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Shared Connections: Bringing Birthmothers and Adoptive Mothers in Open Adoptions Together Postponed until further notice!! Statement of Beliefs * We believe in the learning power of our stories. There is always something that can be learned in hearing another's unique experience. * We believe that part of our purpose is to build a community of support and understanding. With that in mind we strive to create an atmosphere that is safe and welcoming for all that attend. * We believe that each person who attends is at a different stage of the journey. This will be respected at all times. * We believe that tears shed are an important part of healing. We also believe in the power of play and that laughter and tears are necessary companions. * We believe that being in an open adoption is a responsibility. It is our hope that Shared Connections will provide you with the information and the support to be able to fulfill those responsibilities with confidence. * We believe that adoption is a lifelong process. It is our hope Shared Connections signifies a new beginning.
Adoption creates unique blended family relationships. Like all blended families, adoptive mothers and birth mothers in open adoptions struggle mightily with the complexities that these relationships create. Shared Connections is a conference/retreat that strives to help birthmothers and adoptive mothers understand each other by discussing the similarities as well as the differences in our experiences.We believe that learning and growing in open adoption is facilitated by both information and the ability to connect and know others in the same situation. After seeing it work for years with The Lifegiver’s Festival, Insight: Open Adoption Resources and Support is pleased to offer Shared Connections.
We will focus on the following three areas of interest. 1) Loss, Shame and Identitya) The Experience for Birth Mothersb) The Experience for Adoptive Mothersc) Changes in Identity of both yourself and your family.2) Communication andRelationship Building a) Creating Traditionsb) Developing good communication and negotiation skills in open adoption.c) Integrating and Understanding Family Culture3) Responsibility and Commitmenta) Focusing on child.b) Building for the future.Each session will consist of the following components. - Teaching Session - Questions & Answers - Interactive Exercises - Individual Group Discussion (Focusing on the top five points to communicate to the other group.) - Total Group Discussion About the Facilitators: Carrie Kent lives in the Boston Metropolitan Area with her husband David and her two children Jack (10 years) and Daisy (6 years.) She has spoken at national and local conferences on issues in open adoption, transracial placement, and the complexities of adoptive motherhood. Her children's adoptions can, at best, be called hopeful open placements; at worst, they could be called struggling.Brenda Romanchik is the Director of Insight: Open Adoption Resources and Support, an organization dedicated to providing triad members, professionals and the general public with information on open adoption. She is also the author of a number of publications on open adoption. She lives in Royal Oak, MI with her husband and children, Katarina and Daniel. Her birthson, Matt, is 18 years old ACCOMMODATIONS The conference is held at the R. A. MacMullan Conference Center, operated by the MI Department of Natural Resources. Located on Higgins Lake, the conference center’s facilities are surrounded by the natural beauty of upper Michigan. Bonfires by the lake, walking in woods or sitting by the fireplace are only a part of what this great conference center has to offer. CONFERENCE FEES $275.00 plus $40 for transportation from the airport * All meals identified in the agenda, lodging and materials are included in the conference fee. * There is an additional $40.00 fee for transportation from Detroit Metro Airport. Please indicate on your registration form if you will need this transportation. * A small number of single rooms are available for an additional $90.00 fee. Space is limited so register early. |