Therapy. This word may bring up many emotions. I know because this word brings so much up for me and my family. See, I earn my living as a clinician, my family is engaged in therapy due to trauma, and I have...
Birth Mother’s Day and Mother’s Day were recently celebrated—personally, this was my 11th Mother’s Day as a mother. Because of another woman who gave birth and placed her son with my husband and me, I am a...
People want to know how things work. From toys and bicycles to planes and rocket ships, people are fascinated by the inner workings of everyday things we take for granted. This curiosity has given rise to Do...
Expecting a baby can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. If you didn’t plan to become pregnant, and you’re feeling scared or unsure of what to do, here’s how to cope with an unplanned...
Are you part of the adoption community, or do you know someone who is? Almost all of us know someone who is touched by adoption. With adoption starting to become more open and less secretive, people are...
What Makes Adoptive Families Different? When I was maybe 12, my sister, mom, and I went to get breakfast at Coco’s. We were sitting at the booth having a conversation and the waitress came to take our order. She...
Have you considered adopting an infant? Do you have a lot of questions? Well, you have come to the right place. I am going to provide you with helpful information that will help your adoption process go much smoother...
It’s early January in 2019 and my husband and I are sitting in a small breakfast cafe in a tiny town in Washington state. We don’t live here but have spent the past week sharing a twin bed and an air mattress in the...
“Why aren’t my eyes blue? Why is my hair a different color than yours? How come my skin is a different shade?” It’s no secret that children are filled with questions. From the moment words can spill from their tiny...
It is no secret that a lot of women seek abortion services when facing an unplanned pregnancy. In 2020, it was estimated that there are more than 600,000 abortions every year with less than 15,000 adoptions per year...
Being a prospective adoptive parent can be a very challenging role to step into. Prospective adoptive parents are full of love and want to share that love with a child. Many prospective adoptive parents have struggled...
If you are an expectant parent or a birth parent considering placing your child for adoption, this question may be weighing on you heavily. You want what is best for your child, and it’s hard to know exactly what that...
Many parents, regardless of how their family is formed, are worried about having difficult and perhaps uncomfortable conversations with their children. Having a child who was adopted adds to this anxiety as most parents...
The words “open adoption” can bring up many emotions and questions. Open adoptions allow for some sort of contact with the children’s biological family and the child(ren). The attorneys can complete and present an open...
Are you adopted? Are you looking to adopt? Have you adopted any children? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then the adoption community needs you. Why does the adoption community need you? The answer is...
When I think of babies, I instantly think of lullabies. As I hold an infant in my arms, I begin to hum and rock the baby back and forth. I can remember, listening to my mother hum constantly when I was a child. Whether...
Your friend has just told you she’s pregnant. But before you can congratulate her, she tells you this pregnancy wasn’t planned. You may not be sure what to say or do. How do you react to such news? Not only...
When my son’s birth mother, J, first contacted us about adopting her child, she was unsure about what the expectant father, S, was thinking and feeling. She had told him her plan to place their son for adoption and she...
Adoption has gone through a lot of changes over the years. In the 1960s, there was little to no access to birth control and abortion had not been legalized through Roe v. Wade. There was also still a lot of social...
You have already taken a major step on your adoption journey by making the decision to place your newborn child for adoption. It takes so much strength and courage to get to the place where you are now. Take time...
If you are a hopeful adoptive family, dutifully filling out forms and completing home studies, you are probably thinking, and often, “I can’t wait until I adopt my baby!” Or a toddler or an older child. You have...
Adoption is a joyous occasion and deserves to be celebrated! An adoption party is a fantastic way to welcome a child into your family where they will be loved and cared about for the rest of their life. It may be...
I know, I know. It always feels like there is something we have to sit down and talk to our children about. However, these intentional conversations are important. Your children can rely on you to have sound advice...
Having an unplanned pregnancy can be one of the most frightening events in your life. Perhaps you are struggling with the decision of whether to keep and raise your own child or to place your child in a loving adoptive...
An unexpected pregnancy can make anyone feel extremely overwhelmed and maybe even alone. At this point, you’re probably wondering what your options are and how to move forward. It’s okay to feel scared. However, you...
Hello, Michigan residents! I am here to help those who are looking into adoption in Michigan; a guide to assist you in your endeavor. Couples who have a difficult time conceiving, cannot conceive at all, or just want to...
Lately, in the adoption community, there seems to have been a great deal of noise about the negatives of adoption, why it’s traumatic by adult adoptees, why it’s wrong or coercive. How they were robbed...
Choosing to place your child for adoption is the first of many decisions you will face along your adoption journey. When you begin considering if adoption is the right decision for you, one of the things you need to...
When going through the adoption process, deciding what type of adoption you want to have can be a crucial part of it. Choosing between an open, closed, or semi-open adoption will probably have an impact on how you...
About 16 years ago, I remember receiving a phone call from one of my dear friends. I was around 19 or 20 at the time. I was excited to hear from her and was chatting away about my newfound relationship with my then...
As you’re on the path to choosing what your adoption plan will look like, one of the things that will be brought up is what kind of adoption you’d like. Did you know that there are different kinds of adoptions out there...
2020 has been a year. We have probably all felt the toll of the heaviness it brought. We’ve experienced loss, uncertainty, and challenges globally, but while 2020 may have been full of negatives, it may have also caused...
Adoption Profiles can seem overwhelming. There can be so much at stake and the idea that the wrong picture or wrong wording can get it wrong just feels like too much. What should you include? What should you leave out...
So you’ve decided you want to adopt. Now you need to know how to start the adoption process. I’ve outlined it in a few steps. It can seem overwhelming but if you take your time and breathe you can get through it. ...
You’ve decided adoption is the best option for your baby. Now what? Maybe you’ve found an agency or pregnancy center that you are working with and can hold your hand through the details. Maybe you aren’t there yet but...
Heather Pietras-Gladu
Alicia Nelson
Derek Williams
Kandice Confer
Jennifer Kaldwell
Katie Kaessinger
Emili Schurke
Bayley Enright
Janelle Oliveira
Jennifer Autry
Julie Davis
Cindy Hill
Sierra M. Koester
Linda O'Donnell
Jamie Giesbrecht
Julia K. Porter
Emily Perez
Jenn Martin-Wright
Christina Gochnauer
Lacy Davis
Morgan Bailee Boggess
Deirdre Parker
Katie Reisor