By DGeiger
I have decades of experience with families and non-profit organizations that help strengthen women, youth, and children. I am actively involved with enriching the lives of individual children and families within their own communities.
My Visions and energy for the past decades was primarily focused on raising 3 older ws with my adopted children, ages 3,5, and 7 years old, with mental health needs from the States Foster/Adopt program. Washington and Oklahoma. My experience came first, my education came afterwards. It was all hands on deck, flying by the seat of my pants, with only a Early Childhood Education degree. Little did I know, I was on the Autism Spectrum myself while navigating my new parenting responsibilities. My experience includes nearly two decades being the legal guardian for one of my disabled adult daughters. This has brought me full circle. I continued to educate myself, work hard at protecting those with challenges. My interests now include older women diagnosed on the spectrum and the impacts and helping communities understand these adoptions.
My life also includes five years of caring for my elderly mother after her stroke, finally helping her through detox, recovery, and surgery while finishing up my B.A. in Human Development. I came full circle, completing my M.A. in Psychology at the ole' age of 59, where I focused on neuropsychology, clinical psychology, community psychology, and advocacy work with hopes on completing my book on the "Darker Sides of Adoption" and advocacy work.
My Visions and Voices have always been focused on working with children and their families. With sharing of resources found and creating support groups that educate and are supportive of one other. Educating the communities on what foster adoptions actually look like is my most paramount goal. I've lived in multiple states, within urban, rural, and small town communities. I am a wife, mother, grandmother, consultant, and advocate. My focus is primarily on working with those who can't speak for themselves or for those whose Voices were being ignored or dismissed.
Adopting and raising trauma impacted children is incredibly hard. Yes! Stopping generational abuse is also paramount. Adopting and parenting traumatized children is very different! You are dealing with mental health issues, neglect and all types of abuse. It impacts everyone! Adoptive families are not well understood by their communities and even their families. Rightly so. Mostly because the stories are not being told, or not believed, or just too sad to share. In the US, most of us bury our heads, we ignore or want to forget the reality. Unfortunately, this leads to the continuation of generational abuse.
Media portrays adoptions in a fairytale light. They never focus on the harm of adoptions, to the adoptee, or the adoptive family, or even the trauma to the birth family. Many go into adoptions so ill prepared. Social Service Agencies and non profits are self serving. They do not adequately prepare parents for adoption or help the children as they should. Most are good hearted people, those who work for these agencies have high hopes that all will work out in the end. However, this just furthers the gap of true understanding of the real needs and increases the adoption failures and the traumatizing to all those who are involved.
This trauma extends to other family members, friends, and their neighbors as well. It causes depression, mental health issues, self-isolation, legal troubles, and of course, added trauma and incredible amounts of stress to all those involved. These adoptive families are not supported in our society. Other parents say, "Just give them a little love and consistency, that's all they need, than all will work out". Wrong! A frequent sentiment that was mentioned multiple times to me throughout. Nope! They needed so much more and no, they are not just like every other child and will out grow it!
My lifelong passion has been focused around better understanding why and helping parents, community leaders to better understand. NW Visions and Voices will be here to educate, and let you know you are not alone. Help you better understand the issues, how to advocate, research, and finally help you better understand the supports systems needed and what resources are actually available to you and your family. Many believe or are led to believe are available. I can help you make a fully informed decision. What you must know before making this commitment on adopting these older children? All children deserve homes. I'm not going to sugar coat it! My mask is off!
Before adopting and homeschooling my three children. I had graduated with an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education and received a CAEYC scholarship. I always had a different view about children who were struggling or being called rebels, or worse. Little did I know, why I saw myself in them, with there learning disabilities, mental health challenges, and with social development struggles. Because in many ways, I was one of them. I understood them. I thought I was well prepared. But...I was so wrong! The struggle was incredibly painful. I loved being their mom. I loved the fairytale. The pain came after my children could not and would never attach to me, like most healthy children do to their parents. We struggled through the years, but it was no fairytale.
Years later, as a volunteer, I created, developed, and helped implement a community living skills program for a rural Washington State Jr. and Sr. high school. For the students in Special education, with my own child in mind, and for others in the special education program. In addition, I was admired and praised as being the first parent in the State of Washington to implement an IEP for a homeschooled student. After being told "No".
My current work experience as being a CASA (Court Appointed Legal Advocate) was challenging but eye opening. I am now a business entrepreneur and writer. My past work experiences includes: Senior Caregiver/Advocate, Legal Assistant/Transcriptionist, Girl Scout Service Unit Manager, Public School Special Needs Parent Coordinator, Corporate Receptionist, Home School Parent/Educator, Licensed Foster-Adopt Provider, Private School Remedial Teacher, Small Business Owner, Community Preschool Teacher, License Daycare Provider, School Bus Driver, Full-Time Professional Nanny.
What's different about My Life and My Bio? On the job training, one might say! My professional education came later, like a neatly tied bow on a package. My Blog! My Writings, My services offered, are being developed to serve individuals, parents, and their community. I am NOT a therapist. I am a business woman, advocate, consultant, and educator. DGeiger~
