Who created the 7 Core Issues of Adoption framework?

The 7 Core Issues of Adoption framework was developed in 1989 by adoption specialists Sharon Kaplan Roszia and Deborah N. Silverstein. It was later expanded in their 2019 book, The Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency.

Is adoption trauma real if I was adopted as a newborn?

Yes. Implicit memory and pre-verbal trauma occur at a cellular and neurological level. Separation from the biological mother disrupts early neurobiological regulation and attachment, even if the adoption occurred at birth and the adoptive home was loving.

How do I find a therapist trained in adult adoptee issues?

Look for a licensed mental health professional who holds specialized credentials in adoption competency, such as training from the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), or who has lived experience as an adult adoptee.

Can I switch between in-person and online sessions in Louisiana?

Yes. Clients residing near Lafayette, LA, can choose to meet in person at the physical office or transition to online telehealth sessions whenever scheduling, illness, or travel requires flexibility.

Are online therapy sessions as effective as in-person sessions?

Research consistently shows that secure video therapy yields equivalent clinical outcomes to in-person care for depression, anxiety, trauma, and relational challenges.

Is telehealth secure and HIPAA-compliant?

Yes. Online sessions are conducted through encrypted, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms built specifically for healthcare providers to ensure complete confidentiality.

How do I know if my insurance or out-of-network benefits cover hybrid therapy?

Many insurance plans reimburse for both in-person and telehealth services. Clients can request a monthly Superbill to submit to their insurance provider for out-of-network reimbursement.

Where can I get individual therapy for relationship issues in Louisiana?

Individual relationship counseling is available in-person in Lafayette, LA, and statewide via secure telehealth through Melissa LaCour, LPC.

Can I do relationship therapy without my partner present?

Yes. Individual relationship therapy allows you to examine your personal attachment style, communication reflexes, and emotional triggers independently.

How does adoption or early loss affect adult relationships?

Early separation or attachment disruption conditions the nervous system to view intimacy as risky, often manifesting as rejection sensitivity or fear of abandonment.

Is online relationship counseling effective?

Yes. Research confirms secure online video sessions produce equivalent clinical outcomes to in-office therapy for relational issues and trauma processing.

How do I know if a counselor is adoption-competent?

Look for formal credentials such as C.A.S.E. Training for Adoption Competency (TAC), active involvement in adoption networks, and informed responses to consultation questions.

Can a general trauma therapist treat adoption issues?

While general trauma therapists can help, they often lack specialized knowledge regarding adoption dynamics such as loyalty binds, disenfranchised grief, and reunion mechanics.

Is it better to see a therapist who is also an adult adoptee?

Shared identity can create immediate emotional safety, but formal clinical training and personal fit remain the most critical factors in therapeutic success.

Can an adult adoptee receive adoption therapy online across state lines?

Yes, provided the therapist holds licensure or compact authorization in the client's location. Melissa LaCour, LPC, provides online therapy in LA, GA, IN, MN, and OH.

Is it normal to feel like an outsider in my adoptive family?

Yes. It is one of the most common experiences reported by adult adoptees, typically stemming from a lack of genetic mirroring rather than a lack of love.

What is genetic mirroring in adoption?

Genetic mirroring is the experience of seeing your physical features, personality traits, and temperament reflected in biological family members.

Does feeling disconnected mean I don't love my adoptive family?

No. Attachment and genetic alignment are separate processes. You can love your adoptive family deeply while recognizing that you are fundamentally different from them.

How can therapy help with genetic mirroring issues?

An adoption-competent therapist helps you process identity gaps, release guilt over feeling different, unlearn chameleon behaviors, and build self-worth.

What is the 'Primal Wound' in adoption?

The Primal Wound is a concept developed by Nancy Verrier proposing that the initial biological separation of an infant from their birth mother creates a pre-verbal trauma impacting attachment.

Is the Primal Wound scientifically proven?

While not a formal DSM diagnosis, modern neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and implicit memory research confirm that infant maternal separation causes real neurobiological stress.

Can an infant experience trauma if adopted immediately at birth?

Yes. Infants register maternal separation at a physiological level through implicit memory and autonomic stress responses, regardless of how quickly adoption placement occurs.

How does pre-verbal adoption trauma affect adult relationships?

It frequently manifests as anxious or avoidant attachment, intense rejection sensitivity, hyper-independence, and difficulty fully trusting romantic partners.

Why is National Adoption Month hard for adult adoptees?

National Adoption Month often centers purely celebratory narratives while ignoring the foundational grief and loss of genetic separation inherent in adoption, leading to feelings of pressure, forced gratitude, and isolation.

What is disenfranchised grief in adoption?

Disenfranchised grief is grief that is not recognized or validated by society. Because adoption is culturally treated as purely positive, an adoptee's grief over the loss of their biological family and genetic mirroring is frequently silenced.

How can I support an adult adoptee during National Adoption Month?

Avoid congratulating them on being adopted or emphasizing gratitude. Instead, listen without judgment, validate the complexity of their feelings, and allow them to feel ambivalent without correcting them.

Can therapy help with adoption-related triggers in November?

Yes. An adoption-competent therapist provides a validating space to unpack holiday boundaries, process disenfranchised grief, and release loyalty binds without demanding that you educate them on adoption basics.

Melissa LaCour, LPC 7/27/26 Melissa LaCour, LPC 7/27/26

Grief That Doesn’t Have a Name — Understanding Ambiguous Loss

Grief That Doesn’t Have a Name — Understanding Ambiguous Loss

Melissa LaCour, LPC

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