4/24/12 7-8:30pm Freedman Center
225 Nevada St., Newtonville, 02460
No Registration Required

When Bad Things Happen to Good Families: Talking with our Children about Transition, Crisis and Loss

Parents need to understand how their children might respond to stressful events, such as moving, separation/divorce, death, etc. In this workshop, parents will learn developmentally appropriate ways to prepare children for difficult changes and how to build resilience, as well as strategies for supporting them in the midst of these types of stressors.

Co-Presenters:
Lawrence Berkowitz MPA, Ed.D. is the Director and co-founder of Riverside Trauma Center. A licensed Psychologist in Massachusetts, Dr. Berkowitz has specialties in working with children, adolescents and families. He trains extensively on suicide prevention, assessment and management of suicide, and postvention activities to contain suicide contagion in schools and communities. He has consulted with numerous groups throughout Massachusetts on trauma responses and clinical issues for the past 20 years, and leads a state-wide behavioral health trauma response network. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Western New England College and a Doctorate of Education in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University.

Joanna Hooper LICSW is the Clinical Services Director at Riverside Trauma Center. She has worked with youth, families, adults, and communities that have experienced trauma in a wide range of settings, including schools, shelters, drop-in centers, non-profit social service agencies, and private practices within the U.S. and abroad for more than 14 years. She has extensive experience working with survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, substance abuse, and immigration-related traumas. She holds an MSW from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Health and a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center at JRI.

Newton Community Farm’s 2012 Seedling Sale Coming Soon!

Date: Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20
Time: 1 – 3 p.m. General Public, noon – 1 p.m. Pre-sale for Friends of Farm
Address: 303 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459

There will be 20,000 vegetable and herb seedlings for sale, including a wide variety of each. Come select plants for your backyard and talk to expert gardeners who will be on hand to answer your questions.

The cost is $5 for a four or six pack of seedlings. Cash or check only. Bring your own boxes for carrying.

Please invite your family, friends, and neighbors to the seedling sale! All are welcome. For more information, go to Newton Community Farm’s website.

Dr. Ellen Braaten, Director of MGH’s Learning and Emotional Assessment Program
Tuesday, April 10, 7-8:30 p.m.
Film Lecture Hall, Newton North High School

Has your student been diagnosed with a learning disability? Or are you wondering whether he or she has a learning disability? When we think of Special Education, we often think of students with visible disabilities. Yet specific learning disabilities like dyslexia, perceptual disabilities, slow processing speed, and attention issues account for fifty percent of the students on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Please join the Newton North and Newton South PTSOs, The Newton Partnership, the Newton North and Newton South Special Education Departments, and the Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education for an exciting and informative discussion of learning disabilities with Dr. Ellen Braaten, director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Braaten will discuss the following:

– Getting an accurate diagnosis for your child
– The parent’s role in supporting a student with learning disabilities
– Strategies for success in high school
– Teaching the student to advocate for himself/herself
– Techniques for managing home life
– Preparing students for life beyond high school with an eye toward independent living

The evening will include time for questions and answers.