New Motherhood Journey

On January 24, 2025December 30, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees as parents, Adoption Attachment, Belgium, Complexities in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Not Knowing in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Transracial Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Mai Linh shares her thoughts since becoming a new mother as a Vietnamese adoptee.

Black Lotus

On January 17, 2025December 30, 2024 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.

Diagnosis

On January 10, 2025December 30, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Complexities in Adoption, Generational trauma, Germany, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jonas Haid shares his latest artwork Diagnosis that helps him see himself and the complex impacts of adoption.

Birthday’s after Reunion

On January 3, 2025December 30, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Birthdays, Adoptee vulnerability, Belgium, Birth family trauma, Complexities in Adoption, Generational trauma, Grief and Loss, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Romania, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sense of Belonging, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Céline share the complications of birthdays after reunion with her Romanian mother.

Thoughts from Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter

On December 28, 2024December 27, 2024 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.

Silent Night, Romanian Musings

On December 25, 2024December 25, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptive Country, Birth Country, Complexities in Adoption, Germany, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, New Zealand, Origins Search, Poetry by Adoptees, Politics of Adoption, Return to Birth Country, Romania, Sense of Belonging, Transracial AdoptionLeave a comment

Alex Kuch visits his birth country Romania and shares a poem inspired by this trip.

Addressing Sexual Abuse in Intercountry Adoption

On November 18, 2024October 8, 2025 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.

Celebrate the small victories

On October 30, 2024October 30, 2024 By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Abuse in Adoption, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoption Discharge Annulment, Adoptive parents, Australia, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Difficult discussions in adoption, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Politics of Adoption, Post Adoption Support, Rights in Adoption, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle shares about the apology received from the Australian Home Affairs Department for their role in her sexual abuse, in failing to protect her as a vulnerable child entering Australia.

Adopted from Moldova

On October 16, 2024October 15, 2024 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 October 3, 2024October 4, 2024 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.

Mother Milk

On September 28, 2024September 27, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Artists, Adoptee Artwork, Adoptee vulnerability, Complexities in Adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Motherloss, Origins Search, Philippines, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Sam Roxas-Chua shares artwork and writing relating to themes and topics that arise as a transracial adoptee born in the Philippines adopted to US parents.

How I feel about the end of Chinese intercountry adoption

On September 21, 2024September 20, 2024 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 September 14, 2024September 11, 2024 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 September 7, 2024September 6, 2024 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.

A formal apology for an illegal intercountry adoption

On August 21, 2024August 22, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Anger, Adoptee vulnerability, adoption reform, Alcohol and drug addiction, Compensation to Victims in Adoption, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Family Preservation, Forced separation, Grief and Loss, Guatemala, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Importance of Connections to Origins, Is adoption the best option, Legal routes for illegal adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Not Knowing in Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, Politics of Adoption, Reparation in Adoption, Suicide, Therapy, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, USA, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

A historic day in Guatemala with an apology to a family who were torn apart by illegal intercountry adoption. English translation provided.

Cut Chilli Play: Adoption Community Events and Feedback

On August 1, 2024July 31, 2024 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 July 20, 2024July 17, 2024 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 July 15, 2024July 10, 2024 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 July 10, 2024July 10, 2024 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 3

On July 5, 2024June 11, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, China, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, 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.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 2

On June 30, 2024June 11, 2024 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.

Reflections on Returning Home Part 1

On June 25, 2024June 11, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee vulnerability, China, China, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, 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.

In Honour of the time before Adoption Day

On June 18, 2024June 11, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Complexities in Adoption, Forced separation, Gratitude in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Older Age Adoptions, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Hollee shares the complexities of life before adoption and balancing the losses and gains through adoption.

USA Virtual Fair

On June 11, 2024June 12, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adjustment and Transition, Adoptee Activism, Adoptee Search Service Orgs, Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Adoptee vulnerability, Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, China, Citizenship in Adoption, Colombia, Complexities in Adoption, Critical Thinking in Adoption, Diversity in Adoption, Ethiopia, Greece, Grief and Loss, Importance of Connections to Origins, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Lived experience leadership, Multiple Identities, Not Knowing in Adoption, Origins Search, Peer Support, Racial Mirrors, Return to Birth Country, Sense of Belonging, South Korea, Transracial Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA, VietnamLeave a comment

Lynelle shares the recording of the USA Virtual Fair held on 1 June 2024 showcasing 20 intercountry adoptee led organisation who provide support to adoptees.