By Ceille Baird Welch,M Ed, DA

Susan M. Weeden, MSW, goes over the basics at a Circles support group meeting.  Weeden uses her 20 years of experience working with adult adoptees and birth parents to facilitate discussion groups dealing with difficult issues in adoption.

 Carolina Adoptive Services, aka Carolina Adoption, is a non–profit international adoption agency specializing in placing foreign orphans into qualified American families.

The agency maintains active programs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Guatemala, Korea, Moldova, Peru, The Republic of Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine. It networks with other reputable agencies in additional countries as well.

A series of emails sent from The Republic of Georgia by adoptive parents Patty and Steve Lemley announce:

“We are here and she is beautiful.”

“Court date has been confirmed.”

“It’s official! Anna is ours!”

While numbers of parents have expressed similar gratitude to Carolina Adoption for supporting and guiding them through their adoptions of foreign born children, the agency has begun to receive requests for a growing domestic need. Now, Carolina Adoption, while not directly involved in domestic placement, provides services before and after placement of domestic children throughout the Carolinas.

Services include pre– placement assessment, education, consultation, and post–placement support. The agency also sponsors support groups made up of family volunteers. Those interested may log onto the CAS website at www.carolinaadoption.org for information on groups and domestic services.

Susan Weeden has formed a support group of her own to serve local adult adoptees and birth mothers. The group is called Circles. “It’s a name I came up with that I felt would encompass a number of positive concepts, the primary concept being roundness or wholeness,” she said. “This group is not connected with the CAS groups in that this group is just for adult adoptees (over the age of 18) and mothers who have, for whatever reason, had to give their children up for adoption.”

Weeden has a lot to offer. She spent over two decades in contact with adoptees and birth parents. In 1987, she provided counseling for the very first reunion under SC’s Adoption Reunion Register.

Circles is a free education and support group for those separated by adoption, holds meetings on the second Saturday of each month from 11:30–2:30 at Lizard’s Thicket, 7569 St. Andrews Rd., Irmo.

Those interested may email Weeden at circles@sc.rr.com or call her (803) 407-1900.