Discuss Strategies for Dealing with Childhood Trauma

 

Project Self-Sufficiency will continue the workshop and discussion series, “Connections Matter”, designed to facilitate the conversation about issues surrounding Positive & Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs), with an in-person session on Tuesday, April 5th at 5:00 p.m.   Participants are invited to explore the Connections Matter curriculum, a program funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey designed to engage providers, parents, and community members in building caring connections to improve resiliency.  Discussion will focus on understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma and demonstrate how caring connections serve as a primary buffer in the negative effects of trauma.  The training is appropriate for parents and providers raising and teaching school aged children.  Pizza will be provided.

 

During the workshop series, trauma experts and guest speakers address the impact of adverse childhood experiences on social, emotional, and cognitive development, and offer tips and strategies for building resiliency.  Adverse childhood experiences are widely recognized as falling into three distinct categories, abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction.  Examples of negative behavior said to result from ACEs include smoking, alcoholism, drug use, absenteeism, and lack of physical activity.  These behaviors can cause a cascade of physical and mental health problems, from diabetes to cancer to suicidal thoughts.  It is estimated that approximately 67% of the population has experienced at least one adverse childhood experience.

 

The agency’s program brings together professionals, providers, and parents who are committed to increasing awareness of the impact of childhood trauma on juvenile development, future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity.  “Our goal is to help make our community a place in which every child can thrive by providing education and training on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments,” explains Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. 

 

The Tuesday, April 5th, session at Project Self-Sufficiency will be held in-person at 5:00 p.m.  The program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.   Call 973-940-3500 to register.  Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill Street, Newton.

 

Virtual Elder Law Seminar in April

 

Project Self-Sufficiency will host a virtual Elder Law seminar on Thursday, April 7th, 6:00 p.m.  Legal issues faced by senior citizens will be discussed, including general estate planning, development of a will, advance directions for healthcare, dealing with Medicare and Medicaid, caring for aging parents, and other issues.  The free Elder Law Seminar is open to the public and will take place on Zoom; interested participants are invited to call Project Self-Sufficiency at 973-940-3500 for log-in details.  The agency’s legal seminar series is a program of the Sussex County Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency and is funded by the New Jersey Department of Children & Families.

Diane Lang Offers Parenting Classes

 

Therapist and author Diane Lang will facilitate Project Self-Sufficiency parenting workshops for parents with children of all ages beginning in April.  Participants will learn about the different stages of physical and emotional development during infancy, childhood and adolescence, as well as techniques for positive discipline and improved communication.  The course will be offered on Zoom, Tuesdays, April 12^th – May 24^th, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Classes are co-sponsored by the Sussex County Family Success Center and Project Sussex Kids, the Sussex County Council for Young Children.  The sessions are free and open to the public, but registration is required.   Interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 for log-in details.

 

The parenting classes offered by Project Self-Sufficiency follow the Nurturing Parent curriculum which teaches age-specific parenting skills and includes components designed for parents as well as children.  The workshops encourage parents to share their experiences with each other.

 

“The ‘Nurturing Parenting Program,’” fosters the capacity of children and parents to trust, care and respect other people and their environment, and is a natural extension of the Parenting Support Group already facilitated by Diane Lang on behalf of our clients,” explains Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “These parenting classes are open to the public and we are delighted that Diane Lang will be sharing her expertise while reinforcing positive behavior, attachment parenting, and nurturing discipline.”

 

To register for the free parenting workshops, to discuss your parenting needs, or to find out more about other programs and services available at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500.