Parenting the Challenging Adopted Child

The joys of becoming a family are accompanied by key adoption issues and at times significant challenges’. (J. Lowe).

This group is for parents with an adopted child who presents with emotional, social or behavioural challenges and for whom attachment to his /her new family may have been compromised by their earliest caregiving experiences. Meeting in a group with other adoptive parents provides an opportunity for support and learning. This group is facilitated by a Child and Family Therapist with extensive experience in services for adoptive families. Topics for discussion will be identified by group members.

This group will meet the last Thursday of each month starting on September 29, 2011 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Cost per participant is $50.00 per session.

The Group will meet at the Leaside Therapy Center 1395 Bayview Avenue, south of Davisville and just north of McRae Dr. / Merton St.

Interested Adoptive parents can contact : Marguerite McCarron : (416) 481-2600 ext. 27 or at mmccarron@bell.net

Adoptive Parent Education/Support Group

This group is for parents with an adopted child who is presenting emotional and behavioral challenges and for whom attachment to his/her adoptive family may have been compromised by his or her earliest care giving experiences.

This group will offer support and practical parenting skills to help adoptive children. Parents will learn:

• How to understand your child’s challenges from an Attachment Theory and Brain Development
• How to create a home environment that will be a secure base for your child
• Attunement and Empathy
• Providing structure, limits and consequences to create safety
• How to cope with Aggression and Defiance
• How to cope with your child’s rejection of you
• How to have fun and pleasure when your child undermines this
• How to manage extreme behavior: e.g. sexual, stealing, fire setting
• How to manage family, friends, and the Community
• Finding the appropriate school and working with school personnel
• How to deal with feelings of sadness and despair as a parent
• To understand your own unresolved issues and the importance of taking care of yourself

This group will be facilitated by two Child and Family Therapists, Annette Kussin and Marguerite McCarron, both experienced in therapy with adopted children and their families.

• The group will meet every Tuesday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Leaside Therapy Centre, 1395 Bayview Avenue.
• Each 10-week cycle is a closed group. Groups run from September to December, January to March and April to June.
• Cost per participant is $50.00 per 2-hour session. Payment of one-half of the $500.00 for the 10-week group will be required to ensure a spot in the group.
• Each parent of a two-parent family must pay the $500.00 fee.
• There is a limit of 10 members per group.

Interested adoptive parents can contact Annette Kussin, Director of The Leaside Therapy Centre at (416) 440-2551 or complete an application form by visiting www.leasidetherapycentre.com.