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Forward
“Phoenix Bound”
As an expert in international adoption medicine and child development for the past 30 years,
reading “Phoenix Bound” brings home the complexities that adopted parents are challenged with
in dealing with children coming from traumatic backgrounds. While this book not only
highlights the intense struggles of the children as well as the adopted parents who are often left
with virtually no substantial support from educational, psychological or private sectors within the
community, the book also brings forward the innate strength and resiliency of families such as
the Elliston’s who have taken upon themselves to “navigate the maze” of unchartered and
“restricted ground” as our educational, psychological and social service system has absolutely
and unequivocally no “unified understanding” of how to deal with adoption-trauma cases in
children who have come from the most profoundly damaged backgrounds.
Additionally, the authors of this book have found their own means of developing a “support
system” and, painstakingly, have found a way to develop a “set of resources” with adoption
medicine professionals who have been able to both support them while also unraveling the
mysteries and complexities that all of their children have been challenged with throughout the
course of their development.
Phoenix Bound makes no secret of the severity of abuse, neglect, deprivation, chaos and
confusion that their children have experienced in their home countries in addition to the
unwillingness of American medicine and psychological professionals to understand and support
their cause. This is an incredible book highlighting the resiliency of the human spirit of the
children in addition to the incredible commitment of parents who have taken on the most damaged
children in which traditional psychology would have failed them every time and the parents,
themselves along with their own “network” have found ways for positive change and
rehabilitation on their “Phoenix Bound Quest.”
It is with great pleasure and respect that this forward is being written as this book will provide a
“road map and blueprint” for other families who continue to be on a journey in finding ways to
find peace for their children as the Elliston family has found in the warmth of Phoenix as well as
the community which has welcomed the entire family.
It is truly a moving and poignant story that should be read by all adoptive parents and
professionals alike who work with children and families from adoption-trauma backgrounds.
Dr. Ronald Steven Federici, Board-Certified Developmental Neuropsychologist, Father of Eight
Internationally Adopted Children from Severely Traumatic Backgrounds
RSF:mjg