Best The Fire Pit Network Podcasts (2025)

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When Your DNA Test Turns Into a Movie Script 29:36

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2d ago29:36

29:36

What happens when a DNA test flips your world upside down and you decide to make a comedy about it? Actor, writer, and producer Lisa Brenner joins Corey and Kendall to talk about her new film One Big Happy Family, opening in AMC Theatres on October 3, 2025. Inspired by her own discovery at age 40 that the dad who raised her wasn’t her biological fa…

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Switched at birth and silenced for decades 30:36

9d ago30:36

30:36

This is the rescued first conversation with author Shirley Muñoz Newsom, whose memoir The Little Dark One: A True Story of Switched at Birth chronicles discovering—at age 43—that she was switched at birth. She grew up in Gillette, Wyoming, knowing she didn’t fit, searching through library microfiche long before Google, and navigating an emotionally…

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An Adoptive Parent’s Perspective on Open Adoption 37:31

16d ago37:31

37:31

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with Mary, adoptive mom to previous guest Chris Martin. If you haven’t already, we recommend listening to Chris’ two episodes first — his story as an adoptee lays the groundwork for the conversation you’re about to hear with his mom. Mary opens up about the unexpected beginnings of Chris’ …

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When “Donor Conceived” Becomes Your Life’s Plot Twist 40:53

23d ago40:53

40:53

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with storyteller and comedian Becca Rothman to talk about her remarkable DNA discovery and her upcoming live solo show, Gifted: Nature, Nurture, and an Unexpected Present. Becca shares the journey from long-held suspicions about her conception, to finally taking a DNA test, to discovering …

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Things Adoptees Hear That Make Us Want to Scream 8:43

1M ago8:43

8:43

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall get raw, real, and a little ranty. It’s part group therapy, part comedy roast, and all about the phrases adoptees hear over and over again that range from paper-cut stings to sledgehammer blows. From “You’re so lucky your parents chose you” to “Do you know your real parents?”—they unpack why these …

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Ghosting the Ghost Parent 6:48

30d ago6:48

6:48

In this candid conversation, Corey and Kendall tackle one of the most painful realities in the adoptee and DNA surprise world — reaching out to a biological parent and getting… nothing in return. Ghosting the Ghost Parent Kendall opens up about his own experience with his birth mother: the initial reply that offered hope, the “I need time to proces…

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The Return to Man Weekend: Family, Fire Pits, and Full-Circle Moments 17:55

1M ago17:55

17:55

In this heartfelt follow-up to one of our earliest episodes ("The Man Weekend"), Kendall shares stories from a recent rustic getaway with members of his birth family at their long-held property in northern New Hampshire. It’s a full-circle moment—spending time around the campfire with his brother, uncle, cousins, and nephews, deepening bonds with p…

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Love Beyond DNA: The Man Who Raised Me 34:55

2M ago34:55

34:55

In Part 2 of our conversation with author and advocate J. Steven Osborne, we explore what happens after the shock of a DNA discovery, when the dust starts to settle, and you're left piecing together not just your origin story, but your identity. Steven opens up about the emotional toll of learning that Jack Osborne, the man who raised him and loved…

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A DNA Discovery on the Tarmac 26:08

2M ago26:08

26:08

J. Steven Osborne believed he knew where he came from until an ancestry DNA test turned his world upside down. What started in 2021 as a casual curiosity for Native American heritage ended with a jaw-dropping response: a first cousin in Prince Edward Island. And his father? Not who he thought. Join Corey as Steven recounts the powerful, painful, an…

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The Adoption Paradox 37:08

2M ago37:08

37:08

Author, adoptee, and fierce truth-teller Jean Widner returns to Family Twist—and this time, she’s holding a finished book in her hands. In this emotionally raw and intellectually rich conversation, Corey sits down with Jean to talk about the release of her long-anticipated book, The Adoption Paradox, and the deeply personal story behind it. What be…

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Addiction, Absence, and the Road Back to My Birth Father 26:46

2M ago26:46

26:46

In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Chris, the emotional stakes deepen. Chris takes us through the winding road of reconnection with his birth father—once lost to addiction and incarceration—and how a long-awaited letter cracked the door open to forgiveness and healing. We also explore the life-changing moment Chris met his half-brother fro…

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Two Families, One Primal Wound 24:34

2M ago24:34

24:34

Chris’s story may not begin with a shocking discovery but it’s no less extraordinary. In this episode, Kendall and Corey sit down with Chris to explore a rare but deeply moving example of an open adoption that worked exactly as intended. Chris has known his birth parents for his entire life, and his adoptive parents invited his birth family in from…

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What Happens When a Transracial Adoptee Tells the Whole Truth? 23:39

3M ago23:39

23:39

In Part 2 of our powerful conversation with Lisa MM Butler, we go deeper into what happens after the DNA tests, after the reunions, and after the losses. Lisa, an outspoken transracial adoptee, writer, illustrator, and library worker, shares how the death of her adoptive parents left her grappling with the question: Whose family am I part of now? L…

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DNA Doesn’t Lie, But Families Do 27:39

3M ago27:39

27:39

In Part One of this powerful two-part episode, Corey and Kendall sit down with Lisa, who shares the beginning of her journey into the world of unexpected DNA discoveries. Lisa believed she understood her place in her family — until a test revealed otherwise. What follows is a story of emotional whiplash: from excitement and curiosity to confusion, …

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Team Red and the Ultimate Family Plot Twist 28:47

3M ago28:47

28:47

What happens when you pair a woman searching for her birth family with an uncle who’s all-in for the ride? You get Team Red: Kayli and Dan, standouts from Season 15 of BYUtv’s Relative Race, and this episode of Family Twist dives into every twist, turn, and tearjerking reunion from their epic 10-day journey. Team Red and the Ultimate Family Plot Tw…

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They Erased His Father. He Wrote Him Back In. 32:37

3M ago32:37

32:37

Peter’s story doesn’t end with a DNA test or a family reunion. It enters the courtroom. In this gripping conclusion to our two-part conversation with Australia-based adoptee and advocate Peter, we follow his six-year legal fight to have his biological father’s name added to his original birth certificate—a document that, like so many issued in the …

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Australia’s Adoption Scandal Hits Home and Hard 22:29

4M ago22:29

22:29

Imagine building out a detailed family tree… only to find out you’re not actually in it. That’s what happened to this guest from Australia, who took a casual DNA test at age 59—and uncovered a life-changing secret: he was adopted, and no one had ever told him. In Part One of this deeply personal two-part conversation, we follow his journey from Aus…

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Family Is Complicated, And We’re Not Done Talking About It 27:01

4M ago27:01

27:01

In this milestone episode, the hosts of Family Twist take a heartfelt, unfiltered look back on three years of storytelling, 150 episodes, and the ever-evolving journey of uncovering and healing from family secrets. Family Is Complicated And We’re Not Done Talking About It What began as a podcast to share one adoptee’s story has blossomed into a pow…

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The Birth of the Donor Sibling Registry 1:06:26

4M ago1:06:26

1:06:26

In this powerful, first-time full release of our conversation with Wendy Kramer, co-founder of the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), we explore the deeply personal and transformational story behind one of the most influential voices in the donor conception world. Originally thought to be partially lost due to a damaged audio file, this complete convers…

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The Pain We Carry, the Monsters We Love 28:14

4M ago28:14

28:14

🩸 Episode Summary: In this hauntingly heartwarming bonus episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall open the crypt to their other podcast, Horror Heals—where trauma, grief, and found family intersect with creepy dolls, final girls, and haunted conventions. You’ll hear from six remarkable guests who’ve turned fear and pain into art, community, and h…

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Why I’m Not Angry They Didn’t Tell Me She Was Dying 28:13

4M ago28:13

28:13

Listener Note: This episode contains sensitive content, including the death of a pet, home invasion, and terminal illness. In this powerful continuation of Kendall’s adoption journey, we dive deep into one of the most defining and devastating chapters of his life: the years following his adoptive mother Betty’s terminal diagnosis. Why I’m Not Angry…

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Embracing the Beautiful Mess of Surprise Family 30:49

5M ago30:49

30:49

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with Eve Sturges, therapist, writer, and host of the podcast Everything’s Relative, to share her powerful journey through the twists and turns of family discovery. After taking a DNA test, Eve uncovered life-changing truths about her origins — and embarked on a heartfelt road trip across t…

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The Full Story You Haven’t Heard (Until Now) 1:19:39

5M ago1:19:39

1:19:39

This week on Family Twist, we’re celebrating a major milestone—three years of storytelling, surprise DNA discoveries, and untangling family secrets. And to mark the occasion, we’re bringing you a brand-new edit of one of our most meaningful conversations: a full, uncut interview with Brian Stanton, an acclaimed playwright and adoptee whose solo sho…

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The Day I Was No Longer a Ghost 24:04

5M ago24:04

24:04

In the continuation of Jeremy’s deeply moving story, everything changes with one message: “We discovered we have a brother.” After a lifetime of being the family secret—unwanted by a mother who abused him, erased by a father who walked away—Jeremy took the risk of opening the door. And what came through was nothing short of transformational. The Da…

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"Brace for Impact": Surviving Trauma and Searching for Identity 27:23

5M ago27:23

27:23

When Jeremy first reached out to Family Twist, his email stopped us in our tracks. The pain, the longing, the strength—it was all there in his words. In this raw and unforgettable episode, Jeremy shares the first part of his life story: a childhood marked by instability, abuse, and the aching absence of family identity. "Brace for Impact": Survivin…

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DNA Surprises in a Time of Erasure 34:33

6M ago34:33

34:33

In this powerful and timely episode, Corey and Kendall sit down with Alexis Hourse;t, the creator and host of the DNA Surprises podcast — a show dedicated to exploring the emotional complexity of unexpected DNA discoveries. Alexis shares her own deeply personal story of finding out through a consumer DNA test that she was not who she thought she wa…

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My Family Was Right Next Door 48:42

6M ago48:42

48:42

What if your biological family—siblings, a mother, even potential fathers—had been living just a few towns away your entire life, and you never knew? My Family Was Right Next Door In this emotionally charged episode of Family Twist, we meet a mother-daughter duo who peel back the layers of a decades-old secret. The mother was adopted in the 1950s u…

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The Long Road Home to Irish Citizenship 26:48

6M ago26:48

26:48

What happens when the country of your birth refuses to acknowledge where you really come from? For adoptees, proving their origins can be a legal nightmare—especially when official documents don’t tell the whole truth. In this two-part Family Twist special, our guest shares his astonishing journey to uncover his heritage, navigate international red…

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Uncovering My Secret Irish Heritage Through DNA 26:00

6M ago26:00

26:00

In this intimate and reflective solo-hosted episode, Kendall dives deep into a powerful conversation with guest John Portmann, exploring themes of family, identity, adoption secrecy, and the life-changing power of DNA discoveries. Uncovering My Secret Irish Heritage Through DNA Key Highlights: Growing Up Adopted: John shares parallels with Kendall …

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When Open Adoption Isn’t So Open 40:42

7M ago40:42

40:42

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with Connor, who is in the process of writing a memoir about his experience with open adoption. Connor pulls back the curtain on the often-glossed-over complexities of open adoption, sharing how the promises made to birth parents, adoptive families, and adoptees themselves are often more m…

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What Happens When Your “Aunt” Is Actually Your Mother? 42:40

7M ago42:40

42:40

What happens when the life you’ve always known changes in an instant? For Natalie, a single conversation just before her 18th birthday unraveled everything she thought she knew about herself. She grew up believing she was the biological child of her Filipino immigrant parents—until they sat her and her triplet siblings down and revealed a shocking …

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From DNA Surprise to Maximum Security 42:30

7M ago42:30

42:30

What would you do if a DNA test revealed a biological parent you never knew existed—who also happened to be serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison? That’s exactly what happened to our guest, Brad Ewell. In this powerful three-part series, Brad shares his incredible journey from uncovering a decades-old family secret to standing face-t…

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Shocking Family Secrets Keep Unraveling 38:47

7M ago38:47

38:47

In part one, we learned how Brad Ewell’s entire world changed with a single DNA test. What he thought was just a fun ancestry experiment unraveled a family secret buried for 49 years. A message from a stranger. A birth certificate with missing details. A phone call that ended in stunned silence. And finally, the words that changed everything: "Brad…

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From Horror Fan to Horror Story 31:04

8M ago31:04

31:04

Some stories are so unbelievable, they sound like they belong in a movie. But this isn’t fiction—this is Family Twist. And for this special crossover episode, we’re also bringing our Horror Heals audience along for the ride. Brad Ewell thought he knew who he was. That changed in an instant. What started as a simple curiosity—one of those “Hey, let’…

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Stream NPE Documentary for Free 21:02

8M ago21:02

21:02

In this episode of Family Twist, we sit down with Jon Baime, the writer, producer, and director of the powerful NPE documentary, Filling in the Blanks. Now streaming for free on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and the Roku Channel, the film explores Jon’s personal journey as a donor-conceived individual and the emotional discoveries that unfolded after taking …

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Lost and Found: The Adoption Story Behind Family Twist 30:35

8M ago30:35

30:35

Corey and Kendall take a trip down memory lane, revisiting Kendall’s incredible adoption story—the inspiration behind Family Twist. For new listeners who may have missed the beginning, and loyal fans who want to hear more, Kendall shares untold details about his journey from being adopted as a baby to discovering his birth family at age 47 through …

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Why Saying No to Family Can Be the Healthiest Choice 21:49

8M ago21:49

21:49

In this unforgettable continuation of Karen’s journey, we dive deeper into the raw, real, and often messy world of family relationships. Karen opens up about the bold choices she’s made to protect her well-being, the bittersweet beauty of reconnection, and the courage it takes to set boundaries—even with the people we love most. Why Saying No to Fa…

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A Half-Sister's Passing and an Adoptee's Awakening 28:03

8M ago28:03

28:03

What if the worst day of someone else’s life was also the beginning of your greatest revelation? In this jaw-dropping episode of Family Twist, we explore an adoptee’s extraordinary journey, starting with a mysterious medical episode and culminating in an emotional family reunion. But it’s the uncanny connection to her half-sister—a woman she never …

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Twisting Out of 2024 and Into 2025 3:35

9M ago3:35

3:35

We reflect on our wonderful guests from 2024, and tease what's to come in 2025!By Corey and Kendall Stulce

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Breaking the Stigma as the Child of an Affair 1:13:18

9M ago1:13:18

1:13:18

Episode Description: In this special expanded edition of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall revisit 2024’s most downloaded episode featuring Pam, a courageous advocate who discovered through DNA testing that she is the child of an affair. Pam shares the emotional journey of uncovering her biological parentage, navigating family dynamics, and becoming …

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The Lost Episode of Family Twist 15:44

9M ago15:44

15:44

Make sure and listen to episode 100 of The Family Twist Podcast before listening to this "lost," bonus episode with Monica Hall. The Lost Episode of Family Twist In this special “lost” episode, we reconnect with the unforgettable Monica Hall, whose previous appearance left us laughing, crying, and marveling at her resilience. This time, Monica dive…

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Unearthing Grit, Family Secrets and Finding Strength 33:51

10M ago33:51

33:51

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with Jill Krizinovich, better known by her pen name, Margo Reilly. Jill is the author of the forthcoming memoir When You Shake the Family Tree and its predecessor When the Apple Falls Far from the Tree. Jill shares her remarkable journey of resilience and self-discovery, navigating family …

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Turning Thanksgiving Memories into Traditions 5:08

10M ago5:08

5:08

Welcome to a special Thanksgiving episode of Family Twist! As the holiday season kicks off, Corey and Kendall take a brief pause to share heartfelt moments of gratitude and reflect on Thanksgiving traditions from their childhoods to today. From Kendall’s memories of his father’s long holiday weekends and lively house-hopping parties in Missouri to …

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Switched at Birth, Saved by Love 31:18

10M ago31:18

31:18

For Shirley, life was a mystery with pieces that never quite fit—until a DNA test in 2001 revealed the unthinkable truth: she had been switched at birth. Raised in one family and belonging by blood to another, Shirley’s world was upended. In her memoir, The Little Dark One: A True Story of Switched at Birth, she recounts the trials and triumphs tha…

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This Episode Will Change How You See Adoption 19:27

10M ago19:27

19:27

In part two of this eye-opening conversation, Kendall Stulce and Rich Uhrlaub pick up where they left off, diving even deeper into the emotional highs and lows of the adoption journey. This episode unveils the unfiltered realities adoptees face, from unexpected family rejections to the healing power of creative expression. Rich continues sharing in…

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The Musical Exposing Adoption’s Darkest Secrets 26:04

11M ago26:04

26:04

In this gripping episode, Kendall Stulce opens up a powerful, no-holds-barred conversation with writer, advocate, and adoptee Rich Uhrlaub, the creative mind behind For the Records—a bold new musical that brings the haunting truths of adoption to the stage. Set in 1967, Rich’s musical unravels the hidden heartache of the baby scoop era, a time when…

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Tricks, Treats, and Trauma Healing: A Halloween Crossover Special 23:21

11M ago23:21

23:21

In this special Halloween crossover episode, Corey and Kendall invite listeners into the unique space where family stories and horror healing meet. As the founders of both Family Twist and Horror Heals, Corey and Kendall explore the ways that family traditions, especially around Halloween, can bring people closer together—even in the most unexpecte…

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What Your Therapist Isn’t Telling You 30:31

11M ago30:31

30:31

In this special crossover bonus episode, we share an insightful conversation from our sister podcast, Horror Heals, where we explore how horror can be a powerful tool for healing trauma. Corey and Kendall dive into Kendall’s adoption journey and DNA found family story, connecting it to the themes of resilience and recovery that often arise in both …

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Discovering Roots in Sicily and Indigenous Heritage 27:01

11M ago27:01

27:01

In Part 2 of our heartfelt conversation with Cree filmmaker, Kristal Parke, we explore her journey of reconnecting with her Opaskwayak Cree Nation roots and her Sicilian heritage. From embracing her Indigenous identity to the emotional weight of her birth family reunion, Kristal reflects on how her documentary, Because She’s Adopted, has helped her…

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The Primal Wound: Adoption’s Hidden Trauma 24:15

12M ago24:15

24:15

In this powerful episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall Stulce sit down with Cree filmmaker and adoptee, Kristal Parke, to discuss her impactful documentary Because She’s Adopted. Kristal’s film dives deep into the complex emotional landscape of adoption, exploring themes like the primal wound, hidden trauma, and how adoptees often navigate ide…