by GIFT Coach | May 5, 2015 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
Since September, I have had the privilege to be in relationship with my thirty-year–old son’s birth mother. (Earlier this year she shared her thoughts on their reunion in this blog post.) I’ve discovered many things during the past eight months. The greatest gift of...
by GIFT Coach | Mar 4, 2015 | Blogs by Guests, Difficult Discussions, Faith and Values, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
Years ago, before I had ever heard the word “attunement” associated with adoptive parenting, a therapist told me, “Your son is telling you what he can handle by his behavior.” More than anything else, those words have impacted our family for the better. I have learned...
by GIFT Coach | Feb 17, 2015 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, General Discussion
In our previous blog, we discussed the value of Love Languages and how this strategy can design more effective communication. Learning to “speak” in a channel other than our own preferred default style requires Intentionality. As is evident from our name,...
by GIFT Coach | Feb 11, 2015 | Blogs by Gayle Swift, Blogs by Joann DiStefano, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships
When we love deeply, we express it in many ways–a thoughtful gesture, a loving touch, a heartfelt note or simply altering our schedule to ensure time spent together. Yet all too often, these expressions go unacknowledged. Even worse, they can occur without ever...
by GIFT Coach | Dec 2, 2014 | Adoptive Parenting Skills/Tool, Blogs by Gayle Swift, Faith and Values, General Discussion, Post Adoption Challenges & Behaviors, Strengthening Family Relationships, The Adoption Process
At GIFT Family Services, we constantly look for ways to help families connect and create positive relationships and moments of togetherness that build healthy bonding in a family. A Facebook video posted by the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University...