The one thing my son needs most that I can't give him in any new year
The decorations are back in their boxes. Gifts exchanged. Another year behind us. But as other people look toward the future, I’m...
top of page
RAD Reflections
Interested in writing a blog post? Please see the guidelines here.
Search
Amy VanTine
- Dec 28, 2020
- 6 min
A woman's dreams of adoption and a fight for her family's safety
It seemed to happen in an instant. From the time the caseworker called to the time the boys arrived, Anna and Tom had one week to prepare...
162 views0 comments
Amy J. Brown
- Dec 10, 2020
- 5 min
The Reality of Holidays with Reactive Attachment Disorder & How Parents Can Prepare Into 2024
The holidays are especially difficult for RAD families. Read this mom's tips for how to get through.
1,299 views0 comments
Amy VanTine
- Dec 8, 2020
- 5 min
Why parenting a child with reactive attachment disorder requires far more than coffee with a friend
I’ve always known it’s a good idea to have a little time away from my kids. And it’s great to go on dates with my husband from time to...
1,787 views0 comments
Stacey Hansen
- Dec 1, 2020
- 4 min
The pizza cutter mantra: How to give more calm than chaos to those raising a child with RAD
My mom and I have an inside joke—don’t touch the pizza cutter. Back when my adopted daughter with reactive attachment disorder (RAD)...
272 views0 comments
Heather Houze
- Nov 24, 2020
- 6 min
6 tricky reactive attachment disorder symptoms one mom initially missed in her son
Reactive attachment disorder is tricky to recognize. The symptoms don't always line up with a doctor's prognosis or another child with RAD.
7,543 views0 comments
Gina Heumann
- Nov 17, 2020
- 7 min
8 things you need to know before you adopt a child
Like any expectant parents, adoptive moms and dads worry that they don’t know enough. They wonder what they need to learn to take care of...
484 views0 comments
Chris Prange-Morgan, MA, MSW
- Nov 10, 2020
- 5 min
How a Mom of a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder Develops "Trauma Brain" Too
Here at RAD Advocates, we still talk about our "trauma brains" even years after raising kids with reactive attachment disorder. It's real.
5,118 views1 comment
Heather Houze
- Nov 3, 2020
- 3 min
Why Parenting a Child With Reactive Attachment Disorder Isn't the Same as Parenting Other Kids
Early in our childrearing lives, I became a stay-at-home mom. My husband Jon supported our family financially while I handled most of the...
252 views0 comments
Amy VanTine
- Oct 27, 2020
- 4 min
The Most Important Things to Know and Do if Your Child with RAD is in Residential Treatment
Carol was in a complete state of panic when I answered the phone. Her son Ty, a child with reactive attachment disorder (RAD), had been...
1,003 views0 comments
Anonymous
- Oct 20, 2020
- 6 min
A mom's heart-wrenching journey through RAD and the decision to send her daughter to live elsewhere
My husband and I had been foster parents for three years the day we got the phone call. The woman on the phone was from the U.S....
546 views0 comments
Heather Houze
- Oct 14, 2020
- 7 min
Reactive Attachment Disorder Parenting Resource Round-Up: 34 Sources to Survive the Difficult Path
While helpful resources are still bleak with regard to reactive attachment disorder parenting, it's come a long way. Here's what we found.
1,915 views1 comment
Forrest Lien, LCSW
- Oct 6, 2020
- 6 min
An Open Letter to Clinicians about "Unstable" Moms of Kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder
Dear Mental Health Colleague, A mother called me in tears yesterday. Her story was one of hundreds I’ve heard over nearly 40 years in the...
5,926 views0 comments
Cheryl Ruzzo
- Sep 29, 2020
- 8 min
A Hidden Aftermath of Reactive Attachment Disorder: When a Child's Trauma Traumatizes the Family
Simply because a perpetrator is a child does not diminish the effects of abuse. Reactive attachment disorder impacts the whole family.
5,103 views4 comments
Julie Evans, LPC
- Sep 23, 2020
- 4 min
4 simple ways to spot reactive attachment disorder symptoms when they look like lots of other things
It was a typical day at our counseling office when I got her phone call. Even though several years have passed, I can still hear the...
927 views0 comments
Amy VanTine
- Sep 16, 2020
- 4 min
8 ways to spot a good reactive attachment disorder therapist as an exhausted parent
It's tough to find a therapist who understands the reality of reactive attachment disorder. It is possible though. Look for these qualities.
864 views1 comment
Heather
- Sep 9, 2020
- 4 min
When adoption meets reactive attachment disorder and other things this mom learned the hard way
As an adoptive mom, I’ve been asked many times if I would adopt again. My answer is never cut and dry—never a hard yes or no. I love...
214 views0 comments
Anonymous
- Aug 18, 2020
- 5 min
How a family who opened their hearts and home to serious reactive attachment disorder found safety
Pastor Michael and his wife Tanya were in their 50’s and had raised two beautiful daughters. As empty-nesters, they looked forward to...
134 views0 comments
Amy VanTine
- Aug 18, 2020
- 7 min
When Home is No Longer a Safe Haven: The Reality of Living with Reactive Attachment Disorder
Families of kids with reactive attachment disorder often live in compromising environments. It's dangerous for everyone.
5,928 views2 comments
Gina Heumann
- Aug 17, 2020
- 4 min
5 ways you can be a good friend to a mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder
To mother a child who suffers from early trauma is a lonely place. If you have a friend doing so, you can make a difference in her life...
180 views0 comments
We Need Your Support Today!
bottom of page