Jana Rupnow Counseling

A new headshot was long overdue. Hi! It's been awhile since I've been on social media but I'm excited to share about IDCAD 2026 and yes, I'm still here! Still doing the work. I've had the pleasure of focusing on known donation for the past (almost) 3 years with clients using . I've learned so much and developed resources to help families navigate known donation from the start. I can't wait to share more! How have you been? Say hello. Let's reconnect.

Some of my favs over the years. 💚 New year feels

What a year 2025 has been! I saw Paris and London for the first time! I explored my genetic roots in Cornwall.
I worked with hundreds of incredible people choosing known donation.
I developed new techniques and approaches to psychosocial preparation for known donation.
I've made hundreds of sticky notes for a new book.
To all those I’ve had the privilege of meeting and walking alongside this year, here’s to you! And to all of you who have followed along, read my thoughts, enjoyed my content either for one day or 13 years,
Happy 2026!

I have no idea what my presence on IG will look like moving forward, but I can guarantee it will be authentic and designed to help you. Peace and love!

What an incredible parents' weekend at Rhode Island School of Design! My heart swells with happiness to witness my daughter becoming the fullest version of herself.
Her "sauna" model was chosen for the RISD Archiect department's triennial exhibit, called Entanglements. There's a gorgeous description in a photo posted in the carousel and you must read.

I couldn't help but think of the current state of things. It brought tears to my eyes. Somehow this exhibit gave me comfort, hope, even beauty, in the chaos. It showed me how everything is interconnected. How we build and destroy things, how we reorganize and re-assemble. It's like spiral dynamics.

The second piece she created, is a chess board, handmade with concrete and sculpted pieces. The project was to create a model that represented an area they toured in Providence. The chess game board represents the way people in an underprivileged urban area make a space work for them. The uneven concrete, the obstacles they must work with. Some pieces were permanently affixed to the board, showing that the game they play is often unfair, putting them at a disadvantage from the start, changing the nature of the game. When you touch the board, the unfinished concrete irritates your hands, making it uncomfortable to play. Yet you find ways to play anyway because that's the human spirit. Creativity finds a way.

If it feels like there's nothing you can do right now, do the arts.

Let’s move away from the “mini me” culture.

Our kids aren’t our carbon copies. They’re their own people, with their own inner world, wiring, and ways of being. When we expect them to reflect us too closely, even subtly, we risk missing the magic of who they actually are.

It’s natural to feel connected through shared traits. But when we project ourselves onto our kids, it can quietly become about us instead of them. This dynamic, though often unconscious, where parents shape their child's identity around our own unfinished story, can cause a child to reject themselves.

There is so much joy in watching our children become exactly who they are.

If you'd like to know how to do this in every day life, check out my course, "Foster Your Child's Identity" or comment Identity for a link.

Big win!! ⭐️ 🏒 The Stars earned their way to the Western Conference Finals!

It sounds like your daughter is starting to explore and make sense of her story in the way that young children often do—through imagination and emotional expression. When she said it was a secret or that her dad had died, it likely wasn’t about hiding anything, but more about trying to understand where she fits in the world and what it means to have a “dad.”

You did such a beautiful job by staying curious and open, asking her if she said that because it might feel nice to have a dad. That kind of response, gentle, non-judgmental, and validating, is exactly what helps kids feel safe to keep talking.

If you’re feeling unsure, you could ask her about "a secret dad" to explore her understanding further. If you want some extra support navigating these conversations, talking with a therapist who understands donor conception can be a really helpful next step. Not because anything is wrong, but because these moments matter and it’s okay to want guidance as your child’s understanding deepens.

More Q&A available as a subscriber of this account.

What an incredible day at the Spring Conference!

I can’t believe it’s been seven years since , co-founder of the Donor Conception Network, reached out to me after reading my book. Her email meant so much at the time and gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going.

Today, on International Donor Conception Awareness Day, a day I founded in 2020, I had the honor of speaking at the Donor Conception Network conference in London and I finally got to hug Olivia in person!

And not just Olivia — Nina, Yael, Jo, and so many others who now feel like close friends. Thank you to Nina and Yael for the invitation, for your incredible hard work and professionalism, and for the warmest welcome from you, Kate, Francis, and Jo. You all are truly wonderful. ♥️