Discovering Identity & Community as an International Adoptee with Joy Lieberthal Rho

This week, Diana chats with Joy Lieberthal Rho, LCSW (@iamadoptee) about how adoptees might explore their cultural and racial identity, the key challenges they face in defining a sense of self and family, and how the adoptee community has evolved and found camaraderie with the diasporan AAPI community at large. They chat about how conversations around identity and the adoption process have been able to become more nuanced with greater visibility of the adoptee community and the expanded national consciousness around race. Joy also offers some advice for psychotherapists working with adoptees, as well as her hopes for how the “success” of an adoption may be measured going forward.

Joy Lieberthal Rho, LCSW, (she/her) is a Korean American adoptee woman, a social worker, therapist and mother. Connect with Joy on Instagram/Facebook @iamadoptee or via email at iamadoptee@gmail.com

Mentioned in this episode:

• IAMAdoptee.org
• Sejong Camp

Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and resources. We hope to make mental health care more accessible and approachable across the Asian diaspora.
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