by Michele Fried When Kristina and Malik contacted the agency we found them to be a loving couple with an unexpected pregnancy. Kristina and Malik considered their relationship good yet felt that they were not yet ready for a child financially or emotionally. Kristina, a manager of a fast food restaurant works many hours and
Continue reading »by Michele Fried The other night I called for my kids to come kiss me goodnight … it was the three youngest kids (all teenagers) hanging out in the backyard with some of the neighborhood kids – the ones who refer to me as Mama Fried. One of them – I don’t know which –
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey, MS, LMHC Some common issues in working with infertility include but are not limited to the following: Isolation – everyone around you seems to be pregnant or has a baby. When you are struggling with infertility, it seems that all you notice are pregnant women and babies. Everyone seems to be able
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey, MS, LMHC In part 1 of a 2 part blog post, Kathy speaks to her own infertility journey and how it led her to the family she has now. Having been raised in a large family, I never expected anything less than to become a mother. Life, however, has a way of
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey, MS, LMHC Hopes, dreams and expectations – we all have them – not just for ourselves but for our children. What happens when your son or daughter is facing an unexpected pregnancy and is looking for support and guidance? Where do extended family members turn? It seems that the focus is on
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey, MS, LMHC The home study is done and our profile book is in to the agency – now what? The adoption journey is often one that can seem overwhelming at the beginning and full of things to do. Paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. Classes, educational credits, meeting with the social worker and
Continue reading »Adoption STAR’s Director of Adoption Kathy Crissey shares a piece of beautiful poetry that would never have been written without an adult daughter and a birth mother finding each other. This was written by the daughter of a former client of mine who recently passed away. When I worked with the client, she was searching
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey, MS, LMHC Adoption STAR’s Director of Adoption Kathy Crissey suggests some important considerations for relationship development between prospective adoptive parents and birth parents prior to a potential placement. There may be an opportunity for a relationship to develop between a birth parent(s) and adoptive parent(s) prior to the birth of a child.
Continue reading »by Kathy Crissey Adoption STAR’s Director of Adoption Kathy Crissey relies on her years of adoption experience to write a letter from the perspective of a Birth Parent. I am going through a time in my life that is the probably the most difficult time I have ever gone through. I feel alone and I
Continue reading »To even begin to understand the reality of attachment and bonding we need to know what these terms mean. Attachment: Attachment is a tie between two people. Healthy attachment is a two-way street, this occurs when a caregiver (parent), provides stable and consistent responses to the child’s distress. Distress occurs when a baby or child
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