Adoption Support Counselling
Adoption touches lives in deeply personal and often complex ways for birth parents, adopters, special guardians and adoptees alike. Each journey carries its own story, shaped by love, loss, hope, identity and change, and no two experiences are the same.
I offer adoption support counselling in a calm, compassionate and understanding environment where all voices are welcome. Whether you are an adopted adult exploring your experiences, a birth parent navigating the impact of adoption, an adopter or special guardian facing challenges within family life, or someone trying to make sense of your own story, counselling can provide a space to explore what adoption means for you with sensitivity, respect and care.
Counselling for adopted adults
As an adoptee myself, I know how difficult it can be to seek help from a counsellor who understands the particular experiences and complexities that adoption can bring. Finding tailored counselling for adopted adults was something I found challenging, and offering this kind of support to others affected by adoption has therefore always been something I wanted to include within my private practice.
Adoption can continue to have an impact well into adulthood. Questions around adoption and identity, belonging, relationships, loss, family, attachment and personal history can emerge at different stages of life. Therapy for adopted adults can offer an opportunity to explore these experiences at your own pace, without judgement or assumptions.
Understanding adoption, identity and attachment
I hold a Certificate in Adoption Support Counselling, provided by the Albany Centre in partnership with Barnardo's. This training has built on my existing knowledge of the adoption process and, alongside my personal experience of being an adoptee, has helped me develop a deeper understanding of the experiences and needs of everyone involved in adoption.
This includes exploring areas such as adoption and identity, adoption and attachment, loss and separation, family relationships, belonging and the ways adoption can shape how we understand ourselves and our relationships with others.
I recognise that adoption affects people in different ways and at different times.
For some, there may be a desire to understand the past; for others, difficulties may arise in the present. You may be exploring your identity, relationships or family connections, or simply trying to make sense of feelings that have become more difficult to understand.
Support for everyone affected by adoption
My adoption counselling is not limited to adoptees. I also offer space for birth family counselling, as well as support for adopters and special guardians who may be navigating the challenges and complexities of family life following adoption.
If you are an adult affected by adoption, from whichever side of the adoption journey, you are welcome to reach out. Whether you are looking for counselling for adopted adults, birth family counselling, adoptive family support, or simply a safe place to explore your own experience of adoption, we can take the time to understand what you need and whether counselling might be helpful for you.
You don't need to have everything figured out before you get in touch.
Birth Family
If you are part of a birth family who has experienced the profound and often complex journey of placing a child for adoption, you may carry feelings that are difficult to name or have gone unspoken for a long time — grief, love, loss, guilt, longing, or uncertainty. You are not alone in this, and whatever you feel is valid.
Processing past choices, making sense of reconnecting, or simply finding space for your emotions to breathe - I am here for you to allow any of that to be heard and understood.
Adopters & Special Guardianship
If you are an adoptive parent or special guardian seeking counselling, you may be navigating a range of emotions and experiences that come with the deeply meaningful role of caring for a child who joined your life through adoption or an SGO.
Alongside love and commitment, there can also be feelings of uncertainty, overwhelm, grief, or questions about attachment, identity and how best to support your child’s emotional world.
Whether you are seeking support with the challenges of parenting, exploring family dynamics, or wanting space to reflect on your own feelings and experiences, counselling can provide a steady place to strengthen understanding, confidence and connection within your family.
