Adoption is Complex
As tempting as it is to only focus on the beautiful aspects of adoption, the truth is, adoption cannot happen apart from pain and trauma. Whether it be months or years, the adopted child experienced life pre-adoption and those pre-verbal experiences in and out of the womb have a profound impact on the child's psyche and understanding of the world. The Perch Counseling uses attachment-based and adoption-focused care like Theraplay and TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) as well as the Circle of Security parenting model to support the entire family.

"(The pain of adoption) is something that can lie dormant most of one's life. If it erupts in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood and is dismissed as neurotic behavior or normal rebellion, it can subside into numbness. But it can stir malignantly in some adoptees all their lives, make them detached, floating, unable to love or to trust...(Adoption) has got to be understood."Betty Jean Lifton, adult adoptee, quoted in "The Primal Wound" by Nancy Newton Verrier

You deserve a space for the nuances of adoption.
Adoption is not monolithic. Whether you are an adult adoptee or an adoptive parent seeking support for your child through play therapy or parent coaching, The Perch Counseling is here to hold space for the nuances of your unique experience. Adoptees should not have to navigate their grief and loss on their own and we are honored to bear witness to your story.