Winter/Spring Meetings	Date	Meeting Time
Transforming the Challenging Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach	Tuesday – January 26	6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
An Adoption Story – “Tips From the Trenches”	Monday – February 22	6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Self Care Essentials Seminar: Achieving Life Balance”	Saturday – March 27	9:00 am – 12 noon

We Would Love to Hear From You

Let us know your thoughts! We want to be responsive to your post adoption needs. Please let us know of topics of interest to you and your family by emailing us at postadoption@lssmn.org and indicate “post adoption topics of interest” in the subject line.

Click here to see a list of the workshops held over the past year.

Post Adoption Education Workshops/Speakers/Seminars

Transforming the Challenging Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach

Tuesday – January 26, 2010; 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Sponsored by Lutheran Social Service

Speaker: Tina Feigel, M.S., Ed. This training is geared towards parents who struggle with typical behavior techniques that don’t work with these tense children. Learn new and different techniques and interactions that will help to bring out the best in your challenging child. Ms. Feigel is the author of “The Pocket Parent Coach” and has been featured in the Star Tribune, and as KARE 11’s “Super Nanny.” Location: Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – The Center for Changing Lives; 2400 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN. Fee: $10 per person or $12 per parenting couple Register/Information: Contact Jackie Brovold @ 612-879-5248 to register by January 22nd

An Adoption Story – “Tips From the Trenches”

Monday – February 22, 2010; 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Sponsored by Lutheran Social Service Post Adoption, MNADOPT, and Hennepin County Foster Care.

Presenter: Deborah Jiang Stein Adopted transracially at age four from foster care and born in prison, heroin addicted, Deborah was labeled “high risk/special needs.” She struggled through adolescence and early adulthood, and is now an adoptive parent of two children born in China. Deborah has a riveting story of resilience and survival. Her presentation demonstrates the power of the family and the professional community in her life and the potential for other adopted and foster youth. Her message of “never, never give up on a child” is informative and inspirational. Her story is a powerful demonstration of survival against the odds. Location: Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – The Center for Changing Lives; 2400 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN. Fee: $10 per person or $15 per parenting couple Register/Information: Contact Jackie Brovold @ 612-879-5248 to register by February 19th

Self Care Essentials Seminar – “Achieving Life Balance”

Saturday – March 27, 2010; 9:00 am – 12 noon Sponsored by Lutheran Social Service Post Adoption, MNADOPT, and Hennepin County Foster Care.

Presenter: Jean Fraser Parenting, or waiting to parent, can be stressful! This seminar will provide participants with valuable tools to begin integrating self-care strategies into their busy lives, and handle common daily stressors with greater ease. Participants will assess the strategies that will work best for them and come away with a practical plan for putting these steps into action. Location: Health Services Building (HSB); 525 Portland Ave. S. Minneapolis. Free parking available in the HCMC ramp between 6th and 7th Streets/Portland and Park Avenues. Enter from either 6th or 7th. Skyway level crosses to HSB. Bring your ticket in to be stamped for free parking! Fee: $10 per individual and $15 per parenting couple Register/Information: Contact Jackie Brovold @ 612-879-5248 by Friday March 26th

Past Post Adoption Workshops Held This Past Year

Sponsored by Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Strengthening Family Relationships "Orientation to Searching" workshops (multiple) "Looking Ahead: Adopted Pre-Teens and Teens" Is it Adoption Related or Just the Age? Parents Get Ready – A New School Year For Our Adopted Kids

Family Education Series:

Co-Sponsored by Lutheran Social Service, MN ASAP, and Hennepin County Foster Care

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – PTSD in Children Fostering Changes: Behavior Management Approaches for Foster & Adoptive Parents Anxiety in Children – What it Looks Like/What it Means in Your Family When Someone in the Family Has Mental Health Issues Creating Sexual Safety for Adopted and Foster Children and Their Families Aggression in Children Parenting Style and Mental Health Depression in Children: What It Is/What It Isn't Bipolar Disorder: What It Means to Your Family Regulation – Help Your Child Learn This Skill The Autism Spectrum – What Parents Need to Know Behavior Lab: Ask a Psychologist Impact of Parental Alcohol and Drug Use on Children's Mental Health When Children Drive Us Crazy Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Building Self Esteem Plays Well With Others Dr. Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D., Internationally Renowned Expert - Identifying and Addressing Childhood Trauma Across the Age Range –Infancy thru Age 12 MN ASAP Spring Conference Strengthening Families: A conference for adoptive, foster, and kinship parents The Power of Our Relationships With Our Children When Your Child Has ADHD: Tools For Parents Compassion Fatigue Encouraging Positive Behavior in Spirited Children Raising African American Children Sexual Abuse – Recognizing the Signs Emotional Regulation Holiday Survival