School for New Learning (now SCPS) alumna Brighid O'Shaughnessy recently published a new book about the adoption experience.

It's a Long Way Home: Adoptive Mothers Break Their Silence features the true stories of 8 adoptive moms in their own words, told in the style of a documentary. The book lifts the veil on the happily-ever-after adoption myth, and instead asks the reader to hold space for the deep complexity of stories that don't fit that narrative.

In addition to these deeply personal stories, the book also uses supportive neuroscience research to look beyond surface-level behavior and into the complex emotional and relational root system that affects adoptees and their families. It also has reflective questions and over 30 activities designed for cross-disciplinary collaboration between current and future service professionals in a wide range of fields.

“The goal of the book is to better support adoptees and their families, as well as challenge the adoption system itself to reimagine its practices so that birth parents, adoptees, and those who love them have honest education, preparation and support.”

Brighid O'Shaughnessy graduated from the MAAPS program at SCPS back in 2007, and credits her experience at SCPS and the guidance of professor Janise Hurtig with her drive to write the book.

“[SCPS] sparked in me a deeper commitment to thinking outside of the box, to pursuing my dreams, and seeing myself as someone who could turn my own pain into purpose,” she writes.  “I wrote this book all of my own accord because I felt passionate about getting this information out into the world and transforming care for adoptees and their families.”