Emotional regulation is an unconscious act for many of us. When emotionally regulated, we often feel calm, connected and safe within ourselves and with the world in general. While life may not be ‘perfect’, our sense is one of hope. We are alive in the present moment. When we become unregulated, we move out of this calm, connected, … Continue reading Regulation and the adoptive parent
Attachment and the adoptive parent
Many adoptive parents understand the term attachment as it relates to their children. Many of us – myself included – will not have heard this term until we attended adoption preparation training. I remember listening to a 2-hour session on attachment theory and thinking I wanted to adopt a ‘secure’ child (as I write this today I … Continue reading Attachment and the adoptive parent
Bonding and Attachment
A week or so back I was invited to speak about my research into adoptive parent mental health with Al and Scott who run the Adoption & Fostering podcast. It was a great opportunity to be able to talk about some of the real challenges that adopters face. A link to the podcast is attached below. During the … Continue reading Bonding and Attachment
Research results
My recent research focused on the mental health needs of adoptive parents, based on their ‘lived experiences’. It then proposed a framework of interventions that may be used by adoptive parents to support their mental health. The purpose of this site is to share the knowledge that I have acquired with an audience who may … Continue reading Research results
