Stories That Mend

About Stories That Mend

Stories That Mend is a five-part narrative podcast miniseries about adoption, intergenerational trauma, secrecy, and the healing power of sharing our stories. Narrated and produced by Lynette, the series begins with a phone call to her grandmother, Joan. This phone call, and the story that follows, unlocks a family history hidden for over 60 years. Joan shares the devastating story of being forced to give up her baby for adoption in 1955, after being sent to a maternity home for unwed mothers. Her story exposes the shame, coercion, and lifelong consequences faced by women whose choices were taken from them. As the series unfolds, Stories That Mend weaves together Joan’s journey through addiction, mental health struggles, motherhood, music, and recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous, with Lynette’s own path of searching for connection and authenticity. Lynette reflects on growing up in a rigid religious community, being excommunicated from her church, surviving abusive relationships, and slowly learning to recognize consent, autonomy, and self-trust. Her search for her grandmother becomes a way to understand her own life, patterns of silence, and inherited trauma. Across five intimate episodes, the series explores closed and forced adoption in mid- 20th century America; the long shadow of shame placed on unwed mothers; religious control, gender roles, and excommunication; addiction, recovery, and intergenerational healing; reconnection between a grandmother and granddaughter separated by secrecy; and how sharing our stories can break cycles of silence. The final episode brings Lynette and Joan together in reflection on motherhood, birth, loss, love, and the radical act of speaking openly about what was once held in silent shame. Their conversations reveal how healing can unfold through listening, honesty, and relationship. Stories That Mend is for listeners drawn to deeply personal storytelling, adoption narratives, family secrets, recovery stories, and podcasts about trauma, resilience, and reconnection. It’s an invitation to anyone carrying untold stories, especially women, to believe that sharing them can change not only the past, but the future.

Publisher

Lynette

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Jan 2026

Latest episode

25 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

5 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Jan 2026

   Where Love Takes Root

   This episode concludes the five-part audio series titled 'Stories That Mend,' narrated and produced by Lynette, in collaboration with her grandmother, Joan. It begins with this quote from Everything is a Story: Reclaiming the Power of Stories to Heal and Shape Our Lives by Kaitlin B. Curtice (2025) (https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9781587436635_everything-is-a-story): "This is the way life works, as our stories cycle and revolve around and around one another: We look to our ancestors and remember who we are; we live our lives for future generations, for healing that ripples across timelines and our limited understanding; and we do it all through our sacred connection to the lands and waters around us...Our stories can be, must be, expansive and future looking as we acknowledge everything we've come through to get to this moment." This episode reflects on personal and intergenerational stories of struggle, trauma, and healing. It ties together the narrative from past episodes that weaves through Lynette’s and Joan’s experiences, discussing Joan's painful past of giving up a baby for adoption and Lynette's journey of leaving a restrictive church community. This episode highlights their connection, emphasizing the impact of shared storytelling on their healing process. They explore topics such as motherhood, breaking cycles of trauma, and the importance of open dialogue and emotional expression. They share some of their intimate conversations over the years, discussing birth experiences, motherhood, and breaking societal norms that suppress women's stories. The episode concludes with a heartfelt exchange between Lynette and Joan, reflecting on how their relationship has brought healing and understanding, and encouraging others to share their stories openly.

2. 

   25 Jan 2026

   Reunion and Reckoning

   In this episode, Lynette shares her emotional journey of finding and reconnecting with her grandmother, Joan, who had given up her father for adoption as a teenager. Lynette and Joan recount their initial conversations, Lynette's process searching for Joan, and the poignant first meeting between this grandmother and granddaughter. The script also covers their evolving relationship, shared family traits, and Joan's reflections on her past and the impact of her decision. The narrative explores themes of family, identity, and healing, concluding with reflections on how their relationship has deepened over the years and how sharing their stories has brought clarity and connection across generations.

3. 

   25 Jan 2026

   Salvation Lost

   Lynette, the narrator and producer of this story, recounts her experience of being excommunicated from her childhood church and the impacts of her upbringing in that church community and subsequent excommunication on her life. She reflects on her strict and isolated religious upbringing, which included rigid rules, gender discrimination, and extensive indoctrination. Lynette discusses her gradual questioning of church teachings, ultimately leaving home and the church and community she grew up in. She describes transformative experiences such as attending a summer program, traveling abroad, and eventually finding connection through AcroYoga and other physical activities. Lynette also talks about the abusive relationships she encountered after leaving home and seeking therapy to break old patterns. The narrative concludes with Lynette's decision to search for her biological grandmother, driven by a desire to understand her past and find deeper connections.

4. 

   24 Jan 2026

   Songs For Survival

   In the second episode of this five-part miniseries, Joan shares her life story after being forced to give up her baby for adoption when she was 17 years old. The story delves into Joan's challenges as she struggles with mental health issues, including a nervous breakdown and hospitalizations, while pursuing music studies at Oberlin College. Despite severe challenges, Joan built a successful career in music and won prizes for her intricate and original weaving, while coping with addiction and mental health struggles. Her journey led her through marriage, motherhood, and a life controlled by alcoholism before she eventually found recovery in community with Alcoholics Anonymous. Joan achieved sobriety one day at a time, eventually returning to Montana to teach music and live a life deeply connected to nature and community where she grew up. Her story, compiled from recordings made with her friend Ian and narrated by her granddaughter Lynette, offers a profound look at intergenerational trauma and healing.

5. 

   24 Jan 2026

   Innocence Taken

   In this first episode of a five-part story miniseries, Lynette, the narrator and producer, explores her family's hidden history beginning with a poignant phone call to her grandmother. Joan shares the emotional and tragic story of being forced to give up her baby (Lynette’s father) for adoption in 1955. The narrative captures the societal stigma surrounding unwed mothers, the harsh practices of maternity homes, and Joan's emotional trauma. Lynette reflects on her own journey of understanding consent and sexual violence, drawing parallels with her grandmother's hardships. The episode highlights the complexities of adoption, the impact of historical contexts on personal lives, and the transformative power of reconnecting with lost family members.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Contact Stories That Mend

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.