The holiday season is officially in full effect and can be a time that requires us to balance complex emotions - balancing celebration with feelings of grief, loss, and sadness while we tend to life’s expectations to create positive holiday memories with loved ones. As we look to take care of those closest to us, let us create space for ALL that the holidays bring and model to people in our communities what it is like to make space for the both/and of adoption.
Last month has given me plenty of opportunity to practice and model the both/and. During a visit to my daughter in California, I met up with several amazing individuals within the adoption community including, recent We the Experts panelist, Katie Wynen, MSW of PACT. I also had a very special dinner with guests from each point of the adoption triad (birth/first parent, adoptive parent and adoptee). It was an unforgettable conversation that offered a range of experiences and feelings of grief, love, loss, joy and lots of opportunity to hold space for all of the emotions. Definitely a both/and situation!
I’d like to thank all of our panelists from our November panels Adoptees as Adoption Professionals and Non-Adopted Siblings of Adoptees (ally series) - without your voices our We the Experts series would not be possible. Check out our 2023 We the Experts lineup!
I am abundantly grateful for this community and all our shared interactions. When I have the opportunity to hear from others looking to support or take part in our mission, to create a future of more ethical and conscious adoptions, I am inspired and humbled. It is in moments like those during my visit to California and so many others in my work that invigorate me and confirm that Adoption Mosaic and its community are moving in the right direction.
As the year comes to an end, I look forward to seeing you in consultation, at Better Together (our group consultation), and our next We the Experts panel. In the meantime, I am sending each of you warm wishes during this holiday season!
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Hear the stories of adoptees whose religion is different than their adoptive families. |
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MISS A PANEL? FORGET TO REGISTER? |
Recordings are available for purchase in our store: |
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Become a We the Experts subscriber and never miss out again! |
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Events, groups, resources, and other information from others in our community. |
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"And We Write! is a creative writing space centering Black, queer and transgender adoptees. Whether you are an avid writer, or someone wanting to dip their toe into the creative writing pool, this is the workshop for you! You do not need to be a writer to attend! This will be a space for other adoptees to connect, share stories and build community. Each workshop will include themes from the corresponding monthly moon cycle and excerpts from published adoptees will be read at each workshop. Come and participate in a space for us, created by us! Register here: https://forms.gle/qr9LCxqUgS7my9Tb6"
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Adoptee Paths to Recovery Support Meetings re non-denominational and based on the philosophy that adoptees experiencing any type of addiction (substance-related and/or behavioral) have much in common and can benefit from sharing together. These meetings offer a safe place where people can share their addiction recovery challenges, experiences, and solutions, as well as how recovery has changed their lives. Groups are facilitated by a professional with expertise in recovery and adoption, both professional and lived. Registration: https://naapunited.org/adoptee-paths-to-recovery
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Struggling with the holidays? Need a break from family dynamics? Just want to relax and chat with some fellow BIPOC adoptees? Join Katie and Cal for two calls, one on Christmas and one the day after. Whether or not you celebrate Christmas you are welcome to join!
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Adoptees On - Tiffany Henness |
Congratulations to Haley Radke and Carrie Cahill Mulligan on 1,000,000 downloads of Adoptees On podcast!
All the guests of Adoptees On are wonderful and we wanted to highlight Adoption Mosaic collaborator Tiffany Henness. Tiffany is currently co-facilitating Conscious Adoption: Transracial Parenting course with Astrid and Shelise and she has been an amazing addition.
In episode 229 of Adoptees On, Tiffany shares her story of growing up in an open adoption, and how it isn’t the panacea that many hold it up to be. We discuss how she came to explore race, adoption, and faith and what shifted her perspectives on all of those topics. Now, Tiffany is an adoption and racial literacy expert who writes, speaks, and leads others to unpack the complexities of these experiences.
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Interested in consultations? Question about our parent courses? Want to know more about We the Experts? Schedule a free meeting with founder and CEO, Astrid Castro.
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