The Johnson Family
It’s hard to know what to expect when your family is presented with a child’s need for permanency in the face of a birth parent’s personal struggles. Julie and Sam Johnson adopted their granddaughters to offer them a safe and peaceful home after years of trauma in their young lives, which included termination of parental rights, domestic violence, and exposure to substance abuse. Julie and Sam thought this adoption would be the start of a bright new future for the girls, and life would go on as normal.
What they got was defiance, opposition, and constant fighting between the girls. Conflict to their once peaceful home every single day. Things reached a breaking point as traditional parenting proved ineffective and the stress in the home had the Johnson’s considering hospital admittance and even dissolving the adoption.
As they desperately sought help for the crisis in their home, Julie and Sam were connected to Chosen. They began meeting with a parent coach where they learned about trauma and the impact of early-life stressors. They were given new tools to foster a healthy family environment, and a greater understanding of the “why” for the girls’ behaviors. The girls actively participated in therapy and soon things began to change.
Stress levels experienced by the parents and trauma behaviors exhibited by the girls decreased to almost normal ranges.
Like a lighthouse guides a ship to safety in the middle of a storm, the team that surrounded the Johnson family brought them through to the other side. With Chosen’s guidance and support, a family once on the brink of destruction is now experiencing healthy relationships, and their hope for the future is restored. Julie and Sam both credit Chosen for helping to light the way and support them to implement restorative change in thelife of their family.
Chosen Walks Alongside the Caregivers
Every year, Chosen helps hundreds of adoptive families build bonds of trust. And we’re looking for partners to help heal their heartbreak. Your gift gives families the assurance they need to provide attachment and permanency for kids who desperately need it.
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* Names have been changed
