Therapist for Adoption Issues
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Therapist for Adoption Issues
April 2011
We are looking to see if anyone has any experience with any of the
following therapists who specialize in adoption/adolescence in our
area. Unfortunately the person recommended to us, Leslie Foge, is not
covered by our insurance. The following people are covered by our
insurance:
Ilene Nemetz, Walnut Creek
Candace Hendra, Walnut Creek
Beverly Scott, Concord
Janet Long, Walnut Creek
Rhiannon Shires, Walnut Creek
Our 7th grade daughter is having identity issues related to being
adopted (we adopted her when she was 2 days old) and we are seeking a
female therapist who specializes in this type of issue.
Thanks.
Therapist for adopted child. I cannot recommend maria
viella highly enough. she works at west coast children's
clinic but is also in private practice in piedmont
Maria has a teenager who is adopted and she herself is also
adopted. She does family therapy but from my perspective
many of these difficulties for the child who is adopted
become family issues.
Maria is wonderful with teenagers... she really enjoys them
and gets them and her clinical experience is impressive.
most important to us she really helped create an environment
where we could work on the issues in a safe respectful
way... this is really hard stuff for kids and we all meet
work on it and support them. She gets that. most important
to my daughter who 17 she is willing to occasionally meet
her for lunch... buy my kid thai food and she's your friend
for life!
Feb 2011
Hi. I am looking for a therapist in the bay area who specializes in
adopted children and the issues they may have. My daughter has frequent
rages and tantrums among other problems. Thanks for any help.
I'd recommend Heather Genschmer, LCSW-she spent many years
specifically working with adoptive families with children
with special needs at an agency and now works ou of her own
office on College Ave in Rockridge.
http://heathergenschmer.vpweb.com/
(510) 529-5864
MFT in the community
Virginia Keeler-Wolf in Oakland specializes in adoption. Here is
her website:
http://www.attachmentadoption.net/clinicalstaff_virginia.html
Of all the people with whom we conferred, she offered the most
coherent diagnosis and targeted support. The primary focus is to
address what is now called Reactive Attachment Disorder. Her
skills and knowledge are deep and wide. I only wish we had located
her sooner since late diagnosis of this fairly common problem with
adopted children hampers the best outcome.
adoptive mom
I recommend Nancy Verrier, MFT, who practices in Lafayette.
She has written several books on adoption and speaks on
adoption internationally. She has worked for decades with
adopted kids and adoptive parents, and is an adoptive parent
herself. I know her as a colleague - we went to graduate
school together and I've followed her work for many years. Her
office is at 925-284-5813.
Pat
Aug 2010
I'm looking for recommendations for a therapist for my almost 19-year-old
adopted daughter. She has some adoption issues--the intellectual
understanding of why her birth mother could not care for her but the emotional
distress of feeling rejected--and she suffers from low self esteem. Thanks.
supportive mom
Dear Supportive Mom looking for therapist for 19 y/o
daughter, my husband and I highly recommend Dr. Thomas Cohen
on Piedmont Ave. 510-653-0110. He treated our son from age
16 to 18 and was amazing. In the course of our son's
therapy, Dr. Cohen also saw our teenage daughter
periodically. She is two years younger than her brother. Dr.
Cohen was well prepared to talk with teens who really didn't
want his help and didn't want to face their issues (by the
way, they were dealing with feelings of rejection,
abandonment, and low self esteem). Call him and see what you
think. He saved our kids and the sanity of our family. Good
luck!
I know a psychologist who specializes in adoption who would be a great
person for your daughter. Her name is Melissa Holub, and she's in
Berkeley on Shattuck near Ashby. Her number is: 510-658-7119. She's
smart, warm and very experienced.
good luck!
An excellent psychologist who could help your daughter work through her
adoption feelings is Susanne Stolcke. Ms. Stolcke specializes in young adults
and has a great deal of experience with young adults. Her number is 510-375-
4575. She's located at 2006 Dwight Way, Berkeley. She has a website:
www.poweroftherapy.com Good Luck.
Anon
Ashley Henderson is a very talented and empathic therapist. She has extensive
experience with teens/young adults and the adoption experience. 510-435-
0007.
Laura
We built our family through adoption and have benefitted greatly from the
guidance of Leslie Foge. www.lesliefoge.com She's in Lafayette. You should also
check out PACER's web site for a listing of adoption literate therapists, as well as
local support group meetings: http://www.pacer-adoption.org/therapists.htm
Good luck!
fellow adoptive mom
August 2010
Our daughter is having some issues that we (my husband and
I) and our couples' counselor feel would be helped by having
her go to therapy. Our daughter is not interested in therapy
(she feels it means there is something wrong with you, in
spite of our trying to disabuse her of that notion). In any
case, one of her comments recently made me think that she
would benefit from a therapist who specializes in working
with adopted kids. (Our daughter said that she feels that
she hasn't ''bonded'' with me and she doesn't know if she
even wants to. We have no idea where she even came upon the
word, frankly.) Generally speaking, our daughter gets along
fantastically with my husband, and poorly with me. Our
daughter was adopted at birth, just as an fyi, and it was a
domestic adoption.
Any recommendations in the Walnut Creek/Lamorinda area? I
have checked the website and the latest recommendations seem
to be 2 years old.
Thanks in advance.
want to help our daughter
Please consider Virginia Keeler-Wolf at Family Attachment
and Adoption Center (FAACE). I have students who work with
Virginia and they (and parents) are very happy with her.
Virginia is excellent! FAACES website is
http://www.attachmentadoption.net/index.html
I wish your daughter the best.
Nancy
I highly recommend Cindy Hill-Ford, MFT. She is located in
Lafayette and specializes in adoption issues. She is very
skilled with adolescents and would probably be a good match for
your daughter. She is warm and compassionate as well as very
knowledgable about these kinds of issues. Her # is 925.210.9964.
You can email her at hillford@sbcglobal.net anonymous
Oct 2008
My daughter is adopted from China and is now 8 years old. Though we have
tried so many approaches and numerous processes and tons of love, she
seems to have a constant ache and rage in her heart around having been
deserted by her original family. I have concluded that she needs
grief/mourning help since, in reality, she feels a constant sense of loss
without resolution (ie no information available to Chinese adoptees on
who their parents are). This pain confuses and upsets her and our whole
family has now developed many patterns around it. I want to desperately
find help for her and ultimately for our whole family around her
mourning.
Looking for a practitioner who know and understand the unique deep and
ongoing mourning of children whose parents don't ''exist'' for them to
interact with, yet who are not actually ''deceased''. It's a terrible
vague sadness and rage in her daily life. We have already read a lot of
books, now are open to any processes that have been materially shown to
help with this issue. Could be therapy, could be art, could be...?
Thank you! We live in San Leandro, but will take referrals to anyone in
the Bay Area.
Please give Casi Kushel (Walnut Creek, 932-9898) a call and see if she
can help. She has done special work with children of immigrant families
and has been involved with orphans in Afghanistan, helping them to heal
from the loss and traumas they've faced.
Christina
Leslie, I HIGHLY recommend Virginia Keeler-Wolf, MA, MFT and Laura
Soble, MA, MFT, REAT of the Bay Area Attachment Center, 510-339-9363.
Both are excellent and specialize in adoption issues. Please see their
website http://www.attachmentadoption.net/index.html
I wish you, your daughter, and family the best.
Nancy
I know of a wonderful group in Oakland that deals with adoption issues;
their website is http://www.attachmentadoption.net/index.html. My kids
see Laura Soble and Stacy Ouetten, who are both terrific (fyi, my kids
are not adopted, but many kids in their practice are).
Ann
Dear Leslie,
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's grief. I imagine it's very
disconcerting and frustrating to feel you are never getting anywhere.
I'm a psychologist in private practice on the border of Berkeley &
Oakland. I've worked with many foster families and adoptive families and
their kids, including children adopted from China. I understand the
sadness and abandonment these children feel as they transition to a new
family. They will often dump their grief on the adoptive family for lack
of an appropriate container. The right kind of therapy can provide this
container for your daughter. I hope you find ease and resolution soon.
My heart goes out to your daughter and your family. I'm also the mother
of a daughter adopted from China. Although she is younger then your
daughter, we've also dealt with issues of grief and loss. I highly
reommend a child therapist named Anne Brodzinsky (510-985-1773). She's
based in Oakland and has years of experience with adoptive families (and
is an adoptive mom herself). Her husband, David Brodzinsky is also
supposed to be wonderful, but we have not seen him.
Good luck and take care!
another adoptive mom
Hi, I had recently read this article and wanted to share it with you:
http://www.heartsent.org/page17.html - I believe the writer runs
Heartsent Adoptions in Orinda
(http://www.heartsent.org/Adoption,%20Heartsent%20domestic%20adoption.html)
and maybe she could help you. I don't know if it's pertinent to your
situation, but apparently Reactive Attachment Disorder is not uncommon
in children with early trauma.
hope this helps.
Feb 2008
Hi,
I am wondering if anyone has worked with a therapist dealing
with possible post adoption depression? My husband and I
brought our son home a few months ago and I am feeling very
down and overwhelmed. It has gotten to the point where I
would like to talk with a therpist to figure out what is
really going on (ie new mama stuff or more serious
depression). I would love to use a therapist who is familiar
with adoption issues but I didn't see any previous recs for
this type of therapist.
Thanks for any help!
New Mama in Oakland
Any one of the clinicians at the Family Attachment & Adoption
Center of the East Bay (FAACE) would be qualified to work with
you. You can obtain more specific information and contact
details at www.attachmentadoption.net
Offices are located off Park Blvd. in Oakland.
Laura
Hello,
I am a therapist who specializes in adoption as well as special
needs. Post adoption depression is a common, usually temporary,
issue that affects many new adoptive parents. The guilt and the
incorrect assumption of not being entitled to having these
feelings can exaserbate the condition. Sometimes it just takes
time for a new adoptive parent to become comfortable in his/her
new role as a parent. Rest assured that you are not alone. Barbara
I highly recommend a most compassionate and experienced
therapist with offices
in Albany and S.F.
She is often a guest speaker on the topic of adoption.
I know her as a friend but I do not hesitate to recommend her
as a therapist.
Lynn Watkins: (415) 648-8065
m
I too had post-adoption depression and I didn't know that it was
possible to have that so you are a step ahead. I recommend
Melissa Holub as an adoption aware psychologist. Her number is
658-7119.
anon
I know that Laine Demetria is familiar with the world of
adoption. It might be worth giving her a call. Here's her
website: http://lainedemetria.com/
Good luck to you and good for you for seeking help.
anon
I understand the following therapist works with families who have
adopted kids:
Keeler-Wolf, Virginia, MFT
1425 Leimert Blvd Ste 302
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 339-9363
Good luck!
Anonymous
Feb 2008
I'm looking for an adoption literate therapist in Sonoma County,
preferable Santa Rosa. Any recommendations?
Jen
Leslie Hansen MFCC did my homestudy when I adopted my daughter
5 years ago. She also has a private therapy practice and is
very adoption-literate. She's based in Petaluma/Santa Rosa.
You can reach her at 707-776-4810.
adoptive mom
Lizbeth Hamlin-Haims 707-575-8189 Santa Rosa
Very experienced therapist; Jungian-oriented, yet practical;
Adoption-literate
lisa k
Jonathan Pannor might be a great fit for you. He practices
through Kaiser in San Rafael - a bit south of you, but if you
can't travel there he might know of someone closer to you.
Here are a couple of links to learn more about him. (He's a
friend of mine. I have not been in counseling with him.)
http://www.kaiserdavis.org/homepage/kaiser/doctor/jpannor/
http://www.post-adoption.org/index.htm
Good luck!
Lisa
Try these folks
Rich Addison 707 576 9813 Works with adults and kids
John Alolovitch 707 537 6832 Works with kids
Both are in Santa Rosa and have adopted kids.
Good luck
Mark
Feb 2007
Can anyone recommend a good family therapist, perferably in
Oakland, who can help with parenting issues. Some experience
with adoption preferred. Thank you in advance!!
stressed out mom
Virginia Keeler-Wolf,
MFT directs the Family Adoption and Attachment Center of the East Bay
(FAACE), located in the Glenview area of Oakland, is a family therapist specializing in
adoption and attachment issues. Her number is 510-339-9363.
anonymous
I'm another adoptive parent of a newly teenage girl, doing the
search for an appropriate therapist and other resources. I can
give a couple of reccomendations. For racially mixed families,
try PACT, An Adption Alliance.
4179 Piedmont Avenue, Suite 330
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 243-9460 (voice)
www.pactadopt.org (website)
info@pactadopt.org (email)
There are two therapists who have been mentioned before on this
website -- Virginia Keeler-Wolf -- 339-9363 -- and Susan Love --
287-8981. They're in Oakland near Park Ave. Both excellent,
specialists. I believe both were themselves adopted.
Finally, you might want to speak with Beth Miller, a social
worker who specializes in adoption. I found her to be extremely
helpful in pointing me in an appropriate direction for my
daughter and our family, she's a lovely person, very ethical,
knowledgeable and experienced, and her office is on Santa Clara
Ave. near Ladyfingers Bakery. (510) 654-4445
Adoption issues can be very complex. I'd encourage you to take
the time to find someone experienced and capable.
Another Adoptive Mom
My family can recommend Virginia Keeler-Wolf.
We've gotten very constructive feedback and
strategies for our children who were adopted. Her contact info: 1425 Leimert Blvd. Suite
#302, Oakland, 510-339-9363. Not all therapists are able or qualified to handle adoption
related issues so I'll be checking the other responses with interest.
Taxed to the max Mom
I'd like to recommend Lynn Watkins, MFT. She's in Albany, not Oakland,
but well worth the trip. She's well versed in adoption issues and an
excellent, very experienced therapist. Lynn often works with clients in
reference to parenting issues, and has provided therapy to people in all
the areas of the adoption triad. She works with Resolve, and has spoken
at conferences on the topics of adoption and infertility. She's a warm
and lovely person, too! Lynn's voice mail number is 415-
648-8065.
Kathy
Someone asked for a recommendation for a therapist with
experience with adoption issues. I just found out that my
therapist is expanding her practice and will have some openings
for new clients. I wholeheartedly recommend her: Laine Demetria,
MS MFT (licensed). She has offices in Albany and also in San
Francisco (at Church and Market). She would be an ideal therapist
for adoption issues. Give her a call. 415-705-0776.
anon
Oct 2006
My 17 year old daughter needs a therapist in Berkeley area
to help her with believing she is interesting enough,
attractive enough etc. that any desirable boy she is
involved with will not instantly leave her at the first
opportunity. This is probably partially an adoption
(abandonment) issue, probably other things too. She just
broke up (again) with a very sweet young man because she
didn't ''trust'' that he wouldn't leave her for someone
else, just as they were getting into a pattern of going
places, having fun, spending time with each others' family
occasions, etc. She insists he did absolutely nothing to
make her suspicious--just can't stop thinking that ''if
someone else wants him, they'll just get him, she doesn't
stand a chance.'' She acknowledges this is her problem and
she needs help. She has a history of problems with self-
confidence--probably mostly because of learning disability
and body image issues, as well as the adoption component.
Most recommendations on the website are years old or for
other types of problems, so I'd appreciate your
recommendations.
Anonymous
I highly recommend Patricia Contaxis for your 17 yr old
daughter. she works primarily with adolescents and can
really relate to them. my daughter has been seeing her for
over a year and has been very beneficial for her. Great
with self confidence issues. She's on Solano. her # is
510-524-5028.
Good luck
B.'s mom
I would recommend that you seek a therapist with experience
in adoption issues as this often affects self-esteem
(confidence and trust in relationships with others). I
would highly recommend Kirsten Beuthin who specializes in
teens and their families as well as adoption issues. She is
in Oakland and SF. 510-652-0990 or 415-401-7180
anonymous
Related page: Attachment Disorder
Feb. 2003
Can anyone recommend a good therapist who works with
children/adoptees who have mild RAD (reactive attachment disorder)?
I have a daughter with RAD and we both have been seeing Debra
Bartenstein (633-1563) who has been very helpful. I can
recommend her highly.
Additionally, I found the ''only'' two therapists in the Bay Area
who are truly specialized in RAD. I would recommend calling
them too. They are Virginia Keeler Wolf at 510-339-9363 and
Susan Love who's number I cannot find but she should be in the
phone book and Virginia Keeler-Wolf has her number too.
Just another note: I found RAD workshops extremely helpful.
Unfortunately very little is offered in the Bay Area, but CATTE
in the Sacramento Area puts on workshops regularly and they are
excellent (and affordable). Also, PACT is putting on a workshop on
attachment soon so you might want to give them a call. If you'd
like to talk some more or maybe even have playdates with a
comfortable RAD mom, call me. Best wishes.
Martina,a few weeks away from finalization.
I suggest you check out Virginia Keeler-Wolf in Berkeley.
Although we have just begun working with her, she was highly
recommended. She says her practice is about 75% adoption-related,
and she is active in PACER, and is presenting at an upcoming PACT
workshop.
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