Working with Adoptive Parents (eBook)

VIRGINIA M. BRABENDER, PhD, diplomate in clinical psychology (ABPP) and APA Fellow, is a professor at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University. She is the past president of the Society for Personality Assessment. APRIL E. FALLON, PhD, is a member of the psychology faculty at Fielding Graduate University and an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Drexel University College of Medicine. She has received numerous awards for her teaching of psychiatric medical residents and was awarded the 2012 Psychiatric Educator Award by the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society.

"This book makes a significant contribution to both a greater
understanding of adoption and its complex dynamic constellations as
well as to serving those who are or come across adoption families,
many of whom count on us adoption-informed mental health
professionals to clarify and facilitate the challenges they
face."

--From the Foreword by Henri Parens, MD, Professor of
Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University, Training & Supervising
Analyst, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia

"What most people don't know about adoption could fill a book
- and this is the book. Finally sorting myth from science,
Working with Adoptive Parents will give therapists, and quite a few
nonprofessionals considering adoption, the real story of what it
means to make this momentous choice. Better yet, it does so without
letting the data speak in place of the parents themselves, in all
their fear, doubt, and joy."

--Jesse Green, author of The Velveteen Father: An
Unexpected Journey to Parenthood

"With adoption, including those that across international
boundaries, on the rise, the salutary impact of human kindness as
well the tragic potential for developmental complications has
greatly increased. Brabender and Fallon, the editors of this
well-organized volume, are keenly aware of this. They have cast
their net wide and brought together the perspectives of attachment
theory, empirical research, and clinical experiences to deepen our
understanding of the challenges faced by adoptive parents.
Conceptually rich and yet unabashedly pragmatic, their book
addresses the issues of parent-child bonding, the subjective
dilemmas of adoptive mothers, the role of adoptive fathers, and
parenting children with special health care needs. Attention is
also given to the specific tasks involving the adoption of very
young children as well as to the resurgence of difficulties during
adopted children's adolescence. This wide-ranging discourse
consistently maintains a tone of respect, concern, and shared
humanity of all of us. A most impressive contribution to the
adoption literature indeed!"

--Salman Akhtar, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Jefferson
Medical College, Training and Supervising Analyst, Psychoanalytic
Center of Philadelphia

"This book is a tour de force, a must read for all involved in
the world of adoption. A comprehensive history of adoption,
including current controversies, sets the stage. Every chapter is a
gem, but contributions on research to inform best practices, the
role of the adoptive father, diversity, and adoption of children
with special health care needs, help fill significant gaps in the
adoption literature. Rich clinical material and the practical
points summarized throughout, demonstrate the wisdom of seasoned
practitioners."

--Jennifer Bonovitz, PhD, Supervising and Training
Analyst, Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia

"This volume is a major contribution to our understanding of
adoptive parenting. The book is thorough, full of helpful insights,
case studies, and perspectives on the complicated dance involved
for adoptive parents and their children. The portrait of adoptive
parenting is both hopeful and realistic, and is framed with
thoughtful attention to what we actually know from careful
research. This book should be a helpful guide and resource for both
mental health professionals and adoptive parents."

--Sam Osherson, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Fielding
Graduate University, Cambridge, MA