Seasons Center will host free classes for Dordt caregivers next month

Spencer, Iowa – Seasons Center for Behavioral Health is hosting a free class for caregivers next month in Sioux Center.

According to Seasons Center officials, the training, called “Cultivating Resilience with Trista Miller; Strategies for Kinship Professionals and Families,” will be Friday, September 20, 2024, at the Dordt Ag Stewardship Center in Sioux Center.

Consulting founder Trista Miller is a dedicated professional with over two decades of experience supporting non-profit organizations focused on children and families. Season’s Center staff tell us Miller navigated foster and kinship care with 12 placements in six years as a child. They say he intimately understands the challenges children face in such circumstances.

Season’s Center staff say, “As a proud mother of three, Miller’s personal experiences as a kinship caregiver inform her passion for promoting healthy and supportive relationships between children, families, caregivers, and professionals. Her innovative programs reflect her commitment to building a better future for all.”

There will be two workshops – ‘Trauma Informed Care for Professionals’ and ‘Connecting with Relatives’. Anyone interested is invited to register for one or both workshops. Medical, Substance Abuse (SA/SUD), Foster/Adoptive and Social Work CEUs will be available.

“Informed Care for Professionals” will take place in the morning from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. In this workshop, Trista will discuss how professionals in the workplace, be it child protection, law enforcement or even hospitality, can experience different forms of trauma when dealing with employees, clients/customers or even through their own life experiences. She will talk about the different ways trauma can affect professionals in the workplace and strategies for navigating it. To register for this training, click here.

“Connecting with Kin” will take place in the afternoon from 13:00 to 16:00. In this workshop, Trista will discuss how while foster care can be the best option for children, it can be extremely challenging in ways that are different from traditional foster care. She will discuss the unique dynamics of kinship families and talk about the potential trauma of relative caregiving on children, caregivers, parents, and the family as a whole. The training will explore how to effectively support kinship families and promote healing from within. Participants will leave feeling encouraged and empowered to support kinship families in their lives.

Anyone interested in this training should register here. For more information about this event, other upcoming events and Seasons services, you can visit www.seasonscenter.org or www.facebook.com/SeasonsCenterForBehavioral.Health