Post Adoption Support Groups at BPAR
Support Groups
(Click on a group name in this list to jump to its description.)
GROUPS FOR ADULT ADOPTEES
GROUPS FOR YOUNG ADOPTEES
GROUPS FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS
If you are interested in joining a group, would like to suggest a new group, or would like more information, let us know through the Boston Post Adoption Resources Peer Groups Form. Once we receive your form, one of our clinicians will call you to conduct an initial phone screen process before each new group member attends.
We are conducting groups through telehealth
except where noted.
At BPAR we are committed to the safety of our clients.
We will continue to monitor and follow the guidance of
state and federal regulations.
Please email info@bpar.org with questions about a specific group.
Adult Adoptee Group Therapy
Adult Adoptee Group
Please join us for a support group for adults who have been touched by adoption.
Group leader: Seana Peterson, LICSW
Group cost: $35* per session.
Upcoming dates:
September 1
October 6
November 3
December 1
International Young Adult Adoptee Group
(Note: This group is not currently running. We are accepting new members for a waiting list for future sessions. Please use the signup form below to express interest.)
A group for international adoptees age 18-26 to promote self-exploration and emotional processing of the experience as international adoptees
This young adult adoptee's group explores the unique/complex factors related to international adoption including integration and loss of dual identity, birth country, culture and language, ethnicity and race, naturalization, etc.
Upcoming Dates: TBD
Group leaders: Mirela Caron, MA and Sahita Pierre-Antoine, MA
Group cost: $35* per session.
Jews of Color Adult Adoptee Group
A group for adoptees who hold a Jewish identity and identify as people of color, ages 18+.
This group is a therapeutic support group for adult adoptees who identify as Jewish people of color. Throughout our sessions, participants will explore the challenges and complexities of straddling multiple identities, touching on key themes including acceptance, belonging, and guilt/shame. This space will be an environment where members can connect with others who share similar experiences, learn from one another, and identify coping strategies.
Held monthly on the first Wednesday of the month at 6 PM starting on June 3.
Upcoming dates: August 5
Group leaders: Brina Chu, LCSW
Group cost: $35* per session.
Parenting as an Adoptee Group
An open support group for adoptees who are parents or caregivers or are in the process of starting a family.
For many adoptees, life events such as starting one’s own family can be a catalyst for thinking about adoption, identity, and family. This group is a support space for adopted adults who are parents or caregivers themselves– whether through having their own biological children, adopting, or becoming step-parents. This group is also for adoptees who are actively in the process of starting their family. The goal of this group is to provide a safe and contained environment for adult adoptees to seek peer support around the unique joys and challenges of parenting and becoming a parent as an adopted person.
Upcoming Dates:
September 1
Other Dates to be Announced Soon
Group leader: Lillian Hexter, MA
Group Cost: $35* per session
People of Color Support Group
A POC group for people touched by adoption, ages 18+
This group is a brave therapeutic space for adult adoptees who identify as a person of color, bi-racial or multi-racial. The group will explore and process what it is like to be a person of color in the world today. Racial identity development is already complex before adding adoption to it.
Upcoming Dates: August 28
Group leader: Lillian Hexter, MA
Group cost: $35* per session.
(Note: This group is not currently running. We are accepting new members for a waiting list for future sessions. Please use the signup form below to express interest.)
Embodiment Skills Group for Adult Adoptees
Join us for a short-term, 6-session embodiment skills group for adult adoptees.
Learn simple practices to feel grounded, safe, and present in your body in a supportive group setting. This group will explore a mixture of approaches including short meditations, breathwork, and somatic (body-based) techniques.
Group leader: Seana Peterson, LICSW
Group cost: $35* per session.
Search and Reunion Group for Adult Adoptees
This Search & Reunion group offers a safe, affirming space for adult adoptees to share and learn from one another about what it is like to search for and reunite with biological family members. Whether you are just curious, searching, in reunion or at some other point in the process, you are welcome in this space. Topics such as DNA testing, preparing to meet biological family, coping with secondary rejection, identity exploration and self-care will be discussed.
Upcoming Dates:
October 13
November 10
December 8
Group leader:
Seana Peterson, LCSW
Emily Goldstein, Clinical Intern
Group Cost: $35* per person, per session. *Sliding Scale available based on financial need
Young Adoptee Group Therapy
In-Person Young Kid Adoptee Group (6-7 Years Old)
Please join us for a support group for kids age 6-7 who are adopted. This group meets in person.
The group offers a brave space for kids to meet other kids who are adopted and share their stories and experiences through writing, discussion, and activities.
Upcoming dates: September 29
Location: BPAR offices at 235 Cypress Street, Suite 310, Brookline, MA 02445
Group leader:
Sahita Pierre-Antoine, MA
SSeiler Nishimura, LCSW
Group cost: $35* per session.
In-Person Kids Adoptee Group (8-12 Years Old)
Please join us for a support group for kids age 8-12 who are adopted. This group meets in person.
The group offers a brave space for kids to meet other kids who are adopted and share their stories and experiences through writing, discussion, and activities.
Upcoming dates: September 1
Location: BPAR offices at 235 Cypress Street, Suite 310, Brookline, MA 02445
Group leader: Sahita Pierre-Antoine, MA and Eli Lauzé-Yesayian
Group cost: $35* per session.
Tween Adoptee Group (11 - 13 Years Old)
A therapeutic group for kids age 11-13 who are adopted.
This In-person group offers a brave space for kids to meet other kids who are adopted, and share their stories and experiences through writing, discussion, and activities.
Upcoming Dates:
September 17
October 15th
November 19th
December 17th
Group leaders:
Seiler Nishimura, LCSW
Emily Goldstein, Clinical Intern
Group cost: $35* per session.
In-Person Teen Adoptees Expressive Arts Group (13-17)
Location: BPAR offices at 235 Cypress Street, Suite 310, Brookline, MA 02445
Group leader:
Sahita Pierre-Antoine, MA
Madison Janke, LMHC, R-DMT
Group Cost: $35* per session
Healthy Relationships Teen Group (15-18 Years Old)
Please join us for a support group for kids age 15-18 who are adopted. This group meets in person.
A group where we will talk about boundaries, expressing needs, and so much more! This group will explore what it means to be an adoptee navigating romantic and non-romantic relationships with others
Upcoming dates:
September 14
October 5
November 9
December 14
Timing: 6pm - 7pm
Location: BPAR offices at 235 Cypress Street, Suite 310, Brookline, MA 02445
Group leader: Seiler Nishimura, LCSW and Eli Lauzé-Yesayian, MA
Group cost: $35* per session.
Parent Group Therapy
Parenting through Disconnection Group
Parents of adopted children of all ages are welcome to join this virtual group.
When attempts at parenting with empathy, compassion, and cultivating joy are met with withdrawal, avoidance, or defensiveness, parents may experience a stress response called blocked care that creates disconnection in the parent-child relationship. This support group will be a space for adoptive parents to share with one another and receive support around the challenges of parenting through disconnection, as well as to learn tools for supporting healthy connection.
Group discussion will include:
- How does blocked trust/blocked care show up in your parent/child dynamic?
- What might some of your child's "big" behaviors be communicating?
- What are the roles you play in the disconnected dynamic?
- How can you find moments of repair?
- The importance of self-care and compassion.
This one-hour virtual group series will meet monthly on Thursdays starting with the following session dates:
Upcoming Dates:
September 24
October 29
November 19
December 17
Attendance is expected for each session, unless in the case of illness or emergency. Note that BPAR will complete a brief phone intake prior to the group.
Group leader: Sahita Pierre-Antoine, Brina Chu, LCSW
Group Cost: $35* per session.
Learn more about "blocked care" in our blog, Parenting When It's Hard to Like Your Child — Understanding Blocked Care in Adoptive Families.
Anti-Racism Parent Group
BPAR’s Anti-Racism Parent Group is designed for any parent with adopted children to discuss race.
This is a virtual group. If you are interested use the Sign Up button below.
Note: This group is not currently running for the fall. We are accepting new members for a waiting list for future sessions. Please use the signup form below to express interest.)
A learning and support group for parents who have adopted transracially to expand their racial literacy and to discuss issues as they relate to race, racism, anti-racism, and transracial adoption. Participants should expect to be operating outside of their comfort zone. During this group you may feel frustrated, defensive, sad, or even angry—and that is a good thing! Growing and doing anti-racism work calls for us to expand beyond our own comfortable world views and bubbles and listen to voices that challenge us. In service to that, we are looking to foster an environment of humility, honesty, learning, and self-reflection. This is predicated on a belief that we all have something to contribute and something to learn.
The "closed" group will meet for six sessions and it will be structured with pre-work and activities. Attendance commitment for the series of sessions is required. A 15-minute phone chat with each participant is required prior to joining the group to assess learning needs.
*All meetings are currently being held via teleconference*
All sessions will take place online on Mondays from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM on these dates:
Group leader: Darci Nelsen, LMHC, BC-DMT
Group cost: $35* per session.
Parents of Young Adoptees Group
Please join us for a support group for parents of adopted kids ages 4-7. This group meets virtually.
The group offers a safe space to meet other adoptive parents and caregivers and share their stories and experiences.
Upcoming Dates:
September 10
October 8
November 12
December 10
Group leaders: Darci Nelsen, Ph.D
Group cost: $35* per session.
Parents of Kid Adoptees Group
Please join us for a support group for parents of adopted kids ages 8-12. This group meets virtually.
The group offers a safe space to meet other adoptive parents and caregivers and share their stories and experiences.
(Note: This Group is currently on hold. We are accepting new members for a waiting list for future sessions. Please use the signup form below to express interest.)
Group leaders: Eli Lauze-Yesayian, MA
Group cost: $35* per session.
Parents of Teen Adoptees Group
A support group for parents of teen adoptees age 13-18. This group meets virtually for one hour.
This group for parents of teen adoptees offers a safe space to meet other adoptive parents and caregivers and to share stories and experiences.
Upcoming Dates:
September 10
October 8
November 12
December 10
Group leader:
Sahita Pierre-Antonine, MA
Eli Lauze-Yesayian, MA
Group cost: $35* per session
Social Skills Group for Teen Adoptees (12-16 Years Old)
This is a social skills group for pre-teen and teen adoptees who struggle to join in, connect, get along with peers, and navigate their social worlds. Supported by expressive arts and movement-based therapy techniques and teamwork challenges, group members will practice and reinforce their self-awareness, communication connection, and perspective-taking skills. Themes of belonging, connection, and identity development as an adoptee will serve as a framework for this group.
Upcoming Dates:
September 9
October 13
November 10
December 8
Location: BPAR offices at 235 Cypress Street, Suite 310, Brookline, MA 02445
Group leaders:
Madison Janke, LMHC, R-DMT
Sahita Pierre-Antoine, MA
Group Cost: $35* per session
Upcoming schedule>>