Life Counseling Services is pleased to announce the opening of a new business in Chester County. Life Adoption Services, located in Paoli, was created to make a connection between birthparents and Christian couples for the purpose of creating loving, permanent families through domestic adoption. The new agency, licensed in December, will serve Christian couples throughout Pennsylvania and birthparents nationwide.

The agency is a collaboration between three invidiuals with a passion for adoption and a desire to serve the community. Tom Whiteman is the owner of Life Counseling Services, an agency that has offered high quality therapy, counseling and rehabilitation for over 15 years. With 14 locations, Life Counseling is the support system behind Life Adoption Services, providing experienced social workers and therapists to assist with Home Studies and birthparent advocacy. Kathy deVries, a Vice President at Life Counseling, was responsible for bringing all of the parties together and moving the agency through the complex licensing process required by the state. Lisa Newcomb will serve as the Executive Director of the agency. Being an adoptive parent herself, Lisa is passionate about adoption and has a strong vision to offer high quality services to both adoptive couples and birthparents. Having worked as a Work/Life counselor for ten years, she has extensive experience walking couples through the adoption process and is thrilled to be able to share that experience with the community.

Lisa feels that Life Adoption Services has something unique to offer all of the individuals involved in the adoption process. "At Life Adoption Services, we seek to provide quality, comprehensive and personalized adoption services to Christian adoptive couples inPennsylvania and to birthparents nationwide. In a complex and often overwhelming process, we strive to keep it simple for adoptive couples. When they call our agency, they will be connected with ONE person who will walk alongside them throughout the entire process. We have purposefully kept our fees simple and straightforward, without the hidden or unknown expenses that can be found with other agencies. We take a personal interest in each couple and work tirelessly to fulfill their dreams of building a family.

For each birthparent, our number one goal is to offer her a glimpse of Christ’s love in the midst of a difficult and trying situation. It is not enough for us to support her through her pregnancy and then send her on her way. We want to equip her with tools that will make a lasting difference in her life – counseling, job assistance, housing assistance, community support and most importantly, the love of God. When a birthparent enters our offices, she will not find an atmosphere where she is pressured to choose adoption. Instead, she will be presented with all life-affirming options and given the opportunity to meet with a counselor that will support her as she makes the best decision for herself and her baby."

Life Adoption Services is also pleased to offer Lifetime Services, a program that offers ongoing resources for birthparents and families that have been through the adoption process. "Adoption does not end when the baby is placed with his adoptive parents, " Lisa shares, "It is an ongoing process with issues that change as the child matures." Lifetime Services will include support groups, social events, counseling resources, informational newsletters and mediation services.

Life Adoption Services is now open and adoptive couples may contact the director by calling 610-644-1107. Birthparents may call the hotline 24/7 at 1-866-959-LIFE. Also, check them out on the web at www.lifeadoptions.com.