“Born Under My Heart”: Adoptive Parents' Use of Metaphors to Make Sense of Their Past, Present, and Future

Metaphors provide the opportunity to make sense of our experiences and share them with others. The current research qualitatively examined interviews adoptive parents who had adopted through intercountry or private adoptions. Throughout their interviews, each participant used at least one metaphor in describing adopting raising child. Overarchingly, “Adoption is a journey” encapsulated parents’ experiences. To demonstrate journey, metaphors describe past, present, future. past focused on child's trauma origin how child came join family. present were challenge metaphors, including behaviors finding support, coping balance metaphors. Lastly, future included guiding commitment In addition symbolic rituals connect children From we offer several practical implications for postadoption intervention. First, interventions should be developed meet participants where they are. Second, focus overall picture adoption, as ideals about services tools, not fixes.