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Support
Groups
"My
friends who are not adoptive parents wish they had a group
like this." - A.N., Adoptive Mother, Adoptive Parents
Support Group
Support
Groups for: Pre-Adoptive Parents, Adoptive
Parents, Adopted Children and Teens,
and Additional Groups
The
IAC Center offers a variety of support groups focusing
on varied phases of the adoption life cycle. These
groups are formed on a regular basis and typically
convene one time per month. Clients attending these
groups tend to bond, finding comfort with other like-minded
individuals facing similar issues.
The
IAC Center has coordinated groups for Pre-Adoptive
Parents, Adoptive Parents and Adopted Children and
Teens. The IAC Center is also open to suggestion for
the formation of other groups related to infertility,
adoption, families formed by sperm/egg donor options,
or siblings of recently arrived adopted children.
Pre-Adoptive
Parent Support Groups
Currently
the IAC Center offers three different monthly counseling
groups for couples and singles seeking to adopt. Each
group meets once a month at varied times. New groups
form once existing groups are filled. IAC Center
currently has pre-adoptive parents groups in Pennington,
N.J.; Summit, N.J. and NYC. New groups will continue
to form.
Current
Pre-Adoptive Support Groups:
- Pre-adoptive Support Group: Domestic Adoption.
This group discusses issues unique to pursuing and
preparing for domestic adoption. Meets one evening
per month from 7-8:30 p.m. in Pennington and from
6 to 7:30 in NYC; and on a Sunday morning in Summit,
NJ.
- Pre-Adoptive Support Group: International
Adoption. This group discusses issues
unique to pursuing and preparing for international
adoption. Meets one evening per month from 7 to
8:30 p.m. and a new group is starting on a Sunday
morning.
- LGBT Pre-Adoptive Support Group: This
group will allow gay and lesbian pre-adoptive parents
to discuss both the general adoption issues and
the unique aspects they may experience in both the
adoption process and as adoptive families. Meets
one evening per month from 7 to 8:30
Members of our Pre-Adoptive Parent Support Groups discuss
the emotional and practical issues related to initiating,
waiting and succeeding with domestic or international adoptions.
The groups also give pre-adoptive parents time to think
about parenting, something that oddly is often avoided
during the waiting-to-adopt phase when so much emphasis
is placed on getting the baby.
Groups
talk about:
- How
to create the kind of adoption desired.
- How
to handle relationships with birthmothers.
- How
to gather concrete background information on adoption
situations being considered.
- How
to successfully travel and transition an adopted child
home.
- How
to prepare for parenthood.
Adoptive
Parent Support Groups
Currently
the IAC Center offers three different monthly counseling
groups for adoptive parents. Each group meets once
a month at varied times. New groups will continue
to form.
Current
Adoptive Parent Support Groups:
- Adoptive Parent Support Group Daytime.
This group discusses domestic adoptive parenting
and general parenting issues. Meets the third Friday
of each month from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
- First
Year Home Group: For
new adoptive parents to discuss
the adjustment to home life for both their child
and themselves and to learn parenting
strategies uniquely designed for children who
have had foster and/or orphanage care. Meets
on the fourth Sunday of each month from noon to
1:30 p.m.
- Adoptive Parent Counseling Group: For
adoptive parents struggling with some aspect of
their family life with their adopted child such
as adjustment, psychological or emotional issues,
anger, discipline, sleep, and sibling issues, etc. Meets one Tuesday a month in the NYC
office.
Members
of our Adoptive Parent Support Groups discuss present
and possible future adoption issues. Sometimes groups
discuss general parenting subjects as well. Group members
can learn from each other how to handle their own personal
adoption-related queries.
Groups
talk about:
- How
to talk to your child about adoption.
- How
to help a child transition from an orphanage or foster-care
situation to a stable home environment.
- How
to separate adoption-related behaviors from general
developmental behaviors.
- How
to handle adoption issues that occur at school or with
family and friends.
- How
to address concerns that arise from single-parent, same-sex
couple, or mixed-race family adoptions.
Adopted
Children’s Support Groups
The
IAC Center is in the process of coordinating a few
short-term support groups for adopted children. The
groups will focus on self-esteem and social issues
related to this age group in general. Since all children
in the group will be adopted the theme will emerge
in a natural manner. There will also be some simple
catalytic exercises to bring out the adoption issues.
The goal is for children to feel supported by being
in a like-minded peer group with similar issues and
concerns. Please contact us if you have an interest
for your child. Groups will be arranged on early Friday
evenings.
Adopted
Teens Support Groups
The
IAC Center is organizing a group for adopted teens. The
group will focus on general adoption issues that teens
may think about, self-esteem, identity and social issues;
and issues the teens are experiencing as individuals
dealing with adolescence and adoption. The goal is for
the teens to feel supported by being in a like-minded
peer group with similar issues and concerns. Groups will
be arranged on Sundays at a time that works best for
the most teens.
Additional
Support Groups
The
IAC Center is able to form customized groups on adoption
themes. Please let us know if there is a group you would
like to have and we’ll try to coordinate its formation.
We are very open to your suggestions.
At
present the following groups have been requested and will
be formed when enough participants express interest:
- Pre-Adoptive Parents Group for Singles. Issues
specific to singles in dealing with the adoption
process, adoptive parenting and parenting in general
will be addressed.
- Adopted
Children of Single Parents. Some single adoptive
parents feel their children would benefit from having
a cohort to identify with. They are seeking a group
where their children can play and talk to other children
in similarly formed families.
- Siblings
of Recently Arrived Adopted Children. Some
of our clients have brought home toddlers or older adopted
children who require much support during their transition.
Their siblings would benefit from a chance to share
their concerns, feelings and experiences while their
newly adopted sibling adjusts.
- Donor Recipients Group to
discuss issues specific to this family building method
including privacy vs. secrecy, donor selection and
talking to children about third party reproduction.
- Families
Formed Through Donor Options. Parents will
have the opportunity to discuss their concerns about
telling and then talking to their children about donor
family formation during different ages and stages of
their child's life.
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to receive information on Open Support Groups
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