ADOPTIVE PARENTS SUPPORT/EDUCATION GROUP

Parenting and Redeveloping Secure Attachment in Challenging Adoptive Children

This group is for parents with an adopted child who is presenting emotional and behavioral challenges and for whom attachment to his/her new family may have been compromised by his or her earliest caregiving experiences.  The group will offer information to parents to better understand the effects of institutional or familial neglect on adopted children and will offer an opportunity to talk about your child with other supportive struggling parents.

This group will be facilitated by two Child and Family Therapists, Annette Kussin and Marguerite McCarron, experienced in therapy with adopted children and their families. Topics for discussion will include Understanding Attachment, Coping with Aggression and Defiance, Setting Limits, Pleasurable Times and the Sabotage,  Reducing Shame in your Child, Taking care of Yourself and your Marriage, and others issues identified by the group participants.
 
This group will meet every Tuesday 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. from October 2008 (actual dates to be announced), at the Leaside Therapy Centre, 1395 Bayview Avenue.  Cost per participant is $50.00 per 2-hour session. Total fee of $500.00 for the 10-week group will be required to ensure a spot in the group. Each parent of a two parent family must pay the $500.00 fee. There will be a limit of 10 members per group.
Spaces are limited so we recommend early application.

Interested adoptive parents can contact Annette Kussin, Director of the Leaside Therapy Centre at (416) 440-2551, akussin@bellnet.ca  or complete an Application form by visiting www.leasidetherapycentre.com

Group Leaders:

Annette Kussin M.S.W., RSW
Marguerite McCarron  CYW, B.A., Dipl. TCPP

Annette Kussin is a Registered Social Worker and Registered Marriage and Family Therapist. She is presently the owner and director of the Leaside Therapy Centre, a multi-disciplinary clinic. She has an independent private practice at the Centre.

Annette has over thirty five years of experience in children and adult mental health in clinical, supervisory and management positions. For over 30 years Annette has specialized in couple and family therapy offering training, supervision and consultation. Over the past 15 years she has developed an interest and expertise in Attachment Theory, Trauma and Brain Development and offers training in these areas throughout Ontario. She provides consultation and training to Children’s Mental Health Agencies, Child Welfare Agencies and professionals in the community.

In her present private practice Annette offers counselling services to the community, including individual, marital and family therapy. She specializes in issues related to trauma and attachment in children and adults. She offers attachment assessments, parenting capacity assessments and trauma assessments to Child Welfare Services and other children’s services. Annette presently specializes in the treatment of Adoptive Children with Attachment problems.

She and Marguerite McCarron are part of an ongoing advanced supervision group working with Daniel Hughes. Annette also has trained with Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman.

Marguerite McCarron is a trained Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with over 20 years work experience in Child Welfare and Children's Mental Health.  Marguerite has worked extensively with children and youth who present with attachment and trauma issues and the related behavioural challenges.  Marguerite provides individual play therapy, psychotherapy, as well as, group services to children and youth.
 Work with caregivers has included biological, foster and adoptive parents.  Guided parent and child interaction therapy is a particular area of interest and expertise. Marguerite also has extensive experience in the provision of training to caregivers in the areas of attachment, trauma, child development and management.  

Click the links below for an application form

ADOPTION SUPPORT GROUP :  INTAKE FORM
In .doc Format

ADOPTION SUPPORT GROUP :  INTAKE FORM
In .rtf Format

ADOPTION SUPPORT GROUP :  INTAKE FORM
In .pdf Format

Please Fax completed forms to
Annette Kussin, Leaside Therapy Centre, 416-440-4019