Exploring Adoption

Book Trailer: 'The Adoption Decision' and 'The Adoption Network'

Get on your dancin' shoes, turn on this video's soundtrack (lower left corner of the video), and boogie!

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Seeking Freelance Bloggers and Web Designers/Developers

My business partner and I are preparing to launch HeBlogsSheBlogs.com, an internet business that equips people to take their blogging/writing/marketing from "potential" to "influential."

We’re now accepting applications from experienced bloggers and Website designers/developers who are available to take on contract jobs.

Here’s how it works: We will match freelancers with our business clients who need to hire people to design and develop a blog and/or write blog content. If you're interested in applying for the HeBlogsSheBlogs freelancer database, please e-mail Laura to request an application.

CatholicMom.com Reviews 'The Adoption Decision' & 'The Adoption Network'

Heidi Hess Saxton reviewed my new books, The Adoption Decision and The Adoption Network, in this week's adoptive parenting column at CatholicMom.com.

Here's a brief excerpt from her review:

Whether you are on your first adoption or your third (or more), there are times when you can use a helping hand and understanding ear. Laura Christianson’s The Adoption Decision is an excellent resource to help you wade through the myriad decisions that need to be carefully, thoughtfully made.

Read Heidi's complete review, as well as her other thoughts about adoptive parenthood.

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Russian Adoption Hangups

One of my readers e-mailed me with the news that the agency in Moscow that oversees foreign adoptions is being transferred to a new department, which has yet to open.  By law, they have two months from closing  (which happened August 28) to reopen.

My reader writes:

My wife and I have been on a 2 year journey facing so many obstacles. We have already identified a child and were hoping to travel in the next few weeks but now we are confused. Our concern is: how long will it take for this to be up and running and processing adoptions? We are desperately trying to get to the bottom of this and make an intelligent and informed decsion on whether we should wait or consider another direction.

Folks, can you help this family out? If you have information or resources you can share with them, please do so in the Comments area.

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Visit Author Jenn Doucette's New Website and Win Free Books

My dear friend and fellow author, Jenn Doucette, is celebrating the "grand opening" of her new and improved Website by giving away books (no strings attached).

She's giving away two books per week for the next couple of weeks. To participate, simply visit her site, www.jenndoucette.com, go to the contacts page and e-mail Jenn to let her know you're interested in the drawing. Tell her I sent you, of course!

Here are the books she's giving away:

1. Velveteen Mommy, by Jenn Doucette (2 copies to give away, autographed)

2. Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This, by Jenn Doucette (2 copies to give away, autographed)

3. Up: Devotions for Faith that Connects, by Tim Baker & Jenn Doucette (autographed)

4. Murder By Mushroom, by Virginia Smith (autographed)

5. Sushi for One? by Camy Tang (autographed)

6. Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture, by Mary DeMuth

Related articles:

• Q & A with Jenn Doucette, author of The Velveteen Mommy
• Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This - Interview with Jenn Doucette
• International Christian Retail Show 2007 Recap
• Laura's and Jenn's ICRS 2007 Adventures, Day 1
• Mt. Hermon 2007 Blog-a-rama
• More Christmas Gift Ideas for Moms

  For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Post-Traumatic Stress in Adopted Children - New Therapeutic Program

How does trauma impact a child’s ability to attach and cope in his/her environment?

The folks at Bethany Christian Services asked that question and decided to do something about it.  They created a program called ADOPTS – specialized therapy to Address the Distress Of Post Traumatic Stress in adoptive children. 

Greg Malone, ADOPTS Program Supervisor, told me that Bethany requires the adoptive parents to be involved in treatment, working from the assumption that parents are part of the solution. “Therapists are simply there to coach, teach, and educate the parents to do what we do in therapy, so that it can be duplicated in the home,” says Greg.

Greg and I had the opportunity to chat about post traumatic stress and the ADOPTS program.

In what ways can post traumatic stress in my child’s life manifest itself? 

Post Traumatic Stress can look like:

• Your child is “getting stuck,” when asked to do the most simple task 
• Your child has meltdowns for no apparent reason 
• Your child has forms of aggression, extreme withdrawal, excessive worry or anxiety, constant crying bouts, defiance.
• Your child has difficulty shifting from one thing to another.
• Your child refuses to see other ways of doing things, besides the way it has always been done.

When you use the term “trauma,” to what specifically are you referring? 

In ADOPTS, “trauma” would be a disruptive event in which the child’s life is developmentally impacted. Most adoptive children, unless adopted at birth, have experienced one or more events that have impacted them developmentally—living in an orphanage, violence, neglect, or abuse. More and more research is showing that when a child endures a traumatic event, the child’s development is negatively impacted.  ADOPTS addresses attachment through this lens of trauma impact. 

What makes ADOPTS unique?

ADOPTS is unique in several ways. 
First, ADOPTS’ primary focus is to reduce adoption disruptions by way of addressing the trauma triggers of an adoptive child. ADOPTS works from the presupposition that the Post Traumatic Stress that an adoptive child carries with him/her into the new adoptive home, can and often will, get in the way of a healthy attachment forming. ADOPTS focuses on three areas for the child- attunement, regulatory competencies, and building core competencies.

Second, ADOPTS employs a three-prong treatment approach to these children and their adoptive families:

1. individual/family therapy
2. parent groups
3. child/adolescent groups

Because of this three-prong approach, parents experience the support of knowing they are not alone in their journey with their adoptive child.  Parents can also use their group times as a natural place for networking with other adoptive parents dealing with some of the same issues.  The adoptive children can also identify with other kids that have under gone traumatic events.

Third, ADOPTS honors both the child and the parents. The adoptive parents are invited into the solution and because of this, parents leave with practical tools for engaging their child outside of the therapy sessions.  Even more, ADOPTS honors a child’s trauma that he/she most likely had no control over in the first place.

What is required if I want my child to go through the ADOPTS program?

There are three components:

1. 2 Assessment sessions + 16 weeks of individual/family weekly sessions + 1 session for exit interview
2. A required 6-week group for your child
3. A required 6-week group for you as a parent, designed to educate you about trauma and give you tools for parenting your traumatized child

How much does it cost?

The cost is approximately $3,000. That covers separate diagnostic interviews with the child and the parents, 16 sessions of individual/family counseling, 6 sessions of parent group therapy, and 6 sessions of child group therapy.

Does insurance cover the costs of services?

In most cases, YES! Although, it is advised to contact your insurance provider to determine the exact benefits, including number of mental health sessions per calendar year, co-pays for in-network and/or out-of-network, and a need for prior authorization required.  Your particular carrier can answer these questions for you. (Bethany is currently pursing WA state licensure for working with children on medical coupons.)

Who is eligible?

• An adoptive child who has experienced one or more Events of Trauma
• An adoptive child who is age 8-17
• Pre- or Post-Adoptive Child (child does not have to have been placed by Bethany for ADOPTS counseling)

Does it matter if my child is domestic, international, or foster-care adopted?

No.  If the child meets eligibility, Bethany accepts all three.

How do I know if my child is eligible for ADOPTS?

The first part of your child’s ADOPTS treatment entails psychological evaluations of both the child and the parents to determine if trauma is impacting his/her current placement.  Even if you are not sure, Bethany can determine whether you child is eligible. 

Why do you have to be “eligible?”

ADOPTS is a pilot program partially funded by a federal grant, and all outcomes of the program will be confidentially provided to the US Department of Health.  Its focus is on adoptive children, and reducing disruptions that occur due to past trauma in a child’s life.

Are there any plans for ADOPTS for younger children?

Yes, there is. In fact our national office is currently implementing an age 4-7 years old treatment model, and the current plan is to roll out the younger model to the other branches in the coming year. 

When does ADOPTS start?

Depending on the branch office, Bethany has already started seeing clients for ADOPTS, or will begin seeing clients by the end of the year. For more information on your particular branch office, contact them.

Is this new program available in all branches?

No. Currently ADOPTS is available in Atlanta GA, Chattanooga TN, Des Moines IA, Fremont MI, Grand Rapids MI, Holland MI, Kalamazoo MI, Philadelphia PA, and Seattle WA.

Thanks, Greg, for sharing this important information with us!

For more information about ADOPTS, visit Bethany Christian Services.

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Tapestry Books Offers Useful Features for Adoption Agencies, Organizations

In my last post, I introduced you to my favorite adoption bookstore, Tapestry Books (www.tapestrybooks.com, 877-266-5406). Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with Shep Morrow, who bought Tapestry Books a year ago. He told me about Tapestry’s cool programs.

Custom Catalogs
This new fee-based program is for large adoption agencies with multiple offices and for membership organizations. Let’s say you lead an adoption support organization and you need a printed, customized catalog that contains books, tip sheets, resource downloads, and tip sheets that you recommend for members of your group. The folks at Tapestry can help you create a 4-color, glossy catalog tailored to your group’s needs. You can use one of Tapestry’s existing mini-catalog topics, or develop print-on-demand book lists.

eCatalog Service
This service is designed for social workers who may be working with a specific situation, such as a single parent, and need a book list for to use as a dialoguing tool. Adoption agency staffs also use this service when they need book lists for an upcoming workshop.

You can create PDF catalogs by simply clicking categories (such as “Pre-Adoption,” “For Children,” etc.) and pressing a “Create Catalog” button. When you need a new catalog, you can revisit the catalog service and click different categories.

The only drawback to this service is that it doesn’t allow you to customize the books that appear in your catalog. For instance, I clicked “Pre-Adoption/Making the Decision,” (the category in which my book, The Adoption Decision, is listed on the Tapestry site), but my book didn’t appear in the catalog.

Shep tells me that this service is not meant to be customizable at the book level, but assured me that catalogs are updated frequently.

Affiliate Linking Program
Adoption practitioners, agencies, and non-profit organizations that sponsor adoption events can post a Tapestry banner on their Website, directing people to lists of recommended books. (See the example of my list page).

One adoption agency, for instance, offered 18 courses, each with a reading list attached to it. They simply referred their clients to the reading lists posted on their Website. Clients purchased their books through Tapestry, and the agency received a percentage of the profits for each book purchased.

Premium Bookstore Page Optimized for Your Website
The folks at Tapestry Books help adoption agencies, counseling centers, support organizations, and infertility clinics optimize traffic to their Web sites an d increase search engine ranking by designing customized, mini bookstores that contain books they recommend for their clients. They use a variety of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to help clients.

Tapestry also has a free e-newsletter, so you can stay informed about the latest book releases, and specials.

Individuals can order one free copy of their 16-page, full-color print catalog, while agencies can order a 25-pack of catalogs for $9.25 (including shipping).

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com.

Tapestry Books: The Best Source in the Universe for Adoption Books

If you’re looking into adoption and need a one-stop shop for adoption-related books, I highly recommend Tapestry Books (www.tapestrybooks.com, 877-266-5406). I have been a huge fan of Tapestry Books for over 10 years and have yet to found a source that carries as complete a line of adoption-related books.

Tapestry’s print and online catalogs offer books in the following categories:

Infertility
Books for people in all stages of infertility evaluation/treatment.

Pre-Adoption
Books that help you decide if, when, and how to adopt, as well as explore adoption in its social, historical, and emotional context.

International Adoption
Books about negotiating the paperwork and requirements for different countries, ethnic cookbooks.

Domestic Adoption
Books about adopting from foster care and open adoption.

Educating Others
Books to help family members, teachers, and doctors understand adoption.

Toddler/Older Child
Advice and help for parents who foster/adopt older children.

Attachment
Books that examine the causes of attachment disorder and provide examples of effective solutions.

Raising Children
Talking with your children about adoption and other issues concerning parenting adopted children. Sub-categories include Adoption and Self-Esteem, Baby Care, Gay & Lesbian, Memoirs, Older Children, Single Parents, Spiritual/Religious, Gifts, Poetry, and Essays, and more.

Transracial
Books that help you and your children successfully negotiate the ins and outs of being a multiracial family.

Adoptees/Birthparents
Research on and stories from adult adoptees and birth parents.

Lifebooks
Workbooks that help children and teens record their lives before and after coming into their foster or adoptive families.

Professionals
Clinical books for case workers, clinicians, social workers, lawyers, medical and psychiatric doctors, and teachers.

DVDs and CDs
Audio books and music about adoption.

Shared Videos
Free adoption-related videos, via YouTube.

E-Booklets
Downloadable products, including free downloads.

CHILDREN’S BOOKS…

…About Adoption
Children’s books that help people of all ages understand and appreciate adoption.

…About Birthparents
Picture books that help children and their parents come to terms with that oftentimes unknown part of their lives.

…About Families
Picture books that celebrate family formation via adoption

…About Foster Care
Books that shed light on the positive aspects of foster care

…About Transracial Adoption
Picture books that help children explore their self-identity

…About Single Parents
Books that celebrate the joys of single parent adoption

…About Adopted Siblings
Books that help ease the transition for a newly adopted child and his/her siblings

In the next post:
An interview with Shep Morrow, owner of Tapestry Books

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com.

'Barnabas Bears' to be Delivered to Orphans

I am a sucker for stuffed animals, especially when purchasing them supports a worthy cause. Family Christian Stores is selling this adorable bear, called "Barnabas Bear." For only $5.00, you can "adopt" a bear, which will be donated to an orphan in need through Family Christian Stores' James Fund (a nonprofit foundation that reaches out to orphans and widows and provides adoption assistance).

Last year, the James Fund donated over 174,000 Barnabas Bears.

If you'd like one of these cute little guys to keep or give to your child, they cost $9.99.

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.

Mary-Louise Parker Adopts from Africa

People magazine reports that actress Mary-Louise Parker has adopted a baby girl from Africa.

The single mom, 43, also has a 3-year-old son with actor Billy Crudup.

Brad Pitt, who co-stars with Parker in the new movie, "The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford," praised her decision to adopt.

For more news and information about adoption, visit www.laurachristianson.com, and check out my Exploring Adoption bookstore.