Training Calendar

HOPE – Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences – is a new way of seeing and talking about experiences that support children’s growth and development into healthy, resilient adults. Come learn about how positive childhood experiences (PCEs) drive healthy development and mitigate the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We will discuss the four building blocks of HOPE: relationships, environment, engagement, and emotional growth. Learn how PCEs in these four areas can buffer against long-term health outcomes associated with adverse childhood experiences. We will discuss ways to increase access to the four building blocks of HOPE for your child.

Join us for an enlightening webinar on managing sibling rivalry in families with adopted children. Learn how adoption dynamics can influence sibling relationships and discover effective parenting strategies to foster harmony and understanding. We will provide practical tools to navigate conflicts, build stronger bonds, and create a supportive family environment. Perfect for adoptive parents and caregivers, this session equips you to guide your children through sibling challenges with confidence and compassion.

One goal of therapeutic crisis support is to help children learn from what just happened. We will briefly review the Life Space Interview as a structured way to talk about what happened, what the adult and child can do next time to prevent the crisis, and how the child can develop coping and communication strategies to use the next time a crisis is building. We will also explore how natural and logical consequences can be used to help children connect how actions impact others, in both negative and positive ways – with learning and restoration as the goal.

When children (and adults) get angry or scared, their brains and bodies prepare them to survive by going into flight or fight or into a dissociate state – they act out or they check out.

This webinar will examine the science of what happens in the brain and body during a crisis and how to use techniques that help to regulate the lower parts of the brain, which helps to calm the body. We will also learn why talking a lot, asking them to think about consequences, or trying to teach the child a lesson too early makes things worse.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

Children learn how to manage their emotions by watching the adults around them. In this practical and eye-opening webinar, parents will discover the vital role their own nervous system plays in shaping their child’s emotional landscape. We’ll explore simple, science-backed techniques for self-regulation, and how cultivating calm within ourselves can transform power struggles into connection moments. Whether you’re dealing with tantrums, anxiety, or everyday stress, this session will equip you with tools to respond—not react—with clarity and compassion.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

As technology becomes an increasingly integral part of our children’s lives, it is crucial for parents to understand how to manage their child’s technology use and ensure their safety online. Join us for an informative and practical webinar designed to provide you with the tools and strategies to create a safe and balanced digital environment for your family. We will discuss Understanding Technology’s Impact on Children, Creating Healthy Technology Boundaries, Online Safety Basics, Tools and Resources, and Handling Challenges and Concerns.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

Children with a history of trauma and maltreatment often struggle with attachment or 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 webinar will focus beyond behavior management and begin to embrace resilience. Join Allison Cooke Douglas, adoptive mom, and Resource Center Program Manager at Harmony Family Center to explore ways to help children rebuild healthy connections and self-perceptions after trauma, allowing them to thrive, not just survive.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

In a world full of uncertainty, one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is resilience—the ability to adapt, recover, and grow through life’s ups and downs. This webinar offers parents practical tools to build that inner strength from the inside out. You’ll learn how to foster emotional flexibility, encourage problem-solving skills, and support your child through failure without rescuing or overprotecting. We’ll also explore the subtle ways parental mindset, language, and reactions shape a child’s capacity to cope. Whether your child struggles with anxiety, frustration, or everyday challenges, this session will help you raise a more confident, capable, and emotionally grounded human.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

We often use the words “aggression” and “violence” to mean the same thing. However, when we think about a crisis situation, we need to distinguish between how these actions are different and how we can de-escalate aggression and keep everyone safe during violence.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

Join us for an engaging and insightful webinar designed for adoptive parents, where we will delve into Lisa Qualls and Melissa Corkum’s transformative book, Reclaim Compassion. This webinar will review the book’s key themes, practical takeaways, and actionable strategies to help adoptive parents overcome blocked care and nurture a compassionate and understanding relationship with their children.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

Prenatal exposure to drugs, alcohol, smoking and other substances can have a major impact on a child’s healthy growth and development. In this webinar, we will explore the facts and myths about intrauterine exposures including the differences and similarities in diagnoses, the effects these substances have on children as they grow and how changing our perspectives as parents or caregivers can make living with substance exposed children less chaotic and far more hopeful.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

***You must register separately for Part 2 of this workshop if you would like to attend both.

Prenatal exposure to drugs, alcohol, smoking and other substances can have a major impact on a child’s healthy growth and development. This webinar will focus on support strategies for children living with the impacts of prenatal substance exposures.

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.

***Part 1 is not a prerequisite to attend this workshop.

Even well thought out plans and the best attempts to offer support don’t always work to avert a crisis. Sometimes, a child goes into fight (vs. flight) mode to protect themselves because of what has happened to them in the past. There are no good answers for how to handle violence…but there are some things that make it worse that we can learn to avoid.

An adoption professional, who is also an adoptive mother, will share insights from the experiences she has coached other foster and adoptive parents through.

This webinar will focus on:

• What to do and not to do when a child becomes violent
• When to call in others for support and what to expect of them
• How to care for everyone involved after a violent situation

Counts as a Therapeutic Class for TN DCS Foster parents.