Dismantling Stigmas Around Adoption Counseling
By Anna Keller
Are you considering placing your baby for adoption and unsure where to begin? Adoption agencies in New York, like Adoption Agencies NYC, are here to help you figure out that first step. Having an unplanned pregnancy does not have to be as scary as it sounds. Adoption Choices of New York is a NY adoption agency that assists birth mothers in all sorts of pregnancy adoption options. Adoption Choices of New York will ensure you are not alone, from finding the right family to navigating the emotional strain of having a baby.
Why Should I Choose Adoption?
Putting your baby up for adoption is an admirable decision. There is a lot of stigma out there that says otherwise, but ultimately birth mothers are making a brave choice. If a birth mother cannot provide the quality of life for her child that she envisions, then allowing another family to provide is a sound choice. It is deeply respectable regardless of what people say about women considering adoption. Walking through the New York adoption process with the agency may seem daunting. You may be asking yourself, is adopting out my baby the right choice? Only you can answer that. But the agency is here to guide you through your entire New York adoption plan. One issue that may come up in counseling. If this idea makes you uncomfortable, then we are here to explain why it is important to release those misguided notions of adoption counseling.
How can Adoption Counceling Help Me?
Types of adoption vary from woman to woman, but they all share things. One thing many of them share is the emotional strain of parting with your child. Just because you are not ready to parent does not mean that you do not love your baby. That, along with other things, is what the adoption counselors are prepared to tell you. What does counseling look like, broadly? It can either assume the form of one-on-one sessions or support groups. Some women feel more comfortable with one on one. Others prefer the groups and many like both. Regardless of your chosen method, the support offered during those sessions will help you work through your feelings and the other pregnancy difficulties.
Adoption counseling covers a wide range of topics that birth mothers may battle. But your feelings don’t have to feel like a war. They are all perfectly natural and a part of the pregnancy process. You must acknowledge them for what they are and work through them instead of ignoring them. But what if you don’t want to counsel? After all, the idea may come across as overwhelming or even uncomfortable to some. What if you feel like you can handle everything on your own?
Why It’s Important to Share Your Adoption Journey
While that may be a tempting mindset to grasp, it is unrealistic to a dangerous extent. It’s okay to lean on others for support during this difficult time, and it’s even more okay to admit that you cannot do it alone. This journey is not meant to be done alone. While it is ultimately your journey, sharing some of the struggles with others close to you and your support team with the agency is okay. That is what they are there for. Some specific topics covered in adoption counseling are postpartum depression, child abuse, trauma, and the emotional aftermath of adoption. And what about the long-term benefits of adoption counseling? They far outweigh the initial discomfort you may experience in opening yourself up to another person. Adoption counseling helps prevent impulsive decisions and rash behavior. This is not to say that birth mothers are more prone to rash behavior. It’s only facing the reality that it may become easier to act on emotion instead of logic during this difficult time. If you participate in adoption counseling, you are more likely to keep a level head and healthily balance your emotions. As a result, your journey will become easier to manage, and you will have less stress weighing on you during your pregnancy.
Why Adoption Counseling May Feel Challenging
Another stigma associated with adoption is that birth mothers are weak in seeking help. Consequently, this incorrect idea largely contributes to the widespread narrative that counseling is a ‘bad idea.’ Women are ridiculed for requiring assistance on such a taxing thing, and as a result, the entire matter of adoption is smeared because it’s generalized as inarguably, one-dimensionally ‘daunting.’ Unsurprisingly, women are afraid to seek counseling because they do not want to be ridiculed even more than they already have been. However, it’s important to remember that these narratives are wrong, and seeking assistance for adoption is a demonstration of strength, not weakness. Mothers who seek counseling become less likely to act on emotion, instead harnessing their emotions and channeling them in healthy ways to create a safe environment for their child. This creates a safer outcome for everybody involved in the process.
Adoption Choices of New York is available to assist with your adoption plan. Call us, text us, or email us; we are here for you!
Contact Us 24/7: 800-505-8592 (Phone) | 518-478-8420 | Click to Email
