Sometimes you need the support of people who just get it — no explanations needed.
The Adoptee Lounge is designed for adoptees to have a safe space to build community with other adoptees through guided facilitation. Lounges are drop-in style, so adoptees can and will likely meet new individuals each time.
Lounge Facilitators are trained to lead groups of adoptees through a virtual, structured discussion based on a range of adoption-related topics (i.e. identity, race, birth family search and reunion etc.).
As one member said: “The Adoptee Lounge is therapeutic, impactful, and feels like a warm hug.”
Requirements for minors (age 18 or under):
The adoptee must desire to participate in mentorship on their own.
The adoptee must understand that mentorship services do not constitute therapy, nor substitute the need for therapeutic support.
The adoptee shall be provided with privacy during their mentorship sessions. If they’d like their parent/guardians present that is just fine, too, however most mentees enjoy engaging in the session in private.
Parents/Guardians may email the Program Coordinator with any questions, issues or concerns (info@adopteementorship.org).
LOUNGE FACILITATORS
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Angela lives in Seattle, WA and is the founder of the Adoptee Mentoring Society. She is also the author of You Should Be Grateful: Stories of Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption and the subject of the documentary, Closure. When she’s not creating adoption-related content she is shopping, getting her nails done or watching movies at home with her husband Bryan and their cat, Grandma Pearl.
Angela knows that adoption-competent therapists are incredibly important resources for adoptees. However, there are times when adoptees may not need a therapist to work through a specific issue, but simply desire to connect with someone who deeply understands the complexities of being adopted and to have a two-way relationship.
Join The Adoptee Lounge with Angela.
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Andrew was adopted from China, raised in Vancouver, WA, and has been in Seattle, WA since 2015. During his time at the University of Washington, he began to process his identity as an adoptee and how he wants to show up in the world. He likes learning about new things and has had the opportunity to travel to China, Greece, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, and a handful of national parks in the United States. He enjoys watching sports, playing basketball, practicing hot yoga, and being outside (when the weather permits).
Andrew has worked within the customer service industry, education system, and as a personal trainer. He is currently a facilitator with a school-based group counseling program. Through continuous reflection and self-awareness, one of his goals is to create a space where others are seen, heard, appreciated, understood, and celebrated.
Join The Adoptee Lounge with Andrew.
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Jenny is a Seattle area educator with over a decade of experience as a secondary public school teacher, and is currently working in higher ed. In her work with youth, she has prioritized creating supportive and joyful communities that uplift the voices of her students. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys spending time with her partner, daughter, and their dog, Dyna. She is an avid gamer, and loves to crochet and write.
Jenny entered reunion with her biological family when she was 32-years-old and has enjoyed building relationships with her newfound family members. As a mentor, she seeks to provide supportive, validating spaces for adoptees to explore the complexity of adoption and be in community with one another. She believes that while there are many nuances to our unique adoptee stories, our collective experiences are a powerful tool to facilitate belonging, authenticity, and healing.
Join The Adoptee Lounge with Jenny.
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Lauren lives in Seattle, Washington. She is currently pursuing a graduate degree in mental health counseling. She loves neighborhood wandering, nature walks, art, volleyball, sharing a meal and cooking! She was adopted as an infant from South Korea and has always been curious about the many facets of identity discovery, especially as it relates to adoption.
Everyone has their own unique story and unfolding. She is looking to provide space for adoptees to share, explore and witness their own and others’ stories within community and find moments of connection.
Join The Adoptee Lounge with Lauren.
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Sarah Mascardo is a non-binary African-Arab/ Filpinx adoptee from the Philippines and was raised in Bay Area, California. They graduated from Sofia University with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and B.A. in Transpersonal Psychology. Sarah’s current profession is a Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist in an STRTP for foster children ages 6-15. One of their lifelong dreams is to create a wellness playground for adoptees & foster care folks to help them reconnect with their innate powers and celebrate their authentic selves. During their free time, you’ll often find them jamming out to music, visiting mama nature, immersing themselves in their environment through photography & trying different cultural foods, traveling, cultivating time for their spiritual hygiene, playing sports, and/ or spending time with their wife & fur bbs.
Join The Adoptee Lounge with Sarah.
Do you want to become an Adoptee Lounge Facilitator?
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An Adoptee Lounge Facilitator is a leadership role with the Adoptee Mentoring Society.
They lead groups of 6-8 adoptees through a structured virtual conversation that empowers all participants and creates a sense of community.
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Must be an adoptee
Must be 25 years of age or older
Must be available to attend our virtual orientation and training in March 2024
Commit to a 1-year contract (with a 3-session probationary period).
Must have attended at least three Adoptee Lounges
Must be able to articulate your current position within the "Expansiveness" touchstone of the Adoptee Consciousness Model
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Expect to spend approx. 3-6 hours per month of additional meetings, communication and engagement (outside of facilitating The Adoptee Lounge sessions)
Strong group facilitation and time management skills.
A clear understanding of professional boundaries
Avoidance of a rigid mindset, or adoption perspective and openness to varied beliefs
You have a high degree of self-awareness. You understand your own personal biases and recognize the impact of your own presence on a group.
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January - February 2025: Applications accepted
March 2025: Applicant interviews & selection
March 2025: Virtual Orientation & Training
April 2025: Begin Facilitating Lounges