• uncertainty about identity or belonging

• a sense of disconnection - from yourself, others, or your history

• emotional responses that are difficult to understand or explain

• complex or conflicting feelings about adoption, family or separation

For many people, these experiences are linked to earlier disruptions in family relationships and experiences of separation.

Experiences of separation, particularly in early life, can continue to shape how a person understands themselves, relates to others, and responds emotionally over time.

These responses are not random.

They are often adaptive ways of coping with, and making sense of, significant experiences.

ARCS is a specialist therapeutic service focused on adoption and separation. We work with clients to:

• understand the significance of their experiences

• explore how these experiences continue to affect them

• develop a clearer and more manageable sense of self and relationships

This work is approached with care, structure and attention to complexity.

This is a distinct area of therapeutic work.

Our therapists have specific training and experience in:

• adoption across the lifespan

• separation and attachment disruption

• identity and relational development

Alongside this, we hold a clear understanding of the depth and weight of these experiences. This informs how we listen, pace the work and respond to what is shared

Clients often report feeling understood, even when their experiences are difficult to express fully.