Adoption Therapists in 19145
When life feels messy, out-of-control, even unbearable, it's easy to forget that the human experience is inherently a messy one. Much of the mess is our best attempts at functioning under a deeply flawed and oppressive system. If you seek to understand yourself and your relationships to people and systems around you, to grow and heal, and to explore being human, I would love to share this experience with you. I work with individuals, couples, and families struggling with challenges such as individual/generational trauma, sex/intimacy, adoption/fostering, interracial couples/families, ADHD/Autism, and LGBTQIA+ challenges.
When life feels messy, out-of-control, even unbearable, it's easy to forget that the human experience is inherently a messy one. Much of the mess is our best attempts at functioning under a deeply flawed and oppressive system. If you seek to understand yourself and your relationships to people and systems around you, to grow and heal, and to explore being human, I would love to share this experience with you. I work with individuals, couples, and families struggling with challenges such as individual/generational trauma, sex/intimacy, adoption/fostering, interracial couples/families, ADHD/Autism, and LGBTQIA+ challenges.
Jade Autumn
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified Verified
4 Endorsed
Philadelphia, PA 19145 (Online Only)
I am passionate about and experienced in working with students, young adults, children and families of foster-care and/or adoption, as well as refugees and immigrants of all ages.
I think we can all agree, life is hard! The most honest and challenging thing we can do when the demands of life outweigh our capacity to cope is to reach out for support. Kudos to you for embarking on this brave (and potentially daunting) journey! Needing support does not mean you are weak or broken; it simply shows you're human. As your therapist, my aim is to create a secure and comforting environment where you can be your authentic self. I deeply value the therapeutic benefits of laughter, which I use in sessions to alleviate fears and foster a sense of safety and trust.
I am passionate about and experienced in working with students, young adults, children and families of foster-care and/or adoption, as well as refugees and immigrants of all ages.
I think we can all agree, life is hard! The most honest and challenging thing we can do when the demands of life outweigh our capacity to cope is to reach out for support. Kudos to you for embarking on this brave (and potentially daunting) journey! Needing support does not mean you are weak or broken; it simply shows you're human. As your therapist, my aim is to create a secure and comforting environment where you can be your authentic self. I deeply value the therapeutic benefits of laughter, which I use in sessions to alleviate fears and foster a sense of safety and trust.
Are you struggling to feel understood in relationships, at work, or in other areas of your life? Does anxiety hold you back? Are you looking for help with communication, emotion regulation, or completing tasks? I believe that therapy works best when the therapist provides empathy, supportive guidance, and the environment needed in order for you to feel safe working through challenges and being vulnerable at times. I balance providing helpful in-the-moment strategies for coping, managing anxiety, etc with deeper work exploring the possible roots of the issues. For those who struggle with sleep, I offer CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I).
Are you struggling to feel understood in relationships, at work, or in other areas of your life? Does anxiety hold you back? Are you looking for help with communication, emotion regulation, or completing tasks? I believe that therapy works best when the therapist provides empathy, supportive guidance, and the environment needed in order for you to feel safe working through challenges and being vulnerable at times. I balance providing helpful in-the-moment strategies for coping, managing anxiety, etc with deeper work exploring the possible roots of the issues. For those who struggle with sleep, I offer CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I).
Dr. Rachael Kerns
Psychologist, PsyD
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Philadelphia, PA 19145
Waitlist for new clients
Today you are one step closer to a new you where you feel empowered and on a positive path to growth and well-being. As a psychologist, my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. Through collaboration, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
Today you are one step closer to a new you where you feel empowered and on a positive path to growth and well-being. As a psychologist, my goal is to help you uncover your true potential and lead a life that is worth celebrating. While we can't change difficult situations of the past, we can work together to better understand and resolve challenges in your life. Through collaboration, we will unearth long-standing behavior patterns or negative perceptions that may be holding you back from experiencing a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
See more therapy options for 19145
Adoption Therapists
Does my adopted child need therapy?
Not every adopted child needs therapy. However, many can benefit from seeing an adoption-informed therapist, especially if they were victims of abuse or neglect, appear withdrawn or disconnected, have behavioral or developmental issues (which may or may not be related to their adoption), are struggling with feelings of grief or loss surrounding their birth parents, or find it difficult to establish an identity, a challenge that often becomes most apparent during adolescence.
When should adoptive parents seek therapy?
Prospective parents can benefit from therapy even before an adoption—for example, to voice worries and fears; to reconcile infertility struggles, if relevant; or simply to prepare themselves for parenthood. After the adoption, parents who are struggling to bond with their child; are unsure how to talk about adoption or related issues, such as race; or whose child is dealing with developmental, behavioral, or psychiatric concerns can address these and other issues with the help of an adoption-competent therapist.
Is family therapy appropriate for adoptive families?
Family therapy can be invaluable for strengthening the bond between adoptive parents and children, helping the latter feel more secure in their place in the family. Family therapy can also help adoptive families navigate complex communication issues—for example, parents who feel uncomfortable discussing race with their child, who in turn feels invalidated by their silence, or a child who has questions about his birth parents but avoids asking them out of fear of hurting his adoptive parents’ feelings.
What therapy is not appropriate for adoption issues?
A discredited therapy known as “attachment therapy” (sometimes called “holding therapy” or “rebirthing therapy”) should not be used to treat adopted and foster children, though it was largely designed for this population. Attachment therapy involves restraining, coercing, and punishing the child in order for them to “release” negative emotions and attach to their new caregivers—techniques that are abusive and dangerous and have even proven fatal in some cases.