{"id":8,"date":"2024-04-01T02:57:53","date_gmt":"2024-04-01T02:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/?page_id=8"},"modified":"2024-05-03T06:37:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T06:37:03","slug":"stories-of-adoption","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/","title":{"rendered":"Stories of Adoption"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"8\" class=\"elementor elementor-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17656513 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"17656513\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e8a792 elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e8a792\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<h1>Reframing Open Adoption and Adoption Trauma<\/h1>\n<p>Birthdays have always been a little stressful for Natalie Humber, waiting and wondering if she would hear from her birth mother.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Contact between her family and her birth mother has always been open, but it would be unlike her birth mother to reach out randomly. She typically only hears from her mother around special occasions, especially her birthday.<span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">She understands \u2014 her birth mother is probably thinking about the daughter she placed for adoption however many years ago on that day, but for Humber and other adopted people, birthdays come with conflicting feelings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou want to celebrate your birthday and be with your friends, but now I\u2019m wondering, is my birth mother going to contact me? What is she going to say?\u201d<span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\"> Humber said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e1a685 elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0e1a685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">Humber was adopted by a family in Washington directly after her birth in Oregon\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">21 years ago<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">. Her adoptive parents were in the room when she was born. Her adoptive mother even made a scrapbook where they have a calendar of the entire adoption process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">Humber\u2019s adoption was a domestic, private open adoption, which means she was adopted from the United States to a family in the United States through a private agency, with open contact with her birth family. If Humber wanted to contact her birth mother, the option was there.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cf80c1 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1cf80c1\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63bfcc6 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"63bfcc6\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c917815 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"c917815\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" allow=\"autoplay\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/1813081071&color=%2396edbd&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true\"><\/iframe><div style=\"font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/sophie-sperber\" title=\"Sophie Sperber\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\">Sophie Sperber<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/sophie-sperber\/final-audio-podcast\" title=\"Open Adoptions\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\">Open Adoptions<\/a><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c1d18bc elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"c1d18bc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 56.2500%;\n padding-bottom: 0; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;\n border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;\">\n  <iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;\"\n    src=\"https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.canva.com&#x2F;design&#x2F;DAGD79LKSBE&#x2F;MSv7f793ZYRuHsjTLBk3Qg&#x2F;view?embed\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"fullscreen\">\n  <\/iframe>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c5155b3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c5155b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h5 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Learn more about open adoptions and the different kinds of adoptions above<\/h5>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26c5abf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26c5abf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Depending on the type of adoption, there are typically varying levels of openness, according to the National Council for Adoption (NCFA), or contact between birth and adoptive families. A closed adoption has no contact.<\/p>\n<p>Janelle Ison, NCFA\u2019s education manager, said in recent years more families are being encouraged to think about open adoption.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">In the past, there was a fear that open adoptions would be harmful to the child and it would be better to completely cut contact with their birth families. The first research indicating that openness may be better for the child came out in the 1970s, and the research supporting openness has been increasing since then.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bb7a69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1bb7a69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem; background-color: #ffffff; color: #293211; box-shadow: #131708 0px -1px 0px inset;\" href=\"https:\/\/adoptioncouncil.org\/article\/open-adoption\/#_ftn1\">Studies<\/a><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">\u00a0have shown that open adoption increased satisfaction with the adoption for adoptees, adoptive parents and birth parents. Other benefits include access to more detailed health and background information across time and \u201ca stronger sense of cohesive identity\u201d for adoptees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201c[Teen age] is when things start coming up, especially identity formation,\u201d Ison said. \u201cThere\u2019s this duality of \u2018I love my adoptive family, but I also need to know where I came from.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-168890a e-grid e-con-full e-con e-child\" data-id=\"168890a\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3c79ab elementor-widget__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b3c79ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"213\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_4383_Original-Small.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-255\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_4383_Original-Small.jpeg 213w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_4383_Original-Small-200x300.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Natalie Humber, her parents and her sister (front left) and her family. Her sister was conceived via artificial insemination.  Photo Courtesy of Natalie Humber.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e5397d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5e5397d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>&#8220;&#8230;maybe they&#8217;ll think I&#8217;m ungrateful for all that they&#8217;ve done,&#8221;\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">Humber recalled sometimes feeling guilty asking her parents about her birth mother, even though they were always kind and open about communication with her. They would offer to pass along questions or recap emails or calls, though Humber never had much interest in contacting her birth mother herself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Even though it is not true, it really feels like, oh &#8216;maybe they&#8217;ll think I&#8217;m ungrateful for all that they&#8217;ve done,&#8221; Humber said.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f90fb9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f90fb9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In the case of Keith Lavitt and his family, it made sense to have a relationship with his son\u2019s birth mother. They had always had ongoing contact with his birth mother, though for many years, the only communication was a yearly letter. After his son, Max, became a teenager, he expressed interest in getting to know her more, and they developed a deeper relationship with his birth mother and her other children.<\/p>\n<p>Max, now age 15, has four other siblings. One his birth mother raised herself, and three others all adopted by separate families. Last January as a belated Christmas celebration, the families all decided to get together.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrevious generations and even today people are nervous about having an open adoption, and not every circumstance is the same, but I think it\u2019s amazing to have this open relationship.\u201d Lavitt said. \u201cHe identifies with his birth family, and it\u2019s important to him, and I would hate not to have given him that opportunity.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a420d79 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"a420d79\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ec6324 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3ec6324\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/IMG_0463-7-edited.jpeg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\"> Keith Lavitt and his wife (center) with their daughter and their son Max. Photo Courtesy of Keith Lavitt<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-392aa4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"392aa4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>&#8220;There is a strong bond that doesn\u2019t in any way weaken the bond we have with him.&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;I think it\u2019s important for my son to fully know who he is and where he came from and that his birth family loves him \u2014 it\u2019s a part of his story and I\u2019d rather it be a part of his life than a mystery to him,\u201d Lavitt said. \u201cThey look alike, and deal with some of the same challenges in life \u2014 there is a strong bond that doesn\u2019t in any way weaken the bond we have with him. If anything, it makes it stronger.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-56673bc8 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"56673bc8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:heading --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Adoptees may not only face guilt when it comes to curiosity about their birth families. Katie Wynen, a social worker for Pact, a child-centered anti-racist nonprofit adoption organization, said some adoptees feel guilty about facing struggles associated with their adoptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve had plenty of adoptees who were like, &#8216;well if I wasn\u2019t adopted I\u2019d be dead on the streets,&#8217;\u201d Wynen said. \u201cYou can love your adoptive parents and you should be able to acknowledge the grief and the loss that you\u2019ve had, because all of us have had it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Many people still incorrectly believe that adopting infants would be a \u201cclean slate\u201d compared to adopting an older child because they think older children are more at risk of having experienced trauma. But according to Wynen, <span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">an adoptee herself,<\/span> all adoptees face some level of trauma, as the separation itself is a traumatic experience, no matter the age.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; color: #7a7a7a; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;\"><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; color: #809933; font-size: 1.625rem; font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif;\">\u00a0&#8220;I was in a whole other country so I lost every sight, smell, sound, vibration I was used to&#8221;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s trauma, no matter what. Even if you go from the vaginal canal directly to your adoptive parents&#8217; chest, your body remembers losing whatever it knew for nine months, and now it\u2019s yanked and gone, and for a lot of us, myself included, I was in a whole other country so I lost every sight, smell, sound, vibration I was used to,\u201d Wynen said.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">Wynen feels that society as a whole tends to ignore the trauma that adoptees face. According to Wynen, suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and other mental health disorders are more prevalent for adoptees. <\/span><a style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 1rem;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4475346\/#:~:text=Results,CI%3D1.72%2C%203.19).\">One study <\/a><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">focusing on people who were adopted as infants shows that they were almost twice as likely as a non-adopted person to see a mental health professional and be diagnosed with a behavioral disorder.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">According to NCFA&#8217;s education manager Janelle Ison, adoption trauma is understanding that regardless of age, no child is a blank slate. The most difficult part is understanding that trauma is not always physical, though in some cases it may be. It can also be something like in-utero impact \u2014 substance-use exposure, or stress.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:details --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:group --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:group --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-136962b e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"136962b\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-576fe70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"576fe70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Transracial or intercountry adoption can have their own traumatic effects.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">Emma Denton, an international adoptee from Russia who grew up in Canada, believes that international adoptions should be the last resort, as outlined in the UN Convention for the Rights of the Child, which Canada is a party to \u2014 the United States is not. Now working in mental health, she recognizes how her adoption affected the rest of her life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving rotating caregivers, not having a primary one for the first year or so of your life, has pretty significant impacts,\u201d Denton said. \u201cThat has problems, and it leads me to kind of feeling the way I do today \u2013 I still struggle with addiction and self-harm, and I don\u2019t know when that\u2019s going to go away.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11d9e94 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"11d9e94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;loop&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-video .elementor-widget-container{overflow:hidden;transform:translateZ(0)}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper{aspect-ratio:var(--video-aspect-ratio)}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper iframe,.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper video{height:100%;width:100%;display:flex;border:none;background-color:#000}@supports not (aspect-ratio:1\/1){.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper{position:relative;overflow:hidden;height:0;padding-bottom:calc(100% \/ var(--video-aspect-ratio))}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper iframe,.elementor-widget-video .elementor-wrapper video{position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0}}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-open-inline .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay{position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;background-size:cover;background-position:50%}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay{cursor:pointer;text-align:center}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay:hover .elementor-custom-embed-play i{opacity:1}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay img{display:block;width:100%;aspect-ratio:var(--video-aspect-ratio);-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover;-o-object-position:center center;object-position:center center}@supports not (aspect-ratio:1\/1){.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay{position:relative;overflow:hidden;height:0;padding-bottom:calc(100% \/ var(--video-aspect-ratio))}.elementor-widget-video .elementor-custom-embed-image-overlay img{position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0}}.elementor-widget-video .e-hosted-video .elementor-video{-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-video,.e-con>.elementor-widget-video{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\\\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/v09044g40000cae2sf3c77udtqu81c8g-2.mp4\" loop=\"\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlsList=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27da612 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"27da612\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">According to social worker Wynen, it can be a trauma to lose all your culture, even if you love and are grateful for the family that you have. It can be difficult to grow up around people who look nothing like you or cannot understand some of your struggles, though same-race adoption does not necessarily mitigate these problems.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f5885fc e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f5885fc\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64ebf41 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"64ebf41\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align);\">Through Pact, Wynen runs an adult-adoptee support group that are all people of color. While there is a strong mix of international and same-race adoptions, most participants were adopted by white parents. After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, everybody \u201cgot called to task,\u201d even in the adoption industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">\u201cAll the sudden, all these adoptees of color just flooded out of nowhere because their white parents couldn\u2019t understand why they were protesting and shouting for black lives matter, or their parents were like, if there\u2019s a race war, what side would you choose?\u201d Wynen said. \u201cThe parents are thinking they would choose the white side.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">Wynen believes that transracial adoption, specifically white parents with kids of color, should be abolished. She\u2019s seen benefits of same-race adoption, but in a perfect utopia, abolitionist&#8217;s goal would be the end of adoption, with a focus on access to adequate reproductive care and education, family preservation and kinship.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eded524 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"eded524\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ccf6138 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"ccf6138\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/17799965\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-646043b elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"646043b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/17800202\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85e345b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"85e345b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ka Hee Krause, an adoptee from South Korea with white parents, wouldn\u2019t go as far as abolishing adoption completely, but she does wish people understand how traumatic adoption can be for an adopted child, especially if they do not adopt for the right reasons. While she knows there are genuinely good people with the right mindset of wanting to raise and love a child, she can\u2019t help but consider those who are in it for themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cSome parents who adopt children are more so like, \u2018Look how amazing I am for providing for this child who would have otherwise had nothing\u2019 \u2014 I think that\u2019s why a lot of white families adopt internationally,\u201d Krause said. \u201cThere\u2019s people who want these children as trophies, to be on display to say \u2018look how good I can teach this kid,\u2019 but beyond a facebook post or a brag to their friends, the children get neglected or abused at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While there is little research or data about how often this occurs, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/adoptioncouncil.org\/publications\/adoption-advocate-no-125\/\">National Council for Adoption,<\/a> the current narrative globally around international adoptions for many people, is similar to Krause&#8217;s; that many white North Americans are &#8220;colonial trophy-collectors.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But<a href=\"https:\/\/adoptioncouncil.org\/research\/profiles-in-adoption\/\">\u00a0a report released by the National Council For Adoption<\/a> found that a majority of adult adoptees are not only satisfied with their adoptions, and support intercountry adoption if family reunification or domestic adoption are not possible. The survey consisted of adult adoptees, and another finding was that though many adoptees wished for post adoption services, few received them.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85c8122 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"85c8122\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd08e12 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fd08e12\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Denton is no exception. Denton wishes that her family gave her more resources, especially regarding her mental health. Like Krause, Denton is an international adoptee, and agrees that it is important for adoptive parents to have the right intentions. They need to be ready to take responsibility for providing post adoption support and be willing to have difficult conversations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want to fault my adoptive parents because parenting in itself is such a massive responsibility and you\u2019re going to make mistakes no matter what, but when you\u2019re taking on a responsibility like adopting a kid, there\u2019s a lot more things to think about \u2014 be ready and willing to accept that things are out of your control.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Part of Denton\u2019s struggle growing up was her desire to know more about her birthplace and her birth family, much to the dismay of her adoptive parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had never seen my birth mother, I hadn\u2019t had any photos, I just knew her name. I\u2019d go through files in boxes in our old house and just read about my information,\u2019 said Denton.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2bd3f12 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2bd3f12\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2-410x1024.png\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/2-410x1024.png\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a8c572 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8a8c572\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are some adoptive families who are still uncomfortable with the idea of their children having contact with their birth families.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>According to Ison, when families do not support their child\u2019s wish to meet or contact their birth families, she suggests that they reconsider and look at the research and the education, and put aside their own ego for the sake of their child.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found my birth mom about 10 years ago, and we just have a friendship. My parents were very supportive of me doing so my whole life,\u201d said Ison. \u201cIt\u2019s not what people think \u2014 they want to know and find a connection, they don\u2019t want to go find another family.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Despite her parents not wanting her to, Denton contacted her birth family during college. At the time, she was struggling with complications from long-term marijuana that suppressed her appetite, losing about 50 pounds in a year.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-602b358 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"602b358\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-429b2cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"429b2cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure><div><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">After reunification, she felt like she had a new channel of support from her birth family. Since then, she\u2019s felt like she has been able to shift to a more positive mindset, and has a better understanding of why she was placed for adoption.<\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\"><br><\/span><\/div><div><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); text-align: var(--text-align); font-size: 1rem;\">Her birth mother had already suffered several miscarriages after violent altercations between her and her husband. Already having had two children, there was not the finances to support three children and keep them all safe, which ultimately led to Denton&#8217;s adoption.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6bf5de8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"6bf5de8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<iframe allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"fp-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/heyzine.com\/flip-book\/25d4cff01d.html\" style=\"border: 1px solid lightgray; width: 100%; height: 400px;\"><\/iframe>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fd83ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0fd83ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>While Denton had always wanted to meet her birth family, Humber feels less sure.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very complicated because I have an opportunity to reach her. I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m ready now, but also what if something horrible would happen and I know I could never talk to her again? What happens if I wait too long?&#8221; Humber said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Ison, an adoptee herself, can relate to Humber&#8217;s experience. She also had her birth mother&#8217;s contact information, and often went back and forth about when she should reach out to her. There isn&#8217;t always a clear-cut decision, but Ison&#8217;s personal advice would be to go with your gut.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If it doesn&#8217;t feel like the right time, maybe it isn&#8217;t. And when the time comes, you should feel ready and prepared for what could come from it,&#8221; Ison said.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e7acd30 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e7acd30\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d86f0af elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"d86f0af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 18-04-2024 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She typically only hears &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Stories of Adoption&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-8","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8"}],"version-history":[{"count":333,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":716,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8\/revisions\/716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ssperber\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}