Adoption Facilitators

* On Mother’s Day we were happy to see the article “Mothers’ Amends” (May 12), the story of our beautiful adopted daughter Nika. My husband and I feel it is important to share our story because adoption has received much undeserved negative press. We also hope that people who have experienced a failed adoption will take encouragement and go on to adopt again.

We felt Nika’s story was well-written and wonderfully presented. As an adoption professional, however, I am saddened by what seems to be a world of fear and misinformation regarding the adoption process. The media has presented a picture of adoption professionals that leaves people confused and frightened.

I went into this work only after careful thought and consideration. I have had four years of study to become a minister and three years of facilitating adoptions in another office in Los Angeles, prior to starting my own practice. During this time I have worked with 150-plus families and birth parents.

Some adoption attorneys and agencies have been quick to criticize all facilitators, although many of us work with these same attorneys and agencies. The positive side of this is that there is now a movement among facilitators to unite and gain certification. In any field there are bound to be less-than-perfect practitioners. However, I feel I speak for most facilitators when I say that I feel my responsibility to my clients and birth parents very deeply.

NIKKI BIERS

Valley Village

Biers is director of the Adoption Circle Inc.