Lynn Earnshaw Counselling
Therapy for Adult Adoptees - Compassionate Adoption Counselling
A safe space to explore your story, your feelings, and your sense of self with someone who understands the lifelong impact of adoption.
Hi, I’m Lynn. I’m a counsellor, and also an adoptee myself. I specialise in therapy for adult adoptees across the UK, offering sessions online and in person from my practice in Horsforth, Leeds.
Many of the people I support tell me they’ve felt disconnected from their identity, unsure of where they belong, or afraid to share what’s really going on inside. These are common but often hidden experiences for adoptees.
As an adoptee therapist, I understand how adoption can affect us long after childhood. It can touch our sense of self, our relationships, and how we move through the world. My own experience as an adoptee, alongside my training as a relational counsellor (MA in Integrative Counselling, with further training in adoption support), allows me to meet you with both empathy and expertise.
In our work together, you won’t need to explain adoption from scratch. You’ll have space to explore your story, work through feelings of not being “enough,” or face fears of abandonment, all at a pace that feels right for you.
Support After Adoption
Adoption is a multifaceted experience - one that can bring a sense of love and belonging, but can also raise feelings of loss, uncertainty and disconnection.
Experiences you may recognise as an adoptee
Identity Confusion
Wondering who you really are, or feeling ungrounded without biological roots.
Low Self-Worth
Carrying a sense of not being “enough” or doubting your value in the world.
Feeling Out of Place
Like you’re always on the outside looking in, never fully belonging.
Shame and Guilt
Feeling unworthy or guilty for wanting to explore your adoption story.
Abandonment Fears
Worrying about being left or rejected, rooted in early separation from birth parents
Misunderstood
Others telling you to “move on” or “be grateful,” leaving you unseen in your pain.
If these experiences resonate with you - whether you’re navigating reunion, carrying complicated emotions, or simply wanting to explore what adoption means in your life - you don’t have to do it alone.
As an adoptee myself, I know how deep these feelings can run. My own journey has shaped the way I work: with compassion, curiosity, and respect for your unique story. Together, we can begin to untangle the layers of adoption’s impact, rebuilding self-worth, easing shame, and finding a stronger sense of who you are.
In our sessions, you won’t need to explain or justify your experience. You’ll have space to bring the parts of yourself that may have felt hidden or silenced, and explore them at a pace that feels safe for you.
How can therapy help?
Understand Yourself More Deeply
Make sense of your story and how adoption has shaped who you are
Begin to Feel More Worthy
Rebuild confidence in your value, so you can feel more at ease in yourself.
Feel Steadier in Relationships
Find a stronger sense of security in yourself and in the connections you build.
Know Your Feelings Are Valid
Recognise that your emotions and experiences matter and deserve space.
Find Ways to Manage Pain
Learn tools to cope with feelings of rejection or not belonging, and build healthier relationships.
Whether you want to explore your adoption story, make sense of painful feelings, or simply find more ease in yourself and your relationships, therapy can help. I’m here to walk alongside you as you navigate this part of your life, offering space, understanding, and support as you take each step.