Adopting Together......

In my professional life I was a trained counsellor who specialised in working with teenagers who were disengaged in education and their families.  Little did I know the invaluable insights I would gain when I became a parent myself.  In my personal life I am an adopter who regular readers will know has had many challenges along the way.  The experience of Katie's often very challenging behaviour has resulted in me accessing my own counselling for Secondary Trauma and the stress upon TCM and myself as a couple has, and continues to be, enormous and damaging to our relationship.  

I was contacted recently by the Tavistock Centre in London regarding some specialised counselling they are offering couples who have adopted children.  This interested my counselling brain partly because it's wonderful that an agency is recognising that the relationships of the parents of adopted children can be challenged in very unique and specialised ways and also because I've always professionally been a fan of the work that the Tavistock Centre do.  I immediately offered to share the information about their programme called Adopting Together with everyone who reads this blog in case it is useful for readers in the London and surrounding areas.  The rest of this post has been written for me by the marketing team for the Tavistock........

Have you and your partner been arguing more since adopting?

Have the summer holidays exposed some cracks in your relationship?

Ever feel like you are ‘on your own’ and no one 

understands the pressures of being an adoptive parent?

Don’t let these concerns grow: 

There is no better time to seek support.

At The Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships (TCCR) we are offering NEW, FREE, government funded support in a new service called: 

Adopting Together

Relationship Support for Adoptive Parents

This specialist service offers a safe space to reflect on how adoption has impacted on your couple relationship. It allows for better communication between couples where they can freely share the difficulties they are experiencing in order to improve the quality of their relationship.

Programme Head Julie Humphries says “Our innovative approach is unique as, unlike other Adopting Together parenting programmes it avoids the usual focus on mothers and parenting, instead looking at you as a couple. By helping your relationship, the aim is to improve life for you AND your children. Participation will help you strengthen your bond and allow you to concentrate on building or growing your family in a happy and harmonious way.”

The support is run in London and starts in September. Here is a brief Q&A for couples who are interested in attending

Who can receive the support?

The Adopting Together Service is open to all post-adoption parents and we welcome both heterosexual and same-sex couples.

What type of support is offered?

We offer two types of face to face therapy. Couples will be seen in either couples therapy or parent groups and work with our experienced therapists to get support to address some of the issues that are impacting on their relationship.

What are the Adopting Together Parents Groups?

One option A FREE group-based programme designed to support adoptive couples with their relationship and their parenting with the benefit of allowing you to share your experiences.

What’s involved if we join the Parents Groups?

You and your co-parent will meet with our expert group workers and they will be able to answer any further questions you might have and decide if the group is the right sort of help for you and your family.

You will then join a series of 16 weekly, 2 hour sessions with a small number of other adoptive couples who might be going through similar situations. The sessions give you the opportunity to improve your relationship, yourself and your parenting skills. There is a mixture of creative activities, video clips and discussions with the group leaders.

The group is a safe space to explore things that might be difficult and sad, as well as a space for lively discussion, fun and meeting other people who might be going through similar situations.

What is the Adopting Together Couple Therapy Service?

A FREE therapy service designed to support adoptive couples with their relationship and their parenting.

What is involved if we join the Couple Therapy Service?

You and your co-parent will meet with a specially trained therapist for up to 20 weekly 50-minute sessions. In these sessions you will get the chance to explore your relationship and any issues that may be concerning you.

What difference will it make?

TCCR has nearly 70 years’ worth of experience and is world leading in the field of couple therapy. Seeing a therapist has made a big difference to thousands of relationships, here are just some of the things our clients have said about what couple therapy did for them:

“I was so worried about seeking help and I wonder why it took me so long”

“It was a very professional service. I have got all I wanted form it.”

“It has brought me and my partner closer together”

Interested?

We are allocating free spaces now…

You can find out more or register for a consultation appointment by emailing adoptingtogether@tccr.org.uk or call: 0207 380 1950, then you may be offered one of two options, either Adopting Together Parents Groups or Adopting Together Couples Therapy.