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.

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.

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.

Vietnamese mother searching for her daughter

On January 12, 2024January 21, 2024 By lynellelongIn Belgium, Birth Parents Searching, France, VietnamLeave a comment

Vietnamese mother searching for her daughter adopted to either Belgium or France

My day of reckoning with the Lutheran Church

On November 6, 2023January 21, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptee Activism, Illegal Adoption, Trauma in Adoption1 Comment

Lynelle shares her healing journey thru a Direct Personal Response (DPR) with the Lutheran Church who gave a face to face apology for their role in her abuse.

Victims of Illegal Intercountry Adoptions speak out at the UN

On September 21, 2023May 16, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptee Activism, adoption reform, Australia, Birth parents speak out, China, France, Greece, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Korea, South Korea, The Netherlands, Trauma in Adoption, UK, USA, Vietnam2 Comments

ICAV presents at the UN first year anniversary of the Joint Statement on Illegal Intercountry Adoptions, where to from here.

Pride in my Disability

On August 22, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoption and Disability, Diversity in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Maddy shares her pride in living with disability as an intercountry adoptee.

Reunion and Beyond Webinar

On August 14, 2023January 9, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptee support provided by adoptees, Diversity in Adoption, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

ICAV shares part 2 of the Search and Reunion webinars in intercountry adoption by adoptee panelists.

Call me by my Name

On August 3, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptee Names, Belgium, Grief and Loss, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, South Korea, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Ae Ra shares about the process of embracing of her birth name at an adoption retreat.

Reunification with my Colombian Family

On July 21, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Australia, Colombia, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

A Colombian Australian intercountry adoptee shares their story of reunification with biological family.

A different type of Reunion

On July 4, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Australia, Grief and Loss, Illegal Adoption, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, VietnamLeave a comment

Damian shares about a different type of reunion, not with biological family but with an adopted sibling who got returned to the State in Australia.

Searching for my family in Sri Lanka

On June 24, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Australia, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Gabbie shares about searching for Sri Lankan family in our series dedicated to exploring the complexities, challenges, and realities for intercountry adoptees.

Searching for my family in the Philippines

On June 19, 2023January 21, 2024 By Desiree MaruIn Adoptees Educate, Grief and Loss, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Philippines, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USA1 Comment

Desiree shares about searching for Filippino family in our series dedicated to exploring the complexities, challenges, and realities for intercountry adoptees.

Searching for my family in Romania

On June 14, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Germany, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Romania, Search and Reunion in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Sonia shares about searching for Romanian family in our series dedicated to exploring the complexities, challenges, and realities for intercountry adoptees.

Searching for my family in South Korea

On June 9, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Australia, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Search and Reunion in Adoption, South KoreaLeave a comment

Samara shares about searching for Korean family in our series dedicated to exploring the complexities, challenges, and realities for intercountry adoptees.

My feelings regarding my first mom

On May 6, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Chile, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Sweden, Therapy, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Maria shares on how to practically access her younger years emotions about her Chilean mother, an exercise that she was never encouraged to do while young.

Let’s talk about Illegal and Illicit Intercountry Adoptions

On April 12, 2023January 21, 2024 By lynellelongIn 1993 Hague Convention, Adoptee Activism, adoption reform, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Illegal Adoption, Illicit Adoption, Impacts to Biological Families, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Trauma in Adoption, UN Joint Statement Illegal Adoption, What is an Illegal and Illicit Adoption?Leave a comment

Lynelle starts the conversation on illegal and illicit adoptions that adoptive parents must have with their adopted children, highlighting the lack of supports.

Dear Mum and Dad

On April 3, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Australia, First Nations Canada, Grief and Loss, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Racism in Adoption, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Jen writes to her original parents expressing the sorrow and grief of never meeting them and her life being adopted to Australia as a First Nations Canadian.

Dear Korea, About Mia*

On March 14, 2023July 27, 2025 By Guest BloggerIn Adoptees Educate, Grief and Loss, Korea, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, South Korea, Suicide, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

kim thompson shares her letter to Korea about her friend who was adopted and committed suicide in her 30s

Adoptee Grief and Zen Meditation

On March 9, 2023January 21, 2024 By Desiree MaruIn Grief and Loss, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Philippines, Therapy, Trauma in AdoptionLeave a comment

Desiree shares her journey of acknowledging and embracing feelings of grief and loss that arise during Zen meditation. We all try to find paths towards healing.

New Goals as an Adoptee in a New City

On March 2, 2023January 21, 2024 By Desiree MaruIn Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Philippines, USALeave a comment

Desiree shares the complexities of life as an adoptee, the challenges of finding and establishing ones roots, reinventing oneself, finding a place to just be.

UK Intercountry Adoptees Webinar

On February 23, 2023January 21, 2024 By lynellelongIn Adoptees Educate, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, Adoption Education for Professionals, Brazil, China, Diversity in Adoption, Ecuador, Grief and Loss, Hong Kong, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Origins Search, Return to Birth Country, Search and Reunion in Adoption, Sri Lanka, UKLeave a comment

ICAV UK shares a panel of intercountry adoptee answers to questions asked by UK adoptive parents from AdoptionUK via a webinar run on 30 Jan 2023.

Sensitively Responding to Fears of Abandonment

On February 14, 2023January 21, 2024 By Guest BloggerIn Abandonment and Rejection, Adoption Education for Adoptive Parents, China, Lifelong Impacts of Adoption, Religion and Adoption, Trauma in Adoption, USALeave a comment

Lyla shares an awesome way her adoptive parents assisted her with abandonment fears - a rational fear all adoptees have borne out of losing their first family.

InterCountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)

Tag: trauma and loss in adoption