Beyond the Family Tree: Local Author Shares Insight on The Emotional Impact of DNA Discoveries

10/27/2026 Bolivar Library

By: Hannah Thompson

A search for family history through AncestryDNA led Casey Fordyce to a discovery that would challenge everything she thought she knew about herself. What surprised her most was not the discovery itself, but the emotional aftermath.

Fordyce, a corporate vice president, graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Massachusetts, and lifelong student of human behavior, now calls Hardeman County home. For more than fifty years, she believed she knew who she was, until DNA results revealed a truth she had never anticipated. As she worked through the emotional impact of this revelation, she noticed a lack of resources addressing the psychological effects of unexpected DNA discoveries. That realization inspired the creation of her debut book, D.N.A. Discovering a New Archetype. The book combines the components of a memoir, psychology, and storytelling to help readers make sense of complex emotional experiences when foundational identity beliefs are challenged.

DNA Discoveries Can Change Everything

Those who are interested in assembling their family tree should proceed with caution. “What starts as a simple curiosity about ethnicity often evolves into discoveries that reshape a person’s understanding of their family and identity. People may discover unknown parents, siblings, grandparents, or entire branches of family they never knew existed. Some learn they were donor conceived, adopted, or the result of a previously undisclosed relationship. Others uncover family secrets that may have been hidden for decades,” says Fordyce.

Throughout her DNA exploration, Fordyce learned about a few misconceptions. “One misconception is that DNA discoveries are simply about finding new relatives. Another misconception is that the truth automatically brings closure. Sometimes it creates more questions than answers.”

Fordyce believes that learning something new about your ancestry can have a profound psychological impact because identity is built on story. “Most of us develop an understanding of who we are based on the family narrative we are given. When that story changes unexpectedly, it affects much more than genealogy. It influences our sense of belonging, our relationships, our understanding of childhood experiences, and even our view of ourselves.”

Fordyce shares that even positive DNA discoveries can create uncomfortable emotions, because people are mourning the loss of a story they believed to be true.

DNA discoveries can cause individuals to reevaluate everything about their life, including relationships, physical traits, personality characteristics, and childhood memories. Fordyce would advise these individuals to take their time, allow yourself to experience your emotions without judgment, and to seek support from trusted friends, counselors, or communities of people who have had similar experiences. “There is no deadline for processing a discovery like this. Most importantly, remember that new information may change your story, but it does not diminish your value or who you are.”

Fordyce also advises that compassion helps create a safer environment for conversations with family members about DNA discoveries, as everyone responds to them differently. Some welcome DNA discoveries with excitement, while others feel threatened. “Start with honesty and curiosity rather than assumptions or accusations. Listen more than you speak. Allow space for grief, confusion, and difficult questions. Most people are trying to make sense of the situation, not intentionally cause harm.”

Nature v. Nurture: What Makes us Who We Are?

Fordyce approached the creation of this book not only as someone who lived it, but as someone interested in human response to challenges of foundational beliefs. “DNA provides a blueprint, but experience shapes how that blueprint is expressed. My own story challenged many assumptions I held about identity. Some traits clearly reflected biological inheritance, while others were shaped by the people who raised me and loved me. The more I learned, the more I realized that who we become is influenced by both genetics and environment working together.”

Fordyce hopes that readers of her book acquire a deeper understanding of identity, belonging, and resilience. “Whether they have experienced a DNA discovery or not, I want them to recognize that family is more than biology alone. This book is ultimately about finding your place in the world, accepting your story, and learning that belonging can be created even when the past does not make sense.”

Meet Casey Fordyce at the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library

A genealogy workshop and book signing will be held at the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library on Saturday, November 7 at 10:30am. Participants can expect an engaging discussion about DNA discoveries, identity, family dynamics, and the emotional journey that follows unexpected revelations. The author of DNA: Discovering a New Archetype will share her personal story, discuss key concepts from the book, and introduce the idea of the DNA archetype. She will also provide practical insights for individuals and families navigating similar experiences. There will be plenty of room for questions and discussion, and copies available for purchase and signing. If you’d like to purchase the book or read the book before you come, you can purchase it through Amazon.

Whether you are an avid reader, member of a book club, interested in family history, genealogy, DNA testing, personal growth, psychology, or understanding the human experience, this event is for you. The workshop is especially relevant for people who have received unexpected DNA results, genealogists, counselors, and family members seeking to better understand the emotional impact of these discoveries.

“While my story began far from Tennessee, I am honored to share it with readers in Hardeman County, where questions of family, heritage, and belonging resonate across generations.”

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