Episode 25 From the Dark Ages of Adoption to an Adoption Attuned Approach

Join co-hosts, adoption coaches, and triad members Kim Noeth, a birth mom, Sally Ankerfelt, an adoptive parent, and Sharon Butler-Obazee, an adoptee as they revisit informative interviews with a few very special guests over the last year. Asw always, your hosts are committed to looking at the adoption system from the perspective of the triad: from the adoptee, who is the center of the triad, from the birth parent, and from the adoptive parent. Learn more about your ADOPTION MATTERS' hosts and their ICF-approved course Adoption Attuned Coaching Certification Program at www.giftfamilyservices.com.

Let's meet our featured special guests for this episode:

Adopted person and author, Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao, a warm, delightful guest with great insight into adoption from her own personal experience as well as many years of professional practice. Dr. Pavao shares today a little of her personal story, one that pushed her forward into advocacy for ethical adoption practices and better training for professionals to become adoption competent. *Learn more about Dr. Maguire Pavao: https://www.pavaoconsulting.com/about *Listen to her podcast: https://familytwistpodcast.com/joyce-maguire-pavao/

April Dinwoodie, advocate for adoption, foster care, and multiracial Families. Relinquished into foster care at birth and adopted by the age of two, Ms. Dinwoodie grew up navigating life as a Black/biracial woman in predominantly white spaces. Her personal journey—shaped by questions of identity, belonging, and family—has fueled her lifelong commitment to embracing empathy, inclusion, and understanding. *Learn more about April at Aprildinwoodie.com

Sharon McNamara, adoptee and developmental psychologist, shares a bit of her own personal story that demonstrates that adoption may very well be the factor in an adoptee's emotional response to a given situation. For adoptive parents, Sharon's philosophy is one that promotes a practice of "unconditional positive regard" as an adoptee works through trauma, grief, loss, rejection, identity, and other issues. Learn more about Sharon McNamara and her work here: www.sharonsteinmcnamara.com

*Learn more about your hosts, Adoption Coaches, Kim, Sally, and Sharon as well as other Growing team members at www.giftfamilyservices.com