By: Sheilah Davidson
In celebration of ATN’s 2016 Angels in Adoption award, we’re profiling ATN members who have helped ATN win the award — and who have themselves been Angels to families and children.
Stephanie Garde: An angel among us.
When researching solutions for my daughter’s attachment issues, I joined ATN and virtually “met” Stephanie Reh Garde. She immediately gave me a warm welcome and added me to the ATN support listserve. When I asked for ideas, Stephanie was among those who answered immediately. She very generously shared her own experiences and recommended the therapists that had helped her family. She patiently answered my endless questions and provided encouragement as we went through therapy. She did all of this with a matter-of-fact, hopeful, often funny, attitude, while being completely honest about the challenges her son still faced.
Since I’ve been an ATN member, I’ve read her consistently supportive and wise posts to pretty much everyone who has a concern. When I met her face to face for the first time at a conference, we hugged like we were old friends. She then encouraged the ATN Board to nominate me as a member, which has been another opportunity to learn and also give back to ATN. Although our family is certainly not yet “healed”, I know we wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are now without Stephanie’s support, knowledge and willingness to share.
Can you think of someone who has been an ATN Angel? Join the celebration by sending us your nomination here: https://www.attachmenttraumanetwork.org/atnangel/.
