Meet the Need sessions
Meet the Need 2024 offers a variety of breakout and keynote sessions for adoptive families, adoption professionals, and clinicians.
DAY 1 December 5
8am-9:15am
check in/breakfast
9:15am-10am
Connecting Keynote session
Defining Success and the Foundation of Fun - Melissa Corkum
Are you struggling to connect with your child and feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of parenting? In this keynote, we'll tackle the challenge of defining success as parents and explore practical ways to create a foundation of fun that strengthens attachment.
Connecting breakout sessions
10:15am-11:15am
Reframing Parental Resistance: Understanding Neuroscience of Blocked Care
Audience: Professionals, Clinicians
As providers dedicated to aiding children from challenging backgrounds, we often engage with parents who might conventionally be deemed "resistant" or "burnt out," which can, in turn, elicit frustration within us. Embracing a fresh perspective on how we perceive and meet the needs of these parents can ultimately result in improved outcomes for all parties involved.
Blocked Care: What to Do When You Run Out of Compassion
Audience: Adoptive Families
Blocked care is a self-protective mechanism in a parent’s nervous system activated by excessive stress. This suppresses the higher brain functions needed for caregiving causing the parent’s nervous system to develop a defensive stance toward their child. Adoptive and foster parents are at higher risk of blocked care due to parenting a child with a history of adversity. With support and good care, parents can regain compassion for themselves and their child.
Cultivating Confidence: When Insecurity Impacts Your Identity
Audience: Adoptive Families
Have you ever found yourself struggling with feelings of jealousy towards your child's biological parents? Or maybe you've felt inadequate in your role as a parent to a child who has lived years of life without you? You're not alone. Join Kayla for a comprehensive, interactive session that dives into recognizing foster/adoptive parent insecurities, discussing common ones such as comparison of biological family, fear of rejection, feelings of inadequacy, and more, while exploring strategies on how to conquer our self-doubt, allowing us to ultimately build confidence in our role as parents.
What Are You Bringing to the Table? How Mindfulness and Self-Worth Impacts Parenting
Audience: Adoptive Families
Minfulness is a critically important practice for those caring for vulnerable children. Participants will learn more about the importance of evaluating what is brought into the care-giving journey as a result of his or her own past experiences.
Play and Connection from a Polyvagal Theory and OT Lens
Speaker: Danielle Dillard OTR/OTD
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals, Clinicians
The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation By Deb Dana Sensory Integration and the Child by Jean Ayres The Connected Therapist by Marti Smith,OTR Sensory Healing after Developmental Trauma by Marti Smith, OTR The Connected Parent
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: A Tailored Approach to Trauma Informed Parenting Skills
Speaker: Nicholas Lee LPC
Audience: Clinicians
A comprehensive examination of trauma-informed parenting practices, encompassing prevalent obstacles to parental implementation, an overview of parenting competencies, and methods to enhance parental engagement.
TBRI® 101 for Adoption Professionals
Audience: Professionals
Professionals will learn an overview of the "Connecting" Principle of TBRI®. TBRI® is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. TBRI® uses Empowering Principles to address physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. While the intervention is based on years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, the heartbeat of TBRI® is connection.
Cultivating Compassionate Connections: A Guide for Caregivers and Professionals
In this comprehensive training, participants will explore practical strategies for nurturing empathy, kindness, and understanding. Geared towards both caregivers and professionals, the program delves into effective communication, fostering compassion, and creating supportive environments. Join us on this transformative journey towards building meaningful connections
Making the Most of the Waiting Period: What You Can Do While You're Waiting for Placement
Speaker: SCDSS Adoptions & Shelby Rickey
Audience: Adoptive Families
Flourishing Families and DSS are partnering to provide insight on practical tips to prepare for receiving placement. Learn more about opportunities to connect with other families, getting your feet wet with short term placements, and steps towards understanding how trauma will impact your family. Grow in competence and confidence so that when a child is placed with you, you're ready!
lunch break
11:15am-12pm
Grab lunch and explore the exhibit hall!
Empowering Keynote session
12pm-12:45pm
Empowering: It Takes More Than Love - Kayla Moffit
When Kayla Moffitt and her husband started the journey of foster/adoptive parenting, they thought their love would be enough. Five kids later, and a seemingly mile-long list of diagnoses, hospitalizations, deep struggles, and a cross-country move, they learned to accept a new, more honest reality that they hadn't prepared for: In this space, it takes more than love.
Empowering breakout sessions
1pm-2pm
Sensory Processing
Disorder Simplified
Audience: Adoptive Families, Clinicians
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) has become a term used commonly in conversations among professionals and parents. Terms like proprioception, heavy-work, and low registration are frequently being used. But what do they really mean for our kids and families? Let's erase the fancy words and get down to the nitty gritty of what SPD is and what we can do for our kids who are experiencing symptoms.
Wired to Rhythms: Using Rhythmic Body-Based Activities for Connection and Regulation
Audience: Clinicians
Our brains and bodies develop to rhythmic and body-based sensory information. We will explore the science that supports the use of rhythmic activities and relationships for connection and regulation and how we can help caregivers and communities intentionally incorporate these into daily routines and programs.
DSS 101: Things Adoptive Families Should Know
Speaker: Melissa Lowe
Audience: Adoptive Families
Obtain a better understanding of the adoption process and DSS in general. Obtain guidance on negotiation and what can and cannot be offered to adoptive families. Obtain an understanding of things to research while waiting to be matched with a child.
Being a Secure Base for
Your Family
Speaker: Rebecca Moore
Audience: Professionals, Clinicians
A caregiver acting as a secure base is necessary for secure attachment. In this session, you will learn how to be a secure base for your child or teen providing them with the relationship they need to facilitate attachment and growth at any age.
Visual Vestibular Auditory Triad
Speaker: Danielle Dillard OTR/OTD
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals, Clinicians
These 3 seemingly separate systems are interconnected impacting attention, emotional regulation, and connection. This is a very quick and packed dive into the 3 systems, how they are connected, and what you as caregivers and practitioners can do!
Transracial Adoption: Empowering Your Child's Racial Identity
Audience: Adoptive Families
Have you ever found yourself struggling with feelings of jealousy towards your child's biological parents? Or maybe you've felt inadequate in your role as a parent to a child who has lived years of life without you? You're not alone. Join Kayla for a comprehensive, interactive session that dives into recognizing foster/adoptive parent insecurities, discussing common ones such as comparison of biological family, fear of rejection, feelings of inadequacy, and more, while exploring strategies on how to conquer our self-doubt, allowing us to ultimately build confidence in our role as parents.
Empowering Families Affected by Parental Incarcerations
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals
Join us for an in-depth exploration of effective strategies aimed at empowering families affected by the challenges of parental incarceration. This session will provide participants with valuable insights into fostering resilient family environments and implementing approaches that promote positive outcomes for both children and caregivers.
The Importance of Collaborative Care: How to Best Meet the Needs of Kids and Families
Audience: Professionals, Clinicians
I will delve into the key aspects of teamwork, communication, and coordination among professionals from various disciplines to create a holistic approach that meets the unique needs of these vulnerable populations. Gain valuable insights, real-life examples, and practical strategies to enhance your understanding of the challenges and rewards of working together to ensure the well-being and success of kids and families in these critical situations.
Big Diagnoses and What to Do
Speaker: Brittney Clow LISW CP/S
Audience: Adoptive Families, Clinicians, Professionals
Your child has been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, or another "scary" diagnosis! This talk will help you understand the meaning of these diagnoses, how they develop, and what to do about it now.
2:15pm-3pm
correcting Keynote session
Correcting: Building Resilience: Helping Kids Thrive, Not Just Survive - Allison Cooke Douglas
Children with a history of trauma and maltreatment often struggle with attachment and behavioral issues. As parents, it is all too easy to become wrapped up in “putting out fires”, focusing solely on discipline, our children’s negative behaviors, and other parenting challenges. This workshop looks beyond behavior management and begin to embrace the three building blocks of resilience. Participants will explore ways to help children rebuild healthy connections and self-perceptions after trauma, allowing them to thrive, not just survive.
correcting breakout sessions
3:15pm-4:15pm
Challenging the Mindset
on Discipline
Speaker: Rebecca Moore LISW
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals, Clinicians
With so much information available on parenting, how is a parent supposed to know what is best for their child? The key is connection and knowing your child. By looking through the lens of attachment, we can support their developing brains in ways that promote healthy growth and relationship.
Into The Light - Hope For Healing From Sexual Abuse
Speaker: Pam & Trent Taylor
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals
The topic of sexual abuse is often avoided, but is perhaps one of the most significant issues being faced by many of our vulnerable children. During this workshop, you will hear from adoptee, Trent Taylor, and his adoptive mom, Pam Taylor. This workshop will provide an informative and candid discussion of the realities of healing from sexual abuse.
Treatment of Attachment Trauma for the Adoptee
Speaker: Brittney Clow LISW CP/S
Audience: Professionals, Clinicians
We know that adoptees often experience mental health concerns related to adoption. This talk will help you to consider what symptoms may present in adoption and attachment trauma, from childhood through adulthood, and give an overview of current treatment models best suited to treat attachment trauma.
Staying Energized to Ride the Waves of the Foster Care and Adoption Ocean of Emotions
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals
It’s going to take very focused effort and purposeful action for us to stay in the “ocean of emotion” that is foster care and adoption and to be ready to fight for the long-term health of our children, our families, and ourselves. The stakes are high for vulnerable children who need us. Together, we will evaluate the impact of foster care and adoption on our emotional and physical health; consider the expectations we have for working with wounded children; and strategize about how we can show up fully for children who’ve been hurt.
Repair is More Important
Than Rupture
Audience: Adoptive Families, Clinicians
Cracks and fractures are inevitable in relationships, but when they occur with a child from a hard place, they can seem insurmountable. This often leaves caregivers, clinicians, and support networks of these children feeling pressured to maintain an unrealistic level of perfection or contemplate surrender. Neuroscience highlights that ruptures are crucial in human development and are not detrimental when they incorporate a vital element: REPAIR.
Generational Trauma: How Do We Build Resilience?
Speaker: Elaine Swain, DSW, LMSW
and Alexis Scurry, LMSW
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals, Clinicians
Generational trauma affects individuals, groups, and communities. We will define what generational trauma using cultural humility, its impact, and how we can build resilient families and communities.
Where It All Begins: Understanding Trauma and How to Break the Cycle
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals, Clinicians
Explore trauma and recognize the impact of experiences in our children and ourselves. This session will explore how our responses show up and how we can take control and begin healing. This results in understanding that we can be a source of resilience, and provide safe and engaging spaces for all.
Connection through Correction
Learn how therapeutic responses to common trauma behaviors can prioritize connection and attachment.
Trauma & Neuro Informed
De-Escalation Techniques
Audience: Adoptive Families, Professionals
As we understand how the brain and body works when there is stress and fear, we can begin to incorporate trauma-sensitive and neuro-informed techniques to co-regulate and de-escalate children in crisis situations. The Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) curriculum from Cornell University will be used as the basis for this approach.
DAY 2 December 6
8am-9am
check in/breakfast
INTERACTIVE GROUP SESSIONS
9:15am-12:15pm
Relational Health and the Therapeutic Web: Connections for Healing
Speaker: Allison Cooke Douglas & Keith Bailey PhD
Audience: Adoption Professionals, Clinicians
Bruce D. Perry, states “…Your history of relational health — your connectedness to family, community, and culture — is more predictive of your mental health than your history of adversity.” This workshop explores the neurodevelopmental impacts of interrupted attachment and poor relational health in the early years and how professionals can contribute in mitigating these challenges by building a child and family’s therapeutic web, a relational framework that emphasizes the creation of a network of interconnected supports that surround and uplift children and their families as they navigate the journey toward recovery and well-being. Blending theory with practical application, participants will leave with a tangible plan to connect clients with the primary, community and professional supports they need to heal and grow.
The Parent Connection
Speaker: April Ficklin
Audience: Adoptive Families
This session is specially curated to meet the biggest needs of adoptive parents--connection with other adoptive parents, truly practical strategies for connecting, empowering and correcting our children, and a little bit of fun. The time will be divided into three sections: a chance to experience nurture group activities that are easy to implement at home, a practical conversation about how to create healthy boundaries for all ages of children (including teens), and a casual opportunity to make lasting connections with other adoptive parents.
TBRI® Implementation Workshop
Audience: TBRI® Practititoners
This three-hour session will be a practical opportunity for SC TBRI® Practitioners and their organizational leadership to work on analyzing and planning their TBRI® Implementation through the lens of Cultural Historical Activity Theory. We will briefly review the preperatory content from our monthly statewide network calls and then dive into applying what we've learned about our system's rules, roles, tools, and object to our own work in small groups. Come ready to confront contradictions, identify needs, and come up with good solutions!