Family Services Group

Parenting Program for Parents of adopted children, children of divorced parents or children of blended family.

Most parents experience feelings of being overwhelmed or unqualified to be a parent of their own children. These feelings and experiences of parenting become more challenging when the child being parented is not the parents biological child. Parents feel they do not have the knowledge, skills or support to be able to manage their children’s behavior and needs. These feelings cause the parent to feel they are unable to have a healthy, positive relationship with their child.

Once parents are supplied with support, education and skills they will be able to recognize that they are not alone with the difficulties they experience and will be able to feel that they are able to develop better parenting skills and develop a closer more positive relationship to the child.

Participants of this group will be able to walk away with being able use behavioral interventions to address common issues which affect adopted children, children of blended families and divorced parents. The common issues are

• Attachment Issues
• Issues of loss: Loss of status in family of origin, loss of stability, loss of identity, loss of racial cultural origins
• Rejection, Issues of self esteem
• Guilt /Shame: Ashamed of being different, feeling they are to blame for adoption/ divorce.
• Identity: Identity of belonging to new family.
• Intimacy and Relationships: Fears getting close and risking reenactment of earlier losses.
• Control/Gains: Adoption, divorce alters life course. Affects ability to launch.

The group will close with an open ended question and answer session where parent can ask specific questions about areas of concern.