WindReach Family Day

WindReach
Family Day
Saturday, October 1, 2011
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM
Keynote Address: Taking Care of You!
SCHEDULE
Rita Van Halteren has a passion for empowering youth and their
families to reach their personal and emotional goals. With a
Masters in Counseling (focusing in youth) and over 20 years of
coaching experience, Rita connects well with all age groups.
Working as a family counselor and raising a daughter with
special needs, Rita brings unique perspective and insights to the
Precious Minds’ Board of Directors. She also has extensive
experience teaching and leading workshops on a variety of topics
including: self-esteem, depression, anxiety, attachment issues,
grief, and setting goals.
8:30 Registration & light
breakfast
9:00 Opening Remarks
9:10 Keynote Speaker: Taking
Care of You
10:00 Refreshment Break
10:15 Session 1
In her keynote address, Rita will explore the concept of TAKING
CARE OF YOU while parenting your children. You will be
encouraged, supported and educated to be the best parent you
can be.
Precious Minds thanks its sponsors, supporters and volunteers for
making this important day possible!
Harmonize for Speech, Durham Police Services Board,
Realize Community Potential Programs, LDAO –
Durham Region, DG Smith Insurance Brokers,
Starbucks, Tim Hortons
11:45 Session 2
1:00 BBQ Lunch, followed by
family free time on the
farm
Windreach Farm is located at 312
Townline Road, Ashburn, Ontario
approximately 15 minutes southeast
of Uxbridge. www.windreach.org
Registration Fee (includes lunch)
Early Bird – registration with payment received by September 10:
$15/adult ($25/couple) + $5/child
Regular – registration with payment received by September 21:
$20/adult ($30/couple) + $5/child
Precious Minds would like everyone to have the opportunity to attend. Scholarships are available.
Workshop Selections
SESSION 1:
Parenting the ADHD Brain: Tips From An ADHD Coach On What Works (and What Doesn’t!)
The road to harmony at home, and success at school, is too often littered with the good intentions of exhausted parents, and the
seeming non-compliance of discouraged children. It doesn’t have to be that way. The challenges of parenting, or owning, an ADD
brain are real. But so are the joys! This workshop will look at what strategies are likely to work, which ones are probably doomed to
failure, and what’s often happening inside the ADHD part of the brain that decides which it will be. ADD coaches often have
remarkable success with students. Candace Taylor will share why that is, and how parents can engage in coach-like behaviour that
can empower both parents and children to move towards the kinds of changes both would love to see.
That’s MY IDEA!” Building Context and Perspective Awareness through Social Improv
The basic principles of improvisation are applied to the challenge of working with the weak or emerging social communicator in this
practical, interactive introduction to Social Improv. Perspective taking, context reading and the CARE© model of communication
are explored through targeted exercises and discussion. Wear comfortable clothing and a bring sense of adventure!
Special Education – What Durham Boards have to offer
Whether your child with special needs is just starting out, making the transition to high school or struggling there are questions
around how and why special education is delivered to our children in the way that it is. In this workshop you will have opportunity
to hear from those who oversee Special Education in both the public and Catholic boards of education in Durham. You will have
opportunity in the last portion of the time to ask your questions directly to Doug Crichton, Superintendent, Special Education,
DDSB, and Anne O’Brien, Superintendent, Student Services, DDCSB.
SESSION 2:
Growing up with a Disability: Kristy & Samantha’s stories
Kristy has a severe learning disability and has as an adult been dealing with ADD. Hers will be a story of the frustrations of
growing up with an invisible disability and will share what she has learned from that and how she has overcome many of the
obstacles. Samantha will share from her life experiences of growing up with a physical disability and the limitations that come with
that. She will share of the role that family, academic achievement and employment opportunities played in her successful journey to
young adulthood. In this session there will be opportunity to dialogue with Samantha and Kristy.
Play Therapy and Family Dynamics with Donna Cutherbertson, Certified Play Therapist
Donna will share how Play Therapy provided opportunities for participants to express their feelings of having a sibling with special
identified needs and experience ways to manage and communicate those feelings. Through activities, fun and laughter children were
able to celebrate being themselves. She will be joined by Rita Van Halteren, the parent of two of the participants in the sibling group.
Donna will also share ideas on how parents can support all their children’s emotional needs.
RDI Goes to the Heart of Autism with Sue Simmons, certified RDI Consultant
It is possible for your family life to feel more normal! It is possible to guide your child toward quality of life! It is possible for your
child to “redo” the steps of development that autism prevented… to have friends, fun, and to enjoy life’s simple pleasures! The
psychologists, Dr.’s Steve Gutstein and Rachelle Sheely, the founders of RDI® have created a systematic approach to giving children
and their families the ability to “redo” the stages of development that were missed due to the child’s neurological challenges.
Children’s Program & WindReach Farm Activities
During the adult program a children’s program is offered. For children ages 0-3, caregivers will
provide a nursery. There will be a fun, stimulating program for children 4 and up, as well as
activities at the farm. Volunteers will be able to provide one-on-one support for children who require
it during the program. Please indicate your child(ren)’s caregiver needs when registering.
After the workshop program and barbecue, please feel free to take advantage of all the fun and
accessible activities WindReach has to offer such as hayrides, apple picking, and petting zoo.
The Snoezelen Room provides stimulation to the primary senses by a combination of music, light,
gentle vibrations, tactile sensations and aromatherapy. The room is available for use with an
additional fee payable to WindReach farms.
If it does not rain, many
of the children’s activities will be outdoors.
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Remember to dress for the weather.