GIFT coaches are deep in preparation for their twice yearly company retreat. The excitement is growing as agendas are honed and fine tuned, retreat topics are developed, and time for our continued learning about one another and the families we aspire to assist and support is created. As we look forward to our retreat, I have noticed without surprise to hear over and over the passion with which my colleagues and I speak of adoption and foster care.
GIFT coaches are passionate about assisting adoptive and foster families in acquiring tools and strategies that empower and strengthen relationships. These tools and strategies are not always uniquely for adoptive and foster families but can be implemented by families created in other ways as well. For example, clearly learning better communication skills is not specifically an adoption topic. In the context of adoption coaching, however, each GIFT coach brings to the picture not only extensive professional training but years of experience as an adoptive and/or foster parent. GIFT coaches understand in a very deep way the adoption and foster path – its sometimes winding, uneven surface – because we all have walked it. While it is true that path can look very similar to any other road — adoptive and foster families can and do look like any other family in many respects – we believe that adoption and fostering is unique and that uniqueness is best acknowledged by fellow adoptive and foster coaches who happen to be adoptive and foster families.
Truly, GIFT coaches are “your people” and the path on which you travel is not one where you are alone. We look forward to sharing with YOU!
