Acknowledging how adoption impacts emotions

On Behalf of | Jun 1, 2020 | Adoption |

Adoption benefits the lives of many children in Texas each year. The outcome of growing a family through adoption leaves a positive and emotional impact for everyone involved with adequate preparation and education.

The effect that adoption has on a family’s emotional well-being is evident on both a group and a personal level. Understanding this impact may enable people to better prepare for the challenges and celebrations of adoption.

Processing strong emotions

It is unlikely that any family who experiences adoption has done so without the challenge of feeling deep, strong and sometimes uncomfortable emotions. The range of thoughts and feelings that people experience according to Child Welfare Information Gateway may include the following:

  • Guilt
  • Grief
  • Loss of identity
  • Separation anxiety
  • Loneliness

Each of these emotions is normal to feel and require attention, acknowledgment and validation as part of healthy and productive processing. In some situations, families may pursue contact with an adopted family member’s birth parents which may help alleviate and manage the strong emotions related to adoption.

Providing support to children

Children will process their grief differently depending on their background, adoption situation and even their personality traits. The Child Welfare Information Gateway suggests that adoptive parents who prioritize becoming educated about how to implement strategies for dealing with emotional, behavioral and developmental challenges are often better equipped at providing crucial support to their children and helping them establish their identity. Pursuing professional assistance in strengthening relationships and managing trauma is another valuable way for parents to help support their children through the significant transition of adoption and becoming part of a new family.

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