Shoreline and Olympia, WA (Telehealth available statewide) Coaching available out of state
Therapy for adoptees navigating questions of identity, belonging, and self-worth.
Together, we explore who you are beyond the roles you are expected to play.
You want to know who you are, but the answers have never been simple.
For many adopted adults, identity feels scattered or unfinished. You may have grown up trying to be easy, agreeable, or invisible ā anything to keep the peace. You may have shaped yourself around what others needed, and now you are not sure who you are when no one is watching.
You might feel pulled between families, cultures, or expectations. Even if you love the people in your life, you may still feel disconnected or out of place. The pressure to be grateful can make it even harder to name the loss or confusion you carry.
These struggles can show up in many ways. You may find yourself changing to fit each room you enter, avoiding conflict, or feeling unsure about what you want. At the root of it all is the quiet question that never fully leaves: who am I, and where or how do I belong?
I help adopted adults reconnect with who they are and feel more at home in themselves.
Over time, therapy can help you feel more rooted in your values, more confident in your choices, and more at peace in your relationships. You may begin to speak with more clarity, set boundaries without guilt, and move through life with a stronger sense of who you are.
You do not have to shape-shift to be loved. You can feel connected without losing yourself. You can belong in your own story.
Identity THERAPY FOR:
Adoptees who feel disconnected from who they are
People exploring the impact of adoption on self-worth, values, and identity
Those who struggle to trust their inner voice or sense of belonging
How I approach Identity Therapy
Identity work starts with curiosity. Together, we explore the parts of you that were shaped by early experiences and the expectations of others. This includes the roles you took on to feel safe and the beliefs you formed about who you needed to be.
We move gently, with attention to both your inner world and your lived experience. I draw from narrative, relational, and trauma-informed approaches that make space for complexity and self-discovery.
This work is not about building a new version of you. It is about reconnecting with what has always been there, waiting to be uncovered.
Things we can work on in Identity therapy:
Reclaiming parts of yourself that have been hidden or silenced
Building self-trust and inner clarity
Letting go of the pressure to be perfect, agreeable, or easy
Learning to speak and live from a place of wholeness instead of performance
Exploring how adoption has shaped your sense of self
Naming the roles you took on to stay safe or accepted
You may begin to feel more settled in who you are.
You may stop second-guessing every decision or relationship. Instead of asking what others need from you, you can start asking what feels right for you. Therapy can help you feel more connected to your values, your voice, and your truth. Over time, your identity can become something you trust, not something you chase.
If this is the kind of support you have been looking for, I invite you to reach out and schedule a consultation.
FAQs
-
That is completely okay. Many clients come in unsure of who they are or what they want to work on. Therapy gives us space to explore those questions together. You do not need to have answers to begin.
-
Yes. That experience is very common for adoptees. You may have learned to adapt quickly in order to feel safe or accepted. In therapy, we work on strengthening your internal sense of self so you can show up more consistently and feel more at ease in different spaces.
-
That guilt is very common. Many adoptees feel loyalty toward their families and confusion about their feelings. Therapy can help you explore both without pressure to choose one or the other.