Find a Therapist

Finding Professional Support

Finding the right therapist can take time. For people navigating experiences related to identity, origins, adoption, donor conception, unexpected DNA discoveries, family separation, search and reunion, grief, or belonging, it may also be important to find a professional who understands the complexities these experiences can carry.

The resources below are provided to help you explore therapists and other mental health professionals who may be a good fit for your individual needs.

Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not maintain a therapist directory or recommend individual providers. Instead, we share established external resources that may help you in your search.

Finding the Right Fit

A therapist's credentials or inclusion in a directory does not necessarily mean they will be the right fit for you.

When considering a therapist, you may want to ask about their experience working with concerns or lived experiences that are important to you. This might include identity, origins, adoption, donor conception, unexpected DNA discoveries, family separation, search and reunion, ambiguous loss, grief, or relationships.

You may also want to consider practical questions such as:

• Are they licensed to provide services where you live?

• Do they offer in-person sessions, telehealth, or both?

• Do they accept your insurance or offer private-pay options?

• What experience do they have with the concerns you want to explore?

• Does their approach feel comfortable and appropriate for you?

Finding a therapist can involve more than finding someone with the right credentials. You are allowed to ask questions and decide whether a provider feels like a good fit for you.

Finding Support After an Unexpected DNA Discovery

Finding a therapist who specifically identifies NPE or unexpected DNA discoveries as an area of experience may be difficult. Many therapists may be unfamiliar with NPE terminology even when their professional experience is relevant to the concerns that can accompany an unexpected discovery about identity or family.

When a therapist with specific NPE experience is not available, consider looking for a trauma-aware therapist who has experience with concerns such as identity disruption, ambiguous loss, grief, family systems, attachment, betrayal, or significant changes in family relationships.

When contacting a potential therapist, you may want to ask whether they have experience supporting people whose understanding of their identity or family history changed unexpectedly, and whether they are comfortable learning about the particular complexities of an unexpected DNA discovery.

The right therapist does not necessarily need to have "NPE" listed among their specialties. Their willingness to listen, understand the significance of the discovery, and approach your experience without minimizing it or imposing assumptions can matter just as much.

Therapist Directories

Adoptee-Therapist Directory

Beyond Words Psychological Services

The Adoptee-Therapist Directory includes licensed U.S. mental health professionals who identify as adoptees and work with adoptees and adoptive families. Providers voluntarily submit their information, and listings can be searched by state.

Search the Directory

National Directory of Adoption Competent Professionals

Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)

This national directory includes mental health professionals who have completed C.A.S.E.'s Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) and/or National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI). Listings can be searched by state, training, licensure, and payment options.

Search the Directory