Positive Identity Formation and the Impact of Adoption and Guardianship 

Module 7 focuses on the nature of identity formation in the context of adoption and guardianship and how birth family, history, race, ethnicity, and culture impact identity formation. Lessons focus on understanding identity, barriers to positive identity and the importance of "knowing who you are"; the role of the professional in helping children tell the story of who they are; understanding the "Six Stuck Spots" in identity formation and the role of openness in positive identity formation; strategies for helping children and youth do the work of understanding who they are, where they came from, and where they are going; strategies for working with parents to integrate the history of birth family and influences of significant others in the lives of their children; and collaborating with mental health therapists to support children's identity work.