WHEN: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 9:00am – 4:30pm
WHERE: McLean School (Middle-Upper School Campus), 8224 Lochinver Lane, Potomac, MD 20854
COST: Early Bird Special! $60 per participant now through 10/09/26. Regular Price – $65 per participant. Lunch included in registration fee. *Registration fee waived for those who adopted through a local Department of Social Services.
Join us for a day-long program designed specifically for adoptees, led by adoption-competent therapists.
This year’s theme, W.I.S.E. Up!® Empowered Voices. Brighter Futures., takes the W.I.S.E. Up!® program to the next level. Kids and teens will explore the different people who may ask questions or make comments about adoption, the emotions these interactions can bring up, and how those factors can shape the way they choose to respond.
Through fun, interactive, and practical activities, participants will practice using their voices in ways that feel right for them, including setting boundaries and becoming thoughtful educators about adoption. Along the way, they’ll challenge misconceptions, learn from one another, and connect with adopted peers who understand, building community and empowering their voices for brighter futures ahead.
For children, adoption is not only something that happened in the past. It is part of who they are and something they continue to understand in new ways as they grow. A young child may wonder, “Why was I adopted?” An older child may ask, “Who do I look like?” or “Where do I belong?” A teenager may quietly wrestle with identity, loyalty, loss, self-worth, or questions they are not sure how to say out loud.
This parent program invites you to step into your children’s world and consider what your children may think, feel, wonder about from the preschool years through adolescence.
Parents will hear directly from C.A.S.E. adult adoptee Emerging Leaders, whose lived experiences offer meaningful insight into what children may carry, question, and need as they grow. Through their reflections, parents will gain a deeper understanding of how adoption can shape identity, belonging, relationships, and self-worth. This conversation will help parents consider how to respond with openness, empathy, and confidence as they support their child’s adoption experience.
Debbie B. Riley, LCMFT, CEO, is co-founder of The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), a national leader in mental health services for the foster care, kinship, and adoption community. A nationally recognized adoption expert, author, and public speaker, Ms. Riley has 40 years of professional experience, including health care management, administrative, designing and developing nationally acclaimed adoption-competent training programs, and direct delivery of specialized pre- and post-adoption counseling services. Ms. Riley created a continuum of innovative, culturally responsive, evidenced-informed programs to improve the behavioral outcomes of foster and adopted youth and their families, which have become nationally recognized models.
Set up an appointment today
"*" indicates required fields
Due to traumatic life experiences and compromised beginnings, many children who are adopted, who are being raised by relatives (kinship care), or have experienced foster care have higher risks for developmental, health, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges.
Individuals and participating family members received Adoption Competent Therapy in 2024.
Parents and professionals registered for the Strengthening Your Family (SYF) Webinar Series in 2024.
Children and families have received adoption-competent mental health services since 1998.
