Sometimes the term “Post Adoption Services” can be vague and broad. So here is a glimpse into how we see this new program applied to an adoptive family’s life in a real and healthy way.

The following is an example of what a Healthy Family Membership could look like—

Your family attends Adopt’s annual Love Party where your entire family is exposes to other adoptive families. This normalizes your family for your child, lets you meet and form friendships with other parents like you, and familiarizes your child with the Adopt staff.

You enjoy reading what’s been going on at Adopt and in the general adoption community by following Adopt on Facebook and reading Adopt’s quarterly newsletters while sipping your morning coffee out of a super cute Adopt mug.

And then you are ready for a visit to meet with your child’s birth mother. Although you have communicated a lot over the phone and via email, you haven’t seen each other in a few years because she lives out of state. Your daughter expresses excitement about the visit (and you know it is a big one because now she is 10 and understands so much more) but you are worried there might be something she isn’t saying. So you call Adopt and get some great advice. They remind you how to ease into the visit and give you amazing tips on how to prep your daughter. Their advice is so helpful that you figure it wouldn’t hurt to also have one of the counselors talk to you daughter. Since she remembered Lisa from the last few Love parties your daughter happily agrees and you bring her into the Adopt office. Lisa encourages her to ask her birth mother any questions she may be thinking about, and together they create a list to take on the trip. The visit goes beautifully. You send Lisa a quick one line email that you are having a wonderful time (and of course include a picture), and once you are back you set up a visit to debrief. Your daughter is thrilled to share her story that includes the complaint that her birth mother hugged her too much. Lisa is also helpful in giving you some advice about things to look out for in those days after the visit.

Life moves forward, and you are happy you have Adopt’s years of expertise to help you along this exciting journey of parenthood. You feel encouraged and not pathologized for seeking help. You feel supported and part of a larger healthy community!!

Click HERE to go back to the Healthy Family Membership Page