by Gayle Swift | Jun 29, 2016 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, Family dynamics, General Discussion
Adoption complicates family life; it brings tangled emotions, high stakes, and passionate commitment. Adoption also adds the challenge of handling inevitable grief, loss, and identity issues of everyone in the family. (Yes, that includes both children and parents!)...
by Gayle Swift | Jun 15, 2016 | Adoption-attunement, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, Difficult Discussions, General Discussion, Strengthening Family Relationships
We all strive to get along well. But, conflict, breaches and breakdown inevitably touch every relationship. This is especially true within families, the home of our most intimate relationships. Here we are most deeply invested, most passionately committed, most...
by Gayle Swift | Apr 6, 2016 | General Discussion
All families have differences. We are after all, not clones but individuals. Adoptive families are even more likely to have areas where preferences and inclinations don’t quite synchronize. Most of the time we can appreciate the zest and spice that our...
by Gayle Swift | Aug 3, 2015 | General Discussion
Identity formation in adoption is a complicated process and we have explored it from many angles recently. In last week’s G.I.F.T. blog post, eighteen-year-old adoptee Elias Ankerfelt shared some insights about his recent visit to the Philippines and the...
by Gayle Swift | Nov 19, 2014 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Adoptive parents rely on a well-stocked parenting tool box. Connecting with Kids Through Stories: Using Narratives to Facilitate Attachment in Adopted Childrens by Denise B. Lacher offers a novel technique based on sharing stories drawn from the actual experiences of...
