Communication About Addiction in Foster Families

Michele and Tory Ponsford

Training Description

Many foster families are affected by addiction on some level and at some point in time. The effects of addiction on the foster family can be significant even when the addiction is not active in the current household. Addition can affect any member or all members of both families.

The need to support foster families with the effects of addiction is necessary for families to thrive. The need to support these families with education and communication surrounding addiction is significant. Understanding, transforming and redefining addiction within foster families is possible when we are able to address the underlying toxic shame and traumas leading to addictive behaviors. When we are able to empower families to communicate about addiction and addictive behaviors without shaming or blaming families are given an opportunity to thrive together.

This course offers simple systems and techniques to educate and facilitate communication within foster families surrounding addiction. This course allows participants to learn how to support foster families to understand the underlying toxic shame and issues that lead to addictive behaviors as well as how to communicate to resolve these issues.

Learning Objective

• Participants will learn to define and identify the opportunity to choose an integral whole process versus a dysfunctional context and how to communicate these concepts within Foster Families.
• Participants will learn to introduce and implement an integral whole process to clients.
• Participants will explore discovering/rediscovering basic trust in life using techniques from an integral whole process as well as how to introduce these techniques to foster families.
• Participants will learn the difference between healthy shame versus toxic shame and how to communicate these concepts to foster families.
• Participants will explore a simplified method to facilitate communication surrounding addiction with foster families eliminating shame and blame.
• Participants will practice techniques to heal toxic shame and begin to change addictive behaviors as well as how to implement these techniques within foster families.
• Participants will learn how to identify, respond to and communicate about underlining issues leading to addictive behaviors as well as how to implement these techniques within foster families.

Agenda 

12:00pm - 2:55pm  Overview of Addiction

12:55pm -1:05pm Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

1:05pm - 1:55pm Overview of Whole Process Healing of Toxic Shame and Addiction

1:55pm - 2:05pm Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

2:05pm - 2:55pm  Overview of strategies and practices for communicating about addiction

2:55pm - 3:05pm  Break (CEUs will not be issued for this time)

3:05pm - 3:50pm  Communication Activity

3:50pm - 4:00pm  Question & Answers & Evaluations

Meet Our Trainers

Tory Ponsford is the Co-Founder of Evolution Consulting Firm. He brings over 25 years of professional experience to the team. His focus throughout his career has been primarily on Finance and Small Business Development. Over the last several years, Tory has developed his understanding of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and it’s importance in the business context. Tory specializes in teaching individuals how to develop Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and optimally utilize EQ development to improve overall professional performance. Working with leadership teams to integrate all aspects of business intelligence has been a key focus for Tory. Tory is a Certified Awakening Excellence Instructor with the Total Integration Institute.

Michele Ponsford is the Co-Founder of Evolution Consulting Firm. She has developed her career in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past 20 years. Her experience in Business Management has deepened her understanding of the value of breathing humanity and morality into business globally. Consulting with businesses to evolve into purpose driven entities has become her current passion. Michele specializes in teaching conscious business communication techniques, creating healthy business cultures & relationships as well as implementing core values into systems & operations. Michele is a Certified Awakening Excellence Instructor with the Total Integration Institute.

This course meets the qualifications for (3.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs and MFTs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.