Today’s guest, Arnold (shared with permission), reflects on the past six years since he first learned he had a biological daughter he never knew existed. His story is one of vulnerability and openness, of loss and healing, and finding courage to reveal a surprise child discovery after years of choosing not to share.

This episode covers:

• Arnold’s experience of preparing to share about his biological child discovery, first with his wife and later his children

• Arnold (and his late wife’s) decision to meet his biological daughter in person and develop a relationship with her privately

• Finding community with other bio dads and from online support groups

• How coaching with Brianne set him up for success in sharing the surprise news

In this episode of DNA Clarity and Support, Brianne talks with Jen Jacober, a genetic counselor who brings a deeply personal perspective to her work. Jen is a late-discovery donor-conceived person, and she opens up about what it was like to learn this truth as an adult—and how that experience has shaped her understanding of herself and influenced her professional practice.

Maggy was the family genealogist who dedicated her heart and time to developing the family tree branches far and wide. A month after distributing a book of their genealogy to her excited family, she discovered the book no longer included her.

Over the past 12-and-a-half years since her surprise DNA discovery, Maggy has been on a long and winding journey grappling with her identity and navigating changes in her relationships.

Maggy shares encouragement with other NPEs and advice for finding the community that fits your needs. She shares her experience of using a painful discovery to help others (and help yourself in the process). 

MyHeritage’s new low-pass whole genome sequencing (WGS) test goes beyond standard genotyping to cover more of your DNA for genealogical insights. Learn how this first-of-its-kind ancestry test differs from medical-grade WGS, its pros and limits, and why personal choice matters when deciding whether to retest or explore new DNA technology. Book a session with Watershed DNA to decide on testing.

Watershed DNA was featured in The New Yorker magazine’s recent article, “The Family Fallout of DNA Surprises.”  This piece by Jennifer Wilson sheds light on the emotional impact of unexpected DNA discoveries – a journey that can be both deeply challenging and transformative. Watershed DNA is committed to meeting people in these moments with compassion and guidance, helping them process new information, navigate family dynamics, share with others, and find the path forward.

There can be a gulf between what someone needs and desires from a reunion with genetic relatives and what is feasible and possible for a healthy, long-term relationship. Mental illness and mental health challenges can be a factor that complicates the reunion process for some individuals who are involved in an adoption constellation. In today’s guest post, late-discovery adoptee (LDA) Julia shares about her experience connecting with her birth mother and recognizing her birth mother’s undiagnosed and untreated mental health issues. Every person’s journey is unique.

The date and location for the next Untangling Our Roots summit have been announced, and the event will take place March 12-15, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

This will be the third Roots Summit led by two organizations, Right To Know and National Association of Adoptees & Parents.

The summit brings together researchers, professionals, and individuals impacted by misattributed parentage, NPE, adoption, donor conception, and DNA surprises. Family members and support people are encouraged to join, as are individuals interested in learning more about the unique needs of individuals and families with misattributed parentage and unexpected DNA discoveries.

Doni is the creator of Culturs Magazine which celebrates people with cross-cultural identities; she has seen how the experience of ‘third culture’ people overlaps often with the NPE world.

Check out the episode to hear our discussion and understand more about the work I do through my writing and private practice, Watershed DNA. We talked about my book The DNA Guide for Adoptees and a little about my upcoming book on the topic of genetic identity. In our discussion, Doni also shared about her role in helping NPEs through the non-profit organization NPE Network. 

Researchers at University of Southern California’s School of Social Work) are enrolling multiple individuals in a family impacted by direct-to-consumer (DTC) DNA testing unexpected DNA paternity results. Researchers request the person most closely impacted by a DNA discovery (the parent or adult child) be the first to reach out to the research team with interest.