Working with Adoptive and Foster Families

Many therapists experience working with adoptive families, but few have learned the complexity of these family dynamics. The goal of this two hour course is to develop a base of adoption competence.  Education on the seven core issues in adoptive families and knowledge of the life cycle challenges will help you prepare for your cases. Participants will be able to identify themes in foster-care youth, understand the layers of loss and trauma which impact trusting others, and the risk factors of their life. Statistics regarding the cultural considerations, common diagnosis in this population and vignettes will follow the evolution of a case.  Completing our task by sharing parent communication strategies, will help your clients build secure family attachments and develop positive self-esteem in a safe environment.

Educational Learning Objectives

-Identify 7 core issues of adoption

-List issues in foster youth including ACEs, struggles after foster youth, and triggers 

-Name the life cycle challenges of adoption 

-List statistics on cultural implications of foster youth 

-Teach parenting strategies to foster parents for their adoptive or foster child 

BIO:

Hillary Wilson, MA, LMFT, has been a licensed marriage and family therapist since 1999. She has worked in the field of adoptions for over 30 years. Her experience ranges from adoption agency work to leading adoption groups and offering parent education. Hillary established her private practice 21 years ago in the Torrance -Palos Verdes area. She enjoys working with whole families in a family systems approach with cognitive behavioral therapy and solution focused techniques to guide their progress. She works with individuals, teens, adoptive and divorced families. Hillary is also the proud mother of two young men. In addition, Hillary is an adult adoptee and therefore, understands adoption personally and professionally.