“Your Dad Isn’t Your Dad.” Then Came the Warnings. (Part 1)

Meaghan R. Carriere was considering adopting a child when conversations about openness brought her own family’s secret to the surface. Her parents asked her to take a walk, and her mother struggled to say something Meaghan had questioned since childhood: the man who raised her wasn’t her biological father. In part one of this two-part Family Twist conversation, Meaghan joins Corey to share what happened when that admission led to questions her parents weren’t ready to answer. She wanted a name, information about siblings, and a chance to understand where she came from. Her mother warned that searching could put her in danger. With only fragments of information, Meaghan began looking. Along the way, childhood memories took on new meaning, and connecting with biological relatives meant deciding whose accounts to trust and which relationships felt safe to pursue. Meaghan is the author of You Belong Here: An Expressive and Mindful Journey Through Misattributed Parentage. Her book combines personal experience with support for people navigating a parentage discovery. This story has one of the craziest twists we’ve heard on Family Twist, and part one is only the beginning. Follow the podcast so you don’t miss the conclusion. In this episode: Learning the truth about your parentage as an adult Childhood questions that were repeatedly dismissed Why discussing a potential adoption brought a family secret into the open Searching for biological family with limited information Finding siblings while navigating concerns about safety Wanting answers while worrying about a parent’s feelings Writing about a family history that others would rather leave unspoken Connect with Meaghan: You Belong Here on Amazon Meaghan’s website Instagram You Belong Here on Substack All links and resources More Family Twist: Visit our website Join Family Twist: After Hours Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want more Corey and Kendall? Join us for Family Twist After Hours, our weekly unfiltered bonus podcast featuring personal stories, family secrets, behind-the-scenes conversations and plenty we don't share on the regular show. Your Patreon membership also helps cover the costs of keeping Family Twist going. Plus, subscribers get new Family Twist episodes a day early! Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/FamilyTwistPodcastAfterHours