Out of the Fog Counselling and Adoption Services

05/04/2025

🌌 May the Fourth Be With You: What Star Wars Can Teach Us About Adoption

Today’s a day for Star Wars fans to celebrate “May the Fourth”—but did you know it’s also an adoption story?

Luke and Leia, twin siblings separated at birth, raised apart, unaware of each other and their true parentage. Many fans don’t realize this until someone points it out. But when viewed through the lens of adoption, Star Wars reflects some outdated ideas:
That to “protect” a child we must separate them from their siblings and origin story.
That they’ll be “fine” once they’re grown and learn the truth.

But modern adoption practice—and lived experience—shows us something different. Sibling connections are essential. They help adoptees understand who they are and where they come from. And truth-telling, when done with trauma-informed care, is not harmful—it’s healing.

In my research, The Untended Garden (2020), Adoptees shared how they longed to have their sibling bonds and honest storytelling could have helped them grow stronger identities. That’s echoed across Canada, in reports like We Have Something to Say (Ontario Advocate, 2012) and the Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal’s work on sibling permanence.

Because when children grow up with their story intact, they don’t have to “escape to another planet” to discover who they are.
This May the Fourth, let’s celebrate not just with light sabers—but with reflection. And let’s continue working toward a world where adoption honours truth, connection, and the whole child.

✨ May the Force—and trauma-informed care—be with you.



Credit: Dawn Tracz

04/23/2025

Before embarking on the adoption journey, couples often invest significant time and effort in preparing for the arrival of their children. Yet, it’s crucial to ask: how often do they invest in preparing their relationship for the unique dynamics adoption brings? FREE opportunity.

Learn practical guidance on how couples can build stronger, more supportive relationships along the adoption journey.

06/22/2024

This is a great read or listen. Its not only about cleaning and organizing, but the importance of rest and letting things go. There is a “choose your own adventure” aspect perfect for the neurodivergent folks out there who struggle to get through an entire book.

08/18/2023

This term needs to be put to rest. Being "put up for adoption" stems from the 1800's! Urbanization, immigration, and poverty led to large populations of children living in the streets. Ministers, social workers, and charitable organizations gathered the children up and sent them, via train, to rural areas to work on farms.

When they arrived, the children were PUT UP on platforms so local farmers could size them up and take them home. The transportation system soon became known as the "Orphan Trains."

The thought process was that these children would be taken in by farm families to work and in turn, they would experience family living. Spoiler Alert: Most of these children were worked hard and not treated like family, often being abandoned at the age of 16 or when they became ill/injured and could no longer work.

Today's more politically correct terms are "placed for adoption" or "plan for adoption."