Are You Ready for Adoption?

By Denise Humphrey, Ph.D., www.DeniseHumphrey.com

For many people, although certainly not all, the choice to adopt a child is the result of many emotional and unsuccessful attempts at pregnancy. A person’s desire, or perhaps even need, to adopt a child is based on a vast range of complicated emotions. “Emotional readiness” refers to an individual’s readiness to begin seriously exploring adoption. Once an individual becomes emotionally ready to adopt, a whole host of considerations need to be addressed.

Important Considerations for Adopting

• Spousal support. Before adopting, I recommend seeking marital counseling to discuss the issue of adoption specifically. One spouse may be more “on board” with the idea than the other but hesitant to discuss his or her concerns to the spouse who is very ready for adoption. Counseling allows the couple to have an open dialogue in a safe and objective environment. 
• Lifestyle adjustments. Any baby, adoption or pregnancy, brings a radical shift in lifestyle for the parents-to-be. The difference with adoption is in how the individual or couple prepares for the new arrival. Pregnancy has a clear-cut time line, which allows the new parents to plan accordingly. Adoption can take years and when the good news comes there is rarely much preparation time. Engaging in ongoing therapy throughout the adoption process is a very helpful resource for navigating the emotional storms of this challenging process.
• Financial resources. Adoption is not an inexpensive process. I encourage my clients to seriously look at the cost of the adoption process as well as the cost of raising the child and determine if it is financially possible.

All of the above considerations have very real and long-lasting effects. Carefully considering every nuance of this process together with a therapist will enhance the enjoyably aspects of the process and provide beneficial resources for dealing with the challenging aspects.

Denise Humphrey, Ph.D
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Humphrey today! 972-239-2490

CREDENTIALS
•    Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology:  Fielding Graduate University
•    Master of Music in Piano Performance:  University of Notre Dame
•    Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance:  Southern Methodist University
•    License No. and State: 32345 Texas
•    Board of Trustees, Dallas Foundation for Psychoanalysis
•    Chair, Arts Committee for the Dallas Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology
•    Member, National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology