Adoptee Counseling and Groups
"Answer some questions to help me find what you need."
Are you an adoptee who is 18 years or older?
Do you reside in one of these U.S. states?
- If you do, you are eligible for counseling services with Beyond Words Psychological Services, LLC.
- If you do not, I can’t see you for counseling if I’m not licensed in your state of residence, but you're welcome to visit my National Adoptee-Therapist Directory to find a provider in your state and check out my journal as a starter resource for self-reflection.
Alabama - AL
Arizona - AZ
Arkansas - AR
Colorado - CO
Connecticut - CT
Delaware - DE
District of Columbia - DC
Georgia - GA
Idaho - ID
Illinois - IL
Indiana - IN
Kansas - KS
Kentucky - KY
Maine - ME
Maryland - MD
Minnesota - MN
Missouri - MO
Nebraska - NE
Nevada - NV
New Hampshire- NH
New Jersey - NJ
North Carolina - NC
Ohio - OH
Oklahoma – OK
Pennsylvania - PA
Tennessee - TN
Texas - TX
Utah - UT
Virginia - VA
Washington - WA
West Virginia - WV
Wisconsin - WI
Wyoming - WY
N. Mariana Islands
Please visit my National Adoptee-Therapist Directory to find a provider who works with clients under the age of 18 in your state of residence.
Are you seeking Individual Counseling?
Adoption is complex, and you deserve to work with a professional who understands the nuances of adoption. I have a literal lifetime of experience with adoption as an international and transracial adoptee from India, adoptive parent to a son from Ethiopia, and professional who has worked in the adoption community since 2002.
I work with adult adoptees, parents / caregivers, and other members of the adoption constellation from international, domestic, and foster care adoptions who are struggling with areas such as trauma; grief; loss; racial, ethnic, or cultural identity; attachment; parenting; life transitions, and relationships. I typically approach therapy through the lens of the 7 Core Struggles in Adoption (loss/abandonment, rejection, grief, guilt/shame, identity, intimacy, control), offering individual therapy tailored to fit your needs, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Brainspotting (BSP), both specialized forms of trauma therapy that can address the struggles experienced early in life.
I am licensed to provide telehealth/virtual counseling to adoptees who reside in the states that are part of the PSYPACT interstate compact and offer in-person services to adoptees who reside in the Denver Metro area. Counseling sessions are scheduled for 50 minutes ($175) or 25 minutes ($95). Initial consultations are complimentary.
If you are over the age of 18 and reside in an eligible state, visit the Contact Me page to add your name to the waiting list to begin counseling. The current wait to schedule your complimentary initial consultation is approximately 1-2 months, and if you'd like to begin exploring adoption-related topics sooner, consider ordering my journal as a starter resource for self-reflection.
Are you seeking a Virtual Adoptee Group?
Join a series of virtual discussion groups for adult adoptees, with monthly themes based on the chapters of The Adoptee Self-Reflection Journal authored by Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker. Each group will be held the first Tuesday of the month from 4:30-6:00PM Mountain time. Upon completing the registration process, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the chapter prompts and a video link to join. Participants do not need to attend the groups in any particular order or attend all groups, as each monthly topic will provide the opportunity for its own discussion. Groups will be limited to 8 members + the facilitator, Dr. Wirta-Leiker. The registration fee is $35 (per member and per group; non-transferable and non-refundable). These groups are open to adult adoptees residing anywhere in the U.S. ENROLLMENT CLOSED FOR 2023.
Schedule of Monthly Group Discussion Topics
January: Group discussion focuses on "Chapter 7: Relationships” – Explore how your adoptee identity influences your sense of trust, belonging, significance and confidence in relationships and the larger world.
February: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 8: Boundaries” – Consider how it feels when others ask about your adoption story and how you choose to respond or set boundaries.
March: Group discussion will focuses “Chapter 9: The Media” – Explore how you are affected by depictions of adoptees in TV shows, movies, books and public arenas.
April: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 1: In the Beginning” – Explore your experiences and beliefs about your birth, early interactions with first family members and what you would like to know from the adults who facilitated your adoption process.
May: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 2: Beliefs” – Consider your evolving perceptions of adoption, messages that have influenced your feelings about adoption and how being an adoptee impacts your identity and experiences in the world.
June: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 3: Wishes & What If’s” – Explore your curiosities, wishes, hopes and all of the big “what if’s” around your adoption experience.
July: Break
August: Break
September: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 4: Perspective Letters” – Consider how it would feel to write to and receive letters from various first family members, exploring a wide range of perspectives, hopes and fears.
October: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 5: Adoptive Family” – Explore roles and relationship dynamics within your adoptive family.
November: Group discussion focuses on “Chapter 6: Special Days” – Consider how birthdays, adoption anniversaries, Mother’s/Father’s Day and other significant days affect you.
December: Break