By Connor Shelton

An unplanned pregnancy can be one of the most emotionally challenging situations you face as a mother. It may seem like your life has been upended by this newborn seeking to enter the world. This is certainly true if you’re in a situation where you don’t think you can raise them. Because of this, you might think, “I want to put my child up for adoption.” That’s where we come in. 

We want what’s best for you and your child, which means adoption in certain situations. Yet, despite the role adoption plays in alleviating stress after a child is born, it still can yield a range of negative emotions. Fear, uncertainty, and confusion are just feelings you might experience when going through your adoption plan. There’s no way of avoiding the pain of placing a baby up for adoption, but it can be tempered. Here at Adoption Choices of Nevada, we offer a social worker to guide you through your adoption journey and provide counseling. That might sound scary, but once you know how it works, you’ll find it beneficial during your pregnancy.

What Is Adoption Counseling?

On the surface, the answer seems simple. Adoption counseling is the type of counseling provided when you place a child up for adoption in Las Vegas. But what does this mean? If we break the term down, we find that it can describe guidance, education, and support for birth mothers. This can include women who are unsure about adoption and those who are committed to an adoption plan.

Regarding our counseling services, we cover all options, not just adoption. We have people ready to explain the ins and outs of raising your child, terminating your pregnancy, and choosing adoption. We don’t want you to feel pressured into choosing adoption just because of who we are. Rather, we’re committed to making sure your decision is right for you.

What Is Covered In Adoption Counseling?

There is a multitude of topics and issues that are covered in adoption counseling, all depending on the individual’s circumstances. However, the following represent the most common points of discussion. 

1. Unplanned Pregnancy Options

As noted earlier, there are other paths besides adoption. If you wish to explore such paths, our adoption counselor will be more than welcome to discuss them. This isn’t because adoption counselors want to get rid of you. Instead, their openness to other options is rotted in a desire to match hopeful adoptive families with committed birth mothers. In addition, they don’t want anyone’s feelings to get hurt.

2. The Importance Of Controlling Your Narrative

One of the most important things about adoption is that you feel you are in control of your decisions. No one at Adoption Choices of Nevada wants to strip you of your agency, but that won’t stop others from trying to do so. That’s why our adoption counselors will go over this topic. You might feel like your unplanned pregnancy has upended your life, but you must realize that you’re in control of your body. That starts with taking command of your narrative.

3. The Steps Of Your Adoption Journey

If you believe adoption is the right option, prepare to become acquainted with your counselor. Not only will they go over the next steps you need to take for your adoption journey, but they’ll also help you plan everything out. In addition, for the entire adoption process, they will be by your side, which they’ll cover with you during your first sessions.

4. How To Find The Perfect Adoptive Family

Perfect is perhaps a somewhat misleading term. No family will be “perfect,” but your adoption counselor will help you find the right family for your baby. To do this, they’ll go over the adoption types and how you might connect with the families.

5. The Importance Of Support Groups

Even though your adoption counselor is here to comfort you throughout the adoption process, they’ll also clarify that they’re not the only person to rely on. There are hundreds of communities that are made up of birth mothers. Your adoption counselor may refer you to certain ones depending on where you live and your pregnancy stage.

6. Your Potential Concerns Surrounding Adoption

Adoption counselors have years of experience working with birth mothers, so they know when you have worries about adoption. They also know how to respond to situations outside adoption, such as financial concerns and substance abuse. It’s all part of their job; they’ll lay out their guidance should you open up about these issues.

What Are The Benefits Of Adoption Counseling?

Even as therapy for mental health is becoming more commonplace, counseling still seems to carry a certain stigma in parts of the United States. As a result, likely, you don’t believe counseling is necessary for yourself, yet you should keep an open mind. There are many reasons to take advantage of our free mental health services. Some of these include:

• The opportunity to explore all your options for adoption in Nevada.
• Having a guide for the adoption process.
• Receiving individualized support.
• Getting a professional perspective.
• Ensuring your financial needs are met.
• The ability to process any potential grief and loss healthily.

Beyond these services is a multitude of others, depending on your specific circumstances. Any questions about these benefits and any others should be taken up directly with your counselor.

Taking The First Steps Toward Adoption Counseling

How much adoption counseling you need is completely up to you. Some women stay in touch with their counselor throughout the entire Las Vegas adoption process, while others only reach out with an occasional question. Whatever group you land in, know that we are always here to support you as you explore every option. As a result, you can be ensured that whatever decision you make will be the right one.

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).