This newsletter has quite a bit of bad news; please, give yourself some time to read and process it all and maybe have a cuppa while you do.
⚠️ Adoptee Rights Law Center issued an advisory recommending that intercountry adoptees not fly domestically without a passport. You can read it here: https://adopteerightslaw.com/advisory-do-not-fly/ Greg Luce is not an alarmist. I have listened to him talk about adoptee rights for years.
I want to highlight a heartbreaking news story, not for shock and awe, but to be sure that we recognize the red flags. If parents had told me they had been reading a Nancy Thomas book, an alarm bell might not have gone off. However, familiarity with the dangerous ideas out there is important to protect my clients.
The headline says Couple will spend decades in prison for torture, murder of 4-year-old Skyler Wilson. In the article, we learn "the Wilsons had instituted disciplinary practices they learned through books related to alternative parenting practices for raising adopted children". Through Medium, I learned "The warrants revealed that the parents had been using parenting advice from Nancy Thomas, a woman who has no licensure in childhood therapy but advertises herself as a 'professional therapeutic parent'" and found a link to the archive of her webpage. (I would guess it was taken down after she was linked to this case.) Medium also included "Medical professionals have debunked and denounced attachment therapy and holding therapy."
The stuff in Nancy's books has been denounced for years. In fact Connell Watkins, the therapist Nancy learned from and worked with, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the death of 10-year-old adoptee Candace Newmaker during rebirthing therapy (now banned and condemned). Even Amazon reviews call out the abuse (https://amzn.to/4yKuY3N and https://amzn.to/4bdUEM5) although I am not surprised that plenty of positive reviews also exist. I am more concerned that the book is still being sold. If you really want to go down the rabbit hole with this one, check out BornN2Rage | The Disturbing Truth.
⚠️ Other ideas associated with Nancy Thomas include triggering rage, holding therapy, rage reduction, rebirthing, power sitting, swaddling, Evergreen, and Attachment Therapy. It is important that we stay critical. Some of what can be found about this orientation may even sound good. It is important to ask follow up questions and get second opinions.
I don't highlight every case of adoptee filicide or abuse, but I am going to also mention the annihilation of the Karolkiewicz family in Michigan, which included two girls adopted from China. This has been a big case that your clients may know about. We would like to believe that home studies would protect children from situations of abuse and death, but too often this is not true.
My time working in an agency made it clear that too often the thought process is the short-sighted idea that any home in America is better than an orphanage children's home (while orphanage is a word used in the US it can be offensive in the rest of the world; children's home is the more acceptable term, but not the one used in this context). Just understanding the many transitions and adjustments included in intercountry adoption, this cannot be a simple comparison.
While this may be an alarming case, many adoptees have felt parents were not appropriately vetted before adoption. All parents are human and will make mistakes. When working with adult adoptees, the emotions I've seen range from disappointment in parents who were unable to meet their needs due to lack of education and being able to put themselves in their child's shoes to anger that they were placed with abusive parents. I personally believe adoptive parenting is AP parenting, just like in high school you could take chemistry or AP chemistry. It is going to take more and not everyone is up to the challenge. Because there is always some trauma that occurs before adoption, things that might not be as impactful to biological children can be harder for children who have been adopted.
While some are asking if the agency will be held to account for approval of this, I would be surprised if anything happens. Could their license be revoked, perhaps, but I don't know that it will be. Unless Amanda Karolkiewicz's family sues the agency, probably nothing will happen. In 2023, a South Korean court ordered Holt to pay Adam Crapser 100 million won for "manipulating his paperwork to describe him as an orphan despite the existence of a known birth mother, exposing him to abusive adoptive parents by botching background checks and not following up on whether he obtained U.S. citizenship." But by 2025 the ruling had been overturned. It makes sense why adoptees feel devalued, betrayed, and unprotected.
🇬🇹 I was surprised to learn that Guatemala has announced the intention to re-start intercountry adoptions in 2027. I have lots of thoughts and questions, but I don't know that they are clinically helpful, so I will just share Maureen McCauley's summary. I will be watching this carefully as it is counter to the trend towards the end of intercountry adoption.
House Bill 301 takes effect in VA, ending 50 years of limits on adoptee birth records
MSN
Moms of Black Babies More Likely to Be Flagged to Police Over Alleged Pregnancy Drug Use
The Marshall Project
It was 'love at first sight' with their adopted baby. Then they were told he may have been trafficked
BBC
Indonesia sentences leader of baby-trafficking ring to seven years' jail
ABC News (AU)
Stateless in Her Birthplace: Vanessa Miles’ Fight to Reclaim Her Taiwanese Citizenship
Commonwealth Magazine
How Korea's birth mothers are exposing the hidden cost of overseas adoption
The Korea Times
California Lawmakers Reach Deal to Help Adoptive Children Returning from Out-of-State Facilities
The Imprint
Local woman reunites with biological family in Moldova after being kidnapped at birth
East Idaho News
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, a True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins by Barbara Demick is another excellent adoption book written by a journalist. It is focused on the separation, search, and reunion of twin girls born in China. It provides good background on China's one-child policy and the impact it had on families.
As clinicians working with Chinese adoptees, it is an important read. The one-child policy changed through the years and understanding the enforcement and implications for our clients' early experiences. It is also a good read regarding beliefs and actualities about international adoption and the experience of reunion after intercountry adoption.
“Remarkable . . . Barbara Demick movingly traces this history of overseas Chinese adoptions and their ripple effects on both sides of the Pacific.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Excellent . . . entrancing and disturbing . . . [Demick] is one of our finest chroniclers of East Asia. . . . [Her] characters are richly drawn, and her stories, often reported over a span of years, deliver a rare emotional wallop.”—The New York Times
For more recommendations, check out my (affiliate) Amazon Storefront
At what point does learning Brainspotting become less about collecting pointers and more about Attuning to the client's NeuroExperience? It is what we are going to talk about during Brain Unblocked LIVE, a free LIVE podcast series with six conversations designed to help you start thinking in Brainspotting.
- The Women Therapy Leaves Behind — What Brainspotting can teach us about serving Black American women who move abroad.
- Beyond the Trip — The surprising lessons Brainspotting has to offer psychedelic integration.
- When Support Mirrors Grooming — Rethinking human trafficking through a Brainspotting lens.
🎟️ Your free spot is: https://brainunblocked.com/?afmc=brooke#register
But if you decide to upgrade to the Brain Unblocked LIVE VIP Pass, 100% of the profits will be donated to Brainspotting Oceania to support the continued growth of Brainspotting around the world. Plus you get
- Lifetime access to interviews
- Group Brainspotting Top Tips Q&A Workshop - kickstart your group brainspotting practice with 3 key ingredients
- The “What’s My Problem” GPT to quickly scan through your notebook of group ideas to pick the one you should focus on first
- Discounts on multiple BSP Specialty Workshops like exclusive access to codes for $100 off trainings, $200 off amazing specialty workshops happening in 2027, and MORE!
Even if you haven't trained in Brainspotting yet, we would love for you to join us and find out what Brainspotting is really about - for free.
Hosted by FindSelf Counseling, and Kathryn Perkins (Katy Perkins Coveney), LCSW-S
Thursday, October 22-Sunday, October 25
The experience of being separated from original family is an isolating one. Left alone with thoughts unexpressed, it's hard to 'be ourselves' if we're not sure who that is, and limits our ability to freely explore our feelings in relative safety*.
This retreat is meant to be an opportunity for people who have experienced family separation trauma to reflect, heal, and participate in deliberate community with others who share a core experience. Adults who were adopted as children and/or who experienced foster care are welcome. Connect with other like minded folks, deepen your self care skills, learn new ways to express yourself, and have fun. You're also welcome to just not think about it for a bit!
Looking for comprehensive, clinical adoption training? Early bird registration ends July 31! Our Adoption Therapy: An Introduction to Competency Working with the Adoption Constellation workshop is built to completely reframe how clinicians approach adoption-informed care.
Did you know that only 8.14% of adoptees rate their therapist as adoption-competent? Dr. Abby Hasberry and I built this training specifically to move that number and equip clinicians with the deep, nuanced insights needed to truly support the adoption constellation.
We'll cover the full constellation — first parents, adoptees, adoptive parents, and those impacted by foster care — alongside neurodevelopment, diagnosis and conceptualization, research, systems, racism, and adoption history.
To support systemic equity and continuing education access for clinicians within the community, an Access & Inclusion Rate is available for all adoptee and first-parent therapists.
✅ 14 CEs (including ethics hours!)
📆 January 20-21, 2027
Learn more and secure your early bird spot here: https://brooke-randolph.com/consultation-training/adoption-competency-training/
Seeking Research Participants
To participate, you must be 18 years or older, be adopted, and have underwent residential treatment in the Troubled Teen Industry as a teenager.
For adopted women who relinquished children
Ferrari, L., Koumantakis, E., Ranieri, S. et al. Life satisfaction of adopted and non-adopted adolescents in four European countries. Sci Rep 15, 16312 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00771-3
Abstract
Adoptees, a group of children consistently shown to be at higher risk of psychosocial difficulties, face particular challenges during adolescence. However, few studies address the well-being of adopted adolescents, and cross-cultural comparisons are rarely reported. The present study assessed the life satisfaction of internationally adopted and non-adopted adolescents living in four European countries. An overall sample of 776 adolescents completed self-report questionnaires. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression models were performed to investigate the association between adoption status and life satisfaction. Adoptees were found at higher risk for low life satisfaction across countries compared to their non-adopted peers (OR = 5.73, 95%CI 2.70-12.16). Friend support was a protective factor, while poor communication with parents was a risk factor for low life satisfaction in both groups. Our findings highlighted the importance of promoting family and social relationships to support the well-being of adopted and non-adopted adolescents in diverse European countries.
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Cases-Solé R, Varillas-Delgado D, Astals-Vizcaino M ...Potential impact of an osteopathic intervention for internationally adopted children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD); a prospective case seriesInternational Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 2025; 57 (full text)
ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the potential impact of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) on internationally adopted children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Methods: Twelve children with FASD adopted from Eastern European countries were recruited in this prospective observational study. HRQoL was collected using the Kidscreen-52 questionnaire. The participants followed a six-month intervention plan that included 4 bi-weekly OMT sessions and 4 monthly OMT sessions.
Results: Significant differences were detected in the pre-post intervention values (p = 0.001), interaction by group (p = 0.048), in the results of four dimensions (Moods & Emotions, p = 0.008, Self-Perception, p = 0.016, School Environment, p = 0.008 and Social Acceptance, p = 0.017) and in the overall assessment for parents’ version (p = 0.002). A mild adverse effect (pain/discomfort) was reported by one participant (8.3 % of the total sample) after one session.
Conclusion: This study shows that a six-month OMT intervention is a feasible personalized intervention for children and adolescents with FASD coming from international adoption. The study suggests that measuring instruments can detect changes in HRQoL over time, pointing out the need to develop a specific HRQoL assessment instrument for children with FASD to be applied in future studies. Even though promising significant changes were observed, these were most likely not only due to OMT, and further studies are required before assuming these could be due to osteopathic care.
—
Carrera, P., Miller, L. C., Palacios, J., & Román, M. (2025). Psychosocial, neurocognitive, and physical development in Eastern European adopted adolescents with and without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Alcohol, clinical & experimental research, 49(6), 1248–1262. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.70068
ABSTRACT
Background: Most internationally adopted individuals have been exposed to an array of developmental risk factors, including early institutionalization and other adverse experiences. Adopted children from Eastern Europe tend to show worse neurodevelopmental outcomes than adopted individuals from other areas of origin. Previous studies have shown a high incidence of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among this population, a factor that may explain some of their complex needs. However, direct comparisons of adoptees (from Eastern Europe or elsewhere) with and without FASD have not been previously reported.
Method: In this study, we compared 69 internationally adopted adolescents with and without FASD and 30 community adolescents in their degree of physical growth, neurobehavioral impairment, psychosocial, and neurocognitive function using standardized assessments including both parent-reported questionnaires and performance tests. The presence of FASD or prenatal alcohol exposure was collected via parent reports.
Results: Fourteen adopted adolescents (20.3% of the adopted sample) had FASD, whereas 55 adopted adolescents did not. Adopted adolescents in the FASD group showed more difficulties in several domains of psychosocial adjustment and cognitive development and lower head circumferences, compared with adopted adolescents without FASD and community adolescents, whereas in a few other areas, the pattern was less clear-cut. Adopted adolescents without FASD also presented difficulties, although to a lesser degree.
Conclusions: Adopted adolescents with FASD showed a complex profile of deficits in social communication, certain neurocognitive areas (particularly in working memory and language), and self-regulation. However, given that internationally adopted individuals have been exposed to an array of developmental risk factors for neurodevelopment, caution is needed before assuming that the difficulties observed in adoptees from Eastern Europe derive exclusively from prenatal alcohol exposure.
Neuroaffirming Brainspotting Training for Adoption-Competent Therapists
Elevate your clinical toolkit with a brain-based modality beautifully suited for the nuanced layers of adoption work. Our upcoming Phase 1 Brainspotting Training is fully online, explicitly neuroaffirming, and features a flexible schedule tailored for working parents and professionals. Because Brainspotting bypasses the limitations of traditional talk therapy, it allows clients to safely access and process deep-seated developmental trauma and attachment wounds. Expand your specialized practice and meet your professional goals this August. https://brooke-randolph.com/consultation-training/brainspotting-training/brainspotting-phase-1-training/
Come see Me
NAAP announced they will host a conference in Indianapolis, so of course I will be there. Let me know if you're coming! April 22–24, 2027
Call for Proposals opens July 30, 2026 - Due September 8, 2026.
Registration opens November 2026. http://bit.ly/4vWxxNu
Chinese Heritage Camp
Camp Dates: September 4-7, 2026
Registration opens January 15, 2026 and Closes August 4, 2026
Location: YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch
On-Demand Webinar Replay
Events to Note
For Educators & Therapists
September 17-18 Building Resilient Communities for Children Conference by ATN (keynote Bruce Perry)
For Therapists
August 20 Brain Unblocked Live with Brooke Randolph by Carolyn Robistow
January 20-21 Intro to Adoption Therapy with Dr. Abby Hasberry & Brooke Randolph
January 20-22 Brainspotting with Adoption specialty workshop with Brooke Randolph
For Therapists & Parents
August 5 They Are Not Invisible™: Seeing, Supporting, and Empowering Adopted Boys with Dr Adam Anthony by CASE
April 8-10 ATTACh conference, Virginia Beach (proposals accepted through August 15)
First Thursdays PDA 101
For Adoptive Families
November 13-15 UMOJA, Green Lake, Wisconsin
For Foster/Adoptive Parents
September 27-30 "Road Trip" for Dads, Colorado
September-November Conscious Adoption: Transracial Parenting by Adoption Mosaic
November 18 Home for the Holidays? Navigating Adoption Emotions and the Holiday Season with Tony Hynes by CASE
Monthly meetings Parenting through Disconnection by BPAR
Every other Sunday (additional groups to be scheduled) Adoption/Foster + PDA Support Group by PDANA
Wednesday’s 1:30 PST Zoom Support Group from Fostering Unity
Wednesday’s 6:30 EST Weekly Parent Self-Care from AFFCNY
3rd Tuesdays Adoptive & Foster Parent Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
3rd Tuesdays Helping Children Heal from Sexual Abuse from AFFCNY
3rd Thursdays Transracial Adoptive Parent Support Group by Adoption Network Cleveland and Transracial Journeys
3rd Friday’s Single Parent Support Circle from AFFCNY
Fourth Wednesday’s Parents of Young (ages 4-7) Adoptees Group online from Boston Post Adoption Resources
Monthly Parents of Kids (ages 8-10) Adoptee Group online from Boston Post Adoption Resources
Monthly Parents of Teen Adoptees Group online from Boston Post Adoption Resources
Monthly Dad Squad online peer support from AFFCNY
Monthly Single Parents of Adoptees Group online from Boston Post Adoption Resources
in person trainings available from Adoption Network Cleveland
Monthly Foster the Family Support Group meetings live in more than 20 cities
For the Constellation
September 11-13 Adoption: The Making of Me, Minneapolis
September 12 The Constellation: Doing the Work We The Experts by Adoption Mosaic
September 14 Big Feeling Days with Zoe Hansen-DiBello by ANC
September 21 The Power of Belonging: 39 Years of ANC with Betsie Norris
September 26 Rhonda Roorda Author Talk & Book Signing, Cleveland
October 10 Native Adoptees We The Experts by Adoption Mosaic
October 21-22 Families Rising conference
November 6-7 Adoption Knowledge Affiliates virtual conference
November 13-15 Celia Center Arts Festival, Venice, California
November 14 Reunion & Death We The Experts by Adoption Mosaic
December 12 Adoptees & ADHD We The Experts by Adoption Mosaic
April 22–24 NAAP Conference, Indianapolis (proposals accepted through September 8)
Mondays Better Together Group by Adoption Mosaic
Every Tuesday Addiction & Adoption Constellation Support Group by Celia Center
Every Friday National Association of Adoptees and Parents Happy Hour
1st Tuesdays DNA Discovery Support Group by Adoption Network Cleveland
2nd Sundays Constellation group by CUB
2nd Thursdays DNA Discoveries Peer Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
3rd Thursdays online Search and Reunion Group by Boston Post Adoption Resources
4th Thursdays Migrating Toward Wholeness: Rewriting Adoption Narratives in the Constellation with Liz DeBetta by NAAP
For Children & Teens
Every other Thursday Teen Adopt Connect support group with Lesli Johnson and Angela Gee
1st Tuesdays Adoptee Group for Kids Ages 8-10 (online) from Boston Post Adoption Resources
2nd Tuesdays Tween Adoptee Group for Ages 11-12 (online) from Boston Post Adoption Resources
3rd Tuesdays Teen Adoptee Group age 13-15 (online) from Boston Post Adoption Resources
4th Tuesday’s Teen Adoptee Group age 16-18 (online) from Bost Post Adoption Resources
Virtual AdopTween meetings
For Adoptees
August 11-2027 Men's Adoptee Support Group by Adoption Mosaic
August - December Migrating Towards Wholeness small group by Dr Liz DeBetta
September 20 Erased Narratives Storytelling by BIPOC Adoptees, NYC
October 8-12 Hiraeth Hope & Healing Gathering, Massachusetts
April 22-26 Hiraeth Hope & Healing Gathering, Jersey Shore (accepting proposals through May 16)
July 9-11 Hygge, Harmony & Hedgehogs Wellness Weekend
September 11-13 Adoption: The Making of Me live weekend, Minneapolis
October 22-25 FindSelf Retreat for Adult Adoptees by Katy Perkins Coveney
Periodic Mondays Adoptee Processing Group with Katy Perkins Coveney
1st Mondays In-person Adoptee Peer Support Group by AKA, South Austin
1st Monday’s Adult Adoptee Group (online) from Boston Post Adoption Resources
1st Thursday Estrangement Peer Support Group by AKA
1st Thursday Adoptee Support Group with Marie Dolfi
1st Friday Adoptee Peer Support Group by AKA
2nd Monday In-person Women Adoptees Peer Support Group by AKA, North Austin
2nd Tuesdays Transnational Adoptee Support Group by Adoption Network Cleveland
2nd & 4th Fridays By Us For Us Young Adults Adoptees of Color Community Connections with Angela Gee and Robyn Park
Every other Tuesday Adoptee Paths to Recovery addiction support group by NAAP
Bimonthly LGBTQ Adult Adoptee Support Group by Boston Post Adoption Resources
Bimonthly People of Color Adult Adoptee Support Group by Boston Post Adoption Resources
3rd Wednesdays Men’s Adoptee Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
3rd Wednesdays Adult Adoptee Only Support Group by Celia Center
3rd Wednesdays Professional Adoptees Networking by AFFCNY
4th Tuesdays Intersecting Identities: Adopted persons who are (or who identify as) Autistic, ADHD, and/or otherwise neurodivergent by Jenna Cacciola & Jodi Moore
4th Thursdays Multicultural Adoptee Women’s Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
Final Tuesdays Women Adoptee Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
Final Thursdays Adoptees United community talk
Monthly College/University Adoptee Virtual Group details through DM
Enneagram for Adoptees virtual group for ages 25+ by Adoption Connection
Adoptees Connect groups can be found globally
For Birth Parents
October 9-10 CUB Retreat, Seattle
18th of each month Birth First Parents Only Support Group by Celia Center
1st Sundays Birthparent Book Club by On Your Feet Foundation
1st Tuesdays Birthmoms Connect support call from On Your Feet Foundation
1st Wednesdays Birth Mother Support Group by Adoption Network Cleveland
2nd Tuesdays Birth/First Parent Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
2nd Thursdays Birthmoms Connect support call from On Your Feet Foundation
3rd Wednesdays Navigating Closed/Reunion Adoption support call from On Your Feet Foundation
3rd Saturday CUB Support Group via Zoom
3rd Sunday CUB Monthly Writer’s Group
4th Mondays Birth/First Parent Peer Support Group by Adoption Knowledge Affiliates
4th Tuesdays Birthmoms Connect support call from On Your Feet Foundation
On Your Feet Foundation has monthly support calls available
Concerned United Birthparents message boards
Immigration Resources
Since not all sources agree on some points, it is a good idea to read several. Below are just a few related to adoptees specifically.
Key features of the app include:
- One-click emergency alerts via SMS to pre-selected contacts
- Personalized emergency plans for childcare, medical needs, legal support, and more
- Option to share key information with National Immigration Legal Response Alliance (NILRA) if faced with arrest, a national network of pro bono immigration attorneys
- Currently available in six languages: English, Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Haitian Kreyol, and French
Unlike paper or PDF-based emergency plans, ReadyNow! is built for real-time response. If users have a run-in with ICE, they simply press the big red alert button and ReadyNow! will send out those emergency messages via SMS to pre-assigned contacts. All data is encrypted, stored only on the user’s device, not on the Cloud, and deleted after an alert is sent—preventing access by ICE if the phone is seized.
Adoptees United’s Citizenship Clinic assists intercountry adopted people with US citizenship or immigration issues. The clinic’s services include legal screenings, consultation and advice about legal options, and legal representation to secure a Certificate of Citizenship or, if needed, a Certificate of Naturalization.
Adoptee Citizenship Flow Chart
please click on image to enlarge
This website collects community-submitted information about possible ICE activity to help inform the public and raise awareness. All reports are reviewed by a moderator team before appearing on the map and the map is cleared at the end of each day.
Info About Proving Citizenship for Adoptees and Adoptive Parents: Be Informed, Be in Community
by Maureen McCauley
AFFCNY has put together two really thorough lists of resources. The Immigration Resources pictured below includes a listing of several legal resources and other information. The Citizenship Resource for Intercountry Adoptees resources is also full of very helpful links. They have also invited Greg Luce to be a Keynote for their May conference.
What To Say to Kids About ICE
with downloadable PDF
For Kids: What to Do If You're Worried About ICE
with downloadable PDF
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/know-your-rights-4-immigrants/id6740367633
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nakasec.chunk&hl=en_US
Is Your Citizenship Status Correct?
The Ties Program
Emergency Hotline:
NAKASEC also has a 24/7 hotline, where you can call and receive live confidential assistance in English or Korean. If you or someone you love is confronted by police/ICE/CBP or has been detained, you can call 1 844 500 3222 for immediate support. For non-emergency calls, such as requesting help determining your immigration status, please contact legal@adoptees4justice.org.
Thank you for your commitment to practicing excellence!
Brooke Randolph, LMHC, LIMHP, LPC, LPCC-S
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