Communicating With Your Child - Smithtown Central School District

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.