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By Sunday Silver, MA, Director of Post Adoption Services
Holt’s Post Adoption Services team wants to Hear from You!
Are there any questions you would like to ask one of us? Is there a particular issue that you would like addressed in the newsletter? Is there something you would like to share; successes, failures, how you over came a particular situation?
We’re adding a new feature to our newsletter, to answer questions you may have for one of the Post Adoption Services team. Questions and comments will be forwarded to the appropriate team member, who will respond personally by email, so please be sure to include your email address. Each quarter we’ll select one submission, with the author’s permission, to feature in our newsletter.
To submit a question or comment Continue reading We Want to Hear From You!
By Debby Hanson, Admin Coordinator, PAS
A Free, Informational Webinar
When: May 16th, 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Where: Join us online!
Hosted by: The Holt International Post Adoption Services Department
Every day in the Post Adoption Services Department, our phones ring and inboxes fill with questions from adoptive families and adult adoptees. Inquiries include everything from file copy requests to assistance with birth searches or cultural and historical information. Among the most common questions we receive – from both adoptive parents and adult adoptees – are questions surrounding the issue of citizenship.
On May 16th, please join us for: “Is My Child a U.S. Citizen? What Adoptive Parents Should Know,” presented by Debby Hanson, Holt’s Administrative Coordinator for Post Adoption Services. In this free webinar, we will cover some of the most commonly asked questions, including:
- What is “proof of citizenship”?
- Why does my child need this if they’re already a citizen?
- Why can’t I get a Social Security Number for my child?
- Can I get my child a passport if I don’t have a Certificate of Citizenship?
- My first child was able to get a passport. Why can’t I get one for my second child?
- What will my child need for the future?
Please join us for this free, informational webinar. We look forward to seeing you online!
Click here to register!
Debby Hanson is the Administrative Coordinator for the Post Adoption Services Program, with over six years of service to Holt. In her position, she regularly talks with adult adoptees, adoptive families, and birth families about our services, and is very knowledgeable about citizenship and the process to obtain an adoptee’s Certificate of Citizenship. Debby is the primary Holt staff member to assist families and adoptees with citizenship questions.
By Abbie Smith, LCSW, Director of Clinical Services
 I usually write about issues directly connected to behavior, which relates to a child’s ability to regulate their emotions. I came across the article below and wanted to share it in its entirety with you. Ms. Elleseff’s article is full of fun activities parents can do with their children. In January, she graciously gave her verbal permission to reprint this article for Holt’s families. Enjoy!
Speech-Language Strategies for Multisensory Stimulation of Internationally Adopted Children
By: Tatyana Elleseff MA CCC-SLP Date Posted: 2012-01-11
This article was first published in January 2012 Issue of Adoption Today Magazine (pp. 40-43).
Recently, I participated in a professional adoption email discussion regarding developmental stimulation of infants and toddlers in orphanages and it got me thinking about not just the importance of stimulation for institutionalized children but also about stimulation activities for post-institutionalized children. Orphanages have long been infamous for sensory deprivation as well as a host of other adversities. Even one month spent Continue reading Speech-Language Strategies for Internationally Adopted Children
By Michael Tessier, Youth Adoptee Services Coordinator
Thanks for joining us for another Holt Adoptee Camp interview! This interview is with Tracy, a member of our leadership staff from Camp season 2011. As you prepare your summer plans, please consider Camp as part of a great support for your family and your child! In addition to our week-long overnight camp, we also have a single day Day Camp at each of our six locations (OR, CA, IA, WI, GA, PA)! See our website here and register for these exciting opportunities!
Michael: Hey Tracy! You and I worked closely this summer, but the readers aren’t familiar with you yet. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Tracy: Well, my name is Tracy, and I grew up in Sharon, Massachusetts — a small suburban town with only 3-4 other Asian Americans in my school. I have a younger brother who is also adopted, Robbie. I am currently acting, and lived in LA after college. I am now living in Atlanta with my husband, and pursuing my acting career here.
M: Awesome! And you volunteered with camp this summer, too! What was your position and what did you do?
T: It was my first time at Holt camp! I originally applied to be a counselor, but then I became leadership [staff managing the counselors]. Being around that many adoptees was amazing — it was an amazing time in my life. As leadership, we were in charge of Continue reading Straight from the Adoptee: An Interview with a Counselor and Camper about Holt Camp – Part II
By Sunday Silver, MA, Director of Post Adoption Services
The Connection Between Nutrition and Your Child’s Behavior
Join Dr. Karyn Purvis as she discusses the most recent research on the impact nutrition can have on behavior. She will examine the effects certain foods may have and how small changes in diet can make a big impact on how your child feels and therefore behaves. Learn more and register.
- Practical tools anyone can use right now
- Make small changes for big results
- Current scientific research
- A certificate for 1 credit hour is available after successful completion of a post test
Thursday, March 22, 2012
7:00PM – 8:00PM Central Time
Q & A: 8:00PM – 8:30PM Central Time
REGISTER
Submit your questions for Dr. Purvis HERE, or by tweeting them to @adoptiontweet using #snackplaylove
By Sunday Silver, MA, Director of Post Adoption Services
From Your Post Adoption Services Team
By Sunday Silver, MA, Director of Post Adoption Services
Back By Popular Demand!
“Are You Ready
to Talk About Adoption?—Part II”
Save the Date
February 23- 5:00p.m. Pacific Time
After our first “Are You Ready to Talk About Adoption?” webinar in September 2011, an overwhelming number of participants asked for MORE! On February 23rd, Holt International and Adoption Mosaic will host “Let’s Practice: Are You Ready to Talk About Adoption? Part II,” a 1-hour webinar presented by Adoption Mosaic Executive Director Astrid Dabbeni. Adoption Mosaic is an adoption education and support nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon.
Talking openly with your child about their adoption experience – at any age –takes practice. In this follow-up webinar, you will:
- Learn strategies on how to respond to your kid’s questions, such as:
- “Did my birthmother love me?”
- “How much did I cost?”
- “Was I plan B?”
- “Do I have siblings?”
- “When is my real birthday?’
- Learn how to overcome your fears, such as:
- “Will I plant a seed that was not already there?”
- “Have I waited too long to bring up a topic?’
- “I don’t know the right words to use.”
- “I won’t be age-appropriate.”
- Discuss how to use specific age-appropriate movies and books to help engage your child
Click here to register
If you were unable to attend Part I, no worries! You’re welcome to listen to the recorded webinar found here, or just join us for Part II.
 Astrid Dabbeni, Executive Director
Astrid has a degree in sociology with an emphasis in adoption. She travels the country to lead youth groups, present workshops on transracial parenting, talking with children about adoption and various other workshops focusing on adoption. Astrid has worked in adoptions for over 18 years. Her life-long interest in adoption is rooted in her own adoption at the age of four with her older sister from Colombia. Astrid is the Executive Director and co-founder of Adoption Mosaic.
Our Mission 
The Adoption Mosaic mission is to connect, honor and serve the adoption constellation through innovative education, practices and support services.
By Lisle Veach, Admin Coordinator, China Program
ANNOUNCING PLANS FOR A COMBINED HERITAGE TOUR & ADOPTEE FAMILY DAY CAMP IN CHINA IN 2012!
Holt was the first agency to pioneer the concept of heritage tours for international adoptees in the 1970s. With adult adoptees in leadership positions and on our staff and board, and with years of experience working with children in orphanages all over China, Holt is uniquely qualified to offer a profound homeland experience for adoptees and their families.
On Holt’s upcoming 2012 Family Tours, in addition to two weeks of sightseeing and educational activities around China, for two and Continue reading Combined Heritage Tour & Adoptee Family Day Camp in China
By Abbie Smith, LCSW, Director of Clinical Services
The holidays are rife with potential opportunities for parents and kids to get over stimulated and temporarily lose the ability to keep their emotions regulated. Routines are non-existent, meal schedules often get disrupted and everyone’s blood sugar goes down. Just think of all the pressure leading up to school letting out: plays and performances, finishing school projects, too many parties, gifts for teachers and gifts for friends; And this is just for the children. Parents have additional pressures: budgeting for gifts, big meals, shopping for everyone, wrapping presents and mailing presents, cards to get out, office parties and office presents, packing everyone up and traveling to relatives, and all that rich food around — and many more I haven’t listed! It takes being proactive to plan for all of this and keep your equilibrium at the same time. It is very important for parents to take care of themselves and be able to stay within their own window of tolerance during this busy time. When you are present and calm, then you can help your child to calm down. Kids often take their emotional cues from their parents and are very sensitive to the emotional health of their parents. Some therapists say that a child can only be as calm as their parent. Also, there is some new research that shows that when a parent has a very stressful day and has difficulty remaining regulated, the next day the kids have a bad day.
 Our kids who have been home less than two years or who were raised in orphanages their first three years, have stress systems much less developed than their typically developing peers. They are very prone to revert to Continue reading Emotional Regulation: Holiday Tips
By Michael Tessier, Youth Adoptee Services Coordinator
 Hey, everyone. I wanted to give you an opportunity to learn about Camp straight from the mouths of our biggest participants: a camper and a counselor who were each part of our program in 2011. What follows are two interviews I conducted on Facebook that will hopefully help you learn more about the program. Look for this interview in Mei Magazine’s upcoming Camp Issue where an editorial about Camp will also appear!
My first interview is with Rachel, an Adoptee from Wisconsin:
Michael: Hey Rachel! Thanks for joining me for this conversation. We know each other but the rest of our readers don’t – could you tell me a little about yourself?
Rachel: My name is Rachel. I currently live in Madison, Wisconsin and I’m 15. I was adopted from Fujian, China when I was Continue reading Straight from the Adoptee: A Two-Part Interview with a Counselor and Camper about Holt Camp
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