Thinking about identity in the context of forced adoption
Wednesday 1 March 2017
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians
of this land and pay my respects to Elders past,
present and future, for they hold the memories, the
traditions, the culture and hopes of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Forced adoption: training for health professionals
E-learning courses are available to health professionals working with people
affected by forced adoption.
Course covers the following topics:
•
Understanding past forced adoption policies and practices
•
A clinical framework for working with individuals
•
Working with mothers
•
Working with fathers
•
Working with adopted people
•
The search, contact and reunion process
Some aspects of this work are included across all sessions
(e.g. clinician self-care)
Endorsed
by
Dr Lyn O’Grady
Acknowledgment of people affected by
past forced adoption policies and practices
Tonight’s topic
Thinking about identity in the context of forced adoption
Learning outcomes
At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
•
Outline some of the main impacts of past forced adoption policies and
practices on adopted people
•
Describe the core principles of best practice when working with adopted
people
•
Identify ways to integrate these core principles into day-to-day interactions
with clients and as part of practitioners overarching service provision
Tonight’s panel
Dr Cate Howell
General Practitioner
Dr Trevor Jordan
President, Jigsaw Queensland
Facilitator: Dr Lyn O’Grady
National Manager Strategic Projects, Australian Psychological Society
Ground rules
To help ensure everyone has the opportunity to gain the most from the live
webinar, we ask that all participants consider the following ground rules:
•
Be respectful of other participants and panellists. Behave as if this were a faceto-face professional development activity.
•
Post your comments and questions for panellists in the General chat box.
•
For help with technical issues, post in the Technical Help chat box.
•
Be mindful that comments posted in the chat boxes can be seen by all
participants and panellists. Please keep all comments on topic.
•
If you would like to hide the chat, click the small down-arrow at the top of the
chat box.
•
Be mindful of taking care of yourself during the session. Hearing about forced
adoption experiences can trigger distress for us.
•
Your feedback is important. Please complete the short exit survey which will
appear as a pop-up when you exit the webinar.
Introduction to the topic: video
As an introduction to forced adoption, let’s watch a short video
https://youtu.be/ATKap0tMm6k
Case study
Liz is 46 years old, married with two children, and has recently discovered a mole
she is concerned about. She visits her GP but can’t answer his questions about her
genetic history as she was adopted as a baby and has no knowledge of her
parents.
Liz becomes upset and the GP refers her to a mental health professional. Liz tells
her therapist that she has found it hard to trust people, fears being rejected and
needs constant reassurance.
Her adoptive parents were loving, but reluctant to discuss the circumstances of her
adoption, so Liz did not investigate further until their recent deaths. Since then, Liz
has attempted to get information about her parents, but it has been difficult and
she has found it to be "an emotional rollercoaster". She is shocked at learning of
the treatment of some mothers, is unsure whether her mother would want to see
her, but feels it is the “missing piece of the puzzle”.
The case highlights that the GP is often the first point of contact for many
people experiencing difficulties.
Liz presents to the GP to check a mole which seems to have
changed. As part of the assessment of the mole, the GP asks re
family history (looking out for history of skin cancers). Liz explains
that she was adopted, and does not know her family medical
history.
During a typical day, a GP will see individuals with infections, rashes,
chronic illness, depression, pain etc. It is not uncommon for the individual
to be experiencing distress.
Liz becomes very upset explaining that she has been trying to find
information about her family of origin, has been facing barriers,
and experiencing an ‘emotional rollercoaster’ during the process.
Dr Cate Howell
The GP needs to adapt quickly to each individual/scenario
they are presented with, and they must respond
appropriately.
This is vital as the opportunity to assist can be easily lost if
responses are dismissive or unsupportive.
Dr Cate Howell
In this scenario, the role of the GP is to:
•
Respond to Liz’s distress with compassion and good communication
skills (listening, reflecting, empathy …)
•
Build the relationship with Liz
•
Be aware of the impact of adoption / trauma on Liz (past and current)
•
Be aware of the potential for lack of trust wrt clinicians and to take
things slowly and carefully
•
Create a sense of safety for Liz in the consultation
(privacy, non-judgement, holding the space, validating)
Dr Cate Howell
•
Be mindful of symptoms of anxiety Liz may be experiencing in the
consult e.g. breathlessness, sweating, dissociation … and assisting her
with these (e.g. breathing, ‘5 things’)
•
Ask any key clinical questions regarding mental health as appropriate
and needed (e.g. mood, anxiety, functioning, sleep, self-harm …..)
•
Be aware of key issues for adopted persons e.g. losses, trauma, identity,
impacts on mental health, self-worth, sense of belonging, fears of
abandonment ….
Dr Cate Howell
•
Provide information as needed e.g. re managing the mole, community
supports wrt locating family
•
Give opportunities for choice and collaboration e.g. next steps with the
mole, discussing options for support/therapy
•
Be aware of Liz’s strengths (from knowledge of Liz over time) - highlight
them and encourage use of them
•
Foster hope and self-compassion
•
Find out about Liz’s supports and encourage use of them
Dr Cate Howell
Organise referral and follow-up
Note – a private referral may be made or the GP may ask Liz to come back
for a longer appointment to complete a MH Plan.
You may want to find out about local therapists with expertise in working
with adopted persons, or agencies.
You may want to do some reading, locate some resources, or seek some
supervision yourself.
Dr Cate Howell
Identity issues are multi-level
Liz has presented to her GP with a physical symptom, but it brings up
feelings and is impacted by relationships.
Physical identity
•
appearance, mannerisms, medical history
•
mirror loss
Self identity
•
the self-reflecting being, conscious and unconscious motivations and
feelings
Social identity
•
the person who has their own story and set of relationships
Dr Trevor Jordan
Adoption unsettles identities
For adopted persons there are many possible known and unknown
‘unknowns in this identity equation.
They have lost connections that many of us would simply take for granted
•
Narrative sense of self - embedded in a story
•
Social sense of self - embedded in social relationships
For adoptees
•
The first chapter of their life is missing
•
Their prehistory is absent or false
•
Relationships with biological kin have been are terminated
•
They can experience role confusion from being part of two families
•
It can be hard to get their story
•
Their original parents were told to keep it all a secret
•
Their natural desire to connect was seen as disruptive or even a
pathology
Dr Trevor Jordan
Adoption identities (plural)
There are those, like Liz, who have ‘always known’
•
•
•
•
But who as a result know nothing about where they came from or who they are connected to
May have been told fantasy stories to make them feel good
‘Knowing’ means something different at each stage of psychological development
And at different life stages - forming a family or retiring from work
Late discovery adoptees were never told
•
When they find out:
• They feel a sense of betrayal
• They have been lied to
• They feel a part of an elaborate fiction
• They may feel the need to completely re-write their history and re-configure their
relationships
• They may feel relieved of a burden - they never felt at home in their family
Adoptees identities are often scripted by others
Negative identities
•
•
Historical - illegitimate, bastards, abandoned, rescued
Circumstantial - no rights to information, passport difficulties, no medical history
Imposed identities
•
•
•
Legal identity is changed, names are changed
Late discovery - complete control by others
Lucky – needing to be perpetually grateful
Dr Trevor Jordan
Adoptee identity as a journey
The search for an authentic self (Nancy Verrier, Coming Home to Self)
•
a self not determined by the trauma of separation
The adoptee’s hero journey (B. J. Lifton, Journey of the Adopted Self)
•
on a quest, the prize is a true sense of self
Dr Trevor Jordan
Adoptees are on a journey to re-storey themselves and restore relationships
On all life changing journeys we need helpers along the way.
It is a journey in steps:
• An outward journey - a paper trail of discovery
• And an inner journey - of emotional ups and downs
Identity issues arise at different times in a person’s life
• Developmental stages - adoptive status has different meanings
• Adolescence - identity vs role confusion - alienation
• Young adult - taking on an identity - a career
• Young parenthood
• Retirement - if I am no longer my career, who am I?
It is a journey that brings its own tensions and anxieties
• ‘Roller-coaster’ of emotions
• Managing being part of two families without feeling guilty
• Dealing with grief and loss
• Finding someone for who has experienced the trauma of separation
Adoptees need to discover their own tribe
• Connect with those who share the lived experience
Need help to get in touch with:
• Their physical identity - getting their information and searching
• Their inner self - how they are feeling at each step of the journey
• The other selves to whom they are related - establishing and maintaining relationships of trust
Dr Trevor Jordan
Q and A Session
Panel reflections
Summary and key messages
Further training on forced adoption
Learning objectives
•
Increase knowledge of past
forced adoption policies and
practices
•
Increase understanding of
frameworks and principles to
guide clinical work and support
people affected by forced
adoption
Online courses:
1. Training for health professionals (8 hours)
2. Training for GPs (2 hours)
3. An overview of forced adoption (1 hour)
More information is available here: www.psychology.org.au/forced-adoption/training/
Forced adoption national support network
• Become part of a national forced adoption support network of
health professionals
• Offered to health professionals who have completed the 8
hour course “Working with people affected by forced
adoption: training for health professionals”
• You can elect to have your contact details forwarded to a
Department of Social Services-funded local service provider
for possible future referral to people affected by forced
adoption
Further training on forced adoption
Upcoming webinars (April – June 2017)
• Providing support through search, contact and reunion
• Complex issues associated with forced adoption
More information will be available here in the coming weeks:
www.psychology.org.au/forced-adoption/webinars
Thank you for your participation
• Please ensure you complete the exit survey before you log out
(it will appear on your screen after the session closes).
• Your certificate of attendance for this webinar will be issued
within two weeks
• You will receive an email notification when the recording and
supporting resources associated with this webinar will be
available online.
• For more information on this and future webinars, visit
www.psychology.org.au/forced-adoption/webinars
Thank you for your participation,
have a good evening
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