Adoption is both a gift and a loss for all members of the adoptive triad: the child, the parents and birthparents. For the child, adoption represents a loss of connection to their biological and genetic family, and often to their birth culture or country. Adoption also gives them all the love and support that goes along with a forever family. Adoptive parents often grieve the missed opportunity of raising biological children, at the same time that they revel in the joy of raising their children who joined their families through adoption. Birthparents have lost out on raising their children and at the same time that they made the best choice they could for themselves and their children’s future.
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Archives for June 2009
Welcome to Our Blog!
This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region. Please feel free to post questions and comments on any of the entries as well as on any topics or articles from our companion web site www.childandfamilymentalhealth.com.
Developing Social Skills Through Individual and Family Therapy
Many children and adolescents who present for mental health services experience difficulties in their peer relationships. They may encounter problems making and keeping friends, have trouble noticing social cues, or have a hard time expressing themselves. Both individual and family therapy can assist children and teens to gain skills for navigating their interpersonal environments. Therapists may help kids to develop their social skills via a number of methods: [Read more…]