Modern Adoption with Erin & Jess

Pregnancy Neuroscience & Ethics in Adoption

So often in adoption, there is a rush for an expectant or birth parent to sign a termination of parental rights as soon as the mandatory waiting period has passed. In addition to being a fierce advocate for expectant parents and high ethical standards in adoption, Meshan is a Pregnancy Social Worker with Paths for Families in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. She is an LCSW-C with a degree in Psychology, a minor in  Neuroscience, and her Masters in Social Work. In this episode we also discuss: * Pregnancy neuroscience and risk factors for postpartum mood and anxiety disorders * The complexities of adoption plans made at the hospital * Crisis decision making * Adoption professionals as choice architects and advocating for better practices in adoption Links mentioned: Family Preservation Project [https://thefamilypreservationproject.com/] AdoptChange [https://www.adoptchange.org/] Ethical Family Building [https://www.ethicalfamilybuilding.org/] The Turnaway Study [https://www.ansirh.org/research/ongoing/turnaway-study] Thanks for listening! Love what you're hearing? Don't forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen! Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email jess@pairtreefamily.com

And That's a Wrap...on Season 1!

We are almost at the end of the year and that means we are wrapping up season one of the Modern Adoption podcast and we just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has listened to us, who finds value in the topics we’re talking about and has learned something from us this past year. When we finally decided to jump in and start this podcast, we knew we wanted to be a source of education and a space to tackle tough conversations, and I think we’ve done that this year…and it seems like all of you are loving it too because this podcast has been streamed over 1,000 hours in 2024! So this episode is a highlight reel of some of our favorite moments from 2024, what we’ve learned, and what we’re looking forward to in 2025…but really it’s a thank you to everyone who has tuned in this last year Thanks for listening! Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen! Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the next season of the Modern Adoption podcast? Email jess@pairtreefamily.com

The Imbalanced Access to Information in Adoption & Why it Needs to Change

Through every step of the adoption process, there is almost certainly an imbalance of power that doesn’t just affect the adoption process in the moment, it can lead to long-lasting consequences. In most cases, that imbalance of power begins even before any “match” has been made and it starts with the type and amount of information that is shared between adopting families and expectant parents. In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Delphine Veith to discuss the imbalance of power between expectant parents and adopting families and how one adoption agency is working to change that.  Delphine is a licensed clinical social worker and the Program Manager at Open Adoption & Family Services, an agency licensed in Washington and Oregon, where she is a fierce advocate for expectant parents, open adoption, and a high ethical standard in adoption. In this episode we also discuss: * How the exchange of information affects power dynamics in adoption * Why vulnerability in adoption can be so difficult * The importance of providing more information to expectant parents Links Mentioned: * Open Adoption & Family Service [http://www.openadopt.org/] * Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood [https://a.co/d/dDl9ady] * Modern Adoption Podcast with Gretchen Sisson [https://open.spotify.com/episode/604J17LMPfeXe6gQQEMYKP?si=031b8b7a449f4c71] Thanks for listening! Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and if you want to give us a holiday gift, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen! Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email jess@pairtreefamily.com

Navigating the Holidays During Your Adoption Journey

We’re heading into the holiday season, and that means it’s time for family dinners and holiday parties with well meaning family members, friends and co-workers wanting to know all of the details about how your adoption journey is going. In this special holiday episode of the Modern Adoption podcast, Erin & Jess dive into how to navigate difficult conversations during the holiday season - from equipping you with how to respond (if you want to), but also acknowledging that it’s okay to just say no sometimes. We also talk about: * Tips for getting through the holiday season while you’re waiting * Ways to answer uncomfortable questions from well-meaning family members * The importance of protecting your child’s story * Holiday gifting for birth families & our Holiday Gift Guide Links Mentioned: * Holiday Gift Guide [https://pairtreefamily.com/learning/adoption-blog/an-adoptive-parents-guide-to-holiday-gift-giving] Thanks for listening! Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and if you want to give us a holiday gift, subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and give us a 5-star rating so other people know to listen! Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email jess@pairtreefamily.com

An Inspiring Adoption Story with Bethany Ayer

In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, we wanted to share a story we hope will bring a smile to your face and possibly make you shed a tear or two, but ultimately we hope it will inspire you to support your child’s curiosity surrounding their adoption story and birth family. In today’s episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Bethany Ayer, an adoptee in reunion with her birth family. Bethany shares her story from not wanting to talk about adoption as a child, to reconnecting with her birth mom at 19, how her mom supported her every step of the way, to now proudly sharing her adoption story (for the first time EVER!). In this episode we also discuss: * Navigating complex emotions in adoption * The impact of curiosity & openness in adoption * Making space for guilt & grief in adoption * Navigating curiosity & grief in adoption Thanks for listening! Love what you’re hearing? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Modern Adoption podcast and give us a 5-star rating so you never miss an episode! Have a topic you want us to talk about or interested in being a guest on the Modern Adoption podcast? Email jess@pairtreefamily.com