Adoption Therapist

Whether a couple has learned they can’t have children or a young child has just found out she’s adopted, adoption issues can trigger a tornado of emotions. Adoption Therapists help both parents and children survive this emotional roller coaster. The main goal? Encourage family members to thrive and trust each other.

As an Adoption Therapist, you counsel both families and individuals, and also lead group therapy sessions. Like other Psychologists, Adoption Therapists rely heavily on talk therapy to help patients cope with stress and anxiety. Children who were abused in the past have trouble building trust with their adoptive parents, while parents may not know how best to handle a child’s questions about his adoption.

Therapy sessions rotate between talking one-on-one with each family member and talking with the family as a whole. Treatment depends on the issues the family is facing. Attachment therapy is particularly common in adoption cases. This involves overseeing play and talk sessions to help the child and parent bond.

Other times, a child’s behavioral problems or emotional struggles do not relate to being adopted. Like a Detective, you search for answers to determine the best course of treatment. If therapy alone isn’t working, medication may help. You help patients embrace adoption so they can overcome their emotional challenges.