Adoption is not a single conversation; it is a lifelong relationship shaped by identity, connection, loss, belonging, and openness. This workshop offers adoptive applicants and adoptive parents an opportunity to explore these topics in a deeper and more practical way.
Together, we will examine the evolving concepts surrounding openness in adoption, including communication with birth family members, navigating complex emotions, supporting identity development, and creating environments where children feel safe asking questions about their story. This workshop brings together both lived experience and parenting perspectives to create a thoughtful and supportive learning space.
Participants will leave with:
- Practical information and considerations related to openness in adoption
- Tools for navigating difficult or meaningful conversations
- Reflective prompts that encourage healthy engagement around identity, belonging, grief, and connection
- Strategies for supporting children and youth in developmentally appropriate ways throughout different stages of life
- Opportunities to consider how adoptive caregiver responses can strengthen trust, emotional safety, and attachment
About the facilitator
Ashleigh Martinflatt (BA CYC, MSW) has been working in the permanency field for almost 20 years. Along with teaching at Vancouver Island University, she has her own private counselling practice in Nanaimo. Ashleigh has built her family through adoption and continues to learn from her children every day.