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Adopt A New Beginning: “Support Groups for Adoptive Families”

The Support for Adoptive Families, Birth Families, and Adoptees is part of the New Beginning community. The community provides multiple types of support groups including those for adoptive moms, adoptive dads, adult adoptees 25+, and youth adoptees 8-13 years old. As of now ¾ of the support groups are currently being held over Zoom even though the group is based in Boise, Idaho.

NACAC: “The Value of Adoption Groups: Supporting Parents, Supporting Kids, Supporting Families”

An article by the North American Council on Adoptable Children that explains the role a support group can play in the lives of adopted children, their families, and parents. The article also covers how support groups can form and explains five different types of groups.

Wayfinder Family Services

Post adoption resource webpage by Wayfinder Family Services. Lilliput offers support groups, classes, and social events for families in 19 counties throughout Northern California. Lists out post-adoption service locations and lists out some thoughts in how post-adoption services can help

ICAV Post Adoption Services

List of intercountry and transracial, adoptee-led, post-adoption services located in the USA. Has search reunion services, counseling therapy services, and more.

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption”

Resources on all aspects of domestic and intercountry adoption, with a focus on adoption from the U.S. foster care system. Includes information for adoption professionals, adopted adults, expectant parents considering adoption, birth parents and relatives, and prospective and adoptive parents on a broad range of adoption topics.

Gladney Center for Adoption: Adoption Forums

Adoption Forum is an online community forum containing many different threads relating to various aspects of adoptions. Larger categories include adoptive parents, foster care, special needs, adult adoptees, and more. Each category contains multiple subcategories where people can interact with each other and ask/answer questions.

Adoption Family Support Network (AFSN): Post Adoption Support

The Adoptive Family Support Group gives adoptive parents access to a community of people who can provide answers and share experiences. One resource they offer is a list of different support groups available to parents in Michigan filtered by county. Another is a calendar with different events occurring during the month and a description.

Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation

The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation was founded by actress Taraji P. Henson to offer “Black communities resources, connections and support needed to help break the silence and stigma around mental health.” Services include a directory of mental health providers and programs serving the African-American community, African American Cultural Competency training, a mental health scholarship fund, and more.

InnoPsych

InnoPsych is dedicated to bringing “healing to communities of color by changing the face and feel of therapy.” Their goal is to make therapists of color more accessible. The search directory tool allows users to filter by location, specialty, service type, ethnicity, and insurance type.

Therapy for Black Girls

Therapy for Black Girls is “an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.” The site includes a search directory tool where users are able to search for therapists with filters including location, issue, and whether or not virtual therapy is provided. It also offers podcasts, a blog, and the option to join the site’s community.

Mental Health America: “Black and African American Communities and Mental Health”

Mental Health America is a resource “driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all.” The site includes statistics and examples on what Black and African American people face in regards to mental health.

Psychology Today: Find a Family Therapy

Psychology Today is a search engine that allows the user to search by city, zip code, or name. Profiles display credentials, qualifications, client focus, if they offer online therapy, treatment approach, specializations, contact info, cost/accepted insurance info, and more. It is also possible to search by the issue patients are looking to treat.

Counseling Directory: “Family therapy”

An article and a search engine combined, this resource addresses what family therapy is, what it can help, what occurs during it, and what systemic family therapy is. At the end of the page, users are able to search by what type of session they are looking for (online vs in person), as well as filter by zip code, town, and country.

Chris Massman (LMFT): “What to Look for in a Family Therapist”

This article provides an introduction to family therapy and offers advice for qualities to look for in a therapist, in therapy sessions, and how to make the best of it.

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)

BEAM is a national training, movement building, and grant making institution that is dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities.

The Guardian: “Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race”

“A first person account by British journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge on the ways structural racism prevails today but how some white people refuse to see it. She explains why she will no longer be discussing this with people who won’t listen. The author talks about how people must first acknowledge that they benefit from structural racism and understand that color blindness is not the solution.”

The Guardian: “Confronting racism is not about the needs and feelings of white people”

“Short first person account by Ijeoma Oluo on how the discussion of racism needs to center around the voices of those who are marginalized. “

Time: “The Realities of Raising a Kid of a Different Race”

“An article written by an adoptive mother on what every parent should know about transracial adoptions. This article is applicable to adoptees but centers around the Black adoptee experience growing up in a white household.”

Adoptees for Justice

“Adoptees For Justice is an intercountry adoptee-led organization whose mission is to educate, empower, and organize transracial and transnational adoptee communities to achieve just and humane adoption, immigration, and restorative justice systems. We envision a world where every person thrives in a safe and supportive environment in which communities of color, immigrants, and adoptees are liberated from all forces of injustice, with full citizenship for all. Our first project is to educate, organize and advocate for an Adoptee Citizenship Act that is inclusive of all adoptees.”

Closure (2013)

A trans-racial adoptee finds her birth mother, and meets the rest of her family who did not know she existed, including her birth father. This documentary explores themes such as identity, the complexities of trans-racial adoption, and closure.

Angela Tucker

Angela Tucker is an author, a podcaster, a film producer and has gained a reputation for being a national thought leader on the intersectional topics of race, class, and identity. She was adopted from foster care to a white family, and grew up in a city that was predominantly white. She has 15+ years of working in social welfare organizations, has consulted with NBC’s This Is Us, and supported the lead actor of Broadway musical Jagged Little Pill. Her first book is scheduled for publication in the spring of 2023 (Beacon Press).

Twin Sisters (2013)

This documentary film is happy and heartwarming about twin sisters who are adopted by two separate families who find their way back to each other via social media. This movie brings up topics such as growing, learning, understanding, and identity.

First Person Plural (2000)

This documentary film tells the true story of an 8-year old girl who is adopted by an American family, only to discover years later that she has a birth family in Korea. The documentary explores themes of identity, race, assimilation, and birth family reunion.

Searching for Go-Hyang (1998)

This film is about twin sisters who are adopted into the US but return back to Korea 14 years later in hopes of exploring and reconnecting with their homeland and roots. This story addresses issues of national identity and cross cultural adoption.

aka DAN: Korean Adoption Documentary

Dan Matthews is a Korean adoptee who journeys back to Korea to reunite with his biological family, including a twin brother he never knew he had. He has all this documented and shared on his YouTube channel for his fans/followers to follow along to.

Twinsters (2015)

This documentary tells the true-life story of identical twin sisters separated at birth who discover each other online. They meet and confirm their identity with a DNA test, and they set out to explore aspects of their background together. One twin lives in the US while the other twin lives in France.

International Child Search Alliance (ICSA)

ICSA is an all-volunteer international group of adoptees and adoptive parents offering multiple sources of information to help adoptees from China search for their birth families. Advice is given on ‘Getting Started’, ‘Hiring a Searcher’, ‘Birth Parents Searching for Children’, and more. There is also How-To-Guides that include DNA testing, using the app WeChat, Joining a Province Search, visiting the CCCWA, and more.

Find Black Therapist

“This search engine searches for Black therapists throughout the United States. It is filterable by state, city, issues, telehealth, and includes a filter for adoption as well. However, their selection for adoptees is more limited. “

African Diaspora Mental Health Association (ADMH)

The African Diaspora Mental Health Association is an outpatient mental health clinic, registered and licensed in the state of Massachusetts. They offer many different mental health services including individual therapy, family therapy, bilingual services, couples therapy, and more. Resources for children, adults, and seniors can all be found here.

Black Mental Wellness

The mission of Black Mental Wellness, Corp. is to provide access to evidence-based information and resources about mental health and behavioral health topics from a Black perspective, to highlight and increase the diversity of mental health professionals, and to decrease the mental health stigma in the Black community. Their services include culturally inclusive mental health and wellness training, workshops specific to youth and children, and webinars on multiple different topics.

NCFA: “Post-Adoption Services Acknowledging and Dealing with Loss”

“An article on the way Loss, Rejection, Guilt/Shame, Grief, Identity, Intimacy, and Mastery/Control, all impact the adoptee experience.”

NCFA: “How Adoption Will Be Impacted If Congress Passes These Four Bills in 2022”

“An article written in January on the four proposed bills (from 2022) that Congress was set to vote on regarding different adoption issues.”

Child Welfare Information Gateway: “Adoption and School”

“Landing page with links and resources for dealing with awkward questions/challenging classroom assignments when adoptees start schools.”

Adoptee Voices Rising

“Adoptee Voices Rising is an adoptee-led, social justice group that advocates for the adoptee community through political engagement and legislation.”

The Conversation: “Explainer: what is casual racism?”

“An explanation of everyday and more subtle forms of racism and the microaggressions that racial minorities face.”

NPR: “Microaggressions are a big deal: How to talk them out and when to walk away”

“Podcast and interview with Kevin Nadal on microaggressions and how their impact is not “micro.”” Nadal also has his own website with books on microaggressions and other subjects.”

NPR: “Microaggressions: Be Careful What You Say”

“An 8 minute NPR podcast that explains microagressions and how sometimes “”because people are good, moral – experience themselves as good, moral, decent individuals, they find it very difficult to accept the fact that they have been engaged in a discriminatory action, or may harbor racial biases that they have. And it violates, in some sense, their sense of being a good person.”” “

NPR: “How ‘Ching Chong’ Became The Go-To Slur For Mocking East Asians”

A short article on the history and prevalence of a racist slur used against Asian people.

MTV Impact: “If Microaggressions Happened to White People”

A 3 minute YouTube video highlighting the microaggressions people of color deal with everyday.

Vice: “Why People Still Laugh at Asian Accents: An Investigation”

“An explanation of the racism involved when people mock Asian accents, and the way Asian accents are still laughed at today.”

BBC: “The pervasive problem of ‘linguistic racism'”

“An examination of the privileges native English speakers (and English speakers with a native accent) hold from a native English speaker’s perspective.”

NPR: “Want to have better conversations about racism with your parents? Here’s how”

“An NPR article from the perspective of a biracial person with a white mother and father from West Africa. It explains how to have more complex, understanding discussions about racism with your parents.”

NMAAHC: “Being Antiracist”

This article explains the ways in which racism exists (individual, interpersonal, institutional, etc.). It also provides simple exercises for people to engage with and examine their own perspective.

Dear Asian Youth: “Mocking an Asian Accent is Never Funny”

“First person piece on why mocking an Asian accent is never funny from the website DearAsianYouth. This article talks about how mocking accents contributes to racism.”

Vox: “What exactly is a microaggression?”

“This article describes microaggressions and how they go beyond everyday slights or remarks, as well as the negative impact they have.”

NCFA: “Using Accurate Adoption Language”

” A short, introductory article on word replacement suggestions for words relating to adoption. Instead of words that may be considered inaccurate or inadequate, this article offers alternatives. “

NCFA: “Resources for Being an LGBTQ-Friendly Agency”

Same-sex headed families are increasingly becoming a part of the adoption community, so this is a short resource list of resources for being an LGBTQ-friendly agency.

Adoption Mosaic

“Adoption Mosaic’s vision is to build bridges with adoption communities for forward-thinking dialogue on adoption-related topics while offering support and education to those who are learning what it means to be a part of the adoption constellation. The Adoption Mosaic mission is to connect, honor, and serve the adoption constellation through innovation in education, practices, and support services.”

The New York Times: “Deportation a ‘Death Sentence’ to Adoptees After a Lifetime in the U.S.”

“An article on the lives lived by adult Korean adoptees deported back to Korea after US adoptive parents failed to attain citizenship for them. It talks about a problem that the US needs to urgently address: adoptees from abroad who never attained American citizenship. “

Vox: “Why adoption isn’t a replacement for abortion rights”

“When the leaked draft on Roe v. Wade was released, many people argued adoption would be able to replace abortion. This article discusses the shortcomings of this argument and rhetoric. Also, it details the long term consequences for birth parents and also adoptees as a result of separation. “

American Adoptions: “The Truth About Adopted Adults and Relationship Issues”

“An article explaining that although not many studies have been conducted on adoptees and trauma, many adoptees feel they have relationship issues tracing back to their adoption.”

HuffPost: “10 Things Adoptees Want You to Know”

“An article written by an adoptee on the 10 things adoptees want you to know. While 10 things does not cover everything, the author touches on many relevant aspects and experiences that adoptees have. “

Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew

The book’s description is written by an adoptee herself. She discusses 20 things that adopted children may fear and want to discuss with their parents.

Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition New York: “Racism and Microaggressions in Transracial Adoption”

“This page discusses racism and microaggressions that can be found in transracial adoption. It is part of a broader resource page on the above topic located on the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of NY website. “

Psychology Today: “Adult Adoptee Voices Are Changing Adoption Narrative”

“The article is written by a Korean transracial adoptee speaking about the Side x Side project where adoptees discuss their lives, relationships, and origins. It summarizes the project and talks about how even if adoptive parents think their relationship is great, it may be prudent to reexamine and ask honestly how their children are feeling “

NCFA: Stories

“The National Council for Adoption provides articles for and from adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and expecting parents. “

The Adoption and Fostering Podcast

“A podcast series that follows birth parents, adoptees, and different family members of adoptees (including grandmothers). It features conversations about contemporary adoption and fostering. Episodes are roughly 40-50 min long and involve first person expertise and experts on different subjects.”

Two Adoptees Uncensored: “Listening to Adoptees”

“Christopher, identifies as a queer transracial adoptee born in Vietnam and was adopted at 1 year old. He reflects on growing up in a white family, and predominantly white community. “

Time: “My White Adoptive Parents Struggled to See Me as Korean. Would They Have Understood My Anger at the Rise in Anti-Asian Violence?”

An article in Time magazine about a Korean American adoptee’s thoughts on the title of “adoptee” and the racial dynamics in transracial adoptions.

Adoptees On: “33 [S2 E10] Marni – A Model Reunion”

A hard and honest conversation, but ultimately heart warming and joyful reunion between birth mother and adoptee. The episode walks you through three guiding principles for a successful family reunion.

Los Angeles Times: “‘I’m not allowed to feel those things’: How adoptees experience anti-Asian hate”

A New York Times article on the complex ways Asian adoptees experience anti-Asian hate and racism as a result of their unique identity. Many adoptees in the article speak of how they felt tied to both cultures and/or neither.

Adoptees On: “24 [Healing Series] How Do I Tell My Adoptive Parents I’m Searching?”

“A podcats on how to talk with your parents about searching for your birth family. The podcasts discusses how it’s mormal for adoptees to want to search, and the difficulties of allowing yourself to pursue that. “

NPR: “‘Am I Asian Enough?’ Adoptees Struggle To Make Sense Of Spike In Anti-Asian Violence”

In this NPR article, adoptee voices take center, and different adoptees explain their complex feelings regarding anti-Asian violence and the different ways in which they are affected.

Adoptee Mentoring Society

Adoptee Mentoring Society is an online mentorship community that values adoptee power, intersectionality, and a healing community. They offer online group meetings between adoptees, and 1:1 mentorship. Prices range from $10-$55 per session.

The New York Times Magazine: “Why a Generation of Adoptees Is Returning to South Korea”

“A NYT article where a Korean adoptee explores the reasons and ways for South Korean adoptees to return to their birthplace. In addition to the article, there are 994 comments that provide anecdotes and first hand experiences and questions by adoptive parents and adoptees. “

NPR: “The Parenting Dilemmas Of Transracial Adoption”

“This article touches on color blind parenting and how parents must acknowledge we don’t live in a colorblind society. It is a 37 minute listen on NPR and a short summary is provided. “

Rhonda M. Roorda, MA

“Roordaa identifies as a transracial adoptee, and was adopted out of the New York system into a white American family. She has published multiple books on the Black American experience as an adoptee and is an international speaker that can be booked to speak. “

Adoptees On

“AdopteesOn is a Spotify podcast where adoptees discuss their lived experience in an open and vulnerable way. Episodes range from 40 min- 1 hr 30 min long. Here is a List of different articles, books, and artists referenced in the podcast, and what episode they can be found in. “

Who Am I Really?

” A podcast where adoptees of all different backgrounds discuss their adoption journeys and attempts at reunion with their biological families. Episodes are around 1hr long, and range from 30 min to 1 hr ½. “

The Honestly Adoption Company

“The Honestly Adoption Company is fiercely committed to helping parents gain insight into their child, change their parenting approach, and in turn, transform their family. Their podcast helps adoptive parents with children of all ages to better understand adoptees; however it is primarily focused towards those with adoptees under 16. “

Vox: “Genes aren’t destiny, and other things I’ve learned from being adopted”

An adoptee speaks candidly about their experience being adopted, dealing with other people’s expectations, and the ways in which birth family connection is powerful, but not everything.

NPR: “Growing Up ‘White,’ Transracial Adoptee Learned To Be Black”

7 min listen and article on NPR, a Black, transracial adoptee reflects on his identity and experiences growing in life with white parents and white privilege.

BuzzFeed News: “What A Black Woman Wishes Her Adoptive White Parents Knew”

An essay from the first person perspective of a Black transracial adoptee. The author discusses the racial dynamics in a family with transracial adoption.

Considering Adoption: “5 Things the Spouse of an Adoptee Should Know”

This brief article by Considering Adoption touches on five different things spouses need to know and recognize. While not incredibly complicated or detailed, this article is a good place to start.

Diary of a Not-So-Angry Asian Adoptee

“Christina Romo identifies herself as a Korean adoptee, mom, wife, and advocate. She details her life and internal thoughts on adoption, but also provides the perspective of a parent learning how to parent her biracial children. “

Confessions of an Adoptee

This blog is a safe space for adoptees of all ages and situations to share their feelings, experiences, worries, fears, and dreams with others. Adoptees posts are anonymous.

A Chinese Adoptee’s Journey

A blog of an adult Chinese-American adoptee which explores her thoughts and feelings surrounding adoption.

The New York Times: “IDENTITY: When Parents Adopt a Child and a Whole Other Culture”

A New York Times article on how adoptee identity is a complex issue that is unique for each adoptee. It discusses how parents are not only adopting a child, but also their child’s culture.

Sisters of China

“Sisters of China is a community organization dedicated to uniting female-identifying Chinese adoptees of all ages across the world by providing them a safe space to share their stories, discuss their challenges, and celebrate their heritage. “

Adoptés du Vietnam – La Voix Des Adoptés

This Facebook group is based in France and is for French speaking Vietnamese adoptees to come and discuss their adoption journey as well as Vietnamese heritage.

Taiwanese Adoptees International

“This is a Facebook group for Taiwanese adoptees to connect, share stories and provide support. It is based in California but serves Taiwanese adoptees across the globe. “

Adopted Vietnamese International (AVI)

This group provides resources and opportunities for Vietnamese adoptees to explore their heritage and adoptee identity as well as share their insights on adoption with adoptive and birth parents and the wider adoption community. It was launched over 10 years ago and has online resources including projects, events and research.

Navigating Adoption

“Navigating Adoption is an organization founded on Instagram to provide the adoption and non-adoption community a safe space to discuss adoption-related topics and issues. Their purpose is to serve the adoption community by providing a resource to open up about struggles and an educational platform for adoptees and non-adoptees. “

I’m Adopted

This is an online community that provides a network for adoptees globally. They are based on Facebook and social media and provide resources, topics, and meet-ups for adoptees.

Openly Adopted: “Adoptee Resources”

“Openly Adopted’s website contains a resource sheet with websites, blogs, podcast, mental health, and a list of communitites for adoptees. Their goal is to help bring the voices of adopted children to the forefront of the experience and cultivate a sense of belonging and community for those who struggle with and question their sense of identity. “

American Adoptions: “How to Find Adoptee Support Groups”

An article by American Adoptions that support groups for adoptees, international adoptee support groups, support groups for adoptees of color, and for foster care adoptee support groups

Adoption Surrogacy Choices of Colorado: “Understanding an Adult Adoptee’s Emotions”

This blog discusses the contradicting emotions some adoptees may face. It provides an introduction to the complex feelings adoptees can experience.

The Guardian: “Stories of transracial adoptees must be heard – even uncomfortable ones”

Korean-American adoptee Nicole Chung touches on the way adoptees are expected to fit into the framework of white supremacy and which emotions are considered acceptable for adoptees to have. She discusses her own experience with the phrase “a good adoptee.”

NPR: “Adoptees express their fear, anger and insight on race during social unrest”

A news article that spotlights adoptees of all backgrounds and adopted families, as they explain how their identity has been shaped by social unrest and the ways it has impacted their family dynamic.

Healthline: “The Best Adoptee Blogs of the Year”

A list of different adoptees, their blogs, and what each one focuses on

Adoptees Who Cut Ties

“Adoptees Who Cut Ties is an online Facebook group for adoptees only. While many groups are for adoptees who are searching for families, this group is for adoptees who have had to cut ties with family, whether adoptive parent, sibling, or even birth parent in reunion. Adoption is complex, and so are the relationships that go with it. This is a safe space for adoptees to talk about the challenges of estrangement, WITHOUT judgment. “

Dear Adoption

This resource is not a formal group for people to meet and share stories. This page has stories submitted by adoptees and a way to submit your own stories as well. You can read through people’s stories as well as any books, film or art. It’s meant to educate people from a variety of adoptee perspectives.

Adopted from Colombia

“This page was created to connect Colombian adoptees with each other to work through shared experiences. It is also open to both adoptive and birth parents, but emphasizes the adoptee’s voice. It is a Facebook group that offers support. “

Intercountry Adoptee Voices (ICAV)

This resource is a platform for intercountry adoptees to connect in, share, educate, and advocate to the wider public about the issues we face – political, social and emotional, including the not so positive aspects of intercountry adoption. They also advocate for pre and post adoption resources. They have spaces for adoptee voices and online events open to all adoptees.

Meggin Nam Holtz (LMSW)

Meggin Holtz received her MSW with a focus on child and adolescent trauma in the clinical setting. She provides therapy to youth, adolescents, families, and adults utilizing a strengths-based, trauma-informed, attachment, culturally and racially sensitive, and adoption-informed lens.

Adoptee Hub

“””Our mission is to connect, collaborate, and preserve adoption legacies through community, culture, and post-adoption services. Adoptees deserve the opportunity to know their history, have a sense of belonging, experience their birth culture, and have access to services in a supportive safe space throughout their adoption journey.” “

Chinese Adoptee Alliance (CAA)

FCC is a nonprofit organization supporting Chinese adoptees and their families and friends. Founded in the early 1990s in Manhattan as a parent support group, and expanding to a nation-wide network, our members include adoptive parents, Chinese adoptees and their siblings and other relatives, as well as friends of the organization.

China’s Children International (CCI)

“CCI is the first international support group created by and for Chinese adoptees. This is group is dedicated to empowering and connecting adult Chinese adoptees from around the world. They have a Facebook group, host zoom chats and have in person meetups. “

Filipino Adoptees Network (FAN)

This is a network for Filipino adoptees dedicated to supporting, educating and promoting cultural awareness on adoption issues and preserving Filipino heritage. They are based in New York and host group events.

Sejong Cultural Education

This is a group for Korean adoptees of all ages and aims to foster a sense of Korean identity in adoptees. It is located in New York and offers three events. The Sejong camp for 6-16 year-olds, a Korea trip and a virtual gala.