Denise Defoe – This is My Adoption Story

Born in San Diego, Denise Defoe has lived in Maryland for most of her life. She is a licensed social worker who is currently working as a psychotherapist.

Denise obtained her Bachelors of Social Work degree from Oakwood University in 2003. After college, Denise matriculated at the University of Alabama under the prestigious, full ride, Daniel Scholarship and earned her Masters Degree in Social Work in 2004.

Her crowning achievement to date has been the completion and release of her memoir,  They Chose Me: An Adoption Story released in June 2019. This book chronicles her journey as an adoptee. The readers are taken on a decades-long odyssey filled with a variety of emotions stemming from her sense of abandonment. From grief, anger, and resentment, Denise was able to come to a place of acceptance, forgiveness, and peace. She is now able to speak about this journey and serve as a consultant and advocate for adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents. Sharing her story has empowered others to stand strong within their own story.

Her greatest personal joy and fulfillment come from her life as a wife and mother. She is married to Dr. David I. Defoe and together they are the proud parents of their daughter Dayna Imara.