The decision to place a child for adoption is an act of deep love, yet it also brings with it a unique kind of grief. Birthparents may experience the loss of daily connection, milestones, and the future they once imagined with their child. This loss is often complex, carrying both sorrow and hope — the pain of separation mingled with the desire for the child’s well-being and future.
There is heartache. But there is also hope. Because this experience is not always fully understood by others, birthparents can feel isolated in their grief. Yet the emotions that accompany adoption placement are real and valid, and acknowledging them is an important part of healing. Making space to share your story, honor your child, and process both the loss and the love at the heart of adoption can bring comfort and connection along the journey forward.
Join our very own Dr. Mark Vande Braak on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 1 PM CT as he leads an online, educational grief support session to explore the unique loss for birthparents of adoptees.
This offering is part of “Dr. Mark’s Grief Support Series,” a program of year-round educational grief/loss support provided by Lutheran Family Service. Each session will focus on a different area of loss as presented by Dr. Mark, an expert with more than 30 years of mental healthcare experience in death and trauma. This is a FREE series with no registration fee. If you would like to join this session on the loss of a child through voluntary adoption placement, sign up below. Please share with anyone who may be grieving a loss of this kind.
