Best Parenting Practices for Your Clients

What does it mean to be a nurturing parent, and how can we apply those principles of nurturing to our work in Human Services?

Making use of the evidence and research-based curricula that we use with parents, we’ll explore what it looks like to set a container of safety through building self-awareness, practicing self-care, and listening from a place of empathy. We’ll also discuss safe communication, conflict resolution, and what it looks like to set healthful boundaries. Regardless of whether we’re addressing challenges with our kids, or managing conflict with clients, these principles can be broadly applied to ensure that we’re meeting all the people in our lives with dignity and respect.

Participants can expect to walk away with:

• an understanding of the curriculum that the Fatherhood/Parenthood program offers to the public;
• knowledge of how you can support safe, effective parenting;
• tools that can help to de-escalate conflict at home and at work, and;
• how to refer parents to this program.

Presenters:

Jeff Thompson has worked with the Jefferson County Fatherhood/Parenthood program for 4 years. The program currently offers four trauma-informed support groups per week, and one group in Jefferson County Jail. In 2017, Jeff researched, authored, and implemented the Constructive Co-Parenting program for Jefferson County, and he is currently pursuing his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Augie Truhn is a Parent Support Specialist with the Jefferson County Fatherhood/Parenthood Program where he and co-worker Jeff Thompson facilitate support groups for moms and dads based on the Nurturing Father’s curriculum. Augie received his MSW from Metropolitan State University in 2018 and is trained in Restorative Justice through The Conflict Center.

Together, Jeff and Augie worked with over 500 parents in 2019, through their no cost support groups and one on one coaching. Their program also offers child support services, and much more.