Meet Adina
Adina Belloli is an American mother of two living in London. She holds multiple degrees in psychology, psychotherapy, international healthcare, public policy, and economics (BA, MA, and MSc). Adina is a co-founder of The Motherless Mothers, a UK-registered charity and online community. As a qualified child and adolescent psychotherapist, Adina has dedicated her life to empowering disadvantaged children and women worldwide. Her philanthropic efforts, featured on BBC, CNN, and more, have earned her recognition and awards. Adina's clinical work has been published, contributing to advancements in child psychotherapy. She holds a professional postgraduate certification in working with women who have experienced maternal loss. In addition, Adina is a reiki master and youth mindfulness teacher with over 15 years of meditation, mindfulness, and yoga practice. She co-hosts the Motherhood Beyond Books podcast, bridging the gap between Western psychology and Eastern holistic health systems to provide a fresh, insightful approach to parenting. Adina has a special interest in motherless mothers, as she is one herself, and is working on a project exploring the impact of intergenerational mother loss and the complexities of strained mother-daughter relationships in motherhood. She is a graduate chartered member of the British Psychological Society (GMBPsS, GBC) and an affiliate member of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
“Being seen, heard, and understood isn’t a want, it’s a fundamental need we all share as humans. Our deepest yearning is not just existence, but connection. In every corner of the globe, across cultures, languages, and backgrounds, we all share this deep-seated need for connection. It’s in the moments of feeling truly seen, heard, and understood that we find our sense of belonging in the world.”
3 Random Facts About Me
I’m a fierce defender of children’s rights. I’ve worked with disadvantaged children for over 18 years, including organisations such as the World Health Organisation, Kids Company, and Cure2Children. I will always do what is morally, ethically, and professionally right for the child, even if it means losing a job over it (which happened)!
I got into charity/volunteering when I was 14 years old. At a children's hospital in Texas, I started volunteering as a "candy stripe girl", essentially hanging out in waiting areas playing with the kids who were waiting to see the doctors. The reason I started was because of a boy I had a crush on. His dad was a doctor there. Unexpectedly, I fell in love with the job and not the boy! It was during that experience I realised the power of altruism.
My mother died when I was six months old. A drunk driver killed her in a car accident. I was diagnosed with ‘failure to thrive’ afterwards. My little body didn’t want to carry on without her. It took a few years, but eventually I got better thanks to some family members who nurtured me back to health. Throughout my life, my mother has found ways to connect with me: through dreams, through other people and through signs.
