Dottie
Enrico
Writer, speaker, and essayist exploring Buddhism, Korean adoption, and the deep connections that shape our human experience.
Photo Credit: Aanya Bricker
Hello. I am Dottie Enrico—a writer, communicator, Buddhist practitioner, former national journalist (USA Today, Newsday, Better Homes and Gardens, TV Guide) and something of a unicorn when it comes to Korean adoption.
I am one of the earliest Korean adoptees to arrive in the U.S., the parent of a daughter adopted from Korea, and a former adoption agency executive.
In 2019, I experienced a near-death experience while undergoing a lifesaving liver transplant. Those insights transformed me. I am now dedicated to exploring the deep connections that shape our human experience.
If you’ve found me. here, let’s connect.
Ask Me About
Near Death
Experience
I thought I had landed in that scene at King's Cross in the Harry Potter movie where everything was white. But there was no gnarled bloody Voldemort or Dumbledore in my trip to the other side. I was delivered the message that we are all born perfect. Our life's work is not letting others convince us otherwise.
The Search for
Identity and Belonging
I was abandoned by my birth parents in Seoul, South Korea. I was physically and psychologically abused by my adoptive parents. I am estranged from my children and ex-husband. Until my near-death experience, I was a failure at families. It was all rooted in my feeling that my birth was a mistake and I was an unexpected guest at life's dinner party.
International
Adoption
I am one of a handful of people who is a Korean adoptee, a parent of a Korean adoptee and a former adoption agency executive. I have had direct experience with many complex facets of Korean adoption.