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Ashleigh Freeman

Prof. Caruso

UWRT 1103

April 8, 2017

As time progresses and society changes, adoption has begun to flourish and become a

popular option for many couples unable to conceive, single parents or couples in general just

willing to adopt. However, even though adoption is a beautiful and rewarding experience, the

media never truly captures the negative, the negative psychological effects that affect the people

involved in the process. Many birth mothers that chose to give up their child for adoption suffer

from depression, guilt and many other affects mentally as well as the adopted children, who

instead feel a loss of identity or the feeling of not being good enough for anyone. It is said that a

childs bond with their mother begins before birth even happens and that a child can sense a

separation from their mother even years after birth. This may be the result for some adopted

children who feel they are lacking or missing something in their life due to being away from

their mother for so long. Unfortunately, there are few services to help those in need during these

types of situations, leaving many feeling hopeless and lost. I decided to create a counseling

program that is completely devoted to helping birth mothers, adoptive families and adopted

children deal with the struggles and changes of life that come with adoption.

This program is known as Open Ears Counseling, where 3 on staff counselors are there

to support, counsel, answer questions and guide people involved with adoption to healthier and

happier lifestyles. This service, does not provide any other counseling service to anyone but birth

mothers, adoptive families and adopted children so that these people have a safe, understanding
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and comforting place to reside when going through their psychological traumas. This program

will be a 24/7 program where counselors will be on call throughout the nights so that if someone

is suffering from an emotional break during the middle of the night, they are able to talk to

someone because a scarce amount of people understand the true mental state that a person that

has given a child up for adoption or has been adopted, is in.

Open Ears Counseling will offer over 8 services to the adoption community, a few

including: Pre-Adoption Counseling, Post Adoption Counseling, Identity Coaching, Open

Adoption Therapy and many more specific therapies to help with each and every mental issue

that one may experience through their time of adoption. Many people do not see the

psychological effects that one can suffer after giving up a child, adopting a new child into your

home or being adopted at an older age where a child fully understands what is happening to

them, changing their whole lives.

To promote my counseling program, I have created this brochure that will be in various

prenatal and pediatric clinics for mothers contemplating adoption and newly adoptive mothers

bringing their children for a checkup and will also be available for children who are adopted in

schools, after school programs and even in the university setting for young adults. This will help

get the word about for this rare service and maybe encourage more facilities like this one out in

the community after seeing positive results from Open Ears Counseling. This is a serious and

overlooked issue that is not given enough attention in the healthcare and mental health system.

Often people overlook this issue because it was a choice, but just because it was choice does

not mean that it was not hard and left a scar on some people. More treatment facilities like the

one I have created will help with possible unexplained depression and anxiety disorders in

adoptive cases around the nation.

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Works Cited

"Adoption Counseling Services." Nightlight Christian Adoptions. N.p., 2017. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.

Park, Madison. "Adopted children at greater risk for mental health disorders." CNN. Cable News

Network, 14 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.

Rummig, Vicki M. "ADOPTION: Trauma that last a lifetime." ADOPTION: Trauma that last a

lifetime. N.p., 11 June 1996. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.