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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
Community Support
Healing
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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes231Founded4 years ago
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HistorySociety & Culture

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

Latest Episodes

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For years, Louise McLoughlin built her career telling other people's stories. Then she uncovered one she never expected: her own.

After learning she was donor-conceived, Louise set out to understand not only her biological origins,... more

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Finding your birth family is often portrayed as the ending of the story. For many adoptees, it's actually the beginning.

In this episode, Patricia Knight Meyer returns to talk about reunion with both of her birth parents, the remar... more

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What if you discovered your adoption was never legal?

This week, Corey and Kendall welcome adoptee, author, advocate, and National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP) board member Patricia Knight Meyer for one of the most ex... more

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She didn't tell me we were Jewish.

Those seven words changed everything.

Author Joan Moran joins Corey and Kendall to discuss her remarkable memoir, Suddenly Jewish, a story that spans generations, continents, and one life-changin... more

Key Facts

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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
Host of Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets
Kendall Stulce
Host of Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 108 ratings
  • 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 States3 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 States9 months 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 States10 months ago
  • Binge listening

    I found out about this podcast a couple of nights ago and binge listen all day while crocheting on the beach in Maine or on the porch. I grew up in Massachusetts, college in RI and live in NH. So it’s obviously have strong New England ties. Thank you Kendall and Corey for sharing and for letting others share their stories. I recently found a family member that is related (2nd or 2rd cousin) by an NPE and not positive who her related father is so I am helping her confirm but I am new to DNA b... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Love to Research
    United Statesa year ago
  • Binge listening

    I found out about this podcast last night and binge listened all day while crocheting. Thank you Kendall and Corey for sharing and for letting others share their story. I recently found a family member that is related by an NPE and not positive who her related father is so I am helping.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Love to Research
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Hosts feel like friends guiding you through powerful family revelations.
Quality guests and helpful perspectives on navigating donor conception and reunions.
Sincere, heartfelt storytelling with guests who share deeply personal journeys.

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Determined Society with Shawn French | Adversity & Mindset
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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

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

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

Family Twist explores real-life DNA surprises, adoption journeys, donor conception, and donor-conceived or late-discovery stories that upend traditional family narratives. Through candid conversations with adoptees, birth parents, and people connected by biology, episodes probe identity, belonging, and the long arc of rebuilding relationships after new truths come to light. The show shines a personal, empathetic light on complex topics, often blending intimate storytelling with practical questions about boundaries, openness, and healing. Its strength lies in the hosts' warmth and willingness to let guests share nuanced experiences, turning seismic discoveries into relatable, human moments that invite reflection and connection for prospectiv... more

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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 231 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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