The Adoptee Lounge

Mentorship isn't just about processing the adoption — it's also about joy, laughter, and connection. Through these relationships, adoptees gain confidence, clarity, and a deeper sense of belonging.

Join An Adoptee Lounge

The Adoptee Lounge is a virtual space where adoptees (ages 12 and up) come together in small, mentor-led groups to share, reflect, and grow—side by side with others who truly get it. Each Adoptee Mentoring Society Lounge session offers space for honest conversations about identity, connection, and everything in between.

Young Adults (ages 17-22) Lounge
Adults (age 23 and up) Lounge
Youth (ages 12-16) Lounge

What You’ll Experience

  • Icon of three people standing together with arms around each other's shoulders.

    Mentors Who’ve Been There

    Our trained adoptee mentors don’t just lead the Lounge—they listen, relate, and create space for your story.

  • Illustration of a young woman sitting in a comfortable chair with crossed legs, working on a laptop at a small table, with a stack of books beside her.

    Small Groups, Big Impact

    Each Lounge is capped at 5 participants, creating space for real connection, shared stories, and mutual support.

  • Three speech bubbles overlapping, with squiggly lines inside them indicating dialogue.

    Real Conversations

    Guided by a mentor, each session begins with introductions and flows into meaningful dialogue based on what’s alive in the room that day.

  • Illustration of a person emerging from an envelope, connected to multiple dialogue bubbles and profile icons, representing online communication or social networking.

    Staying Connected

    Adult adoptees will be invited to join our private Slack community of “Loungers” where you’ll be able to connect with fellow adoptees 24/7.

Meet The AMS 2025-2026 Mentor Team

What Our Loungers Are Saying

  • Mentee

    Being part of the AMS community gave me access to a shared space I’d never had before—The Slack channel became my adoptee-resource rolodex… it became a life-saving resource that reminded me I’m not alone.

  • Mentee

    Walking away from a session feeling seen and heard is always a highlight in my life. I'm so grateful for a space where I can be completely transparent & not have to speak carefully. AMS has changed my life in ways that I never thought was possible. Thank you for your work.

  • Mentee

    I'm nearly 60, and waited my whole life for a place to show up as my authentic self, share my truth, feel seen & heard, and lean into wholeness and healing I've never experienced before. Lounges are uniquely opening me up to healing and health that has evaded me for decades.

  • Mentee

    Being able to talk about my experience in a non-judgemental space has been life changing. Having people with the same lived experience has brought me closer to myself and closer to those around me.

  • Mentee

    I appreciate the mission of AMS as it is a novel concept amongst typical adoption and post-permanency services

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Adoptee Lounge offers group sessions for Youth (ages 12–16), Young Adults (ages 17–22), and Adults (ages 23 and up), creating space for connection, support, and shared experiences.

    • Youth sessions – 60 minutes

    • Adults sessions – 90 minutes

  • Great question. You can view a full Adoptive Parent FAQ here.

    We ask that youth have their mentorship sessions in a private space, without parents present. This isn’t about excluding you—it’s about creating a safe, judgment-free environment where your child can speak openly.

    Adoptees sometimes hold back their questions or feelings about adoption out of concern for how their parents might react, or because they don’t yet have the language to express themselves. Meeting privately with a mentor—who is also an adoptee—gives them the freedom to explore their identity, practice sharing their story, and gain confidence.

    Your support in providing this space communicates something powerful: that you recognize adoption is a unique part of who they are, and that you trust them to benefit from connecting with someone who shares that lived experience.

  • Each Adoptee Lounge session includes up to five mentees per age group

  • An AMS mentor begins each session with guided group introductions. Each participant is invited to share by answering three questions: Who are you? How are you? What brought you here today? From there, the mentor facilitates an open and supportive conversation shaped by the themes that naturally arise during the introductions.

  • AMS Mentors work with The Adoptee Mentoring Society for one year, running from March to April. At the end of their term, mentors have the option to re-apply for another year or conclude their time in the role. Meet Our Mentors