Last month I joined with Jane Eales and Margaret Watson to discuss our experience of writing about adoption. Jane subsequently wrote a piece for Ipsify – an online journal for adoptees and others affected by adoption. Jane (Secrets Spies and Spotted Dogs) and Margaret (Surviving Secrets) are both late discovery adoptees with unique stories to tell of their search for identity. The evening was hosted by the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC), who, together with Post Adoption Support Queensland (PASQ) provide information, counselling and support to people affected by adoption in NSW, the ACT and QLD. They work with people who have been adopted, parents, siblings and partners.
- In NSW/ACT, call (02) 9504 6788
- In QLD, call (07) 3170 4600
Click in below box to be taken to the the article Writing as Therapy, written by Jane Eales and reproduced with the kind permission of Thomas Graham of Ipsify.
The Reluctant Retiree 
This was a great article. As the grandmother of a child given up for adoption 21 years ago, the reunification of our family had been both beautiful and difficult. Watching my daughter and living through her journey of giving up her child and now welcoming this child back into our hearts has stirred many emotions in the family. For me as a grandmother and mother my heart breaks for them both. I chose to simply love them both as best I can.
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Glad you enjoyed the article. People who have not experienced adoption imagine reunions will be happy ever after stories but in truth it is a very complex range of emotions, trust building and trying to understand each other’s hurt. Not all reunions stand the test of time, but I still think it is worthwhile knowing the truth.
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A very complex range of emotions for each person most certainly! Even though this was an open adoption it is still painful for some while joyful for others…
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I did wonder about the timelines. As you know, before the late 70s, America also had the theory that adoption should be closed and secret, so that complicates reunions even further. I haven’t had much experience of open adoption. I guess how well it works depends on the maturity of the adoptive parents and the amount of access the mother (and father) participate in. And then the child grows up …
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Have checked my library – 5 copies of your book, but no audiobook yet. Keeping my fingers crossed and will check again at the end of this week. Agree with above comment – page looking good – clean and fresh.
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Many thanks. Five copies in your library! What a compliment. I got a royalty statement yesterday but I have been too scared to open it yet. Checking their calculations is always guaranteed to dampen my mood 😀
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I like the new layout, very neat and sophisticated, hope you plan to keep it for a while, looks really classic. XD
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Thank you so much. I know you do not dish out praise willy-nilly so am happy that it hit the mark. It took me hours, so I have no intention of ditching it any time soon. It is the Hemingway Rewritten Theme. It was the Twenty-Twelve Theme. And I did away with using a background picture or pattern.
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