Volume 25 Spring 2017
adoption FOCUS ON
The Resource for Canada’s Adoption Community
Looking forward, looking back: Celebrating 40 years of family Tax tips for families Make the most of your money in 2017
DNA tests and adoption The future of adoption is wide open
Enthusiasm for Adopt BC Kids A strong start for the government’s new system
Movie review: Lion International adoption on the big screen
525
Last year at a glance
children and youth joined adoptive families in British Columbia
2015-2016
117 international adoptions
39
369
infant and direct placement adoptions
foster care adoptions
55
959 adoption
family finding cases
training participants
41
family matches
21
139,000
1383 requests for
visits to bcadopt.com
67 media
adoption placements
15
support
mentions
368
finalized adoptions
887
Waiting Child session participants
Facebook support group members
48
15 Speak-Out
Youth Group members
25
presentations to partners
family social events
1191
hours donated to AFABC
339 AFABC
members
Contents 1 Last year at a glance 2 Editor’s letter 3 Looking forward, looking back
17 Adopt BC Kids: Meet four fantastic boys! 18 Early adversity and mental health 19 Adopted voice: Reunion gets real
4 News & notes
20 Mother’s Day
6 Tax tips for adoptive families
22 Opinion: Birthmother’s Day
7 Strong start for Adopt BC Kids
23 Poem: “waiting for The Call”
9 Camp Moomba
24 Books & media
11 DNA tests and adoption
25 Review: Lion
13 Celebrations
26 Events
14 40 years of family in photos
27 Resources and support
15 Share Your Circle photo contest On our cover Hello, spring! Owen Stevens’ smile is pure sunshine.
adoption FOCUS ON
The Resource for Canada’s Adoptive Families
Editor’s letter I read a recent story about co-parenting, which is an emerging trend where two people raise children together in a non-romantic partnership. It made me think that adoptive parents might be uniquely able to help this new type of family understand the intricacies of relationships, and to teach them how to fight for the rights and acknowledgement that they will surely need. Adoptive families are also especially familiar with an expanded version of family that can include multiple parenting roles, cultures, races, and legal definitions. I am often amazed at the amount of work and dedication that adoptive families put into parenting. They are required to invest a considerable amount of thought, training, education, and preparation into having children, unlike their peers who conceive biologically. Adoptive parents are also often strong advocates and champions for their children’s issues, such as FASD and trauma. There is still so much to learn about how we identify and nurture that most fundamental unit of our society—the family. How do we keep ourselves and our children connected to people that matter? How can we learn from the past in creating new systems of care for children and families? How do we support an inclusive society that represents and acknowledges meaning for all cultures? These are big questions that will inform our stories in 2017!
Advertising The deadline for placing and paying for ads is two months prior to publication. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising which, in its absolute discretion, it deems inappropriate for publication. All advertisements must comply with Section 85 of the Adoption Act (Bill 51). The publisher in no way endorses or makes any warranty or representation with regard to any product or service advertised in Focus on Adoption. We may not be held responsible for any ad content, or any action or complaint arising out of an advertisement in this publication.
Contributions Focus on Adoption welcomes articles, letters, personal stories, photos, and artwork. All may be edited for length and suitability. While Focus on Adoption welcomes differing opinions, they are not necessarily those of the publisher. Reprint Permission Policy: contact the editor at editor@bcadoption.com
Magazine staff Editor: Mary Caros Assistant Editor: Brianna Brash-Nyberg Graphic Design: Joyce Lu Copy Editor: Moretta Shuert Design concept: Junxion Strategy www.junxionstrategy.com
Publisher Focus on Adoption magazine is published by the Adoptive Families Association of BC, a charitable, accredited, non-profit organization offering adoption support, information, and education. Find out more about AFABC at www.bcadopt.com AFABC Charitable # BN118 777 671 RR0001
Mary Caros Editor, Focus on Adoption magazine
Disclaimer The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Focus on Adoption. Many contributing writers to Focus on Adoption are experts from various fields and provide advice to our readers on their individual specialties, but readers should be aware that specific advice can only be given by qualified professionals who are fully aware of a family’s circumstances. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk, and we carry no responsibility for the opinions expressed and assume no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance on it. © Adoptive Families Association of BC, 2016
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Looking forward, looking back BY SHERYL SALLOUM
Some of AFABC’s founding members, including Rose-Marie Davies (front, holding baby), who edited AFABC’s original newsletter .
As we approach AFABC’s 40th anniversary year, we’re reflecting on four decades of family. We’re also saying “thank you, and see you soon” (not goodbye!) to Sheryl Salloum, our long-time copy editor, who’s on to new adventures both on and off the page. Sheryl has been involved with AFABC since its early days, and has contributed to Focus on Adoption for almost as long. We’re honored to share her thoughtful reflections with you.
Time to reflect With the holidays over and the children settled into the rhythms of the new year, spring is a time for reflection. With some surprise, I realized I’ve been involved with adoption for approximately 35 years. First came our decision to form a family through adoption, followed by many years of waiting, and finally the joyous arrival of our daughter. At the time (late 1980s), resources on adoption issues were spotty at best. The Internet didn’t exist yet, and research was difficult to source. I remember searching for a children’s book on the topic and could only find one, a publication that had to be ordered from England. One day in the early 1990s, I excitedly discovered the existence of what was then the Adoptive Parents Association (the name changed to Adoptive Families in 1999). I immediately joined. The staff was small but passionate. Their main means of communication was a newsletter that soon became Focus on Adoption magazine. That publication kept me abreast of significant topics in adoption, and I learned new things each month.
Growing together As the number of fiction and non-fiction books on adoption-related issues grew, I began to contribute reviews and articles. One of the first was on openness in adoption, which was still a controversial concept at that time. Another AFABC member contacted me; she needed to discuss openness, especially her fears of giving her adopted child information that she thought might negatively affect their relationship. I shared my views and suggested that she contact AFABC for more information and support. That ability to discuss topics with others, to attend workshops, to source new avenues of information, to hear a friendly and supportive voice, and for parents and children to join groups and participate in events has always been an extraordinary aspect of AFABC.
As our daughter grew, everything we learned from AFABC’s various resources helped our family over the inevitable bumps we hit and guided us when we felt lost or unsure. As AFABC suggested, we instituted an Adoption Day festivity that we still (and always will) celebrate with a special family dinner.
Resources for all seasons In addition to workshops, webinars, education programs, and Focus on Adoption magazine, AFABC also provides a library of books and DVDs for adults and children. AFABC now facilitates a Speak-Out Youth group and publishes their newsletter annually. Focus on Adoption now comes out quarterly instead of monthly. Its issues are longer and more in-depth, and its articles are available online as well as in print. AFABC now has a website and a Facebook page and continues to expand its social media presence.
A legacy of love The association has evolved, and I applaud each new stage. However, AFABC’s main purpose remains the same: helping families form loving, lasting relationships. AFABC’s founders and their successors challenged and changed perspectives, and helped adoption become open and accepted. For example, single-parent adoption, which was still rare in the early 1990s, is now common. Multiracial, international, and LBGTQ adoptions are also widely accepted. Support for adopting children with disabilities or health issues has increased. Most recently, AFABC has focused on older children and on Indigenous adoption. Today, AFABC and its members continue to be hardworking and uncompromisingly committed. They are always learning, always evolving, always challenging, and always dedicated to children and families. The void that existed when my adoption journey began has filled with the voices of parents, extended family members, adoptees, social workers, medical practitioners, ministry officials, and professionals. I have stepped down from my long role as the proof-reader and copy editor of Focus on Adoption , but I look forward to the ideas and resources I will continue to discover. I’m most grateful for all AFABC has meant for me my family, and I wish all of you a similarly rewarding relationship.
Sheryl Salloum is a freelance writer and the author of three books: The Life and Art of Mildred Valley Thornton, Underlying Vibrations: The Photography and Life of John Vanderpant, and Malcolm Lowry: Vancouver Days. VOLUME 25 SPRING 2017 3
Tax tips for adoptive families BY ROBERT CURRAN Spring brings us green grass, bright flowers, sunshine... and tax time. An accountant explains how to get the most out of the credits and deductions available to families. There are many tax advantages targeted specifically to families, and one credit in particular designed to provide financial relief for families who finalized the adoption of a child during the year. Below is a summary of the credits and deductions to help you maximize your refund.
Children’s fitness tax credit You can claim, to a maximum of $500 per child (down from $1,000 in 2015), the cost of fees paid for registration or membership in eligible programs which promote physical activity for your children. To be eligible for the credit your children must be under the age of 16 or under the age of 18 if they qualify for the disability tax credit. This credit could allow a maximum savings of $75 per child.
Children’s arts tax credit You can claim to a maximum of $250 per child (down from $500 in 2015) the fees paid for the cost of registration in a prescribed program of artistic, cultural, recreational, or developmental activity for your children whom are under the age of 16 or under the age of 18 if they qualify for the disability tax credit. This credit could allow a maximum savings of $37.50 per child.
Child care expense deduction The child care expense deduction is not a tax credit but a deduction from your income. To be eligible for the deduction your children must be under the age of 16 and the expense must be incurred in order for you or your spouse to earn employment income, carry on a business, attend school, or carry on research for which a grant was provided. In most cases the child care expense deduction must be claimed by the parent with the lower net income. The maximum amounts for this deduction are $8,000 for each child under seven, $5,000 for each child seven to 16, and $11,000 for children eligible for the disability tax credit.
Family caregiver amount This is a $2,121 tax credit available if you have a dependant under the age of 18 with a prolonged and indefinite impairment in physical or mental function. This credit can be combined with other credits such as the caregiver amount and amount for an eligible dependant.
Tuition and education tax credits If your child continued post-secondary studies in 2016 they may be eligible to transfer a portion of their tuition, education, and textbook credits to you. They first must claim the maximum needed to reduce their tax payable, but can then transfer up to $5,000 of remaining credits of to a parent or grandparent.
6 FOCUS ON ADOPTION
Amount for an eligible dependant In certain situations, you may be eligible to claim a tax credit for a dependant as an equivalent to spouse. This is a non-refundable tax credit where, in 2016, you can claim a credit of up $11,474. However, this tax credit is reduced by the income earned by the dependant. You may be able to claim this credit if you didn’t have a spouse or common-law partner; you supported and lived with your dependant; and the dependant is under the age of 18 or is dependent upon you due to mental or physical infirmity.
Adoption expense tax credit If you finalized the adoption of a child under the age of 18 during the year, a 15% non-refundable tax credit is available. For 2015, the maximum eligible expenses claimable are $15,453 per adoption. The claim can only be made for the year in which the adoption is finalized, but at that time you can claim your adoption-related expenses incurred in previous years. The eligible expenses include: • fees paid to an adoption agency, court costs, and legal expenses related to an adoption order for the child; • reasonable and necessary travel and living expenses of the child and the adoptive parents; • document translation fees; • mandatory fees paid to a foreign institution; • mandatory expenses paid for the child’s immigration; and • any other reasonable expenses related to the adoption required by a provincial or territorial government or an adoption agency licensed by a provincial or territorial government. ●
Robert Curran, CPA, CA is a manager with HWG, Chartered Professional Accountants, located in Surrey, BC. HWG (www.hwgca.com) has been providing tax, accounting, and business development services in the Fraser Valley for over 40 years.
Strong start for Adopt BC Kids BY LORI CULBERT AND TRACY SHERLOCK The BC government recently launched its new adoption system, Adopt BC Kids, and it’s off to a strong start. Here are all the details.
Families flock to new adoption system
New Rep focused on aboriginal child welfare
Nearly 100 prospective adoptive families have signed up on BC’s new foster child adoption website in the site’s first six weeks—an impressive number when the province set a goal of 300 adoptions for the entire year.
Richard praised the provincial government for being “significantly engaged” in the welfare of Indigenous children, when many other provinces have viewed this only as a federal responsibility. BC deserves credit for working with Ottawa and making some of its own investments when it comes to services for Indigenous kids in care, Richard said in a recent interview.
Adopt BC Kids, the first website of its kind in Canada, launched on Oct. 31. It combines all of the foster children available for adoption and all of the prospective families in one database where parents and social workers have greater access to information about the kids who are available. So far, 84 families have registered as users of the site, said Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development. Eleven families have applied to adopt, and 10 families have been approved. Once families have completed a full criminal record check and home study and have been approved to adopt, they can access children’s profiles, which include photos for kids older than 12, and video in some cases, Cadieux said.
MCFD aims to increase adoptions, keep more kids with families of origin Two years ago, Cadieux set a goal that the ministry should find homes for 600 foster children in the next two years. Although the ministry fell short in 2015, by the end of the two years, 644 children had adoptive homes. The goal for 2018 is for the ministry to find permanent homes for 600 children, either through adoption or transfer of guardianship, usually to an extended family member. Eventually Cadieux hopes fewer adoptions will be needed because more kids remain with their families. “We need to move away from taking kids into care, and we need to move closer to being a ministry that focuses on finding lifelong homes and relationships for kids, especially when their birth parents or relatives are unable to care for them.” Cadieux said. “That’s a big shift to make. We have to drive this change, but it will not happen overnight.” Both Cadieux and BC’s new children’s representative Bernard Richard said the province’s focus should be on keeping kids with their biological families whenever possible. “Ideally, wherever possible, we want kids to stay with their own family or extended family,” Cadieux said. “When it comes to Indigenous children, wherever possible, if it can’t be their own family, we want it to be within their own nation or culture.”
But one of his top priorities for 2017 is to address the staggering numbers of aboriginal kids in care — they represent less than 10 per cent of BC’s population, yet about 60 per cent of children parented by the government. “That’s dramatic stuff. That is not acceptable. So we really have to focus on that,” said Richard, who arrived here in November from New Brunswick, where he held many senior posts, including children’s representative and cabinet minister. “But it will require the government to think long term, not just this current mandate, but further down the road.” The ideal solution, he believes, is early intervention to avoid the children from going into care in the first place. For example, in New Brunswick, some aboriginal child agencies are trying to shed a past reputation as “baby snatchers” by instead hiring cultural counsellors and field workers to help families in distress. “The agencies need to support families and do what is needed to keep as many kids as possible in their families, in their communities,” he said.
MCFD prioritizes “an aboriginal lens” Cadieux’s ministry is working on a multi-year plan, with a specific eye on improving its work with Aboriginal kids. “As we move forward, because of the over-representation of aboriginal kids in care, it’s very important for us to recognize that the entire system needs to be grounded in culturally appropriate, safe services,” she said. “Everything has to have an aboriginal lens applied to make sure that all of the things we’re doing work with, not against, the culture. That is going to be paramount going forward.” Richard also acknowledged BC’s work this year to increase the number of kids in care who were adopted, but reiterated that his long-term goal is to try to keep vulnerable kids with their biological families in the first place, ideally reducing the need for foster parents and adoptions.
Continued on page 8 VOLUME 25 SPRING 2017 7
Adopt BC Kids, continued
Permanency must be the priority Cadieux agreed that when a family is troubled, the ministry should step in early and provide support to avoid the children ever coming into care. If a child is taken into care, planning for their future in a permanent home should begin immediately, Cadieux said. “We don’t want any child to be turning 19 years old and not be in a loving, stable, long-term family relationship,” she said. Cadieux said she expects a budget increase for the ministry come February. “We’ve said that we’re going to do the work that Grand Chief Ed John has asked us to do and doing that will take real dollars, so I do anticipate we will see some support,” Cadieux said. “I want to see our continued focus on adoptions. I want to see our continued focus on support for youth. All of that work will take people. … I anticipate as we move forward, we will need more staff to do some of the intensive work we want to do with families.” ●
Lori Culbert is a reporter at The Vancouver Sun whose articles often focus on disadvantaged kids and vulnerable women. Find her on Twitter: @loriculbert. Tracy Sherlock is The Vancouver Sun’s education reporter and books editor. Find her on Twitter: @tracysherlock.
All about Adopt BC Kids The government of BC’s new Adopt BC Kids website streamlines the adoption process for families who are waiting to adopt a child or teen who has been in BC foster care, helping ensure that kids find the loving homes that they deserve, sooner. New families can view their application process, track what documents have been received, and understand next steps. Once approved, prospective parents can browse the photos and videos of children and youth who are waiting to be adopted. Before you can create an account and start to use Adopt BC Kids, you’ll need to get a Personal BCeID. Signing up for a Personal BCeID will ensure that you have secure access to this online government service. Please note you may need your birth certificate or other proof of Canadian citizenship for this process. Source: Government of British Columbia (www.gov.bc.ca). Learn more and access the Adopt BC Kids site at www.gov.bc.ca/adoptbckids. Find out how to get your Personal BCeID at www.bceid.ca/register/personal. View profiles of some of the kids in BC who are waiting to be adopted at www.bcadoption.com/meetthekids.
0
0 0 1 $
Student Award
For youth in and from foster care and youth who joined their family through adoption. The Howard Legacy Youth Fund and the AFABC Youth Bursary are two separate scholarships that are awarded once per year, at $1,000 each. These scholarships assist in covering tuition or other costs directly related to post secondary programs.
Learn more at www.bcadoption.com/scholarships 8 FOCUS ON ADOPTION
Dead line to a April 30, 2 pply 017
Give your family the best start possible. The first months of a new adoption can be rough. PASS helps you navigate the storms. Over the course of twelve in-home sessions, you will learn to: • • • • •
Promote attachment between yourself and your child Create positive sibling relationships Establish clear boundaries and expectations Minimize the trauma of your new family’s transition Address special needs
contact Jen Hillman, AFABC Adoption Support Counsellor, 604-320-7330 Ext. 101, or jhillman@bcadoption.com
www.bcadoption.com/pass
Adoption is a journey... We’ll be with you every step of the way.
Our caring, experienced staff help birth & adoptive parents with their adoption journeys, domestic & international. Take the first step: call toll free 1.866.582.3678 or find out more at www.fsgvadoptionagency.ca A CARF Accredited & BC Licenced Adoption Agency 16 FOCUS ON ADOPTION
Early adversity and mental health BY KATHY SODEN This article was originally published on the Adoption Council of Ontario’s blog for Bell Let’s Talk day (a social media campaign that encourages Canadians to talk openly about mental health). We were inspired by Kathy’s insight into the connection between early trauma and mental illness in adoptees, and by her ideas on how to help hurt kids heal.
The significance of the “early years” “Children in care are four times more likely than their peers to have a mental health difficulty”. I believe that only when we recognize and accept the existence and the real long-term negative effects of childhood adversity on our kids’ mental health, will we as a society feel compelled to figure out how to do a better job at understanding this form of trauma and healing it— through family, and as part of an interconnected community that cares. The importance of a child’s “early years” is increasingly recognized by our society. We know that when mental health issues are identified and addressed early, outcomes are better. The “early years” benefit from a significant focus by researchers in the scientific and medical community and by policy makers. In Ontario, where I live, we have Early Years Centres and Best Start programs located in our communities across the province. This emphasis is absolutely merited. When our children thrive, our society thrives.
Reduce adversity, mitigate trauma In an ideal world children would not face adversity, or at least the extent of adversity that can impact negatively on their long-term mental health, but they do. This adversity can include neglect, abuse, deprivation, family violence, substance abuse, and also attachment disruptions—all traumatic events. We need to do more as a society to reduce the level of adversity children face. We also need to do a better job at figuring how to mitigate the long-term effects, and in particular the long-term mental health effects, of adversity when it does occur. This is even more crucial when that adversity happens in a child’s “early years” —the critical time when a child’s brain is forming by leaps and bounds, and, when primary attachment relationships start to take shape.
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How can we help our kids heal? Too many kids in our province and in our country miss the chance for early interventions. Sometimes their parents are not able to integrate the necessary understanding and skills into their parenting. Why? Because of their own issues—in many cases, untreated mental health issues—and, often, issues directly related to their own early life adversities. These kids, OUR kids in and from foster and institutional care, deserve another chance at these interventions: a “2.0” early intervention, if you will. Children entering foster care may no longer be in the 0–3 age range, or even in the 0–6 age range, but they still deserve a “2.0” opportunity. These interventions, tailored to the specific needs of each child, should be continued through their journey to permanency for as long as needed to mitigate the effect of their early life adversity. This should happen regardless of whether they return to their birth family or join an adoptive or kinship family.
What would second-stage early interventions look like? • Improved understanding of the effects, particularly the long-term brain effects, of early life adversity and trauma. • Paying attention to the mental health needs of children and youth involved or who have been involved with the child welfare system. • Really smart, passionate, and committed people coming up with evidence-based methods, including non-traditional and non-pharmaceutical methods, of calming and resetting our kids’ nervous systems. • Respecting and leveraging the deep knowledge and experience of Indigenous peoples in healing. • Finally accepting Developmental Trauma as a diagnosis AND a way forward. Let’s take on childhood adversity before it takes over our kids. ●
Kathy Soden, CPA, CA, is the Manager for Permanency & Adoption Competency Training (PACT) with the Adoption Council of Ontario, and a parent through adoption. This article originally appeared on the Adoption Council of Ontario’s blog at www.adoption.on.ca/adoption-blog. Reprinted with permission.
Adopted voice
Reunion gets real BY KATIE BENETT Every adoption reunion is unique, but most of them have one thing in common: they’re complicated. In this article, a reunited adoptee shares her advice.
Reunions in the real world Thanks to the internet and social media, adoption reunions are becoming common. Reunions are complicated journeys through intensity, excitement, anxiety, and unknowns—and there’s no road map. Intense curiosity and desire for connection can propel adoptees into reunion before they’re prepared. Many people expect reunions to be real-life fairy tales. All they’ve seen are televised, “Oprah-tized” first meetings, not the reality of the “ever after.” The challenges of reality can quickly over-shadow that initial reunion high. What I’ve learned as an adoptee in reunion is that the fairy tale doesn’t exist in the long-term. After all, we don’t live in a fairy tale world. There’s no black and white in reunion, and no right or wrong way to go about the process. There are also no guarantees.
Don’t go it alone In my own life, I’ve experienced a painful and traumatic reunion with my birth father. I’m also safely and respectfully reunited with two beautiful sisters and a wonderful brother. What I’ve learned is that pre-reunion support and guidance is vital to building and maintaining emotionally healthy, long-lasting relationships. As in any new relationship, it takes time for reunited families to build trust and for the birth family, adoptive family, and the adopted person to develop a new normal. Reunion support and education can help people reign in blazing emotions, see the bigger picture, protect existing relationships, and safeguard fragile new ones.
Find peace with imperfection Reunion has powerful and incredible potential if treated with care, respect, patience, and a realistic outlook. Adoptees’ souls can be set free when they find the missing pieces of their life’s story. Birth parents can finally be released from the torture of wondering if their child is all right. I’ve also come to realize that it’s ok to be left with questions, not answers. I’m trying to accept that there is give and take, and I’ve found peace in developing real, human relationships without a perfect fairy tale ending.
Two hearts In some cases, adoptees choose to put reunion off entirely because they’re afraid they’ll hurt their parents. It’s true that some adoptive parents feel threatened by reunification. They may fear the adoptee’s desire for reunion means they somehow failed as parents, or that they’ll lose their child. Here’s the best way I’ve found to explain the adoptee’s desire for reunion to parents who feel that way. Imagine the adopted person carries two hearts. Each heart can only be filled by its own family. An ache in one heart isn’t the result of a failure of the other. The heart that belongs to their adoptive family is complete and filled with love. It lacks nothing and needs nothing. Their second heart belongs to their birth family. That heart aches to be completed and filled with love, too.
Not everyone in the adoption constellation will share my perspective or come to the same conclusions. It’s up to each person to decide what consequences they’re willing to accept as a result of reunion, and at what expense they’re willing to pursue their own needs and desires. Ultimately, if each person in the constellation holds the reunion with open hands, sits respectfully with difference, discomfort, and emotional impasse, and remains steadfast in their love and commitment to each other, I believe they can learn to coexist and bond as a new family system. ●
Katie Bennet is a social worker, a mom of three, and an adoptee. VOLUME 25 SPRING 2017 19
ARE YOU CONSIDERING ADOPTING? We are a BC Government licensed adoption agency with a limited number of spots available for applicants to adopt from the following countries: Haiti Bulgaria Korea Latvia Thailand USA India Please visit our website www.sunriseadoption.com and follow up with our Managing Director, Delia Ramsbotham, at 604-984-2488 Sunrise Family Services Society 102-171 West Esplanade North Vancouver, BC V7M 3K1 (at the Seabus)
Johanna Simmons, MA RCC 604-240-0592 johanna@simmonscounselling.ca Areas of specialization
• Attachment • Adoption • Child Play Therapy • Family Counselling • Depression • Parent/Teen Conflict • Self Worth • Stress Management
• Parenting Skills Training • School Issues • Anxiety • Communication • Transitions • EMDR • Child Behaviour
As an adoptive parent and a former teacher, Johanna brings these perspectives into her counselling practice.
Suite 206C -1571 Bellevue Ave., West Vancouver www.simmonscounselling.ca
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Sign up online at www.bcadoption.com/membership, email events@bcadoption.com, or call 604-320-7330.
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bcadoption.com/easterbunny for more information, contact Caoimhe at events@bcadoption.com
PM# 41718015 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Adoptive Families Association of BC 200 - 7342 Winston St, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2H1, Canada