PANEL: DNA Surprises and Family Identity: A Guide to Preparation, Processing, and Family Storytelling
Laura Hedgecock, Jenny Hawran
Content
About this webinar
DNA tests can unravel the past, but unexpected results have profound impacts on the living. Unexpected results upend individuals’ personal and cultural identities and reveal family secrets.
This panel discussion by Laura Hedgecock, Jenny Hawran and Sheridan Anderson, seeks to fill a current gap in genealogical education: how to compassionately support individuals navigating DNA surprises and those helping them through the journey.
Panelists offer guidance on preparing for the possibility of difficult results, navigating the discovery process, processing the disconnect from family narratives and traditions as well as deciding how, when, or whether to share their new story. For those helping someone else through testing and such discoveries, presenters provide a trauma-informed framework for communication, resources, and writing about their experiences.
These three panelists offer multi-faceted insight and competence to this topic: personal experience with NPE DNA results, therapy and family mediation background, competence with NPE advocacy and trauma-informed writing, and professional genealogy.
This recorded session will serve as an ongoing resource for the genealogy community, addressing a topic that affects thousands but is rarely discussed in educational settings.
Panelists include:- Laura Hedgecock
- Jenny Hawran
- Sheridan Anderson, MA, LPCC
About the speakers
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Comments (46)
FANTASTIC webinar! Great discussion on the topic of NPE. It's a complicated subject with lots of different scenarios related to the NPE as well as the ethical issues surrounding disclosure. More discussions on this topic are needed. With more people testing, the likelihood of NPEs occurring increases.
Very important topic for genealogists. This was extremely well thought through by the members of the panel, and conveyed well the emotional tie-ins that are involved. This is not for casual off-the-cuff information drops. Very well done!!
Absolutely excellent. Laura, Jenny, and Sheridan are to be commended for putting together this panel. This issue doesn't affect me closely (yes at the 2C level and 3GGF level), but it's absolutely necessary for all genealogists to be aware of all these issues surrounding NPEs.
Wonderful webinar! Everyone using DNA should watch this webinar. It is full of insightful, honest, and touching experiences. Whether you have an NPE in your family or know someone who does, you need to watch this.
Very sensitive topic, great conversation.
Thank you so much. My surprise came at age 70. I was adopted at birth .When my mom passed away, I met my bio mom and 7 siblings at age 18. 5 years after her death I found out thru DNA test that her 1st husband was not my bio dad, and probably not my older brother's father. It has been 6 years now. I didn't realize how much i had buried inside, until today.
When you find out something unusual in your DNA/Genealogical tree, think carefully about what you should do with this new information.
This presentation was very enlightening, moving and most interesting. Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you to all!