About

The AWC is a collective of mental health and wellness professionals with a shared commitment to fostering healing and belonging in adoptee communities. Founded by licensed clinicians and intercountry transracial adoptees, we aim to expand access to trusted educational and healing resources. We center providers who are adoptees themselves or who bring deep experience working with adoptee communities, creating spaces of connection, learning, and care that honor the many paths to healing.

Our Team

  • Portrait of Jessica Kim Gruber, co-founder of the Adoptee Wellness Collective, smiling outdoors in front of greenery.

    Jessica Kim Gruber, LMFT (she/her)

    CO-FOUNDER

  • Portrait of Kim Englehardt (formerly Konopka), Adoptee Welnder, standing outdoors on a park path.

    Kim Englehardt, LCSW (they/them)

    CO-FOUNDER

  • Portrait of Joy Liberthal Rho, co-founder of the Adoptee Wellness Collective, photographed outside with greenery.

    Joy Lieberthal-Rho, LCSW (she/her)

    CO-FOUNDER

  • Portrait of Melinda McCulloch, Adoptee Wellness Collective co-founder, outdoors with a green background.

    Melinda McCulloch, LCSW (she/her)

    CO-FOUNDER

Learn more about our individual practices


Kim


Joy



The four co-founders of the Adoptee Wellness Collective—Jessica Kim Gruber, Melinda McCulloch, Joy Liberthal Rho, and Kim Konopka—standing outdoors together, representing adoptee-led community and healing.

“Belonging is being seen and loved for who you are. Community is where that becomes possible.”