1:00
Introduction to Trauma • Christine Doman-Wells
In this session, participants will define trauma, traumatic stress, different levels of trauma, and the differential impact of trauma. PTSD will be described, as well as trauma reminders. Participants will discuss how trauma impacts children, as well as themselves as caregivers.
Strength from Scripture • Laurie Reyes
This breakout session will explore the unparalleled value of God’s Word for every season of life as well as provide practical tools for incorporating the Bible in your life whether you have 15 minutes or an entire day.
Moms of Treasures: Parenting Children with Special Needs • Jamie Becker
Come join our breakout where Jamie will share her dynamic journey parenting a child with severe autism and 2 deaf children with severe trauma. Her style is “real, humble, and authentic”. She’ll share the highs and lows of choosing the special needs path, within fostering and adoption, as well as invite participants to do some self evaluation on their own journey and coping strategies, followed by a time of sharing if desired. Her goal is to be relevant, empathetic, and encouraging for your journey as a mom!
2:00
Responding to Trauma • Christine Doman-Wells
This session is for participants who already have an understanding of trauma and child traumatic stress. In this session, participants will build on a shared understanding of trauma by discussing resiliency building strategies and protective factors.
Strength from Scripture • Laurie Reyes
This breakout session will explore the unparalleled value of God’s Word for every season of life as well as provide practical tools for incorporating the Bible in your life whether you have 15 minutes or an entire day.
Opting Out of the Drama Cycle • Pam Parish
Getting caught in the vicious cycle of drama creates undercurrents of anger and hopelessness in many families. Understanding what drives ongoing drama among family members provides a powerful tool for improving relationships and overall communication. In this training, you’ll learn how to recognize your own triggers and the drama cycles in your family, enabling you to teach your children how to better communicate for the health of the entire family unit.
Christine Doman-Wells
Christine Doman-Wells, LSW, MSW is a New Jersey-based social worker, educator, advocate, and former foster mom. For the last ten years of Christine’s career, her focus has been on improving the lives of children and families in the NJ child welfare system through many means, including educating about risk factors such as trauma and the impact of child traumatic stress. Her work also includes a focus on protective factors and individual, family, and community-based resiliency building.
Laurie Reyes
Laurie Reyes is a pastor’s wife and mother of four young adults. She’s passionate about helping women connect biblical truth to their everyday lives. She currently enjoys disciplining a small group of college girls and teaching women in a variety of contexts.
Jamie Becker
Jamie Becker is a Texan, born and raised and now lives in Northern NJ. She has always had a heart for adoption and after having one bio daughter, took the journey to China to adopt her second daughter, who is deaf and has severe autism. Jamie is passionate about encouraging other moms with children with special needs, and started a support group called “Moms of Treasures” in her area. She went on to become a foster mom for the past three years, adopting a third daughter, who is 10, from foster care, also deaf. She is weeks away from adopting her fourth daughter, who she has fostered since birth. She’s fluent in sign language as well as in never ending nursery rhymes. All. Day. Long.
Pam Parish
Pam Parish is a follower of Jesus Christ, wife of the most handsome man on the planet for 24 years and counting, mom of seven incredibly beautiful and amazing young women, and nana to four spunky grandchildren. She is the author of the Ready or Not Devotional series for foster and adoptive families and the founder and President of Connections Homes, an Atlanta-based organization working with young adults who've aged out of foster care, are homeless or otherwise without family.