Cate & Ty Break It Down

Let's revisit an episode from 2025!
Join Cate & Ty as they sit with Connor Howe, known as @Adopted_Connor on social, as he challenges conventional narratives surrounding open adoption and exposes the often overlooked complexities of the adoption industry. As an adoptee himself, Connor discusses how open adoption, while intended to be a solution, can still lead to pain, confusion, and a sense of not belonging for adoptees. Connor also explains the profit-driven nature of adoption agencies, including their marketing tactics, and the role of unregulated adoption consultants.
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In this episode, Ashley Salazar (16 and Pregnant Season 2) joins Cate & Ty to discuss her journey with kinship adoption. Ashley reflects on the emotional challenges of relinquishing her daughter to her aunt and uncle, including the difficult period when she briefly changed her mind. Cate & Ty bring up the unaddressed trauma of birth parents, the lack of specialized support, and how Ashley's past experiences might have impacted her life today as she raises another child.
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This week, Cate & Ty share their survival story from the brutal cold snap in Michigan, detailing their struggles with a broken furnace, frozen pipes, and keeping the kids' lizards warm. They dive into the chaos of school's Spirit Week, reminisce about the 90s cleaning product "Greased Lightning," and how they once used it on brown nicotine-stained walls. Lastly, Cate addresses a serious family conflict stemming from a social media post about the Epstein files and the debate over supporting victims and believing allegations.
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Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first month
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Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary to Cate & Ty! On today's episode they dive into their relationship's evolution, including past separations and therapy missteps. But the main event? Ty's recent autism diagnosis! From getting kicked out of daycares, being hyper-focused on social cues, and having a compulsion to do somersaults, Ty describes the frustration he felt throughout his childhood and not knowing why he did what he did. Inspired by their daughter Vaeda, Ty shares the relief and sadness, but also clarity and understanding of his past which now he says he will use to parent differently.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first month
Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!
Quince: Go to Quince.com/breakitdown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

​C​ate & Ty are in downtown Detroit​ for today, ​feeling ​"old and lame" after staying up until 5am.​ They talk about the struggles of getting older, ​t​heir mutual love for the "Irish Goodbye" and ​how Tyler​ doesn't like it when plans are altered. ​Things get serious ​w​hen Cate asks about the impact of Tyler’s absent father, whose life was defined by addiction and time in prison. Tyler shares his earliest childhood memory—being a toddler and waking up to the flashlights of bounty hunters outside their trailer. He also reflects on the challenge of having to "burn down the fantasy" of an idealized dad and how the lack of a male role model ultimately shaped him into the dad and husband he is today.​ Lastly, Cate reads some Anonymous Secrets, and one in particular hits close to home.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/BreakItDown today to get 10% off your first month
Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to learn more!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.