Understanding the Adoptee Perspective & “Adoption Competency”

The perspective of an adoptee (a person who is relinquished*, removed, or otherwise separated from their first parents) is uniquely influenced by these early experiences, and these inevitably affect the formation of our worldview, as well as general ideas of the people and the world around us. These experiences often cause subtle shifts in our perspective, understanding, beliefs, and definitions. Common areas where this can be seen include concepts related to boundaries, safety, control, etc.

Very few graduate programs include educational options related to trauma or attachment, and there is even less taught on adoption. Because of this, therapists working with adoptees must educate themselves in other ways to achieve what many people are calling “adoption competency” or becoming an “adoption-competent therapist.” This applies to therapists both with and without lived experiences (as an adopted, fostered, or kinship person) because lived experience is not equal to “competency” or a complete knowing of oneself or any area of knowledge. At Encompass Adoptees, rather than supporting the idea that a single class can offer “competency,” or that a therapist can come to the end of learning all that is necessary, we advocate for a Continual Learning model that strives for growing expertise for all our therapists. This is especially true when working with those who have experiences related to relinquishment/removal, and/or adoption/foster care, trauma, and attachment, because new research, insights, and literature in these areas are continually being published.

Encompass Adoptees offers specialized counseling for adopted, fostered, and kinship (AFK) people, as well as those with similar adverse childhood experiences, and their families. The list of recommended books posted on this website is a partial list of resources that have been read in the commitment to continual learning, which is posted to encourage individuals and families to educate themselves, and so clients have a more transparent understanding of the training and education behind the therapy and programs being offered at Encompass Adoptees.

*Relinquishment is used here to refer to the experience of one’s birth/first parent’s willingly choosing to do something with their future other than parent, or their inability to choose to parent us, regardless of the reason (disability, drugs, conception circumstances, etc) and regardless of whether this experience is followed by foster care, time in an orphanage, and/or adoption. For a list of other terms, please see our Common Adoption Terms.