Support Groups

There are adoption-related support groups for everyone in the adoption triad formed to meet the demands of special interests and difficult issues people may find themselves facing in relation to adoption. During the adoption process parties are advised to attend support groups, which may carry over into the post-adoption advice. During an infant adoption, a birth mother meets with a counselor pre-placement but she's often encouraged to continue meeting with a support group post-placement, when the emotional reaction to adoption become stronger.

Support groups are also popular for adoptees and birth parents who are going through the search and reunion process. Searches can be time-consuming and exhausting if they do not lead anywhere, but initiating contact and reuniting with a birth parent or child can be even more unnerving. Reunions can be disappointing as well as highly emotional. Sometimes these can put stress on the searchers' families and adoptive parents.

The support groups talked about thus far are assumed to be in-person, but there is an entire online community of support groups in adoption forums. These forums can be convenient for people who do not have a lot of time to commit to a group meeting or may have schedule conflicts. Adoption professionals as well as people who live and breathe an adoption lifestyle every day interact on support forums and can be great sources of encouragement.