IN-PERSON & ONLINE COUNSELING IN NEWBURY PARK & ACROSS CA

Support to help you navigate the unique journey of adoption.

Learn how to honor every story—yours, your child's, and the one you're creating together.

Adoption has lasting impacts on everyone involved.

Maybe you’re here because…

Adoptive Parents

  • Your child’s behavior is increasingly challenging, and you’re out of ideas on what to do next.

  • You notice your child pushing you away, no matter how much love and support you offer.

  • The stress is affecting your whole family, and it’s hard to hold everything together.

  • You’re losing your patience more than you’d like, and it’s frustrating to feel so out of control.

  • You want to help your child heal from their trauma but don’t know where to start.

  • The things that worked with your other kids—or how you were raised—just aren’t working here, and you’re not sure what to do.

Adoptee teens & adults

  • You don’t know why relationships feel so hard or why you keep pulling away from people.

  • Anxiety or depression makes it difficult to feel like yourself.

  • It’s hard to understand your emotions or make sense of them.

  • You don’t feel like you belong anywhere or fit in.

  • You feel anger toward your adoptive parents and the weight of being treated as a “project” instead of just a person.

  • You’re searching for a sense of identity and belonging.

You're likely looking to make sense of what this experience means for you.

Maybe you want to understand why certain feelings keep showing up, or just trying to figure out how to feel more connected to yourself and the people you care about. We want you to find peace and get to the heart of what’s going on—all while working to build stronger relationships along the way.

Sometimes the road to connection is full of detours.

HOW WE CAN HELP

We believe adoptive families deserve compassionate support and a safe, understanding space to share their stories.

For parents, our therapists will help you understand your child’s behaviors through the lens of neuroscience. Often, what looks like defiance or manipulation is actually your child’s brain responding to stress, trauma, or unmet needs. When you begin to see these behaviors as survival instincts, the focus can shift from punishment to curiosity and understanding. From there, we guide you with practical tools to help your child feel safe, calm, and understood—because when they feel that kind of support, they can begin to grow and thrive.

For teens and adult adoptees, we focus on the grief and loss that often come with adoption. Being separated from biological parents—regardless of age—is a profound trauma, and for many, that’s layered with experiences in foster care or orphanages. These wounds can affect emotions, relationships, and the way you move through the world. We use approaches like attachment-focused EMDR and parts work to help you process that pain, work through struggles with emotions, and create stronger, healthier connections. 

No matter where you’re at in this process—and whatever you’re feeling—we’re here to support you with care, understanding, and tools that really work.

Specialized therapy for adoption can help you…

Develop more kindness and understanding toward yourself and others.

Find easier ways to handle stressful moments and feel more in control.

Make sense of difficult emotions or behaviors that don’t always seem to have an explanation.

Get a clearer sense of who you are and feel more confident in yourself.

We know that when adoption or foster care has been a part of your life, complex and deeply personal emotions come with it. That’s why we pride ourselves on being therapists who understand not only where you’re coming from but where you can go from here. Therapy can support you in these unique challenges and pave the way for more fulfilling relationships, personal understanding, and peace with the past. 

Therapists who can help

As a team, we’re experienced in helping individuals and families through the complexities of adoption and foster care. We’re confident in our ability to help you navigate the emotional terrain that comes along this journey. 

Unpack your emotions. Embrace your identity. Build stronger connections.

FAQS

Frequently asked questions

  • Therapy can help adoptive parents understand the challenges their children might face, including attachment issues, trauma, and identity development. We can work with you to develop effective parenting strategies, create a supportive home environment, and address any concerns that arise in your relationship with your child.

  • Absolutely. Even with limited information, therapy can help you explore how the unknowns have shaped your life and identity. Together, we can work on finding clarity, acceptance, and a deeper understanding of yourself, regardless of the details of your adoption story.

  • Yes, therapy can provide a safe space to explore your identity and the unique experiences of being adopted. You could have questions about who you are, feelings of not belonging, or navigating complex emotions related to adoption—whatever you’re experiencing, we’re here to support you in understanding and embracing your story.

  • Grief and loss are common experiences for adoptees, even if they aren’t always acknowledged. Therapy can help you process these emotions, make sense of their impact on your life, and find ways to honor your feelings while building a sense of peace and self-acceptance.