Cate & Ty Break It Down

In this episode, Canada’s dating coach, author, and sociologist Chantal Heide joins Cate & Ty for an unfiltered discussion on modern relationships. Drawing from 20 years working as a sober stripper while studying sociology and psychology, Chantal shares her core philosophies—including Observation Before Selection, her mandatory 3-month vetting rule, and the distinction between short-term thinkers and committed long-term partners. The trio also explores the high body count debate, society's conditioning around marriage and parenthood, and why reclaiming female power and strength is essential in today's culture.

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In today's episode, Tyler sits down with Christy Gilvear, creator of The Rooted Pedal, to discuss identity and healing through nature. Christy shares how her journey as an adoptee led her to create Green Alchemy, which she describes as the practice of transforming pain, grief, and trauma into fertile soil for personal growth. Together, they dive into: the healing power of plants, unpacking the unspoken grief and feelings of isolation that exist even within loving adoptive families, and lessons she's learned from her work as a death doula.

Christy also recalls her 21-year journey to secure DNA proof and official tribal enrollment with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and describes how reclaiming her Indigenous roots reshaped her identity.

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Today, Tyler reunites with psychotherapist Dr. Mike Dow (@drmikedow) and documentary filmmaker Kerthy Fix (@kerthyfix) for an in-depth exploration of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Drawing from their shared history - including filming Tyler’s televised therapy session on Teen Mom - the group unpacks how Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) reprocesses trauma, addresses treatment-resistant PTSD, and reaches root-level healing where traditional talk therapy often plateaus.

Today's episode offers an insider look at Kerthy Fix's documentary project, More Than Medicine, highlighting real-world patient outcomes, first-responder burnout, and the systemic barriers preventing broader access to mental health care.

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In Part 2 of conversation, Renee and Tyler pivot toward solutions, systemic accountability, and what Saving Our Sisters (SOS) really does. Renee details how temporary crises like housing affordability and broken support networks push women toward adoption—and how providing just a few weeks of rent, basic supplies, or simple encouragement can preserve families. They also discuss human rights issues in adoption; such as sealed birth certificates, lack of informed consent, and the absence of legal copies of signed paperwork.

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In Part 1 of today's interview, Tyler sits down with Renee Gellin, founder of Saving Our Sisters (SOS), to explore her personal experience with infant relinquishment and the systemic issues within private adoption. Renee recounts the "perfect storm" of temporary crises that led her to relinquish her son in 2011. Tyler and Renee unpack common industry misconceptions, breakdown the psychological impact on existing siblings, the history of open adoption as an industry survival strategy, and how unfulfilled open adoption promises create lasting trauma for birth families.

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Tyler and Cate return for Part 2 with filmmaker, and adoptee, Lisa Elaine Scott to discuss her upcoming documentary, All You Have Is Love. For more info on the film and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit https://allyouhaveislove.com

For all inquiries about the film, you can reach Lisa directly at lisa@seechangela.com, and follow @allyouhaveislovefilm for updates.

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In today's episode, Tyler and Cate sit down with filmmaker and adoptee Lisa Elaine Scott to discuss her upcoming documentary, All You Have Is Love. Drawing from her experience as a Baby Scoop era adoptee, Lisa exposes the hidden realities of the multi-billion dollar infant adoption industry and examines how open adoption is often used as a marketing tool. Together, they offer an unique look at the different complexities of open adoption, the struggles and quiet grief of birth parents, and the urgent need for transparency to help prevent unnecessary infant adoptions.

COME BACK FOR PART 2!

For more info on the film and to subscribe to the newsletter, please visit https://allyouhaveislove.com

For all inquiries about the film, you can reach Lisa directly at lisa@seechangela.com, and follow @allyouhaveislovefilm for updates.

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This is the FINAL PART of a three-part discussion!

Cate and Tyler finish their conversation with Elle and Bri talking about the importance of having original birth certificates, education on guardianship & kinship, and the framework to differentiate between healthy boundaries and demands. Also, comments about the modern adoption industry being predatory and profit-driven, and that it ultimately takes advantage of and serves as a disservice to all involved: birth parents, adoptive parents, and the adoptees themselves.

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Cate and Tyler are back with Bri and Elle to continue PART 2! The group continue discussing the misunderstandings the audience has had with Cate & Ty's story, the infamous text messages, and more about Bri's experience with religious aspects of adoption. They break down the different options available when it comes to placing a child in a safe environment.

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This is PART 2 of a three-part discussion!

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Join Ty and Alé (@wildheartcollective) as they go through the complex realities of maternal mental health, using the high-profile Lindsay Clancy case. Sharing her own journey through a psychiatric emergency, Alé sheds light on the invisible struggles of severe depression and dissociation, while highlighting why the current mental health and crisis support systems continue to fail vulnerable mothers. Together with Tyler, they examine the critical importance of proactive care, systemic accountability, and hyper-vigilance in supporting those battling postpartum crises.

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Cate and Tyler sit down with marriage and family therapist, and fellow adoptee, Bri to pull back the curtain on the American adoption industry. Moving past standard narratives, they openly discuss the grief and systemic flaws of the birth-parent journey, and how "open adoption" can be leveraged as a coercive tool. From deconstructing hospital postpartum pressure to exploring child-centric alternatives like kinship care and legal guardianship, this conversation is an urgent look at institutional accountability and the true impact of adoption.

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This is PART 1 of a three-part discussion!

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In this episode of Cate and Ty, Tyler sits down with Desiree (@mojaveandwolf) to explore the messy, beautiful landscape of religious deconstruction. After being abruptly cast out of her church community, Desiree shares how she rebuilt a solid, unshakeable spiritual foundation from the ground up. From uncovering the lost gospels to understanding the power of collective consciousness, this conversation serves as a gateway to anyone wanting to follow their curiosity outside of the traditional box.

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In this episode, Tyler sits down with Dr. Kristen Kirkland for a multi-layered conversation about the complexities of the adoption industry. Drawing from her professional background in public health and her personal experience as a private infant adoptee, Dr. Kirkland shares her journey of coming out of the adoption "FOG" (Fear, Obligation, and Guilt) and recognizing the parallels between private infant adoption in America and the legal definitions of human trafficking.

Dr. Kirkland also discusses briefly the goal of her book Orphan Sunday is the Worst (slated for Spring 2028), which examines how evangelical Christian theology has historically cherry-picked scriptures to glamorize adoption.

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In this part 2, Amber Boone returns to unpack the beautiful and complex reality of motherhood across generations.

Amber shares her journey of becoming a grandmother at 32, navigating the shock of her daughter’s teenage pregnancy, and the battle against a broken foster care system to bring her granddaughter home. She explains the devastating toll of addiction, the long road to three years of recovery, and the unique, often confusing dynamics of co-parenting a grandchild you’ve legally adopted. Amber opens up about the generational trauma she’s working to undo, the importance of choosing compassion over judgment, and why she believes the true alchemy of life is found in the moments of stillness between the chaos.

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In part one of this conversation, Cate and Tyler sit down with fellow Detroiter Amber Boone (@getrealwithab). She opens up about the reality behind her viral 25-million-view TikTok, surviving severe childhood trauma and system failures, escaping a life-threatening teenage marriage, and talks about the complexities of navigating generational trauma as a helicopter mom—only to watch her own daughter follow closely in her footsteps.

This is PART 1 of a two-part discussion!

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Cate is back with D.A. (@difficult.adoptee) to continue the exploration of trauma, systemic failure, and survival. DA shares her journey of growing up in a controlling, highly restrictive kinship adoption and the moment she realized her family was built on performance and lies. From navigating a volatile reunion with her biological mother and a dangerous encounter with her biological father, DA reflects on the systemic lack of regulation in kinship placements. She also shares the layering grief of losing her infant son in the second trimester, drawing powerful parallels to her own mother’s unacknowledged postpartum grief.

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In this deeply personal episode of Break It Down, guest D.A. (@difficult.adoptee) joins the show to deconstruct her experience growing up within a kinship adoption. She shares her journey of discovering at age seven that the woman she thought was her cousin was actually her biological mother. She discusses navigating preverbal trauma, surviving a toxic and narcissistic home environment, and the challenges of advocating for her own mental health as a teenager in a system that often preferred silence over real healing.

This is PART 1 of a two-part discussion!

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Mercury is in retrograde and out to get us. Cate & Ty are back from their camping trip and share how they plan to keep up with the kids this summer. They share their thoughts on the double standards between young girls and boys when it comes to dressing "appropriate"

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Let's revisit an episode from 2025

Cate & Ty sit down with psychotherapist and adoptee Amy Silvia (@psychotherapist.amy_) , who shares her personal journey through the Baby Scoop Era and the complex process of reconnecting with her birth family. Drawing on decades of clinical experience working with thousands of adoptees and birth parents, Amy unpacks the profound impact of genetic mirroring, attachment trauma, and the crucial need for "adoptee-focused" therapy. Amy sheds light on the crucial difference between "adoption competence" and truly "adoptee-focused" care, highlighting the mental health struggles faced by adoptees and birth parents, including the shockingly high rates of suicidal ideation. Discover how normalizing difficult adoption conversations can lead to profound healing for the entire adoption triad.

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Let us go back into the vault and listen to an episode from 2025 when Cate & Ty sat down with Dr. Abby, a transracial adoptee, birth mother, and adoption-informed therapist.

Dr. Abby breaks down the true meaning of informed consent in adoption, revealing the systemic issues and personal traumas often hidden beneath the surface. She also shares her personal journey, from her coerced relinquishment as a teenage birth mother to her own experience as an adoptee navigating identity and reunion.

For more information visit https://adoptingprivilege.com/

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