Megan Bresnahan: Sensory Processing and Adoptees with Disabilities

Dr. Maria Kroupina, a pediatric psychologist at the Adoption Medicine Clinic at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Birth to Three Program and the Early Child Mental Health Program, discusses her role in promoting positive mental health outcomes for adoptees. She describes the history of the Adoption Medicine Clinic and the research and clinical work conducted by their team. She outlines her own role in supporting parents to provide a buffering relationship for their children as they encounter and cope with stressors. In discussing the interdisciplinary work at the clinic, she highlights the role of attachment and specific intervention approaches used by their team to support children following early experiences of abuse and neglect. For more information and a transcript visit emilyhelder.com

12 Loka 202028min

Dr. Elsbeth Neil discusses the losses that children often experience in the context of adoption and the ways that continued contact with birth family & foster carers as well as policies around residential moves can mitigate or assist in coping with loss. Dr. Neil presents a number of helpful suggestions for adoptees and parents seeking to navigate open adoption. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

5 Loka 202031min

Dr. Rachael Clemens discusses her research, which uses an information science lens to more deeply understand the experience of first or birth mothers both before and after they make the decision to relinquish their child. She highlights the information and resources that first/birth mothers sought and areas where mothers felt support was lacking. Her research describes the navigation of complex relationships in open adoptions from the first/birth mother perspective and themes of trust, power, vulnerability, and envisioning future possible selves. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

28 Syys 202026min

Sebilu Bodja, MPA & Kristi Gleason, LMSW, outline Ethiopia's transition from being a sending country for international adoptions toward developing and prioritizing domestic foster care and adoption programs. They highlight ways that Bethany Christian Services has worked in partnership with the Ethiopian government and local communities to establish policies promoting family-based care, expand the social work workforce, and move towards deinstitutionalization of children previously cared for in orphanages. They identify ways that, historically, funding from NGOs, churches, and individuals may have inadvertently led to proliferation of institutional care and provide suggestions for ways to direct funds and volunteer efforts to promote family-based care for vulnerable children globally. For a transcript and more information visit https://emilyhelder.com

14 Syys 202045min

Francine Fishman, LCSW, discusses what it means for educators and schools to create a culturally responsive classroom for adopted students. She provides lessons learned from her own work in training teachers and working with students and shares practical resources for schools. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

7 Syys 202030min

Judith Eckerle, MD the Director of the Adoption Medicine Clinic at the University of Minnesota, discusses the adoption of children with disabilities and medical conditions. She outlines trends in adoption, pre-adoption preparation for families, and the evaluation and support of children, highlighting the innovative interdisciplinary team model utilized at the Adoption Medicine Clinic. For a transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

27 Elo 202017min

The co-editors of the Routledge Handbook of Adoption discuss how they came to be working together and their main goals in putting together the Handbook. They preview the sections of the Handbook and the topics that are included, ending with a discussion of the intended audiences for the Handbook. For transcript and more information visit emilyhelder.com

25 Elo 202014min