Who Is David B. Bohl?
First and foremost, David B. Bohl is a relinquishee and an adoptee. Professionally, he is an independent Addiction and Recovery Consultant at Beacon Confidential LLC, and he knows his business through and through having once been a consumer of mental health services. David has also recovered from Substance Use Disorder (he’s been sober from alcohol and tobacco for more than a decade). He holds a Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) degrees.
An author, an accomplished public speaker, and an adoption consultant, David’s biggest strength lies with having lived through the relinquishment and adoption experience. His knowledgeable approach is that of compassion, and open-mindedness and he combines his formal education with his own, natural compulsion to help others. If you were to ask David what his favorite work aspect is he’d tell you that it’s the ability to do something deeply meaningful and personal day in and day out. Whether this is through his work with individuals, families and business experiencing addiction or by working with those who have gone through the relinquishment trauma, or the combination of both, David offers a unique perspective that considers adoption (and/ or addiction) as a developmental and/ or chronic trauma or stress that affects everyone: the individual client, and their family—adopted and genetic.
David understands that although person in the recovery and relinquishment communities often lead similar lives to others, their experiences are specific to their background and individual stories. Those stories involve having to experience and overcome such hurdles as stigma, insufficient social supports and home/work environments, loss, grief, identity development, self-esteem, lack of information about medical background (including mental health and addiction predispositions). Those stories are David’s story as well.
David lives in the Midwestern U.S. and shares his services in the U.S. and abroad. He enjoys spending time with his wife of 37 years and adult children, and is fond of meditative technique called Blue Mind (a calm mind state that’s found by being in and/or around the water). His pursuit of knowledge and understanding of personal growth and recovery is at the root of his personal and professional experiences.
In his volunteer work, David is also Mental Health Subcommittee Co-Chair to the National Association of Adoptees and Parents (NAAP), and an Advisory Board Member of Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support (WIAPS). He facilitates an Adoptee Paths for Recovery, a virtual support group for relinquishees and families desirous of, initiating, practicing, or supporting recovery.
Books by David B Bohl
Relinquishment and Addiction:
What Trauma Has to Do With It
David B. Bohl, MA / Jamie Marich, PhD
Despite knowing the risk for relinquished persons, there remains a chasm in awareness, both within and outside the adoption community about the special, unspoken, and unmet needs of relinquished persons and their families.
Authors David B. Bohl, MA, and Jamie Marich, PhD, provide an overview of the complex issues involved in relinquishment and adoption, and in particular, as they relate to susceptibility of addiction.
Parallel Universes
The Story of Rebirth
David B. Bohl, MA
In this poignant and powerful memoir, David B. Bohl reveals the inner turmoil and broad spectrum of warring emotions—shame, anger, triumph, shyness, pride—he experienced growing up as a “relinquished” boy. Adopted at birth by a prosperous family, Bohl battled throughout his earlier years to keep up a good front and surpass expectations as he tried desperately to fit in. An overachiever at everything he undertook, whether in sailing, academics, or life as a trader on the Chicago Exchange floor, he continued his search for happiness, often finding it in a bottle or pill, and ultimately becoming a raging and wealthy alcoholic.
Recent Blog Posts
David B. Bohl Testimony in Favor of Wisconsin SB 483 which Provides Access to Original Birth Certificate to Adult Adoptees
I had the honor today of providing testimony at the Wisconsin Senate Public Hearing of the Committee on Human Services, Children and Families on Senate
My New Year’s Wish for You: The Bliss of Belonging
The idea of belonging is entrenched with the very idea of our existence. Our families, our friends, and our communities inform how we are in
The Pressure to Holiday
The holidays and the end of the year are a perfect time to reflect on all things past and reconcile for a better future. Wherever
False Gratitude
I was thinking about the movie The Graduate with Dustin Hoffman, where Hoffman’s young character, Benjamin, gets some advice about career upon his graduation (“One
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