Dr. Susan Branco is a collaborator in the creation of the Adoptee Consciousness Model. In this episode she joins us to dive deeper into what this framework consists of and how adoptees may find affirmation in their experiences. This episode reminds us that we are not alone in our stories and there is community that understands and holds space for the wholeness of our experiences.

Susan Branco, PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, she/her/ella, is a transracial and transnational adoptee from Colombia, South America. She is an advocate for increased adoption related research and training within counselor education and is passionate about improving mental health outcomes for transracially adopted persons. Dr. Branco is a practicing counselor, clinical supervisor, and an Associate Professor in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Palo Alto University. Her research includes transracial adoption and mental health, Colombian adoption policy, and clinical training and supervision practices for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color counselors. In addition, she has multiple peer -reviewed publications related to her research interests and frequently presents at regional, national, and international counseling related conferences. 

Website: https://www.drsusanbranco.com

Instagram: @drsusanbranco

Collaborators for Adoptee Consciousness Model:

Susan F. Branco, JaeRan Kim, Grace Newton, Stephanie Kripa Cooper-Lewter, and Paula O’Loughlin

Research for Adoptee Consciousness Model

https://www.drsusanbranco.com/_files/ugd/641244_cfdcfc5fae824790b80767fc7ab84a93.pdf

Peer Reviewed Journal Article with trauma/somatic focus:

https://www.ibpj.org/issues/articles/Susan%20F.%20Branco,%20JaeRan%20Kim,%20Grace%20Newton,%20Stephanie%20Kripa%20Cooper-Lewter,%20Paula%20O'Loughlin%20-%20....pdf