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Lori Holden

Goodreads Author

Website

https://LavenderLuz.com

Twitter

LavLuz

Genre

Self Help, Psychology, Spirituality

Member Since

September 2012

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Lori Holden is recognized as an expert in the complexities of adoption. "The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption" is on required reading lists at adoption agencies in the US and Canada, and her award-winning blog LavenderLuz.com has helped countless adoptive families navigate their most tricky situations since 2007. Lori interviews insightful guests on her podcast Adoption: The Long View, helping adoptive parents grasp how they can better serve the deepest needs of the adoptees they love. Lori originated the Open Adoption Grid and collaborated on the resulting Inclusive Family Support Model.

Lori is a re-imaginer and reformer of how to “do” adoption better for all. With co-authors Sara Easterly, an adoptee, and Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, a b Lori Holden is recognized as an expert in the complexities of adoption. "The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption" is on required reading lists at adoption agencies in the US and Canada, and her award-winning blog LavenderLuz.com has helped countless adoptive families navigate their most tricky situations since 2007. Lori interviews insightful guests on her podcast Adoption: The Long View, helping adoptive parents grasp how they can better serve the deepest needs of the adoptees they love. Lori originated the Open Adoption Grid and collaborated on the resulting Inclusive Family Support Model.

Lori is a re-imaginer and reformer of how to “do” adoption better for all. With co-authors Sara Easterly, an adoptee, and Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, a birth mom, Lori’s next adoption book arrives in late 2023. The groundbreaking "Adoption Unfiltered" reveals the candid thoughts and feelings of those most directly involved in adoptions: adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents.

Nominated by Senator Michael Bennet, Lori was honored as an Angel in Adoption® by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. She is a sought-after speaker for adoption and child-welfare agencies, parent support groups, and adoption conferences and camps. She coaches individuals and couples around adoption-related issues.

Besides a passion for reforming adoption, Lori is also a dedicated yogini. Yoga’s inherent “yoking” informs the framework she has developed on how to “do” adoption well, for example by shifting from an Either/or mindset to a BothAnd heartset. With her sister Sheri Fisher, Lori has co-authored "Standing Room Only | How to Be THAT Yoga Teacher" from the Root To Rise Yoga Teaching Method.

Lori and her husband raised their daughter and son in Denver and have now launched them into young adulthood. To say they are proud of Tessa and Reed becoming fully themselves is a big old duh.

Please see LavenderLuz.com for current information on Lori’s offerings and how to reach her.
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Lori Holden’s books

Average rating: 4.23 · 646 ratings · 95 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole by Lori Holden (Goodreads Author), Crystal Hass 4.14 avg rating — 396 ratings — published 2013 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies by Sara Easterly (Goodreads Author), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) 4.41 avg rating — 185 ratings — published 2023 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Reunion in the Social Media Age, An Anthology by Laura Dennis (Editor), Deanna Doss Shrodes, Corie Skolnick (Goodreads Author) 4.45 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Therapy: Perspectives from Clients and Clinicians on Processing and Healing Post-Adoption Issues by Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Laura Dennis (Editor) 4.13 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Standing Room Only: How to Be THAT Yoga Teacher by Sheri Fisher, Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies by Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies by Sara Easterly (Goodreads Author), Lori Holden (Goodreads Author), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	By Lori Holden - The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up (Reprint) (2015-06-06) [Paperback] 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies by Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies - Library Edition by Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (Goodreads Author), Sara Easterly (Goodreads Author) (narrator), Lori Holden (Goodreads Author) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Lori Holden…

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Lori Holden's Blog

Families for Children…or Vice Versa?

Families for children: Should the sacred cow that is the Adoption Tax Credit keep mooing—or be put out to pasture? Part 3 of 3.

The post Families for Children…or Vice Versa? appeared first on Lavender Luz.

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Published on August 26, 2025 08:09

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Lori is Currently Reading

Lori Holden is currently reading

The Women

by Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading, 2024

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Aug 07, 2024 02:25PM

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Against Everything: Essays

by Mark Greif

bookshelves: currently-reading, 2024

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Feb 13, 2024 11:31AM

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The Alphabet Vs. The Goddess

by Leonard Shlain

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 12, 2013 08:32AM

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As someone interested in adoption, donor conception, and NPE experiences, I was eager to read a novel with NPE as a backdrop. Kendra Broekhuis got a lot of the dynamics about it spot on. Plus, she writes in an engaging way that keeps the pages turnin ...more
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