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Hi, my name is Gianna and I have been the teen parenting program intern since August of 2021. I am a Master’s student studying school social work student at Dominican University after graduating with a B.A. in Psychology from Concordia University Chicago in May of 2021. My college experience was anything but average,…
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Motherhood is many things. It is joy, it is laughter, it is sadness, and it can even be resentment, as many mothers feel underappreciated and overworked. It is an experience like no other; it is certainly the hardest job I have ever been given. This week, we take time to honor motherhood in…
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Social work chose me at an early age. I was probably “pre-disposed” to being interested in the field of social services as I was adopted soon after birth and was educated by my parents regarding the crucial professionals that helped facilitate that process. My parents also emphasized the importance of the investment of…
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A few things I’ve learned working in the adoption field for the last (almost) 8 years….. -Allyson Stefani, MSW, LSW Adoptive Family and Birthparent Social Worker at Hopeful Beginnings · Birthparents are truly heroes and some of the most selfless people that I’ve ever met. – I believe they don’t get the recognition …
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When I first announced that I was taking the Executive Director job here at Hopeful Beginnings one of the first questions I was asked was if we provided counseling for woman experiencing fertility issues. The answer to this question is not straightforward. No, we do not offer counseling specifically for infertility, but we…
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Hopeful Beginnings was known as St. Mary’s. They were mostly known as an adoption agency. As most of you know, adoption numbers are decreasing. We like to spread the word that we have professional social workers to discuss the options of an unplanned pregnancy. We don’t put pressure, nor do we stress women out…
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Each member of the adoption triad (adoptee, birth mother, or adoptive parent) will have their own answer to this question. Each individual will also have their own perspective, given the trajectory of their lives and the multiple variables of the people they came in contact with as well as their past and…
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There are many voices out there, whether other adoptees, previous birth mothers, adoptive parents, or the general public. They all have their story regarding adoption and its impact on their life. If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and trying to research more about adoption, you may be feeling confused and frightened by…
Continue ReadingGrief and Loss as a Waiting Family Grief and loss may be commonly associated with losing a parent, baby, or friend. In the context of adoption, grief and loss may be connected (and rightly so) with the birth mother’s grieving after placing their child for adoption. Another area of grief and loss in…
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The first thing that I want to address is “the fit” when choosing the adoption agency that you plan to work with. Our belief at Hopeful Beginnings is to do your due diligence in researching the different agencies out there. You will get an immediate feel by how they address certain issues such…
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