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How to talk to family and friends about your open adoption.

Posted by Lori Maas | Last updated June 16, 2017

By Lindsey Martin, Counselor, LCSW. All relationships create opportunities to enhance our communication skills, but perhaps none more so than open adoption. Despite the trend in adoption towards openness, we have all encountered concerns about and arguments against open adoption. These arguments tend to be based on common myths and misconceptions and fueled by people’s fears. It can be difficult …

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“Hospitious Adoption” offers vision, guidance.

Posted by Lori Maas | Last updated March 9, 2022

By Shari Levine. “Hospitious Adoption”, Jim Gritter’s book has given our agency a new paradigm for exploring open adoption in greater depth. It has served as a beacon of hope, a light in the distance guiding us forward. Is his vision too idealistic? Not at all. We see these hospitious acts every day. In fact we’ve interviewed adoptive parents Michele …

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Adoption: closed and open.

Posted by Sally Shuey | Last updated April 18, 2017

By Peggy, Adoptive Grandparent. When merely in the telling I hear the story of my birth the question, Why? shudders through me. Abandonment hangs heavily on my neck, despite the tender arms that shelter me. But as I walk the open door to greet her, know her in my forming years, and more, the origin, my beginning fill me with …

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Openness is welcoming, inclusive.

Posted by Sally Shuey | Last updated May 4, 2016

By Norm Levine, Adoptive Grandparent. Open, is among my favorite words. It carries special significance for me. Whether it be an open-arms, open-faced sandwich, an open-hearted person or a sign on a door. I have two personal reasons for embracing the word. When my youngest daughter was born deaf we set about to teach her how to lip-read and speak. …

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Our philosophy.

Posted by Sally Shuey | Last updated May 4, 2016

Open Adoption & Family Services is a non-profit, pro-choice agency that welcomes diversity. We provide an empowerment model to expectant parents. Pregnant women/couples are treated with dignity and respect as they explore all of their pregnancy options. They are empowered with extensive information so they can make the decision that feels best to them. Regardless of their choice, they receive …