207: Do Adoptive Families REALLY Need an Adoption-Competent Therapist?

Not every adoptive family will need an adoption-competent therapist on hand, but many will at some point. This is not to pathologize adoption; lots of non-adoptive families also end up also seeking therapy for various struggles. But adoptive families are statistically more likely to reach out for help. There are many possible reasons why, and those are beyond the scope of this episode. Instead, we’re coming at the topic of Adoption-Competent Therapy from this stance: you might one day need it, and when you do, you’ll want to already know about it.

In truth, parents themselves need to become adoption-competent, and it goes without saying, you don’t do that just by adopting a baby. So how DOES an adoptive parent become more adoption competent? For one thing, listen to adoptee voices. Another thing you can do is to learn about adoption-competent therapy, which you’ll want to access long before you are in the throes of needing it. Let’s take this first step by talking with a highly-regarded adoption-competent therapist, Jen Winkelmann, MA, LPC, about what you need to know and do for your adopted child.

Show Notes:

Jen’s website: InwardBoundCo.com

All I Know podcast: alliknow.castos.com

Facebook: @alliknowpodcast

Instagram: @alliknowpodcast

Ep 111: Is an Adopted Baby a Blank Slate?

Ep 206: Healing Our Own Wounds

The Right Fit: mentioned by Jen

Factsheet from Child Welfare Information Gateway: Finding & Working with Adoption-Competent Therapists

Transcript

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About this Podcast

Lori Holden (The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole) brings to you an array of articulate and thought-provoking guests with lived experience in adoption, each with valuable insights to share about the all-encompassing journey of parenting an adopted person from babyhood to toddlerhood to school age to teenage -- and ultimately to adulthood. Join us as we explore Adoption: The Long View.

Named a Top 25 Adoption Podcast