Dialogues On… Series: Beyond the Stork: Where do I come from and what does that mean?

This presentation will focus on how to talk to children and their siblings who were born through assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF, sperm donors, egg donors, and surrogates. Dr. Balas will discuss a range of approaches to talking with children, taking into account the family style of communication, parents’ level of comfort, children’s temperament and their developmental stage. Parents and helping professionals are welcome.

Anna Balas, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Training and Supervising Analyst at NYPSI and Associate Professor at Payne Whitney.  She has a long-standing interest in the areas of psychological impact of assisted reproductive technologies and of adoption on children and their families.  She is in private practice on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.