Therapy for Adopted Persons, Former Foster Youths, Adoptive or Foster Parents, First or Biological Parents, & More In-Person & Online Across Missouri
Support from someone who understands.
If you’ve been TOUCHED BY adoption or foster care, you know there are so many complex, deeply personal, and nuanced issues and feelings that can arise.
These can be anything from the day-to-day challenges that come along with adjusting to a new role or stage of life, to longer-term effects like grief, identity struggles, or relationship and intimacy issues. You can even feel two completely opposite things at the same time—like being simultaneously grateful for and resentful of a certain person or event—which can be confusing and hard to process.
As someone who has experienced some of these things in my own life, I get it, and want you to know that even though it might sometimes feel like it, you are not broken.
Maybe you’re…
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Being unsure of how to talk to your child about aspects of their adoption story or their past experiences
Feeling rejected by your child, irritated by their behavior, or like you’re struggling to connect with them
Your child being “difficult”, “defiant”, “disobedient”, or “manipulative”
Losing your temper with your child, or feeling they’re too needy or dependent on you for things they know how to do
Your child displaying troubling behavior like sleep issues, meltdowns, wetting themselves, or stealing or hiding food
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Wanting to seek answers about your biological family and their history, but not wanting to hurt the feelings of your adoptive parents
Feeling lost or like you don’t know who you really are
Relationship issues that you think may be connected to your childhood experiences
Memories of traumatic incidents that occurred when you were in the adoption or foster care system
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Feelings of grief and loss surrounding your child being adopted
Being unsure of how to move forward from your experience and how it has affected you
Feelings of guilt or shame
Worries about adjusting to a new stage of life or what the future holds
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Unsure how to process the results of a DNA test result
Feeling betrayed or misled by a parent or family member who kept part of your identity from you
Concerned about sharing your findings with people in your life
Feeling like you don’t know how this discovery fits into your identity, or like your whole life has been based on misinformation
My approach
Feel seen. Be heard. Know you are valued.
Families touched by adoption need sensitive, compassionate care, and a safe space to explore their stories.
That’s what I want to offer you here—along with my expertise in this kind of work and the sort of empathy that can only come from lived experience. You’ll never be judged for anything you choose to share in our sessions, and I’ll hold space for anything and everything you’re feeling. Ultimately, I want to empower you to get curious about those feelings and how they may connect to other parts of your life.
Together, we’ll work to gain insight into what’s going on and make plans for action that will improve the situation. We’ll learn about ways you can calm yourself or your child down, and how to be proactive in your own wellbeing.
All of this work will be tailored to your unique needs and strengths, because I believe each of us has within us what we need to thrive. I approach all the work I do through a trauma-informed lens, meaning I understand how major events can impact us long-term, and I’ll be sensitive to that during our time together. I’ll suggest and explain specialized methods like Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) if I feel they could be helpful in your healing journey.
Through the work we’ll do together, our aim will be that you come to know who you are, feel at peace with your past, and experience more balance and joy in your everyday life.
Through therapy, you’ll…
Have a deeper understanding of your connections
Get to the root of attachment challenges, and begin to heal from them.
Be able to heal from loss & trauma
Grieve what could have been and make peace with your past, so you can start fully experiencing life in the present.
Gain insights about the past
Learn about how your past experiences can impact and influence you in the present.
Learn to self-regulate
Have the tools to calm yourself in tense or difficult situations or emotions, and be able to function better day-to-day.
Feel closer to those you care about
Learn how to communicate and connect with the people in your life, so you can have the kind of relationships you long for.
Be able to respond, not react
Step back from interactions that may trigger you or make you feel overwhelmed, so you can respond the way you want to.
Your story is uniquely yours.
You deserve a safe place to share it.
Frequently asked questions
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I am a trained and certified Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Professional Practitioner and Educator. TBRI is a method that helps kids who've gone through traumatic experiences in their early years. It involves using science-based methods rooted in how the brain works and how we connect with others. My role is to support adults and parents by teaching strategies that help calm fears, engage with the child, and guide them in responding better to behaviors, especially in cases of adoption, trauma, or challenging family situations.
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The adoption process can look different for each individual, and some certainly experience things that can leave them traumatized—whether they’re the adopter or adoptee. It’s crucial to have support to navigate these feelings and understand how they impact your life, even if you’re revisiting them years later.
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Dealing with an identity crisis can involve self-reflection, exploring your values, and seeking support, all of which can be done in a safe, contained environment through therapy. It's about understanding yourself better and finding what truly matters to you.