PRESENCE PROJECT AND SMITHTOWN PTA PRESENT: Communicating With Your Child These workshops are designed to help parents tap into their own wisdom and knowledge, to foster whole and healthier relationships with their children. Every parent finds their own way and makes their own mistakes, and it is in these experiences that parents develop resources of wisdom and patience. These workshops tap into parents’ inner resources and provide them with skills and strategies that they can immediately integrate into their everyday lives. They provide time-honored and proven practices that are backed by up-to-date child development and neuroscience research. These practices can bring even greater depth and satisfaction to the parent-child relationship, and help create a nurturing and supportive environment. Each workshop is offered twice on the same evening. Sign up for the one that best suits your schedule. Seating is limited, so sign up early on the district website under “Important Items”: www.smithtown.k12.ny.us. All workshops take place at the J. Barton Building, 26 New York Avenue, in Room 222A with the exception of “Active Listening,” which is part of our spring Parent University at High School East. Reaching for Real Communication with Your Child Monday, February 23, NYA Room 222A Session 1: 6:00-7:15 pm Session 2: 7:30-8:45 pm Sign up for either session at www.smithtown.k12.ny.us under Important Items. What is the real, deeper communication behind your child's words and actions? This workshop will help you to see beyond the surface words and actions to understand what your child is really wanting and asking for, and to understand how to speak to those needs so that the two of you may reach an understanding that allows both to have their needs and wants be heard and achieved. Active Listening and Communicating with Your Child Wednesday, March 25 *Parent University Event* Location: High School East Session 1: 7:00-8:00 pm Session 2: 8:00-9:00 pm Sign up for either session at www.smithtown.k12.ny.us under Important Items. *Note: This is a repeat performance from the popular fall Parent University. This workshop teaches the skills, techniques and emotional qualities that can be easily attained to build stronger communications between parents and children. The practice of active listening allows parents to understand the needs that their child wishes to communicate, but that he/she may not have the skill to convey effectively. Active listening on the part of both the parent and the child strengthens and supports that relationship, and allows both a greater potential for their wishes and needs to be understood and met. Communicating with the Whole Person Monday, April 20, NYA Room 222A Session 1: 6:00-7:15 pm Session 2: 7:30-8:45 pm Sign up for either session at www.smithtown.k12.ny.us under Important Items. From the very first moment of gazing into a child’s eyes, we communicate without words. In fact, we never stop communicating with our children beyond words. The sum total of our verbal and nonverbal communications can be called our 'presence.' The ways we interact with our children greatly influences how children learn to know and appropriately express their own thoughts, feelings, moods and emotions. This workshop will help you to better understand your child by teaching you how to pay greater attention to all the communications present in your relationship with your child. You will learn to attend to not only words, but also to the emotional messages you give to each other. This practice of cultivating emotional awareness will give you and your child a deeper understanding of what you both want, so that you both can feel seen, heard, and appreciated. These understandings will allow your child to appreciate the boundaries and rules you set to keep them safe and help them thrive. Mindfulness and its Benefits for Relationships and Communication Monday, May 18, NYA Room 222A Session 1: 6:00-7:15 pm Session 2: 7:30-8:45 pm Sign up for either session at www.smithtown.k12.ny.us under Important Items. "Mindfulness" is a concept that is becoming ever more common in educational settings. Mindfulness is a way of bringing one's self more fully into the present moment- as it is happening – without judgment (John Kabat-Zinn). In this workshop you will learn how to be more present in your relationship with your child. This increases your ability to more fully communicate with your child so that you can teach and practice respect and understanding. Workshop Presenters Joshua Hendrickson, LMSW Joshua Hendrickson holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Stony Brook University and is currently a Ph.D. student in Mind-Body Medicine Integrative Mental Health at Saybrook University. Hendrickson teaches at Stony Brook University in the Graduate School of Social Welfare. Hendrickson currently has a private practice, where he specializes in depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health conditions for both children, adults, and families. Scott A. Johnson, LMSW, Ph.D. Dr. Scott Johnson holds a doctorate in psychology, is a licensed social worker, and is a practicing therapist. While he works with all mental health disorders and conditions, he also has specialized expertise in working with individuals with addiction disorders and substance abuse. Johnson has worked in many milieus including individual, group, and family therapy. He has worked with many diverse populations that include children, adolescents, adults, and seniors.