Monica Hall and Kristal Parke, we explore one of the connections that first brought these two w... more

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Genetic sexual attraction is one of the most difficult and misunderstood possibilities that can emerge after biological family reunion. For decades, Monica Hall rarely spoke about her own experience with it.

In part one of this spe... more

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Recent Guests

Joan Moran
Author of Suddenly Jewish
Author
Episode: She Didn't Tell Me We Were Jewish
Julie Ann Brumley
Guest, adoptee and storyteller
Episode: What Happens When You Finally Look Like Someone?
Angie Miller
Licensed mental health therapist, wellness coach, speaker, host of the Strong Mind, Strong Body podcast
Strong Mind, Strong Body podcast
Episode: A Therapist Faces Her Own DNA Surprise in Real Time
Dr. Syb Brown
Adoptee journalist, advocate
Independent advocate/author
Episode: “You Don’t Get to Tell Adoptees How to Feel”
Paul T. O'Connor
Author and journalist featured in the episode
Episode: The Search for His Mother’s Past Led to a Shocking Discovery
Aaron Long
Sperm donor and father of Bryce and Maddie; writer and musician
Donor-conceived family member featured in the story
Episode: He Donated Sperm in 1994. Decades Later, His Kids Found Him
Zara Phillips
Subject of the story discussed in this episode
Private individual
Episode: From Forced Adoption to DNA Discovery: Zara’s Story of Finding Family | Episode 200
Laura Olmsted
Founder of DNAngels, genetic genealogist
DNAngels
Episode: A DNA Test, a Family Secret, and the Birth of DNAngels
Gail Lukasik
Author of White Like Her and What They Never Told Us
Author, Speaker
Episode: Her Mother Passed as White. The Truth Stayed Hidden for Decades

Hosts

Corey Stulce
Co-host of Family Twist; brings warmth, insight, and personal experience with adoption and DNA-surprises; part of a couple that guides conversations with guests.
Kendall Stulce
Co-host of Family Twist; shares empathy and humor while guiding discussions about identity revelations and family twists.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 113 ratings
  • Community

    Corey and Kendall help to build empathy for a very specific community of individuals. And if by chance you happen to be in the family “twist” community, this is a place to feel like you are not alone. Happy listening!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Big Nic 22
    United States17 days ago
  • Little Mister Victory

    Tina and I were grateful for the opportunity to be on this wonderful podcast and talk about our years working on the answer to the question: who was the woman who put Tina‘s father, who is an infant at the time, in the arms of a stranger on the day that America was celebrating the end of World War II.

    The questions were thoughtful and insightful, and what struck me was the obvious passion that these people have for the subject and their compassion for the people who find themselves asking the q... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BostonDave2013
    United States17 days ago
  • Let the NPE Guest Speak Please

    The man who does the interviews on this show constantly disrupts the flow of his guest’s story by going off on a tangent about his story. I have heard his whole story so many times. 😳 He needs to let his guest speak and stop thinking the audience needs to hear his past repeated. You told your story in the first episode so now please give the floor to others.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    VintageLPs
    United States5 months ago
  • Interesting Topics but…

    I’m always fascinated by these types of stories and was delighted to find the podcast today. However, the weird Halloween music in the background is a major distraction. Off to find another podcast, unfortunately.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    LS6
    United Statesa year ago
  • So relatable

    When you finally find the podcast where people actually understand your experience, it’s nothing short of magic. I love how Corey and Kendall share a mix of personal stories with guest experiences, showing us the many ways that family DNA can provide that oh-so-unexpected twist! Thank you so much for all you do. We all feel more seen, heard, and understood because of your show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emily Aborn
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Episodes mix humor with heartfelt trauma, creating a supportive space for sensitive topics.
Guests bring diverse experiences from adoptees to donor-conceived individuals, broadening appeal.
Hosts feel like family to listeners due to warmth and authenticity.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

She Didn't Tell Me We Were Jewish
Q: How did the DNA discoveries change your sense of self and family connections?
DNA revealed unexpected half-siblings and a broader extended family, reshaping the narrator's understanding of lineage and identity and illustrating how modern genetics can uncover truths that rebuild or redefine family narratives.
She Didn't Tell Me We Were Jewish
Q: Why did your mother hide her Jewish identity, and how did that shape your family's story?
Her mother hid her Jewish identity as a survival strategy in a hostile era; the setting of that fear explains the secrecy and the subsequent impact on multiple generations, including how the truth finally shifts perceptions of family and belonging.
He Opened the Envelope His Mother Told Him to Destroy
Q: Have you connected with some cousins on that side as well?
Yes, a cousin reacted politely and shared new information, helping expand the family picture.
From Only Child to One of Twelve
Q: Did you know you were adopted?
Elizabeth confirms she did know and describes her early awareness and the long path to reunion, including meeting her birth family after decades of searching.
Her Mother Passed as White. The Truth Stayed Hidden for Decades
Q: Can you tell us about your first book and what revelations you uncovered?
Gail explains the inspiration behind White Like Her, the discovery process, and how it led to shedding light on hidden family histories and the broader implications of racial passing.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A real-life storytelling series that centers on DNA discoveries, adoption, donor conception, late-discovery NPEs, and the shifting family narratives that follow. Conversations mix personal journeys with guests who reveal the emotional and practical aftershocks of truth coming to light, from reunions and identity shifts to the healing and boundaries that emerge. The show often pairs intimate, candid interviews with broader themes like family secrets, belonging, and the evolving meaning of kinship in the modern world, all driven by two hosts who share their own adoption and DNA-search experiences. A standout throughline is the blend of vulnerability, humor, and practical guidance for listeners navigating similar twists in their own families.

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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. DNA Surprises
2. NPE Stories
3. Missing Pieces - NPE Life
4. Mothers, Lies and DNA Surprises
5. Finding Family DNA

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 4 years ago and published 238 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Joan Moran
2. Julie Ann Brumley
3. Angie Miller
4. Dr. Syb Brown
5. Paul T. O'Connor
6. Aaron Long
7. Zara Phillips
8. Laura Olmsted

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