Powerful stories. Practical insight.
Lasting transformation.
Monica Hall is an author, speaker and wholeness coach who helps audiences untangle the stories that keep them stuck and discover that their past does not have to determine their future.
Some of My Favorite Topics:
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As both an adoptee and a birth mother, Monica brings a rare, deeply personal perspective to the lifelong complexities of adoption. She speaks honestly about separation, identity, relinquishment, reunion and the healing that does not automatically occur when families reconnect.
This talk helps adoptees, birth parents, adoptive and foster families, and adoption professionals move beyond simplified narratives and better understand the experiences carried by every member of the adoption constellation. At the center of Monica’s message is one guiding principle: the well-being of the child must come first.
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Resilience is not pretending the past did not hurt. It is finding the courage to face what happened, challenge the beliefs created by it, and choose a different future.
Drawing from her experiences with adoption, relinquishing a daughter at fifteen, sexual assault, addiction, recovery and abusive relationships, Monica shares how she stopped allowing trauma to define her life. Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of how unresolved pain continues to shape our choices and how awareness, honesty and personal responsibility can become the beginning of lasting change.
Content note: This talk includes references to sexual assault, addiction and abuse.
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For decades, Monica carried shame from childhood experiences that were never hers to own. At sixty, writing her memoir forced her to look honestly at what had happened and recognize the difference between her experiences and her identity.
Through personal storytelling and practical reflection, Monica helps audiences uncover the beliefs they formed in response to pain, question the stories that continue to keep them stuck, and begin reclaiming who they are beyond what happened to them. The past may help explain us, but it does not have to define our future.
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Silence can leave us believing that what happened to us is something we must carry alone. Through writing and eventually sharing her own story, Monica discovered that giving language to painful experiences could loosen shame, create connection and help others feel less alone.
This talk explores how storytelling can become part of healing without requiring anyone to reveal more than they are ready to share. Monica helps audiences consider which stories they are carrying, what those stories have come to mean, and how reclaiming their voice can become an act of courage, ownership and freedom.
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Families pass down more than traditions. They can also pass down silence, shame, fear, beliefs and ways of coping that shape generations without ever being named.
Drawing from her own family history, adoption experience and recovery, Monica helps audiences recognize the patterns they inherited, understand how those patterns continue to influence their relationships and choices, and decide what they no longer want to carry forward. We are not responsible for what was handed to us, but healing gives us the opportunity to stop passing it on.
It’s About The Kids
A candid and hopeful keynote bringing the lived perspectives of an adoptee, birth mother and adoptive mother to the complexities of adoption.
Monica Hall brings lived experience as both an adoptee and a birth mother. Annie Hallsten Narayan brings her perspective as an adoptive mother. Together, they move beyond simplified adoption narratives to explore identity, separation, belonging, openness, reunion and the lifelong needs of adoptees.
Their message invites adoptive and foster families, birth parents and professionals into more honest conversations while returning every decision to one essential question: What best supports the child?
Our Mission
Our mission is to deepen understanding of adoption’s lifelong impact and equip adoptive and foster parents with practical, child-centered insight. We help families recognize and respond to each child’s unique identity, experiences and needs so adopted and foster children feel heard, supported and valued.
“The duo is inspirational, encouraging, and honest. Together, they weave hard truths with genuine compassion. I am blown away by what Monica and Annie bring to the adoption community.
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“Annie and Monica offer incredible perspectives on adoption. Together, their authentic and collaborative approach is making a meaningful difference for future generations of adoptees.
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Why This Keynote is Different
Monica brings the perspectives of both an adoptee and a birth mother, while Annie brings the perspective of an adoptive mother.
Monica is a published author and storyteller who speaks honestly about identity, separation, relinquishment, reunion and healing.
Annie challenges adoptive and foster parents to examine their assumptions and better understand the experiences of the children in their care.
Together, they approach difficult conversations with compassion, curiosity and a shared commitment to keeping children at the center.
Audiences leave with a deeper understanding of adoption, greater empathy for every member of the constellation and practical insight they can carry into their families and communities.
This keynote explores intergenerational trauma, identity, genetic mirroring, attachment and belonging, and the importance of maintaining connections with birth families when it is safe and appropriate. Monica and Annie bring these complex experiences into honest, child-centered conversations that help families and professionals better understand what adopted and foster children may carry throughout their lives.
Although their perspectives are rooted in adoption, their message speaks to universal experiences of identity, loss, belonging and the need to be seen and understood.
“Monica and Annie bring decades of experience and uncommon honesty to conversations about adoption. Their compelling personal stories open the door to broader conversations about what is truly in the best interests of the child.
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What People Are Saying
Invite Monica to speak independently or bring Monica and Annie together for their adoption keynote. Each presentation can be tailored to your audience, event and desired outcomes.
Bring This Conversation to Your Audience
FAQ
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We speak to all groups and can customize our talk for any audience.
• Foster & adoption agencies
• County child welfare services offices
• Non-profits serving adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents
• Charities & foundations
• Hospitals
• School districts
• Conferences
• Professional and support services
• Churches
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Yes, we do! We know that several factors can motivate people to open their wallets at fundraisers and we are here to help. Here's what we offer!
Powerful Storytelling: We share our powerful narratives to open the hearts and minds of your guests. We use our skills as storytellers to help your guests feel the lived experiences of an adoptee, a birth parent, and an adoptive parent. Your guests will feel Monica’s journey, rooting for her the entire way. As she tugs at their heartstrings, they will be on the edge of their seats waiting to hear how her story ends. By the end of our talk, guests will be ready to support your cause.
Emotional Engagement: We offer compelling testimonials as an adoptee, a birth mother, and an adoptive mother. Our authentic delivery helps to build a strong emotional connection with your audience.
Clear Impact: We show people how their money can make a real difference. We help demonstrate how donations will be used and the tangible impact they will have.
Personalized Content: We work with our clients to tailor our message to support the work your organization does to support the adoption constellation.
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Openness and Transparency: Adoptive families should prioritize creating a culture of openness and transparency. By openly discussing and acknowledging the child's identity and first family, adoptive parents create a safe space for their child to ask questions, express emotions, and explore their adoption story without fear of judgment or stigma.
Access to Records: Adoptees deserve and have a right to access their original birth certificates and medical records.
Respect for the Child's Identity: it is important to acknowledge and respect the child's identity and heritage. By maintaining a connection to their heritage, adoptive parents validate their child's complex and multifaceted identity, helping them develop a strong sense of self-worth and belonging.
Honoring First Families: Honoring first families validates the adoption experience as a whole, acknowledging the profound impact it has on all members of the adoption triad—the adoptee, birth family, and adoptive family. By openly discuss first families, adoptive parents demonstrate empathy, compassion, and sensitivity toward their child's history and origins.
Healthy Attachment Formation: When adoptive parents are willing to understand and discuss their adopted child’s story, it supports the healthy formation of attachment between adoptive parents and their child. By openly embracing their life story, adoptive parents demonstrate security, stability, and acceptance, laying the foundation for a strong and secure attachment bond.
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Our talk typically ranges from 45 - 75 minutes; however, we can accommodate any timeframe.
Testimonials & Book Reviews
Recent Podcast Appearances
In reunion she discovered her heritage is tied to native people of North America and that her instinct to search was well-timed because her passionate drive was matched by someone else very important to Monica who was looking for her too.