ROUTT COUNTY YOUTH SERVICES COALITION
RCYSC promotes connection, collaboration, and increased visibility among families and organizations to support youth services in Routt County.
Keynote:
Graham Hackett, Social Change Program Director at Advocates of Routt County will be presenting on Media Savvy.
Media Savvy introduces principles of "digital citizenship" and addresses the complexity of online life. Participants examine a wide range of common issues such as screen time, sexting, cyberbullying, catfishing, grooming, influence campaigns, and more. Special attention will be given to the current and future impacts of allowing pornography to remain the primary source of sex ed for most youth. By increasing awareness of these threats and providing best practices for avoiding them, participants learn how to maintain privacy and improve safety. Discussing these topics with youth has always been challenging but, with the emergence of the internet, the stakes are much higher for today's young people than they've ever been. Media Savvy is an opportunity to get oriented to modern "online life" and learn key vocabulary for having these difficult conversations carefully and effectively.
Contact Graham at: graham@advocatesrc.org
Breakout Sessions
Eddie Konold, Psychotherapist, Eddie Konold Psychotherapy
"Working Together When You’re Separate"
Explore how to navigate the separation process with your children and each other and communicate to support a healthy family.
Contact Eddie at: 970.846.4620
Beth Wendler, Synergetic Play Therapist and Allison Wither, School Counselor
"Listen on Repeat: Building strong connections with toddlers and preschoolers"
Creating a safe space with strong connections is the foundation for any difficult conversation. Join us for tips and suggestions on how to build that foundation with toddlers and preschool-age kids so all kids can feel heard and supported.
Contact Beth at: bethwendler@gmail.com, and Allison at: awither@ssk12.org
Dr. Jill Rubinstein, Doctor of Education and Founder of Mountain DBT
"Using Validation in Difficult Conversations"
Somewhere along the way to adulthood, we have been sent messages that some emotions & thoughts are “bad, negative, or generally just don’t make sense,” and we should, therefore, stuff them away or criticize ourselves and others for feeling them. When we send this message (even unintentionally) during difficult conversations, it leads to defensiveness. Validation teaches that emotions, thoughts, and behaviors have causes and are therefore understandable. Using validation during difficult conversations can reduce…
1. Pressure to prove who is right
2. Negative reactivity
3. Anger
This practice allows for difficult conversations to be more productive and allows us to communicate more effectively. Come learn these skills and improve your relationships!
Contact Jill at: jill@mountainDBT.com or 917.692.2965
Chelsie Holmes, Chair of Yampa Valley Pride
"Advocating for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth in Schools"
Research has consistently shown that having supportive and accepting adults both at home and in school significantly reduces the risk of suicide in LGBTQIA2S+ youth. In this session, we will explore the experiences of LGBTQIA2S+ youth in Routt County schools as compared to other communities across the country. We will talk about what measures parents and schools can take to improve their experiences and how we can work together to advocate for a safer, more welcoming community.
Contact Chelsie at: yampavalleypride@gmail.com
Sophie Berkley, Licensed Professional Counselor, Growing Potential LLC
"Hacking ADHD"
Turning difficult conversations about the challenging symptoms of ADHD into embodying deep connection so you can support your child. In this informative and interactive session, learn about ADHD and how to connect with your child on a deeper level so that you can support him/her in intuitive ways.
Contact Sophie at: growingpotentialnow@gmail.com or 970.819.6751
Meghan Francone, Executive Director of Open Heart Advocates, Moffat County Coordinator for REPS, Forensic Interviewer for Brighter World Child Advocacy Center
"QPR: Ask a Question and Save a Life (suicide prevention)"
Talking to your child about suicide may be one of the most difficult and uncomfortable conversations you’ll have, but it may also be the most important. Do not be afraid of the word “suicide.” According to research, talking to kids about suicide does not cause or increase suicide. Please read that again. By talking about suicide prevention, kids will know parents are open to discussing serious topics and parents will provide support when needed.
Contact Meghan at: 970.824.9709
Amy Thwreatt, MSW Intern and Merrily Waldron, SFP 10-14 Coordinator, Partners for Youth
"Combating Parental Self Doubt & Dealing with Tough Topics through Love and Limits"
Do you worry that you seem like the enemy when teaching your kids about life lessons? In this discussion, you will be empowered to tackle tough issues and learn how to ask those questions every parent dreads. In this session, parents and caregivers will be shown how to start walking through self-doubt and gain skills to address topics from peer pressure to substance abuse.
Contact Amy at: amythwreatt77@gmail.com, and Merrily at: merrily@partnersyouth.org
Karleen Pappert, Confidential Youth Advocate at Advocates of Routt County and Willa Seybolt, Client Support Coordinator at Brighter World CAC
"Consent, Boundaries, & Being a Trusted Parent: Navigating Difficult Conversations with Tots to Teens"
To help you continue to build strong, trusting relationships with your children, we will discuss age-appropriate tips for starting and navigating conversations about bodies, consent, sexuality, dating relationships, and setting boundaries.
Contact Karleen at: karleen@advocatesrc.org, and Willa at: willa@brighterworldcac.org
2020 Virtual Parent Connection Summit
Thank you for attending and watching the recordings of the 4th Annual Parent Connection Summit. Thank you to all the speakers that made it an informative and engaging event. Please see the attached recordings below.
Event Recordings from 10/23/20: