Create Safe, Honest, and Healing Conversations

Talk openly with your adoptee or fosteree about their birth history—even when it involves painful truths.

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Struggles No One Talks About

  • You’re unsure how much of your child’s birth history to share—and when
  • You worry that the truth might hurt your child more than help them
  • You feel unprepared to talk about topics like abuse, violence, or incarceration
  • You find yourself avoiding conversations because you don’t want to say the wrong thing
  • You struggle with your own emotional reactions to your child’s history
  • You fear your child will internalize shame or blame about what happened before you
  • You want to be honest—but also protective, gentle, and age-appropriate
  • You feel alone, without a clear guide to help you navigate these moments
  • You wonder how to create conversations that foster healing, not confusion or pain

Unpacking the Fragile Box

Picture your child’s birth history like a sealed, fragile box—taped shut not to be forgotten, but because what’s inside is heavy, complicated, and delicate. You’ve been entrusted with it, this box of early truths, and now you face the quiet question: When? How? And most importantly—what does my child need from me when we open it together?

Imagine sitting with your child, the box between you. You want to protect them from pain, and yet you know avoiding it won’t make it disappear. You begin gently, carefully, one layer at a time. Your voice steady. Your heart open.

See yourself choosing your words the way you’d unwrap glass—slow, intentional, developmentally appropriate. You describe the truth with care: the addiction, the abuse, the incarceration, the violence. Not to burden, but to honor. Not to explain away, but to make space for meaning. You choose language that respects both the reality and your child’s emotional readiness.

Envision the shift in your child’s eyes when they realize you’re not afraid of what’s in the box. That you can handle their questions, their silence, their sadness. And that their past doesn’t define who they are—it’s just one part of the whole.

Your toolkit isn’t just full of facts or scripts—it’s made of tenderness, timing, and truth. With each conversation, you’re not simply sharing information. You’re offering a deep, steady message: You don’t have to carry this alone. Your story matters. And so do you.

INTRODUCING

How to Talk About Difficult Birth Histories

Step into a transformative journey guided by Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, where painful truths are met with empathy, and difficult stories become opportunities for connection, healing, and hope.

Drawing from her unique perspective as a licensed psychologist, transracial/international adoptee, and adoptive parent, Dr. Wirta-Leiker gently illuminates the emotional complexity of sharing difficult birth histories—stories that may include abuse, neglect, substance use, incarceration, or trauma. She understands that these conversations require more than facts—they require presence, sensitivity, and a deep respect for what your child is ready to hold.

This carefully crafted online course offers a grounded, compassionate framework for navigating even the most sensitive histories with developmentally appropriate language, emotional safety, and clarity. Through Dr. Wirta-Leiker’s expert and relatable guidance, you’ll gain the tools to share hard truths without overwhelming, to explore your own emotional responses, and to help your child build a narrative that reduces shame and fosters resilience. Her unique blend of clinical expertise and lived experience bridges the gap between knowing and doing—empowering you to become the safe, steady presence your child needs as they make sense of their story.

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What’s Included:

  • Engaging video lessons that you can watch at your own pace.
  • Downloadable course slides to reinforce your learning.
  • A cultivated resource list with links to further support your journey.
  • Real-world strategies you can start using right away.
  • Insights from the course instructor’s unique perspective as an international/transracial adoptee, adoptive parent, and licensed psychologist.
  • A course completion certificate to recognize your achievement.

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What You'll Learn

By completing How to Talk About Difficult Birth Histories you’ll be equipped with the insight, language, and emotional readiness to guide your child through the truths of their past.

Understand the Foundations of Tough Conversations

Learn strategies to guide even the most difficult and complex conversations, developing language to approach them with intention, understanding, and compassion.

Explore Your Own Reactions

Identify and process your own emotional responses to your child’s history with self-compassion, so you can show up with clarity and presence when your child needs you.

Foster Healthy Internal Narratives

Help your child make sense of their history and develop an evolving narrative that reduces their sense of responsibility, shame, or confusion for systems beyond their control.

Use Developmentally Appropriate Language

Gain concrete tools for talking about difficult topics—including abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance use, sex work, incarceration, rape, incest, and trafficking—in a way your child can understand and emotionally manage.

Honor Your Child’s Right to Know

Learn how to share the truth while preserving emotional safety and relational trust. Move beyond “the talk” to create open and ongoing dialogue that meets your child where they are at all developmental stages.

Unlike generic parenting courses or trauma workshops, Unit 6: How to Talk About Difficult Birth Histories is specifically designed for adoptive parents and adoption professionals.

This uniquely crafted online course opens the door to courageous, compassionate conversations about the most sensitive parts of your child’s story. You’ll gain deep insight into how to share difficult birth history details—such as abuse, neglect, substance use, incarceration, and other complex experiences—with honesty, empathy, and emotional safety. Through Dr. Wirta-Leiker’s expert and gentle guidance, you’ll learn how to use developmentally appropriate language, navigate your own emotional responses, and support your child in forming a narrative that fosters resilience instead of shame. Her decade of experience—woven from clinical knowledge and lived insight as a psychologist, adoptee, and adoptive parent—creates a framework that bridges understanding with action, empowering you to turn painful truths into opportunities for healing, trust, and lifelong connection.

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Specialized Expertise

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker combines her lived experience as an international/transracial adoptee and adoptive parent with professional expertise as a licensed psychologist specializing in adoption and trauma. Her unique perspective ensures you’re learning from someone who truly understands your challenges.

Actionable Framework

This course doesn’t just teach theory; it provides practical language, examples, and tools you can use immediately to begin having developmentally appropriate conversations with your child about their history.

Adoption-Specific Insights

While many adoption courses address general principles, this course focuses on the unique experiences of fosterees and adoptees who survived complex and stigmatized histories, making it highly relevant to your role as a parent or professional.

Affordable Accessibility

At just $45, this course is priced to be accessible without sacrificing depth or quality. It’s an investment that pays for itself many times over in improved relationships and outcomes.

Flexible Learning

The course is designed to fit your busy schedule, with video lessons you can watch at your own pace and resources you can revisit anytime.

What Others Are Saying About How to Talk About Difficult Birth Histories

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is a phenomenal trainer. I’m very selective about who I invite to speak to my people, and partnering with Dr. Wirta-Leiker is a no-brainer. She doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff, yet brings curiosity and compassion to topics that might otherwise trigger shame or defensiveness. She’s a fierce advocate for elevating the adoptee experience and a top-notch clinician, educator, and trainer.

Robyn Gobbel
Author of “Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies That Really Work”

The practical tips for using with clients in session was incredibly helpful. The different examples were really helpful in finding ways to explain things to kids of different ages and to parents in different stages of their understanding. This was a fantastic course!

Adoption Therapist

The presenter had a wonderful way of making research-based/clinical ideas into understandable content. This was probably the best training I have attended that felt productive (not just a very basic 101) while still digestible and able to applied on a day-to-day basis. The real-life little examples throughout the presentation were also very helpful.

Foster Parent

If you care deeply about broadening your perspective and helping others create a path toward healing, then look no further. Dr. Chaitra has proven to be an exceptional leader and expert in her field, helping us all learn, grow and develop the courage we need to have difficult but necessary conversations.

Stacy Burrell
Raise the Future

This isn’t just another course; it’s a chance to benefit from the unparalleled expertise of Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, a licensed psychologist with personal and professional insights as an international/transracial adoptee, adoptive parent, and trauma specialist.

Her unique perspective ensures that every strategy and tool is practical, actionable, and deeply informed by lived experience and clinical expertise.

For just $45 (less than the cost of a pair of new shoes) you’ll receive instant access to knowledge and tools that will transform your approach for years to come.

$45

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Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is fully committed to your learning and success. By completing this course, you are guaranteed to feel more prepared, confident, and equipped to handle even the most challenging moments in adoption. If you have questions or need additional support, you’re encouraged to reach out for extra resources, personalized consultation, or bonus materials designed to enhance your learning experience. Your growth and understanding are her top priorities.

These results aren’t just theoretical—they’re the outcomes of a proven approach grounded in years of expertise and practical application.

  • Get actual words, examples, and frameworks that help these conversations unfold with care and clarity.
  • Create a sense of safety for your adoptive child and adopted clients.
  • Stand out as a more effective and empathetic parent and adoption professional.
  • Gain insights that are tailored specifically to the challenges and nuances of complex birth stories and histories.

Frequently Asked Questions

This course is perfect for:

  • Adoptive and Foster Parents who want to better understand and support their child’s unique needs while building stronger family connections.
  • Adoption Professionals seeking specialized strategies to help the families and children they serve navigate complicated histories.
  • Educators and Counselors looking for actionable insights to support adopted children in their care.
  • Anyone who is committed to learning and applying adoption-informed approaches to foster healing and resilience in adopted children.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure about how to handle the complexities adoption, this course will give you the clarity, confidence, and tools to make a meaningful difference.

Adopted children often need support immediately, not weeks, months, or years down the road. Every moment spent feeling unsure or unprepared can delay healing and deepen the impact of trauma. 


By taking action today, you can:

  • Start building a safer, more understanding environment for the children you support.
  • Reinforce healthy messaging around complicated histories for your child.
  • Empower yourself with the tools to make a difference in your family or professional practice.

The affordable price and flexible format of this course mean there’s no reason to wait. This is your opportunity to invest in a brighter future for yourself and the children who rely on your guidance and care. Take advantage of this chance to make a lasting impact starting today.

This isn't just theory—it's transformation in action. You'll gain concrete, ready-to-use strategies that can be implemented with your child or client immediately. Our participants regularly report seeing positive changes from day one.

While you may have a strong foundation, Dr. Wirta-Leiker brings a rare triple perspective: licensed psychologist, international adoptee, and adoptive parent. Her unique insights and practical approaches often provide breakthrough moments even for experienced professionals and parents.

The entire course takes just 60 minutes to complete—less time than your favorite TV show! Access self-paced video lessons and downloadable materials anytime, anywhere. Review the content as often as you need, fitting learning perfectly into your busy life.

For less than the cost of a family dinner out ($45), you're gaining expert insights and practical tools that can transform your daily interactions. Think of it as investing in peace of mind and stronger relationships—benefits that last a lifetime.

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Meet Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, international/transracial adoptee of color, and adoptive parent with over a decade of experience in adoption, trauma, and racial identity work. She has dedicated her career to helping families and professionals better understand and support adoptees.

Drawing from both her personal and professional journeys, Dr. Wirta-Leiker offers a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by adoptees and those who care for them.

As an adoptee with firsthand experience and a parent striving to provide the best support possible, Dr. Wirta-Leiker’s work is deeply informed by lived experiences. She is also a trusted voice in adoption education, known for her compassionate and approachable teaching style and practical solutions. Dr. Wirta-Leiker is the author of the acclaimed “Adoptees Like Me” children’s book series, founder of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory, and a highly sought-after speaker and trainer in the adoption community. Her passion for empowering others lies at the heart of this course, making it an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to make a meaningful impact in adoption-related relationships.

Get instant access and transform your understanding of adoption today.

The tools and insights you gain will pay for themselves in the form of stronger relationships and deeper connections.
Let’s build a brighter future together!

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