When it comes to identity there are fundamental questions that human beings have:  Who am I? Where do I belong?  Who are my “tribe” or people? For those adoptees with no information about their biological family’s medical background, culture, or genetic makeup, they deal with these questions on a much deeper level than non adoptees […]

Disenfranchised grief is a concept first presented in 1989 by Kenneth Doka, Ph.D., and a kind of grief that is not openly acknowledged, socially validated or publicly mourned.  Adoption has been viewed by our society in terms of the gains adoptees receive and the grief adoptees experience at the loss of their biological mothers has […]

Are you an adoptee who has felt the impact of your adoption throughout your lifespan?  Do you feel disconnected from friends or significant others?  Have you felt like you have unresolved grief or anger stemming from your adoption experience?  Even when individuals are adopted into loving, supportive homes, the trauma of the broken biological connection […]

Do you or a loved one experience difficulty expressing your emotions in a healthy manner?  Do you tend to have mood swings, angry outbursts, chronic depression or anxiety?  Have you felt shame and guilt that seem out of proportion? Are chronic suicidal and/or self-harming thoughts, self-destructive behaviors or interpersonal conflicts with friends, family or others […]

Have you been feeling overwhelmed, sad, irritable and isolated?  Do you find it difficult to get out of bed every day and just make it to work?  Does everything feel like you are weighed down or like it’s a chore? You may be struggling with depression. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders.  […]

Do you feel that your thoughts and behaviors are ruled by your emotions?  This is a common experience of those with mood disorders.  The symptoms of mood disorders and other mental health disorders, particularly borderline personality disorder, can derail a person’s life.  One treatment that has been found effective in improving an individual’s emotional well-being, […]

Have you wondered how therapy helps manage ADHD? I’m sure your first thought when your child was diagnosed was about medication. True, medication can and will more than likely help your child manage their ADHD. Combining therapy with medication will help even more so, and could even help to the point where your child may […]

Are you noticing negative behaviors in your child and wondering if they may have ADHD? Or have you noticed your child has been losing focus or acting different and wondering if they have experienced trauma recently or in their past? Has your child been isolating themselves at home and/or at school or are their grades […]

Has your child been diagnosed with ADHD? Do they have trouble at school and seem to do okay at home? Are you constantly getting calls from school with negative reports of behavioral problems and/or other issues? Does your child have poor grades from trouble concentrating? Is your child on ADHD medication yet it doesn’t seem […]

Do you feel like it is hard to bond with your child? Do you feel as though your child pushes you away when you try to be close to them or show them affection? When you attempt to communicate with your child, do they seem “far away” or “somewhere else?” Does your child seem to […]