Modern Adoption with Erin & Jess

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...

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 a...

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...

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...

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...

In today’s world, there are so many different avenues to share your family’s adoption journey. You can have an online profile in multiple places, a website, a profile video, a profile book, you can utilize social media…the options for outreach on your adoption journey sometimes feel endless. But with the widespread availability of online profiles and profile videos, you have to wonder…are profile...

If you are a prospective adoptive parent, one of the first big questions you’ll discuss on your adoption journey is ‘what are you open to?’ or ‘what are your preferences in a match?’ In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Kathryn Russell to discuss adoption preferences and the impact they can have on a families adoption journey. Kathryn is a licensed master s...

China’s recent ban on international adoption has been dominating the adoption news cycle, but that’s not the only big news that’s happened in adoption in the last couple of weeks. In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess dive into a recent letter sent from the Federal Trade Commission to 31 adoption intermediaries. We break down what the letter said, real life examples of so...

Adoption law is complex and nuanced, and the role of an attorney in the adoption process is vital in helping to navigate the legal complexities of adoption. In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Diana Schimmel, a Partner with Martine, Katz, Scanlon and Schimmel, a boutique family law firm in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. At MKSS, Diana specializes in adoption...

We want to preface this episode by saying the cost of domestic infant adoption in the United States is too high, but we also realize that the high costs associated with adoption aren’t going to change overnight. We still want to help adopting families financially prepare for their adoption journey.  In this episode of the Modern Adoption Podcast, Erin & Jess are joined by Matt Joyner, a Certif...

We say all the time - parenting an adopted child is different from parenting a biological one and today we’re going to talk about why that is. In this episode of the Modern Adoption podcast, we are joined today by Jessica Johnson of Root and Revive Wellness.  Jessica is a certified health coach, and adoptive mom of three who, after struggling with her own adoptive parent burn out, created Root and...

In this episode of the Modern Adoption podcast, Erin & Jess dive into ethics in adoption…more specifically, the anatomy of an ethical adoption. As a team of adoptive parents, birth parents, and adoption professionals, trust us when we say that we understand the desire and longing to grow your family. But how far are you willing to go and what ethical lines are you willing to cross to become a...

In today's episode of the Modern Adoption podcast, Erin & Jess talk with Allison Whalen, Founder & CEO of Parentaly - a company on a mission to improve the parental leave experience for everyone. One of the first things we recommend prospective adoptive parents do when they decide to pursue adoption, is to ask about their employee benefits for family building and parental leave. Unfort...

At PairTree, we pride ourselves on providing a pathway to parenting for all people so we are really excited about today’s guest. In honor of Pride Month, we wanted to do an episode focusing on adoption and family building in the LGBTQ+ community. In this episode, we are joined by Heather Strickland, who is an Arizona attorney specializing in adoption and assisted reproduction. She is a fellow in t...

In this episode, we want to have an honest and authentic (and definitely unfiltered) conversation about adopting after infertility — including what to consider, and how to navigate it. If you’re navigating adoption after infertility, we hope this conversation helps you feel more prepared on your journey, or more comfortable in saying you aren’t quite ready yet. Mentioned in this episode: Creating...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and as the month comes to a close, we wanted to take some time and discuss the importance of self care for the adoption constellation. Adoption is a journey that never ends, for everyone involved, so it’s important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself no matter where you are on your adoption journey. In this episode we’re going to be sharing some self-c...

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Sara Silvestri to discuss some of the medical considerations while adopting, specifically prenatal exposure. Dr. Silvestri is a board certified pediatrician, and adoptive mom of 2. She uses her platform and business, The Adoption Doc to help educate adoptive families on the medical complexities of adoption such as prenatal exposure along with birth family medi...

In this episode, we are joined by Gretchen Sisson, PhD and author of Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood . We’re going to be talking about Gretchen’s new book, her eye-opening research, and the importance of sharing a real and honest look at the birth parent perspective in adoption. Gretchen's research and subsequent book have been the subject of num...

Today we are talking with one of our favorite attorneys, Liz Vaysman, about the legal aspects of family formation and how family building has changed in the last few years. We cover: Embryo Donation - what it is and could it be an option for your family Alabama IVF case Open Adoption Agreements - do they exist in embryo donation? Sidenote - we dive into the role of an attorney in the family-buildi...

March is Women’s History Month and we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the story of adoption in women’s history. This episode is dedicated to the incredible women who have made it their mission to change adoption for the better. To learn more about the women we talked about in this episode: Ashley Mitchell - you can find Ashley on Instagram @bigtoughgirl or online at https://www.bigtoughgir...

In this episode we are joined by Allison Olson. Allison is an adoptee, adoptive mom, and author of the children’s books, “Surrounded by Love" and "Tell Me About My Friends Adoption." Today we’re talking about love in adoption and how Allison’s books can help you talk about adoption in your home. You can follow Allison on Instagram at @kidsbooksbyallisonolson and order her books on h...

Today, we’re joined by Audrey DeGraaf, Director of Family Network Adoption Center in California to discuss some big changes to adoption that went into effect this year. California Assembly Bill 120 Bans adoption facilitators from operating in California. Restricts the adoption professionals you can work with in California. Commonly Asked Questions About AB 120 Hoping to adopt in California? Learn...

Welcome to the Modern Adoption Podcast! In our first episode, we'll discuss some of the recent changes, developments, and perspective changes we've seen in private adoption, such as open adoption, policy changes, and the role technology plays in adoption. In this episode, we touched on some of the new federal legislation recently introduced. To learn more about these important bills, and h...