Classes from LDSFS Workers

LDSFS workers bring a great deal of experience to their classes. Here is a sample of the offerings from them this year:

Nurturing Marriage
Adoptive couples in FSA are some of the best out there. But even the best couples can benefit from some marital enhancement. Experiencing infertility and the challenges of the adoption process can put a strain on your marriage. We are excited to have Spencer Zitzman joining us to teach us ways to make sure you are enjoying your marriage and even making it stronger through these tough times.

The Dance of Adoption: Understanding Birth Parents
Much like partners learning the intricate moves of a dance, adoptive parents and birth parents are engaged in a relationship where both are working to understand the expectations and desires of the other. Early in the relationship, the birth parent is clearly in the leading position, and the adoptive couple needs to learn how to follow that lead. Over time, the dynamics of the relationship change as the adoptive couple assumes the lead and may need to help the birth parent in the transition. Being aware of the often complicated and emotional aspects of the dance is the goal of the workshop taught by Kevin Theriot.

Chronological Age vs. Family Age: Attaching with an Older Adoptee
"Family age" is a way of looking at how relationships develop in a newly formed family with an older adoptee. If you have ever thought about adopting an older child, this class from Lisa Manery will teach you how to facilitate the attachment process with a child you haven't been raising from infancy.

Riding the Roller Coaster Called Adoption
Adoptive couples may face frustrations, fears, and other emotions while dealing with caseworkers, open adoption issues, legal issues, and other matters not commonly addressed. This panel moderated by James Wadman will help couples learn how to deal with these stressors and how to effectively communicate with each other, with their caseworkers, and with birth parents. It will focus on  how couples can get through the adoption process in one piece - and enjoy the ride!

For information on keynote speakers, childcare, the 2nd annual adoption art display, or the new expo, check out the links on the left sidebar. See older posts for more FSA Conference details.