In this practical book, Michelle McColm takes the adoptee and birth parent carefully through the process of adoption reunion; drawing on extensive interviews and the experience of her own reunion.

The book describes the experiences that people have had when tracing their birth parents, as well as offering practical advice on how to go about searching and what to expect emotionally. Each section has an advice box which summarizes key points, notes issues to pay particular attention to, or offers draft letters that readers can adapt for their own needs. The appendix contains useful addresses and weblinks, and includes checklists for searching and for the reunion. Chapters include reunion with birth fathers and birth siblings, as well as with birth mothers, the relationship with the adoptive family and dealing with reunions that break down.

A reunion between family members who have been separated by an adoption can be a very emotional event. This resource helps to explain that mixture of feelings and to increase understanding of the emotional dynamics of the reunion experience.

"Collection of stories about the reunions of adopted children and their birth parents, with sections from the point of view of the children and their adoptive and birth parents"--Provided by publisher.

By comparing a group of adopted people who searched for birth relatives, with a group who did not, this is the first study to provide real answers to the fascinating subject of why adopted adults decide to search or not. Based on the experiences of 500 adopted people, the research exhaustively looked at all the possible influences on search decisions.

In this eye-opening, deeply affecting account, the authors reveal - through the words and experiences of adoptees, birthmothers, and birthfathers - that what reunion can accomplish is impressive, although its pangs are no less real than the pangs of birth