Stephen Rowley, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist practicing in Bainbridge Island, Washington. His professional past includes serving as an elementary school teacher and principal, and a school district superintendent in Washington and California. He has been a college professor at three universities, teaching courses in educational administration and organizational theory. He holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Policy Analysis from Stanford University. His new book is: The Lost Coin: A Memoir of Adoption and Destiny (Chiron Publications, Sept. 2023). Learn more at stephenrowley108.com/memoir/.

Segment Idea--"The Lost Coin" - A Therapist's Personal Adoption Journey and Insights

This segment is about the transformative journey of self-discovery experienced by an adoptee, who also happens to be the father of an adopted son.   

The Big Idea: Adoptees are an invisible community, living in plain sight, but whose adopted status is unseen by others. They share a fundamental core experience of separation from their mother or primary caregiver that leaves a deep psychic wound, no matter how well they fare later in life. The powerful effects of this developmental trauma can last a lifetime.  

The So-What: Imaginably, there’s an orphan who lives within them. The orphan is homeless, restless, disconnected, and searching for something or someone it can’t find, including its very soul. For some, the orphan’s persistent presence may arise intermittently through feelings and behavior at any stage of life or circumstance. No orphan, however, is beyond redemption. The lost orphan can be found in the shadows and brought to the safety and security of light. Disconnection can be healed by loving reconnection.