Category: Complexities in Adoption

Self Reflections

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee vulnerability, Art therapy, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Poetry by Adoptees, Racial Mirrors, Russia, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Hannah reflects as a Russian Asian intercountry adoptee on identity, belonging, loss, and the emotional complexities of adoption.

Intercountry adoptees as transracial immigrants in the USA

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Citizenship in Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Is adoption the best option, Late Discovery Adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Politics of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Kris shares the realities faced as a transracial intercountry adoptee in the USA, alert for racial profiling and fearing harmful interactions.

Finding Myself and a Purpose

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Alcohol and drug addiction, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Hong Kong, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, New Zealand, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Religion and Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Mike grew up in New Zealand, adopted from Hong Kong. He struggled as a young child, found his place in the world, and now gives back, to others like him.

What happens after an adoption investigation?

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Book, adoption reform, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, intercountry adoption investigation, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, South Korea, Suicide, Survival mechanisms, Sweden, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Lisa shares about the challenges and realities adoptees face after national adoption inquiries and public debates becoming toxic.

Inner tension for adoptees

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Indonesia, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Hartini discusses the growth in awareness adoptees navigate as they understand their lost origins and the adaptations learned for survival in adopted world.

What rights should intercountry adoptees have?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Hague Special Commission, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Lynelle writes about the rights that are to be enshrined in law and practice to create a system that upholds justice, transparency and dignity for every adoptee

What I’ve missed out on in being adopted internationally

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Australia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Jonti shares his journey of exploring what his losses have been in being intercountry transracially adopted from Sri Lanka to Australia.

Racial Abuse & Hatred

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoptive parents, Alcohol and drug addiction, Antiracism Education, Australia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Peer Support, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jonti, adopted from Sri Lanka to Australia shares about racial hatred and abuse and how it impacts.

The need for a national investigation into the role of the Australian governments in our intercountry adoption history

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoption Agencies, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Adoptive parents, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Australia, Birth family trauma, Chile, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, DNA Searching, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Philippines, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC, Vietnam, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Lynelle discusses why its time to investigate the past of Australia's intercountry adoptions and look into the role our governments have played.

Letter to Adoptee Youth

On By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jonti reflects, looking back over what has shaped his life as an adoptee and how he's ended up incarcerated, in prison, for a serious crime.

The most invisible adoptees

On By lynellelongIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Anger, adoptee in prison, Adoptee vulnerability, Alcohol and drug addiction, Australia, Citizenship in Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Deportation of Adoptees, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Generational trauma, Importance of Connections to Origins, incarcerated adoptee, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Racism in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Sri Lanka, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle raises awareness of those intercountry adoptees who are incarcerated, an unheard voice.

Why I am relieved that China terminated its adoption program

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Birth Parents Searching, China, China, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, Uncategorized1 Comment

Cindy shares her thoughts as a Chinese adoptee about the closure of China's intercountry adoption program announced late 2024.

Black Lotus

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Alternate therapies in adoption, Art therapy, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Generational trauma, Germany, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of BelongingLeave a comment

Jonas Haid shares his artwork Black Lotus created and inspired by his own story of adoption from Sth Korea to Germany.

Thoughts from Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

On By lynellelongIn Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Documentary, Adoptive parents, Birth Parents Searching, Birth parents speak out, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, Suicide, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Lynelle shares her thoughts after watching Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, on Netflix.

Addressing Sexual Abuse in Intercountry Adoption

On By lynellelongIn Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoption Research, Adoptive parents, Alternatives to Adoption, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Gratitude in Adoption, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Philippines, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Puerto Rico, Racism in Adoption, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Romania, Russia, Sense of Belonging, Sexual Abuse in Adoption, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Suicide, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper on Sexual Abuse experiences of intercountry adoptees helping to elevate their voices and advocate for much needed supports.

Adopted from Moldova

On By Guest BloggerIn Abuse in Adoption, Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption and Disability, Alcohol and drug addiction, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Maldova, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, Special Medical Conditions, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Jacky shares about growing up with fragmented memories of their birth country Moldova and adjustments to fit in with life and family in the USA.

What do I want from my adoptive parents?

On By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, adoption reform, Adoptive parents, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Australia, Belgium, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Denmark, Difficult discussions in adoption, France, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, India, Is adoption the best option, Italy, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Norway, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Reparation in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, Uncategorized, USALeave a comment

Lynelle shares what she would have wanted from her adoptive parents in response to the fraud and human rights abuses in her adoption.

How I feel about the end of Chinese intercountry adoption

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoption Agencies, Adoptive parents, Birth Country, China, China, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption1 Comment

Meredith shares the range of emotions she is experiencing since the announcement by China, her birth country, that all intercountry adoptions will stop.

Finding Home = Sense of Belonging

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Post Adoption Support, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, The Netherlands, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Sascha shares about her journey to find a sense of belonging as an adoptee from Sth Korea.