The Need for Policy Changes in Adoption with Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao

Family Twist: A Podcast Exploring DNA Surprises and Family Secrets

Have you ever wondered about the secrets and stories hidden within the world of adoption?

Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao shares her personal journey of being adopted and how it led her to become a therapist specializing in adoption and foster care. She discusses the secrecy surrounding adoption in the past and the importance of transparency and openness in the adoption process. Joyce also addresses the need for policy changes in adoption and the importance of educating professionals in various fields about the complexities of adoption. She emphasizes the significance of supporting adoptive families and providing resources for adoptees to explore their roots.

The Need for Policy Changes in Adoption with Dr. Joyce Maguire Pavao

Key Benefits for Listeners:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of the emotional and psychological intricacies of being adopted, from personal identity searches to the reality of finding biological family members.
2. Explore the evolution of adoption policies and practices, including the challenges and ethical concerns that have shaped them over the decades.
3. Receive practical advice and resources for anyone navigating the adoption process, whether they are considering adoption, are adoptees themselves, or work within the foster care and adoption systems.

Discover the untold narratives of adoption and how they could resonate with or enlighten your own life experiences by tuning into this compelling episode.

Guest bio:

Joyce Maguire Pavao, Ed.D.,LCSW, LMFT, was the Founder and CEO of Center For Family Connections, Inc. (CFFC - est. 1995-2012) in Cambridge, MA and New York. Adoption Resource Center was founded in 1978 and PACT (Pre/Post Adoption Consulting and Training) was established in 1982-becoming part of CFFC from 1995 to 2012. PACT and ARC are back standing on their own, as of March, 2012. Dr. Pavao is building comprehensive post adoption services throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with Riverside After Adoption Consulting and Training (AACT) they are doing an extensive project with the Department of Mental Health in Massachusetts. Dr. Pavao has done training, both nationally and internationally. She is a Lecturer in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and has consulted to various public and private agencies, schools, and the court system. Additionally, she has worked closely with individuals and families created by adoption, foster care, and other complex blended family constructions. She has developed models for treatment and for training using her systemic, intergenerational, and developmental framework The Normative Crises in the Development of the Adoptive Family and her book The Family of Adoption (1998/2005) has received high acclaim. Dr. Pavao has received many awards and honors, including the Adoption Excellence Award for Family Contribution (2003), and the Angels in Adoption award (2000).