My Adoption Story
Hi, I’m Jo Willis, a fellow adoptee.
This doesn't make me an expert on your life, but I do come from a place of deep knowing based on my learnings from a personal and professional journey over the past 30 years.
I talk about my personal journey in the video below.
On this journey I’ve learnt:
How adoption can shape us and the landscape of our lives
That the most important relationship in life is the one we have with ourselves
How we work as a human being - understanding our brain/mind/heart/soul/intuition
That feelings can be our friends, if we listen to and validate them Life enhancing practices from human and self development gurus, Positive Psychology, Eastern wisdom and much more
That we have everything inside us to transform ourselves and our lives
We do need a few things in place to successfully navigate this journey like support and unique resources in our back pack
My experience working with Adopted People
I have:
Co-ordinated and facilitated the first Hawke’s Bay Adoption Support Group for 8 years
Presented a paper at the International Conference on Healing in Adoption in Wellington in 1997 ‘Traversing the Many Layers of Adoption
Designed, co-ordinated and facilitated a Healing Group Programme for Adolescent Adoptees used in Adoption Units nationally
Facilitated a therapeutic Healing/Support group for Adult Adoptees for 2 years
Tutored Psychotherapy students at Eastern Institute of Technology on Adoption Practice and Issues
My Qualifications
24 years experience in all facets of National and International Adoption (NZ) Social Worker/Supervisor
MA in Coaching and Mentoring practise (Oxford Brookes University, Oxford UK 2010)
Diploma in Counselling (Weltec Wgtn 1998)
Executive and Organisational Coaching Certificate (Coaching Pacific 2016)
Professional Mentoring, Supervision and Workplace Coaching Skills Certificate (Unitec 2015)
Strengths Performance Coach (Gallup 2013)
Accredited Practitioner in Lominger 360 Survey & Human Synergistics Life Styles Inventories
Memberships and Associations
Accredited Coach with the International Coach Federation
Member of NZ Positive Psychology and International Positive Psychology Associations