Strong Families Events

Kick off Strong families with a joyful, connection-focused picnic. Enjoy meeting other families, snacks, lawn games, and activities for the you to enjoy with your family!

Celebrate World Mental Health Day by making bracelets for therapy clients and yourself! We will also create a healthy treat together and learn about nutrition. Wear green to celebrate with us!

Discover new ways to connect with your child through art led by licensed therapists. Here you will learn play therapy techniques you can use at home and then practice those techniques through an art project with your child.

Bond through yoga and mindfulness that foster calm and connection. The family class will be led by a certified yoga instructor. You may bring your own mats or use the mats we provide.

Pack fidget kits for children in therapy and make your own worry buddy to take home!

Let’s celebrate a wonderful year of connection with dancing, crafts, and family fun at our playful formal gala. There will be food, photo opportunities, and you can bring a family with you who may be interested in joining Strong Families next year! The dress code is playfully formal: break out the princess dress, the hero cape, the bright colors, sparkles, or that fancy dress you bought not knowing where you would get the chance to wear it!

Kids who have completed the Empathy Explorer Challenge will be celebrated during the gala as well! See more about the challenge below.

We are offering six therapist-led discussions designed specifically for parents and caregivers. Each session will provide practical mental health tools and an opportunity to connect with others navigating the challenges of parenting. Every discussion will focus on a unique topic in which you can attend any or all the dates. Participants are welcome to join us in person—where a catered lunch will be provided—or virtually during their lunch hour for added flexibility. In person spots will be limited, we suggest getting access early to save your spot for each discussion. Discussions are intended for adult participants, no children should attend this talks. Each discussion will be held from 12:00-1:00.

• • Parenting Through Anxiety – October 16^th
  • Having Hard Talks with Kids – November 17^th
  • Guiding Kids Through a Tech World – February 17^th
  • Friendship and Peer Pressure – March 25^th
  • Raising Resilient Kids – April 13^th
  • Childhood Under Pressure – May 4^th

Join us for short sessions where you’ll learn how to teach important emotional and social skills. Let’s focus on building strong relationships, not just enforcing rules. These discussions are led by experts from our Early Learning Center. Offered virtually from 12:00-1:00pm.

• • Composure & Encouragement – November 21^st
  • Assertiveness – December 19^th
  • Choices – February 20^th
  • Empathy – April 17^th
  • Positive Intent – June 19^th
  • Consequences – July 17^th

For every family event you attend, each child will receive a badge for attending the event! These are brag tags that can be clipped onto bags and outfits!

• • Strong Families Picnic – September 20^th
  • Handmade with Heart – October 4^th
  • Art Station Collaboration – March 7^th
  • Rooted to Rise Yoga – April 11^th
  • Fidget Forward – May 9^th

The Strong Families Gala is a special celebration to honor the families who completed the challenge, so it won’t be counted as part of the challenge itself.

We ask that you share a picture with us doing each adventure. See below for a few example adventures.

• • Read a book together at the library
  • Go on a nature walk as a family
  • Bake a treat and share it with a neighbor or loved one
  • Write a letter or draw a picture for a loved one

Share two stories or thoughts about a meaningful experience you had in the other components of this challenge.

• Sponsor a family in our Holiday Donor Program – We match your family with a family we serve and provide thoughtful gift suggestions to help support them during the holiday season. Coordination for this initiative begins in November.
• Volunteer to clean our play therapy rooms – Our play therapy rooms are equipped with specialized toys that require regular sanitization. Families interested in helping clean these toys—and getting a behind-the-scenes look at our play therapy spaces—are welcome to coordinate this opportunity with our staff. Please note: this activity is only available outside of regular business hours.
• Provide dinner for a therapy group – We have groups meet for evening therapy almost every week night. Groups vary in size from 10-20 people. Details for this opportunity can be coordinated with staff.