Life Books are a way for a Child of Trauma to make sense of his or her past. It is a way to declare, "I MATTER." Life Books allow a child to express themselves through art, words, photos, and drawings. A Life Book can attempt to give a child some sense of why his/her bio parents had to leave.

A Life Book can provide tools for conversation that can make conversations about why the child was relinquished easier.

A Life Book should:

• Tell a child's story from birth.
• Provide details of a child's birth parents
• Provide a way to explain to a child, in appropriate ways, why she/he was adopted

Life Books are often not easy. Nor should they be. They are a therapy and children will often re-live the feelings of loss and abandonment.

Have you started a Life Book with your child? Share your experiences, your thoughts, and advice.