Category Archives: Love

Adoption – Therapy

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When my social worker suggested an impromptu meeting after the second home study, I knew there was likely a ‘ruling’ from the things that were revealed.

To recap the second home study delved further into some of my background, where we discussed things like rape, my mother, being kicked out of home at 16, and some of the relationships I’d had since then.

At this meeting, my social worker suggested that to show that I’d come through all of those things and was now in this moment a healthy, stable, safe, option for an adoption placement, therapy would be required.

She asked me if I would consider this? Continue reading →

When I became my own best friend…

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Guest Post for Create Write Now It is such an honour to be invited to guest post on another person’s blog. It is an even greater honour when the blog is not only a site that provides heartfelt advice for … Continue reading →

Adoption – Courses – Attachment Conclusion

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Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series… ATTACHMENT IN ADOPTION Conclusion: the parts that resonated most with me. (Read Part 1 here, or Part 2 here or Part 3 here) Online course offered by AFABC Presented by Andrea Chatwin, MA, CCC … Continue reading →

Adoption – Courses – Attachment part three

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Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series… ATTACHMENT IN ADOPTION THREE-PART SERIES – Part 3 (Read Part 1 here, or Part 2 here) Online course offered by AFABC Presented by Andrea Chatwin, MA, CCC Hosted by Erin Melvin, AFABC Rider: My … Continue reading →

Time to de-clutter

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Time to De-Clutter… I attended a 3 hour yoga workshop for the root chakra on Sunday (I’ve signed up to a weekly class delving into one chakra at a time) and to begin we started with a “check in”. Our … Continue reading →

Adoption – Courses – Attachment part two

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Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series…

ATTACHMENT IN ADOPTION

THREE-PART SERIES – Part 2

Online course offered by AFABC
Presented by Andrea Chatwin, MA, CCC
Hosted by Erin Melvin, AFABC

Rider: My notes here are written as the sessions flowed for me and are about the subjects that caught my attention. These sessions and discussions were often driven by the course participants and their questions. If you are considering this course, I would recommend doing all three sessions so as not to miss out on information that might be raised by another participant and an “a-ha” moment for your situation.

Session #2

One of the things that Andrea opened with was the acknowledgement that there has been a lot of changes in the knowledge and research in the last few years by psychologists. Letting us know that while the information that we have today is the forefront of understanding it is constantly changing and we should keep up with new developments.

I was glad she mentioned this, as I often struggle with the idea of a “conclusive finding” when everything in this world is constantly changing, growing, evolving, and becoming more.

Trauma and the brain:

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Adoption – Courses – Attachment part one

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Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series…

ATTACHMENT IN ADOPTION

THREE-PART SERIES

My first online course

I attended this online three part series on Attachment, and will share my notes and thoughts with you over four posts: sessions one, two, three, and a conclusion based on what I learned most from the sessions. I hope you enjoy.

Online course offered by AFABC
Presented by Andrea Chatwin, MA, CCC
Hosted by Erin Melvin, AFABC

Rider: My notes here are written as the sessions flowed for me and are about the subjects that caught my attention. These sessions and discussions were often driven by the course participants and their questions. Because of this, if you are considering this course and are uncertain whether to complete the full series or a portion, I would recommend doing all three sessions so as not to miss out on information that might be raised by another participant and an “a-ha” moment for your situation.

Session #1

History & Behaviours

The first session was interesting and a lot of what was discussed seemed like common sense to me.

When I mentioned this very thing to a good friend of mine he pointed out to me that for many people while the information IS common sense, sometimes you have to hear it to remember it. He went on to say, that often people who know this information and even live it on a daily basis, also don’t “connect” these principles and ideas in their day-to-day lives without being reminded that they are on the right track. Very wise my friend; very true, and thank you for the reminder. 🙂

History:

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Adoption – A safe haven

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Expectant Mother – Adoption Journey Series…

Discovery Kids Castle – A safe haven

Let me start this post by saying, this year did not feel like Christmas to me. (sorry for the negative start!)

Now there may have been something in the water because many people in my town voiced this same sentiment without any prompt or comment from me first.

Several things come to mind about why this might be.

  • We had no snow this year, only rain, which made it seem more like fall or spring than winter (still does).
  • I missed the Christmas Parade this year because I was away, and the parade is always a good start to Christmas.
  • I had a cold – and so did almost everyone in my town! A cold is never a fun way to spend the holidays.

As an expectant mother now, knowing that I’m months away from approval as an adoptive parent, knowing that “this time” next year I could be a mom, made this Christmas seem like a bit of a letdown.

Sure, I’ve been on my own for a few years now so being alone at Christmas was not the issue, I actually adore time on my own and Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. I love all the glitz and sparkles and lights and trimmings. I always still put up a tree, wrap gifts for friends underneath the tree, watch terrible Christmas movies, sing Christmas songs (love Christmas music!), make a small turkey dinner with all the extras, eat Christmas cake and too many chocolates while sipping hot eggnog and rum. I adore Christmas.

And I still did all of that this year too but felt a little “ho-hum” about it.

One thing I did do that surprised me and made me feel a little excited for what is to come, was I bought my future kids a Christmas gift… Continue reading →