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Open Arms Adoption Network’s Workshop Schedule
Winter/Spring 2015
Offering supportive and enlightening workshops to those
who are touched by adoption or considering adoption.
TO REGISTER: Please call or e-mail Michele LeMasney at 609.694.2626 or mlemasney@openarmsadoption.net.
You can also register online anytime at www.openarmsadoption.net
Workshops
BONDING & ATTACHMENT
IN NEWBORN ADOPTION
January 14th, 2015
(6:30pm – 8:30pm)
2100 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
OPEN ADOPTION SEMINAR
January 25th, 2015
(10:00am – 4:30pm)
Huntingdon Valley Library
(2nd Floor)
625 Red Lion Road,
Huntingdon Valley, PA
ADOPTING
TRANSRACIALLY
February 5th, 2015
(6:30pm – 8:30pm)
2100 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
LIVING AS A
MULTI-CULTURAL FAMILY
February 18th, 2015
(5:30pm – 7:30pm)
825 Third Avenue
(2nd Floor)
New York City, NY
THE HAPPIEST BABY
ON THE BLOCK©
March 19th, 2015
(6:30pm – 8:30pm)
2100 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
THE LANGUAGE OF
ADOPTION
April 8th, 2015
(6:30pm – 8:30pm)
2100 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
NEWBORN CARE 101
April 15th, 2015
(6:00pm – 8:30pm)
256 Columbia Turnpike;
Suite 105
Florham Park, NJ
(*This class is open to the first 10
families registered)
THE LANGUAGE
OF ADOPTION
March 25th, 2015
(6:30pm – 8:30pm)
256 Columbia Turnpike;
Suite 105
Florham Park, NJ
Toll Free: 1.888.OPENARMS 24/7 Hotline (1.888.673.6276)
www.OpenArmsAdoption.net
Providing adoption services since 1855. Open Arms Adoption Network is a program of JFCS of Greater Philadelphia.
JFCS partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Open Arms Adoption Network’s Workshop Schedule
Winter/Spring 2015
BONDING & ATTACHMENT IN
NEWBORN ADOPTION
Attachment and bonding are critical
to the development of secure human
beings. A strong and healthy attachment
formed early in life can set the stage for
all future relationships. Children adopted
domestically typically arrive in their adoptive
families as infants, sometimes only
days old, yet a focus on building strong
attachments is very important. In this
training we will explore the meaning and
importance of bonding and attachment
as well as provide simple techniques that
will support your bonding and attaching to
your child and their bonding and attaching
to you. Parents will also learn language
to use with friends and family to assist
in explaining your attachment-focused
parenting.
Facilitator: Stefani Moon, Open Arms
OPEN ADOPTION SEMINAR
Join us for a full day exploration of open
adoption. Topics presented include
preparing to adopt, the nuts and bolts of
the adoption process, and the benefits
of maintaining a life-long healthy open
adoption. Interwoven throughout the day,
birth and adoptive families will share their
open adoption experience.
Facilitators: Open Arms Staff
ADOPTING TRANSRACIALLY
This workshop will be an opportunity to
explore and prepare for the experience of
transracial adoption—its joys, challenges,
and richness. Topics discussed will include:
the unique parenting tasks in transracial
adoption; building interracial family
identity; supporting healthy racial identity
development for children of color; issues of
race and racism interracial families formed
by adoption face; choosing diversity over
convenience; creating cultural competence
and building bridges to our children’s
heritage of origin.
FACILITATOR: Abby Ruder, Marriage &
Family Therapist, has been specializing
in parenting and adoption for 25 years.
She works with all members of the
adoption triad pre & post placement.
Ms. Ruder is also a mother by adoption
in an interracial family.
LIVING AS A MULTI-CULTURAL
FAMILY
When we choose to become a multicultural family through adoption, we accept
the responsibility of opening our hearts
and our lives to new ways of being. Join
us as we talk about what it means to
be a “conspicuous family”, how to talk
about race and culture with your children,
learn ways to incorporate a wide array
of multiculturalism into your family and
discuss strategies for helping to educate
others in your life about what it means to
be a multi-cultural family. This workshop is
designed for all families who have or are
planning to adopt a child of another culture.
Facilitator: Stefani Moon, Open Arms
THE HAPPIEST BABY ON
THE BLOCK©
People say that “Kids don’t come with
instructions”...but now they do! Sharing his
wisdom from 30 years in pediatric practice,
Dr. Karp’s mission is give to ALL parents
the simple tools to help them feel smarter,
less stressed, more effective...and have lots
more fun too! In our The Happiest Baby
on the Block class, pre-adoptive parents
will learn step-by-step how to help their
future newborn sleep better and how to
soothe even the fussiest baby in minutes…
even seconds! This class is based on the
highly effective techniques pioneered by Dr.
Harvey Karp in his best-selling book, The
Happiest Baby on the Block. Topics include
the calming reflex, Dr. Karp’s “five S’s”, colic
and ways of recognizing and responding to
your baby’s moods.
Facilitator: Susan Slear, RN, CCE,
CHBE, IBCLC is an RN, a Certified
Childbirth Educator (CCE), Certified
Happiest Baby Educator (CHBE) and an
International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant (IBCLC). In addition to 16
years experience teaching Childbirth,
Breastfeeding, Infant Care and
Happiest Baby on the Block, she also
gained valuable experience by raising
6 children.
THE LANGUAGE OF ADOPTION
Learning to speak a new language is a skill
that takes time and practice. When forming
our family through adoption, the words
we use to talk about it matter. Please
join us as we explore ways to improve
our fluency in speaking about adoption
with acquaintances, child care providers,
friends, family, and most importantly, with
our children. This workshop is designed
for families at all stages in their adoption,
pre or post placement. Topics covered
will include the use of accurate and
positive terms, communication with birth
families and techniques on how to initiate
developmentally appropriate discussions
with children.
Facilitator: Stefani Moon, Open Arms
NEWBORN CARE 101
This 2 hour class is designed to help
build your confidence as a new parent
by learning safe and comfortable ways to
care for, diaper, swaddle and bathe your
baby. We will also learn about newborn
appearance and characteristics, choosing
a pediatrician, crib and car seat safety.
Facilitator: Susan Slear, RN, CCE,
CHBE, IBCLC is an RN, a Certified
Childbirth Educator (CCE), Certified
Happiest Baby Educator (CHBE) and an
International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant (IBCLC). In addition to 16
years experience teaching Childbirth,
Breastfeeding, Infant Care and now,
Happiest Baby on the Block, she also
gained valuable experience by raising
6 children.
Toll Free: 1.888.OPENARMS 24/7 Hotline (1.888.673.6276)
www.OpenArmsAdoption.net
Providing adoption services since 1855. Open Arms Adoption Network is a program of JFCS of Greater Philadelphia.
JFCS partners with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.