With the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act (P.L. 105-89; ASFA), birth parents of children in foster care face a relatively brief time frame within which to successfully demonstrate progress in their reunification efforts. This progress includes engagement in a case plan, involvement in services, and visitation with children-efforts that are emotionally and practically challenging for many birth parents. Although a number of case and service characteristics associated with successful reunification have been identified (e.g., Child Welfare League of America, 2002;Westat, 1995), relatively little attention has been focused on the nature of birth parents' change processes and their related service needs.A number of authors have chronicled the intense emotions precipitated by child removal. Although dated, Jenkins (1969) found that birth parents most frequently reported feelings of sadness, worry, and nervousness. Other common feelings included emptiness, anger, bitterness, thankfulness, and relief for some parents; guilt and shame for some; and numbness or a feeling of being paralyzed for still others (Jenkins, 1969). Feelings of isolation are often reported (Levin, 1992), especially if parents decide to make changes for reunification with their children that involve severing ties with friends and/or family (Maluccio, Warsh, & Pine, 1993). A sense of powerlessness is also common, arising from birth parents' feelings of being controlled by the child welfare system and without influence in decision making regarding their children (Levin, 1992;Maluccio, Fein, & Olmstead, 1986). Another emotional reaction birth parents often experience is a decrease in self-esteem (Levin, 1992;Maluccio et al., 1986). Birth parents may also feel ambivalence about their parenting role (Bicknell-Hentges, 1995;Hess & Folaron, 1991;Maluccio et al., 1986)-feelings that may be indicated by expression of "conflicting feelings