Perspectives on Challenged Family Building

Ronnie arrived for therapy in a good mood. The family had just been to see the Karate Kid at the movie theater. He was eager to talk about how much fun he had in watching the “bullies” in the movie being “overcome.” This offered the ideal opening to talk to Ronnie about the fact that [...]

The children adopted from abroad and from the child welfare system have experienced traumas that we really don’t like to think about. It is so extremely painful to realize the reality of abandonment, neglect, sexual and physical abuse, residence in an orphanage, etc. that we often instead prefer to believe, “love will be enough” or [...]

Statements such as, “there was just a little neglect.” Or, “His birth parents didn’t abuse him. They just neglected him” continue to be heard—frequently. The belief that children who have experienced neglect pre-adoption will “come along just fine” once placed in a healthy environment is a total fallacy that must be shed by professionals and [...]