Counselling

Were you adopted, fostered or donor-conceived?

• Does your child exhibit behaviours that you don’t understand, or have emotions that don’t seem appropriate to the situation?  Loss of close relationships in early childhood changes the brain.  We can help you make sense of these behaviours and reactions and help you to respond in ways that will be more productive and will improve your bond with your child.
• Are you trying to figure out how your birth history and subsequent life can fit together authentically and smoothly?

• Are you looking for comfortable ways to talk about your family’s uniqueness?

• Would you like to better connect with your biological family and to help them understand you?

• Are you sometimes angry or sad and you don’t really understand why?

• Currently are you struggling with some personal or inter-personal life challenges? Although you may not be aware of it, your family creation experience may be having an impact upon your current situation.

• Have you considered a search and/or reunion with your biological family?  You can help the process to unfold more smoothly with access to the knowledge and experience of specialists in this area.

Are you a birth or donor parent?

• Do you have feelings of grief, loss and longing?  You may find it helpful to speak with someone who understands.

• Would like to better understand the reunion process, your biological child’s needs and the practicalities of searching?

• Are wondering how to foster a healthy, nurturing and respectful relationship after reunion with your child and his/her family?

Are you an adoptive parent?

• Does your child exhibit behaviours that you don’t understand or have emotions that don’t seem appropriate to the situation?  Loss of key relationships in early childhood changes the brain in significant ways.  We’d like to help you learn how to respond to these situations in ways that will allow you to stay calm and will improve the bond with your child.

• Despite being extremely happy about your family, do you have unresolved feelings of grief and loss about not having had a biological child?  It takes work to integrate such a significant loss and to reach the point where it no longer influences the rest of our life.  Let us help you find this path.

• Are you feeling anxious and fearful about your child’s interest in pursuing reunion with their biological family?  We can help you manage this stressful time and understand how best to support your child through the process.  You may also be surprised to hear this, but a reunion can be a wonderful opportunity to increase closeness with your child.  We would love to help you negotiate this stressful time and turn it into a time filled with happy memories.