la                                                                                                                                               ra
Saturday September 16  9:00 am  - 10:20

ann
  Keynote 300    Ann Fessler, Adoptee, Author, Educator
The Girls Who Went Away
For 15 years Ann Fessler, adoptee, visual artist and author, has interwoven her story with those of mothers who surrendered children for adoption. Ann will present excerpts from her audio/video installations which are based on the oral histories of surrendering mothers she has interviewed and which are chronicled in her forthcoming book by Penguin Press, “THE GIRLS WHO WENT AWAY: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adotion in the Decades before Roe v. Wade."

A book signing will follow the presentation.

Key to Symbols:  A-1st Parent Realities, C- On Being Adopted, E - Search Ethics, F-Support Issues,
                               G - Healing Concepts,  H - Clinically Speaking, I- The Road Ahead, J - Other, SH- Self Help
                               MHP - Mental Health Professional
 300 Series         Saturday 10:40 - Noon

301
 Janet McDonald, Mother, MHP
 Emerging from Shadows: First Parents Finding Their Voices
A, SH
 Motivated by silent grief and imposed shame, first parents' voices are vital to understand..

302
 Joe Soll, Adoptee, Author, MHP
The separation of mother and child
C, H
 An exploration of the profound effects of separation of mother and child

303
 Celeste Billhartz, Adoptee, Educator
The Mothers Project .. telling their stories in images, words and music  SESSION 1
C, SH
 The Mothers Project, written and performed by Celeste Billhartz, offers audiences a compassionate view of the girl/mothers from past generations. A presentation of posters that tell the experiences of girls/mothers in maternity homes and stories of first mothers.

304
 Sharonfaith Horton, Adoptee, MHP
Shaping Ourselves in Clay
G, H
 Shaping Ourselves in Clay will offer an opportunity to create in a safe environment and experience unique insights on our personal life  journey.

305
 Gary Clapton, Father, MHP
First Fathers: What Do We Know Now? Some Practice Implications
A, H
 Knowledge of the experiences of 1st mothers in adoption is now  widely available to practitioners. This is not the case in respect of  fathers.  However, the position has developed recently - there's an emerging body of knowledge regarding first dads.

306
 Cancelled

307
 Bernadette Wright, PhD, Mother, MHP
Experiences of Exiled Mothers:  Results of the OriginsUSA Questionnaire
A, SH
 The results of OriginsUSA's national  survey of over 200 exiled mothers, which asked about mothers  pre-surrender, surrender, and post-surrender experiences.

308
 Michelle Edmunds, Adoptee, MHP,  Sandra Williston, Mother,
Christine M. Lachaîne,  Adoptee, MHP
Dispelling Myths
C, SH
 Dispelling the old and ongoing myths that keep adoptees stuck in that "loyal to my adoptive family" routine.

309
 Kristen Petela, Adoptee,
Coercion in the Adoption Process
A, SH
 Interviews with first mothers were conducted to explore their experiences of losing their children to adoption. Experiences of coercion appeared as a major theme.

Noon  - 1:30 pm       Lunch  

Click here to register  -> click
la                                                                                                                                               ra