Foster and Adoption Therapy in Los Angeles

There is no one-size-fits-all narrative when it comes to foster care or adoption. Whether you were adopted as an infant, aged out of the foster system, or are currently parenting through DCFS, your story deserves a space where it can be told with care, curiosity, and without judgment. I specialize in working with both adolescents and adults who carry foster and adoption experiences, as well as with families who are navigating these systems as caregivers. My goal is to create a therapeutic space that is attuned to the profound grief, loss, identity confusion, and survival strategies that often accompany this path.

Who I Work With

My work in foster and adoption therapy centers around two core populations:

Adolescents and adults who were adopted or in foster care:
Many of my clients have lived through instability, abandonment, or multiple placements. Others were adopted at birth and are only now beginning to unpack the lifelong impact of that early separation. Whether you are exploring questions of identity, managing grief around unknown or complicated family histories, or trying to understand long-held feelings of “otherness,” therapy can help you reclaim and redefine your story.
Parents and caregivers currently fostering or adopting through the system:
I work with individuals and families navigating the emotional, relational, and systemic challenges that come with foster and adoptive parenting. This includes people caring for children with trauma histories, navigating reunification processes, or struggling with their own triggers in the context of caregiving.

The Complex Realities of Foster and Adoption Experiences

Many clients come to me unsure if their story “counts” as trauma. You may have a hard time putting into words the discomfort you feel, the lingering sense of not belonging, or the hyper-independence you developed early on.

Foster and adoption experiences often include layers of:

Attachment injuries
Disrupted identity development
Cultural displacement or erasure
Complex grief
Emotional hypervigilance

Even when an adoption was loving and stable, it can still carry emotional complexity. Therapy isn’t about rewriting your narrative into something it’s not. It’s about creating room for the contradictions—grief and gratitude, love and loss, confusion and clarity—so that you can make sense of it on your terms.

A Space to Explore Identity and Belonging

Identity is a central theme in foster and adoption work. Many people who have been adopted or raised in foster care carry deep questions about where they come from and how they fit into the world. This can be especially difficult for transracial adoptees or individuals raised in cultural contexts vastly different from their own.

In therapy, we explore the stories that were handed to you, the ones that were withheld, and the ones you are ready to reclaim. Together, we examine how your sense of self has been shaped by loss, survival, and adaptation—and how you want to define yourself moving forward.

Supporting Parents and Caregivers

Parenting a child through foster care or adoption is not simple. The emotional demands are enormous, and many caregivers find themselves feeling isolated, guilty, or overwhelmed.

I offer a space for parents to:

Understand trauma responses in their child
Explore their own emotional triggers and expectations
Learn to co-regulate and attune to their child’s needs
Develop realistic expectations and boundaries
Navigate reunification, visitation, and ambiguous loss

This work often involves unlearning harmful narratives and rebuilding connection through a trauma-informed lens. It’s not about being the “perfect” parent. It’s about being a grounded, responsive one.

Centering Grief and Loss

Loss is foundational to every foster and adoption story. Whether it’s the loss of birth family, cultural identity, continuity, or a sense of safety, these losses deserve to be honored. Grief in this context can be disenfranchised or ignored—especially when an adoption is framed solely as a “happy ending.”

In our work together, I create space for this grief to be acknowledged, felt, and processed. I believe that healing comes not from minimizing the pain, but from naming it and understanding its impact.

A Trauma-Informed and Systems-Aware Approach

My approach is grounded in trauma theory and informed by my understanding of systemic oppression, power, and historical context. I work relationally, integrating psychodynamic and somatic modalities with a deep respect for each client’s resilience and agency.

I also understand that foster care and adoption don’t happen in a vacuum. They are embedded in broader systems that often perpetuate harm—especially for Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. My work is to help you navigate these realities without pathologizing your response to them.

What Therapy Looks Like

Therapy sessions are collaborative, compassionate, and paced to your needs. Whether you’re ready to unpack your full story or are just beginning to acknowledge the impact of your past, we will move at a speed that feels safe for you.

For caregivers, sessions may include psychoeducation, emotional support, and skills-building. For individuals with lived experience of foster care or adoption, sessions often center on identity, emotional regulation, boundaries, relational patterns, and grief work.

There is no “right way” to heal—just your way, supported.

Ready to Begin Foster and Adoption Therapy in Los Angeles?

If you or your family have been impacted by foster care or adoption and are ready to explore these experiences in a supportive, trauma-informed space, I’m here to help. Let’s work together to create meaning, deepen understanding, and build the life you envision for yourself.

📞 Call us: (323) 673-5562
🖥️ Book Online: Free 20-minute Consultation
📩 Email us: dk@healingwithdeepa.com

Reach out for your
free consultation today.

(323) 673-5562

Free 20-min Consultation

Healing with Deepa

Deepa Karmakar, LCSW