International Adoption Training

This last weekend we offered our second International Adoption Training weekend. 

All families adopting from Ethiopia are required to take ten hours of adoption education.  This is most often training that is taken on-line.  We are very pleased to be able to offer our local NW families (and anyone else who can travel to one of these weekends!) what we consider to be some of the best information on topics like

• attachment and bonding
• medical issues
• strategies for parenting
• family dynamics
• children with a history of abuse
• grief and loss
• education
• language
• cultural and transracial issues
• establishing a network of support
• developmental issues
• preparing to come home

Boy, we have the cream of the crop in terms of families!  These dear folks spent many hours taking notes, asking questions, listening and responding to a great deal of material.  I'm sure their heads were ready to explode when they left us late Saturday afternoon.  Thanks to all were took part!

My photos are not the best.  I missed several presenters and I didn't even get a group shot of all the families who attended.  But here are a few pictures I snapped...

Sally Carmen

Center for Therapeutic Intervention, Gig Harbor WA

Several families shared who have already completed their adoptions.

Our next training weekend will most likely be in late March or early April - plan to join us if you can!  You will find all the information on our website on the Adoption Education page.

Joy, Liane, Cathy and I had a real treat - we got to stay at the Hedman House Bed and Breakfast on Friday night.  If you're ever in the Puyallup area and need a place to stay, this one comes highly recommended (by us!). 

We were completely spoiled with comfy beds, dreamy sheets, fluffy robes, our own living room with a cozy fire...  Oh, and then when we woke up there was this:



I'm sure I don't need to say any more!  Thank you to the Hedmans for a wonderful stay!