Adoption is not a single childhood experience—it is a lifelong reality that can shape how you understand yourself, relate to others, and make sense of your place in the world. For many adoptees, questions of identity, belonging, loss, and emotional connection become more pronounced over time, particularly during life transitions, changes in relationships, or periods of increased stress.
For transracial adoptees, these questions may be further complicated by growing up in families or communities that did not reflect their racial or cultural identity. Experiences of difference, invisibility, or misattunement can leave lasting impressions, even when care and intention were present. These complexities are real, valid, and often underrecognized.
Adult Adoptee Therapy
Why treatment is important
Early experiences of loss, separation, trauma, unresolved conflict, or feeling as though you do not fully belong can leave lasting imprints on emotional and psychological well-being. Many adoptees learn early to adapt—minimizing needs, managing complexity, or moving forward without language for what was disrupted or lost. Over time, these adaptations can contribute to chronic anxiety, depression, emotional numbness, or recurring difficulties in relationships.
Research indicates that adoptees are at significantly elevated risk for mental health distress, including a higher rate of suicide attempts compared to non-adopted individuals. These statistics do not reflect personal weakness; they underscore the profound and often unacknowledged psychological impact of early loss and identity disruption.
“Adoption loss is the only trauma in the world where the victims are expected by the whole of society to be grateful.”
Our approach
Treatment offers a reflective space to examine how early experiences of separation, adaptation, and identity formation continue to shape emotional life and relationships. Using attachment-based, trauma-informed, and adoption-competent approaches, we work collaboratively to support deeper self-understanding, emotional integration, and the capacity for more secure and authentic connection—both internally and with others—while honoring the complexity of your unique story and fostering lasting emotional well-being.