I am currently the Executive Director of the agency in Arizona. I have been part of the CHA team for approximately a year and a half. I accepted the position of Executive Director recently as Courageous Hearts began their new Arizona office.
I have for many years worked as a counselor for both birth mothers and fathers. It has always been my goal to be a support person for them to help guide them through the process, which can be very difficult and emotional. It will continue to be my focus as the Executive Director, amongst many other issues.
I have worked in the field of child welfare since 1986. I was 23 years old when I started. I began working as a Foster Care Coordinator, and then later I was hired as the Adoption Specialist for Catholic Charities, which was housed in a CPS office. I worked in foster care and adoption for the first 8 years of my social work years, and then I moved on to become an investigator for Child Protective Services. I was an investigator for CPS, and I also worked in the Severance and Adoption division of CPS. After 18 years working at CPS, I was burned out, so I ended my employment there. After having 4–5 months off, I was told that there was a Pregnancy Counselor position open at Catholic Charities. I knew this was something I would love to do, so I applied. I was hired in September 2003, and I have worked as a Pregnancy and Adoption Counselor since that time.
I feel that most adoption workers have been adoptive parents who were inspired by their adoption experience. I was inspired in a different way. I was a teen mom who was pregnant in the late ’70s. I was popular in school and very involved in many activities. When it was found that I was pregnant, my life changed in so many ways—the obvious ways, of course, that come with being a young mother. I was not prepared to have to fight for my rights as a pregnant student, and I was not prepared to be completely shunned by school professionals, friends, etc.
There were about 5 or 6 of us pregnant in school, so I started a support group at school so we each would have some type of support. I was fortunate to have a supportive and loving family, but not all of the girls had that. One of them made an adoption plan, and the rest of us in the group supported her in many ways. We advocated for extra bathroom breaks, healthier lunches, and the right to sit at a table instead of a desk we could not fit in—which were just a few of the things we fought for.
I knew during my pregnancy that I wanted to help women who were pregnant and needed support. At 18, I volunteered at the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Kingman, Arizona. Being a pregnancy counselor was my dream job.
My plan at first was to help Courageous Hearts in Arizona working as a birth mom counselor on their cases. I found out almost immediately that they shared the same opinions and beliefs about every aspect of adoption and working with birth parents. I found them to be very in tune to the needs of birth mothers, and I love the fact that they support them throughout the pregnancy and beyond. They do not judge these girls, and they always treat them with dignity and respect. They are professional and compassionate. There is no typical day in adoption, that’s for sure, but I would say that each day starts with communication—discussing upcoming meetings and doctor’s appointments for girls. We discuss questions that adoptive families may have. I can honestly say that the communication and camaraderie at CHA is phenomenal.
Supporting Families and Birth Parents
I always participate in the in-person meet and greets between the adoptive family and birth parents, and in that process, I work to make things more comfortable for each person by preparing them, answering questions they may have, and helping them to understand more about the process. It is rewarding to see the relationship grow between the family and the birth parents, which is especially important as it becomes closer to baby day.
As far as an example of how I have helped facilitate a life-changing moment… We recently had a birth mother whose own mother had passed away just a few months prior to giving birth. She was feeling very alone, so I offered to stay with her at the hospital for labor and delivery. During the time I was there, I discovered a medical issue and reported it to the nursing staff. It was such a significant issue that the mother and baby could have died had it not been noticed. I was so glad I was there with her as she went through that very difficult medical situation. I was also able to communicate with the adoptive family as to how birth mom and baby were doing. The adoptive family and I took turns being there for her after the baby was born. It was a great team effort that I was happy to be a part of.
Feeling Heard and Valued
I know during the time that I have worked for CHA, whenever an issue arises, the staff always discusses the issue, and as a team, it is addressed. I have never had a single situation brought to their attention where they weren’t compassionate, understanding, and steadfast to help take care of the situation. I have found them to always do their absolute best to show each person that they are valued. CHA staff have many years’ experience in adoption, and most are adoptive parents themselves, so they have firsthand knowledge and experiences that help them to show their understanding and empathy in difficult situations.
Challenges and Growth
As with any new role, there are issues that you need to overcome. I think for me it has been an adjustment as I am trying to adjust to new roles and responsibilities. I enjoy a challenge, and I feel that I bring a great deal of knowledge to the table, so I am excited for this new adventure.
Impact and Legacy
My hope is to impact the mission of Courageous Hearts by continuing to provide the best services possible to birth parents and adoptive families. I hope that we are able to grow in Arizona through different communities throughout the state. I hope we are able to develop new relationships with hospitals and other entities that will encourage birth mothers to seek our services because they trust that we will always treat them with dignity and respect.
I would encourage anyone to work in the field of adoption due to my positive experiences and the rewards that it brings.
This blog was written by Tracy Anderson and originally developed by the team at Harness.
