Pre-Adoption Consulation

"This very specialized area of counseling offers a non-biased overview of family-building options to help individuals and couples in making timely decisions that are mindful of long term implications." - Joni S. Mantell, LCSW, Director of the Infertility and Adoption Counseling Center

The pre-adoption consultation is set up to meet your individual needs. Some clients come to us ready to adopt and to develop their Adoption Plan. Others may be experiencing anxiety, ambivalence or partner disagreements and need guidance first to figure out their options. We start where you are at the time of your first visit.

Some things that may be addressed in a pre-adoption consultation include:

Clarification and Education
Instead of wasting hours on the Internet sifting through adoption information, or listening to marketing pitches from agencies and lawyers, our clients benefit from a time-saving explanation of all the adoption options available. We teach people how to avoid uneducated mistakes as they negotiate the adoption process.

Neutral Decision Making
Since the IAC Center is not affiliated with any agency or attorney, we can give an unbiased view of how to deal with the “business of adoption.” This allows our clients to determine what type of adoption is the right solution for them during this all-important research stage.

Grief Resolution
People often come to adoption following other losses and/or frustrations (infertility, inability to find a partner, medical or genetic issues inhibiting pregnancy). Sometimes a few sessions need to be devoted to dealing with these issues before the client is able to move forward in the direction of adoption or another family-building possibility.

Couple's Issues
It is not unusual for partners to initially disagree on family-building options. Not knowing how to talk about these issues adds to relational and personal stress. Counseling may initially be difficult, but usually helps couples get back on the same page fairly quickly

Support for Singles
For singles desiring parenthood, working with an IAC Center counselor can help the process feel less solitary.

Support for Same-Sex Couples
For same-sex couples desiring parenthood, working with an IAC Center counselor can help you reach your goals.

Once the decision to adopt has been made, then the pre-adoption consultation shifts to the planning stage. We help you build your Adoption Plan.

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