Category: Origins Search

Grief, Loss and Finding My Way Back

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Support, Adoptee vulnerability, Australia, Birth family trauma, Complexities in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Ethiopia, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Origins Search, Peer support, Return to Birth Country, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Meseret shares about the lifelong grief and loss associated with losing her Ethiopian family and being sent to Australia to start a new life.

Book Review: Somewhere Sisters & Daughters of the Bamboo Grove

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Agencies, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, adoption reform, Adoptive parents silence on illegal adoptions, Alternatives to Adoption, Birth family trauma, Birth mother choices, Birth Parents Searching, Birth parents speak out, China, China, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Generational trauma, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, 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, Religion and Adoption, Rights in Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in Adoption, Twins in adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle reviews Somewhere Sisters and Daughters of the Bamboo Grove, exploring identity, nature vs. nurture, and the truths of twins separated by intercountry adoption.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Returning Home to Greece

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Book, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Greece, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, Rights in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, USALeave a comment

Mary Cardaras shares her thoughts about returning to birth country Greece having been raised and adopted into the USA.

Cut Chilli Play: Adoption Community Events and Feedback

On By lynellelongIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Community Event, Adoptive parents, Australia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Exploring adoptive parent journey, Grief and Loss, Grief and Loss for adoptive parents, Illegal Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Sri LankaLeave a comment

Lynelle shares about the recent Cut Chilli events which ICAV hosted for the adoption community.

Tips and Suggestions for Returning to Birth Country

On By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, China, Colombia, Denmark, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hong Kong, Importance of Connections to Origins, India, Iran, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, New Zealand, Norway, Origins Search, Peer Support, Return to Birth Country, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, Transracial Adoption, UK, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

ICAVs newest Perspective Paper offering global tips and suggestions for those considering returning for the first time to their birth country.

Returning To Reclaim

On By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Ethiopia, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Marta shares the complexities of returning to Ethiopia, meeting bio family, and provides tips and suggestions for other adoptees who might be facing the same.

The Realities of Adoption and Reunion

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Birth Parents Searching, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Ethiopia, Family Preservation, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Marta shares the realities of reunion with her Ethiopian family.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 2

On By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Activism, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptees Educate, China, China, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Multiple Identities, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, USALeave a comment

Emma shares her reflections as a Chinese intercountry adoptee having lived in China as a MSW student at NYU Shanghai.