Beth O’Malley M.Ed.

Personal Information

Hi. My name is Beth O’Malley. This is my favorite baby picture. At age 5 months I entered my family by adoption, after living in 2 foster homes. I grew up in western Massachusetts, in a place called the Berkshires. It’s beautiful. I have one older sister, Nancy. My parents are wonderful and still living in the Berkshires.

I was a happy little girl. But as I entered my teen years the questions started. I felt different. Soon many of my major life events would be related to adoption issues.

I believe that my life would have been very different if I had my own Adoption LifeBook! And I was a healthy, white infant adoptee….

Professional Information

In 1981, I received my Masters in Counseling from American University in Washington D.C. Soon after, I began working as a social worker in Boston’s inner city. In 1994 I was ready to start my life’s work as an adoption social worker.

Something deep inside of me "became alive" when I began making adoption and foster lifebooks for children in foster care. I started to see the world through a child’s eyes and with different priorities. I also witnessed the tremendous healing that foster or adoption lifebooks brought to a child with many homes. It became one of the most meaningful things I did as an adoption worker, besides creating families.

Last but not least, is the fact my life book work has led me to parenthood. Yes, that's right.
In October 2003, my husband and I adopted an 11 month old baby girl named Polina. This experience has been life altering and adoption life book changing.

I share my person insights and new lifebook/adoption ideas each month, in my newsletter. Don't miss out. Click here to sign up today!

Susan Winget is the talented artist who created the cover on Lifebooks: Creating a Treasure for the Adopted Child. Susan is an award winning watercolorist, who has lived in North Carolina all her life.

Susan's Mom and my Mom are sisters. They grew up on a farm in North Carolina---where the stawberry jam was homemade and the leftovers went to feed the pigs. Waste not!

Susan and her husband went on to raise their family in the country. Susan's artwork comes from her heart and family experience. This is why her creations so special and " real". Visit her website www.wingetart.com and see her many gift products and home accessories.

Christine "Cissy" White is a stay-at-home feminist and free-lance writer. She and her husband became parents, adoption style, three years ago in China. They live on the South Shore in MA. Cissy has been published in Adoption Today, Revolution: The Journal for RN's and Patient Advocacy, The Patriot Ledger, Harvard Post and has read her work on Lime Radio's 'Writing from the Heart' program.

She has worked in high-tech and in publishing. Now she is an all-around research junkie who sometimes creates flyers or does research, teaches adult ed writing classes and is always working on a writing project. She's a little worried she'll ask, "Potty Time?" or sing the theme song to Barney if she ever returns to the professional workforce.

Read more from Cissy at her blog:  seaglassgirl.wordpress.com

Thank god for Joyce. She is always available to help me in a pinch and work her magic.

I wish I had Joyce create my website from the very start, but such is life.

Joyce is fast, smart and reasonable. If you are thinking about putting up a site or tired of spending a fortune---contact Joyce by clicking here. She is also responsible for pulitzer prize nominee Adam Pertman's website: www.adoptionnation.com, and several others sites.

So please take a look at my web site. I plan to continue adding more educational componants as well as new LifeBooks! I love to talk or write about lifebooks so feel free to call me at 1 800 469-9666 or email me at lifebooks@earthlink.net

 Beth O’Malley

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Adoption lifebooks - sign up for free tips.  Beth O'Malley helping families create adoption lifebooks.