About Beyond the Sun Therapy
You belong here.
We know firsthand how difficult it can be to find the support you need for your unique story with adoption, children’s therapy, and grief and loss through it all.
We created Beyond the Sun Therapy with these in mind — including your own story. Learn how this practice came to center adoption — and what a session here actually involves.
Far before officially coming to fruition, Beyond the Sun Therapy was born as an idea in 2018.
Hi there, I’m Amanda, founder and owner behind Beyond the Sun Therapy.
When I came into the adoption industry in 1998, I wanted to help women. My goal was simple and my heart was ready to take on whatever necessary to be a source of guidance and support for women and families entering the adoption process. This is what brought me to Adoption Support Center.
I spent the first 20 years of my career facilitating placements and have walked
alongside over 2,000 women as they considered a placement. Over the last seven years, however, I started shifting more energy into supporting individuals and families on the other side of the placement.
I have learned so much, for example, how adoption propaganda was spewed as such a beautiful thing and how society only talks about the adoptive parent narrative, which can look like mostly rainbows and sunshine. And how women who placed were told they were “brave” and “selfless” — although this is far from how most women describe themselves on the other side of placing.
However, my daily experience is a lot more than sunny days.
Looking back, so much of what we did as adoption professionals was scratching the surface. When we began to know better, we began to do better. More and more of the children that I facilitated into their adoptive homes started reaching out. Parents were looking for answers, their birth stories, and the why behind the decision to place. And through this journey, these same families were looking for competent therapy to help them navigate these rough waters.
Thus, the idea for Beyond the Sun Therapy was born.
Not just any therapist can understand the depth of grief and loss in infertility, building a family through adoption, and that feeling of losing all connection to your genetic people because you were adopted. It takes a neutral party or a therapist that has done a lot of personal work around their own story and can appreciate and respect a story that does not mirror theirs.
Motivated by my own journey of healing through infertility and as an embryo donor, and my growth work along with my career and knowledge of adoption, I wanted a safe place where adoption and infertility were the specialties of our therapeutic practice, rather than yet another listed topic.
At Beyond the Sun Therapy, families form through birth, adoption, kinship, guardianship, and blending. We work with every member of the adoption constellation — and with anyone living through grief and loss.
You truly do belong here!
Stay in the Loop with Upcoming Events at Beyond the Sun Therapy
Beyond the Sun Therapy events are designed to help you stay connected with others while providing additional resources for growth and outlets for creativity. Click below to scroll to the signup and get on the list so you don’t miss upcoming events with our team here at Beyond the Sun Therapy in Carmel, IN.
Whole Constellation Care
Where adoption is understood, not translated.
Children's Therapy
Children are not reduced to behavior. If your child is struggling, you’re in the right place. Our therapists have specialized training and experience working with children of all ages.
Grief & Loss
No matter the specific source of grief or loss in your life, our team of therapists is uniquely qualified to help you through the pain of your personal experience.
Adoption Constellation
Whether you’re an adoptee, adoptive parent, birth parent, or another member of the adoption constellation, our team is here to support you through specialized expertise you won’t find anywhere else.
Stewards of Adoption Support Center Files
Beyond the Sun is the steward of records from the Adoption Support Center. If your adoption was completed through the Adoption Support Center, your file is kept here — protected, and openable to you with support.
Parenthood After Placement
Care for birth parents across grief, identity, parenting, relationships, and the lifelong realities of adoption.
Learn MoreAdoptee Care
Adoptee-to-adoptee care across identity, belonging, records, reunion, and the lifelong realities of adoption.
Learn More
Discover Our Unique Blend of Therapeutic Modalities
Alongside traditional talk therapy, we have specialists on staff ready to support you in a variety of ways, including Art Psychotherapy, Counseling, Coaching, and other Custom Creative Care.
A Specialized Approach Makes All the Difference
01. Specialized Competence
Beyond the Sun Therapy was born from the essential need for adoption-competent, trauma-informed therapeutic support. Our therapists have a deep level of understanding and knowledge when it comes to navigating adoption from all sides, as well as blended families, kinship adoption, children’s counseling, and more.
02. Understanding, Not Judgment
We understand first and foremost that your story is unique and not all sunshine and rainbows. We know that what seems like an “awesome” experience to some can carry many layers of grief, pain, and other feelings that aren’t so wonderful. Our therapists listen without judgment — including to the parts of your story you have never said out loud.
03. Lifelong Learning
It’s our priority to serve and support you in the best way possible — and that often means staying on top of evolving research and new methodologies designed to do just that. Our team is committed to lifelong learning, blending our extended experience of what we know works well for our clients with updated training and practices designed to create the best experience possible for you at Beyond the Sun Therapy.