Eldridge - 20 Life-Transforming Choices Adoptees Need to Make

20 Life-Transforming Choices Adoptees Need to Make is indeed life-transforming for those who will take advantage of the wisdom contained therein. The practical help given in alone are worth the price of the book! So often as adoptees we can struggle with a lack of understanding from those who are not adopted, and how to respond to triggering statements or actions. Sherries wisdom on these issues is spot on. Adoptees will find great solace in her words and real help for the plethora of issues we deal with post-adoption. I am so very grateful for this amazing resource!

Deanna Doss Shrodes, Blogger, Adoptee Restoration and Author of Worthy to Be Found

As an adoptive mom and singer/songwriter and speaker at adoption conferences, I am once again VERY grateful for the honest and extremely helpful nature of Sherries latest book, 20 Life-Transforming Choices Adoptees Need to Make . Her previous books have been instrumental in preparing me and assisting us after the fact in our own familys adoption of two siblings whod suffered greatly. As our children grow and comprehend more of their past, present, and future, Sherries insights and significant research continue to be an indispensable part of the healing, understanding, and hope-inspiring process for our entire family.

Becky Wright, Singer/Songwriter/Speaker, Founder of Tahlequah Orphan & Adoption Ministries, Department of Artists in Christian Testimony International

Sherrie Eldridge, the adoption expert who has so ably helped adoptive parents better understand their childrens needs, is back again, helping other adoptees to learn from her own journey through search and reunion with her latest guide, 20 Life-Transforming Choices Adoptees Need to Make. Its a well-written guide for adoptees of all ages, empowering them to grow in positive new directionsregardless of the outcome of their search. If adoption is your mountain, Sherrie Eldridge is your best possible sherpa, for few understand all of its peaks and passes the way Sherrie does, and her sage advice can help you reach your own summit.

Elizabeth Jurenovich, Ms, LCPAA, LPC, LMFT Executive Director, Abrazo Adoption Associatesa

This is a powerfully written book. Sherries revealing documentation of her insights for adoptees combined with her own and others intimate, personal experiences dramatically highlight her difficult but liberating journey.

Dale E. Theobald, Ph.D., M.D., Senior Medical Director for Community Home Health Services and Palliative Care at Community North Health Network, Indianapolis, Indiana

Although geared toward adoptee concerns and beliefs, Sherrie Eldridges latest book provides practical and spiritual information helpful to both adoptive and birth families. Social workers, therapists, and adoption professionals will find this book an important companion piece to Ms. Eldridges first book, 20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew.

Dirck Brown, Ed.D., Author of Clinical Practice in Adoption and Founder of Post Adoption Center for Education and Research (PACER)

Sherrie Eldridge speaks what so many of us wish wed been able to explain to our adoptive parents. This has helped me tremendously as an adoptive mother myself now.

Rebecca Kiessling, Founder and President of Save The 1, Co-Founder of Hope After Rape Conception, International Speaker and Attorney, Adoptee and Adoptive Mother

It is impossible to articulate how life-changing Sherrie Eldridges book has been for me! This book gave voice to my thoughts, emotions, and actions that were holding me back from fully living the life I was created to live. Eldridge uncovers the common threads adoptees hold on to throughout our lives, including grief, loss, rejection, fear, hope and love. Many clients say, I wish I had known about this resource years ago.

LeAnne Parsons CPC, ELI-MP, The Walk Your Talk Coach, Legacy Now Lived

LIFE

TRANSFORMING

CHOICES

ADOPTEES

Need to Make

SECOND EDITION

by the same author

Forever Fingerprints

An Amazing Discovery for Adopted Children

Sherrie Eldridge

ISBN 978 1 84905 778 3

eISBN 978 1 78450 021 4

of related interest

Healing from Loss After Adoption or Foster Care

A Guide for Adults

Rene Wolfs

Foreword by Marlene van Steensel

Translated by Kate Eaton

ISBN 978 1 84905 555 0

eISBN 978 0 85700 988 3

Building Self-Esteem in Children and Teens Who Are Adopted or Fostered

Dr. Sue Cornbluth

Foreword by Nyleen Shaw

ISBN 978 1 84905 466 9

eISBN 978 0 85700 844 2

Reparenting the Child Who Hurts

A Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma and Attachments

Caroline Archer and Christine Gordon

Foreword by Gregory C. Keck, Ph.D.

ISBN 978 1 84905 263 4

eISBN 978 0 85700 568 7

LIFE

TRANSFORMING

CHOICES

ADOPTEES

Need to Make

SECOND EDITION

Sherrie Eldridge

Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Philadelphia

The poem Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard by David Augsburger, on page 121 is reproduced with kind permission of Baker Publishing Group. The poem They Said by Mi Ok Song Bruining on page 79 is reproduced with kind permission of the author. The poem Pandora in Later Life on page 63 is reproduced with kind permission of the author. Excerpt from the W.I.S.E. UP! Program on pages 1027 is reproduced with kind permission of Debbie B. Riley of the Centre for Adoption Support and Education. Unless otherwise identified, all Scripture quotations in this publication are taken from the Holy Bible: New Iinternational Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Other versions used include: the New American Standard Bible (NASB), The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977; The Message: New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The author and the publisher apologize for any omissions and would be grateful if notified of any acknowledgements that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

First edition published by Pion Press in 2003

Second edition first published in 2015

by Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street

London N1 9BE, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.jkp.com

Copyright Sherrie Eldridge 2003, 2015

Author photo: Tom Rockwell

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owners written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.