Adopting a child is an event, fixed in time, with a beginning and an end. However the impact of adoption is far-reaching and ever-changing – a process that continues throughout the lifespan of the adopted person and those connected.
While my experience as an adoptee informs my work it doesn’t define it. Each person has a unique adoption story and our work will be collaborative in nature. My work with clients reveals that many adopted children have similar anxieties and many adults who were adopted share common themes in their relationships. I strive to provide education and awareness and tailored interventions so that this generation of adoptees can connect the dots of their story and have an integrated and well-balanced life.
I work with adoptees, adoptive families, foster youth, first/birth parents and parents considering adoption. I often combine talk therapy with EMDR and Brainspotting, both highly effective in healing trauma. I offer coaching specifically for Adoptive Parents who have questions and concerns related to parenting their adopted children. Meetings are offered in person, by phone or virtually (using a secure video site) for convenience and for those who aren’t local. Conversations take place in real time, when parents need answers and information most.
Additionally I facilitate AdoptCONNECT and Teen AdoptCONNECT, on-going support groups for the adoption and foster care community. Shared experiences, transparency and openness allow group members to receive support and learn from one another.
My presentation “Making Sense of Adoption: Understanding Adoption and Adoptees” continues to be well received in schools, treatment centers, graduate programs, medical and mental health settings. My goal is to help professionals and clinicians better understand issues related to adoption and to promote adoption awareness.