Denver Family Stories

To Open or to Close

The main course of this post will deal with the huge bag of worms called “openness.” But I’ll lead with a tasty little appetizer…..in case you haven’t read previous posts, my fingerprints came back approved! Yee Haw. At least now we’re OFFICIALLY waiting. Moving on. Open adoption. Semi-open adoption. Closed adoption. If you asked the general public what they’d prefer, they’d probably say “closed, for sure.” Because most people view the birth parents as scary and threatening and maybe even an invasion. Before we started the process, we kinda felt that way too. Until we went through training. We walked away from that weekend of enlightenment wanting nothing more than an semi-open or open adoption. The birth parents aren’t scar...

New Baby, Changing Marriage: Having a Healthy Partnership as Your Family Expands

Dr. Millie Riss and Courtney Morton, LCSW at Greenleaf Counseling Center are licensed therapists who work with women, couples and families. They help people with struggling with eating disorders, life transitions, parenting concerns in addition to other life issues, such as depression and anxiety. They always offer free one-hour consultations to meet with potential clients about their concerns and discuss how therapy can help. Having a new baby brings both growth and challenges to a marriage. Parents, especially moms, often say that they are too tired for anything after caring for an infant, not to mention if they are caring for older children as well. Sex drive disappears for many; money goes to diapers, college funds and babysitters; date nights a rare event; and work doesn’t end when yo...