Adoption Counseling as a Professional Specialty Area for Counselors

Adoption is an area of professional specialization that has resided primarily with social workers. However, with some additional training, many counselors can acquire the expertise to provide service to members of the adoption triad: birthparents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. This article provides an overview of the major issues that may arise in the lives of triad members and suggests ways in which counselors can be equipped to respond to those issues.