Process Your Story
Every one of us has the right to tell our own story about who we are. (Not the story others gave us – our own story.)
These resources can help you make sense of what identity, family, community, heritage, and more mean to you.
Blue links are printables for Donor-Conceived People (DCP) who are BIPOC or multiracial.
Each printable goes through 1+ round of editing after review by 3+ DCP.
External links are in yellow.
Printable Activities & Guides
Activities to explore race/ethnicity, heritage, identity, & donor conception
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Learn About Identity & Culture
Models, theories, and research about racial identity development
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(Developer: Mandie Duncan, DCP in US)
Read about experiences of DCP, recipient parents, and transracial families – plus insights from The Sperm Bank of California’s 40+ years of research on DCP & family wellbeing.
A press release issued by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Mirrors and windows are terms from transracial adoption. A “mirror” is a person with a similar identity. A “window” is a person with a different identity.
5 racial “identity patterns” you may identify with (pg 2.)
(Theory developer: Katie Renn;
authors: Lindsy Donahue & Judy Juarez)
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Find Community Support for Donor-Conceived People
Relevant online search terms:
- DNA discovery or surprise
- MPE (Misattributed Parentage or Ethnicity) or NPE (Non-Paternal Event / Not Parent Expected)
- Donor-conceived person (DCP)
- Multiracial or mixed race identity, BIPOC mental health
- Reconnecting, reclaiming, decolonizing [ethnicity/culture]
*** DC.IC can’t fully vet that these providers are competent with DCP. Use discretion and ask questions (ex: what do you know about donor conception? How are facilitators trained?)
Multiracial & mixed race peer support:
Professionally-led groups and retreats for multiracial identity, complex trauma, and chronic pain (see “Groups” tab.)
(Facilitator: Raina LaGrand, MSW / @roottorisesomatics)
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Donor-Conceived People (DCP)
Misattributed Parentage or Ethnicity (MPE)
Not Parent Expected (NPE):
WADC “was launched in 2016 as a resource center for donor conceived people around the globe.” The Facebook group is a virtual major gathering place for DCP.
“This group is a safe space for queer DCP to openly and honestly discuss the issues they face, share their experiences, and ask for advice.”
A forum exclusively for DCP to “connect, discuss, and find support.” Non-DCP can seek support, info, and advice in sister subs r/askadcp and r/donorconception.
FKA Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere, COLAGE has a downloadable guide by and for DCP. It also runs virtual meet-ups, including for BIPOC.
Find Mental Health Support for Donor-Conceived People
“I think that dissonance of like, ‘Somebody is not telling me something about my body,’ made me feel like there was something in my body that I had to fix,” she says of struggling for years with anxiety, self esteem issues, and a past eating disorder…”
— Kerry Washington, actress, memoirist, & late-discovery donor-conceived person
*** DC.IC can’t fully vet that these providers are competent with DCP. But, don’t forget that you can interview your prospective therapist! See the blue link below for a guide.
Find a therapist who’s donor conception-informed or DCP-centered:
USDCC project run by recipient parent Ely Risen (July ’25.) Ask your therapist to join, inquire about referrals, or submit an anonymous question.
Categories: Black, Indigenous, Latino, LGBTQ+, Muslim, Jewish, racially diverse Christian, and Asian.
Inclusive Therapists is a good directory to start with.
Related: Liberatory Wellness Network (anti-carceral, anti-colonial mental health and holistic wellness providers.)
Directory of US therapists and genetic counselors for adoptees, DCP, and MPE/NPE experiences. Run by Right to Know.
US therapists who have completed a “Donor Conceived Competency Training” by DCP psychologist Dr. Alissa Beuerlein.
List of therapy fee funds, grants, and programs for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, and other marginalized people.
$30-70 sessions. For uninsured and underinsured people. Lifetime membership comes with videos & courses.
Mental health crisis support:
Specific to suicide and self-harm.
Simple tool from Transformative Justice that can help you map people and community resources that could support you, especially during a crisis.
Run by BEAM (Black Emotional And Mental Health.)
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MA-based organization offering support for trauma, extreme states, homelessness, and substance use.
They run virtual “Alternatives 2 Suicide” groups where anyone can discuss topics of suicide without unwanted intervention.
*Non-carceral (won’t call 911)
Supports marginalized people with complex trauma, dissociation, chronic suicidality, and more.
They offer coping guides, 1-on-1 coaching, and pay-what-you-will group events/care circles.
*Non-carceral (won’t call 911)
Share Your Feedback Welcome!
Want to request a resource? Have any suggestions to make?
We welcome your feedback. Use the blue Feedback button on this page or the Contact page.
Donor Conceived in Color 