Our separation bears down on both of us

On April 3, 2024April 2, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Jillian shares her artwork expressing the shared grief and loss of the many years of separation between her South Korean mother and herself before reunion.

My Adoption Day Is An Anniversary of Loss

On March 7, 2022June 1, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Mary shares how Adoption Day anniversary can trigger feelings of grief and loss that pervade her life; coming to terms with it, making the most of life now.

Accepting Responsibility as An Adoption Facilitator

On February 8, 2022November 3, 2026 By Guest BloggerIn 1993 Hague Convention, adoption accountability, Adoption Agencies, adoption and power imbalance, adoption conversations, Adoption Conversations, Adoption Education for Professionals, Adoption questions, adoption reform, adoptive family dialogue, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Adoptive parents, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth family trauma, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Justice Routes, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Rights in Adoption, State responsibilities in adoption, Trauma in Adoption, Uganda, USA, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?1 Comment

Jessica shares on the legal case against the traffickers of Namata, European Adoption Consultants (EAC). Great to see justice happening but long overdue!

Pain of Loss and the Joy at Seeing her Reunified with her Family

On January 9, 2022November 3, 2026 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, Adoption Conversations, adoption conversations, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reversal, adoptive parent reflection, adoptive parent responsibility, Adoptive parents, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth mother choices, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Finding biological mother, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, human rights abuses in adoption, identity restoration, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, intercountry adoption investigation, Is adoption the best option, legal identity erasure, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Return to Birth Country, Return to Birth Country, right to identity, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, State responsibilities in adoption, Uganda, USA4 Comments

Jessica Davis shares her grief from returning her Ugandan daughter back to her biological family but also the joy at seeing them together. Adoption is complex.

Integrating the Parts in Adoption

On September 8, 2021November 3, 2026 By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, adoptee emotional burden, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Breakdown / Failure, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Intercultural struggles, legal identity erasure, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Motherloss, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer support, Post Adoption Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Bina shares about the fragmentation adoptees endure in order to survive and the grief work we must do to reintegrate our dual selves.

Lifelong Impacts of Identity Loss

On July 4, 2021November 3, 2026 By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Citizenship in Adoption, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Hague Special Commission, Illicit Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Politics of Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Survival mechanisms, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Lynelle shares about the impact of identity loss in intercountry adoption, including the views of other adoptees to help build a more in-depth understanding.

From Tokenism to Social Justice

On June 6, 2021November 3, 2026 By julietteviaIn Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Advocacy, Alternatives to Adoption, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, denial gaslighting minimisation by others, Difficult discussions in adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Family Preservation, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Marie Gardom shares how we can move from Tokenism to Social Justice in adoption. Inclusion of adoptees needs to recognise adoptees as the experts of our experience.

We Need To Talk About Adoptee Suicide, Now

On May 29, 2021June 1, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Racism in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA2 Comments

Lina shares part 2 of her discussion into adoptee suicide - something we must talk about if we are going to provide a more supportive space.

Adoption: From Charity to Justice

On April 1, 2021November 3, 2026 By julietteviaIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptees Educate, adoption accountability, adoption and power imbalance, adoption conversations, adoption reform, Advocacy, Biological Connections Matter, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Forced separation, human rights abuses in adoption, Illicit Adoption, Is adoption the best option, Justice Routes, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Malaysia, Politics of Adoption, reparative justice in adoption, Rights in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UK2 Comments

Marie Gardom explores what adoption would look like, moving from a charity to justice model.

We can be our own Heroes

On January 21, 2021November 3, 2026 By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee Death, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Breakdown / Failure, Adoption questions, Alcohol and drug addiction, Aloneness, Isolation, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Relationships Struggles, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Survival mechanisms, TherapyLeave a comment

Bina shares about the after effects of losing fellow adoptees to suicide, how we can work together to overcome the things that death can trigger.

Family thoughts during this time of Year

On December 18, 2020November 3, 2026 By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoptee Intimate Relationships, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption and silence, Adoption Attachment, Adoption Breakdown / Failure, adoption estrangement, Adoption questions, Aloneness, Isolation, colourblindness in adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, first family separation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Holidays are tough for adoptees, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Listen to Adoptees, Motherloss, Not Knowing in Adoption, Peer support, Relationships Struggles, Sense of Belonging, Suicide, Survival mechanisms, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Bina writes about the complexities of holiday times for adoptees.

Adoptee Dualities

On December 2, 2020July 27, 2025 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Intercultural struggles, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Peer support, Rights in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA1 Comment

Abby explores the complex dualities adoptees face, from identity and family connections to cultural struggles, highlighting the emotional toll of navigating adoption experiences.