Online July 12 – August 30 Tuesdays, 5 PM – 7 PM Eastern Standard Time, starting July 12, 2022 These unprecedented times require a new approach to parenting, especially parent-child communication. Informed by workshop leaders’ global expertise, this series will provide an in-depth introduction to what we know really helps young people at risk. In particular, we mean the art and skill of attuned, reciprocal, face-to-face human interaction–or genuine dialogue that builds trust and connection.Parents will learn the core skills of dialogue that can truly transform, including how to listen deeply and respond in a way that your child feels heard. The group will also foster a supportive atmosphere for parents who often otherwise find themselves deeply isolated and uncertain. The topics explored include sustaining hope, making meaning, healthy boundaries, reducing guilt and blame, and the effects of relational trauma and social defeat.The aim of the workshop will be to enlarge parents’ coping strategies, promote their ability to find solutions and revive optimism about the future.This course is socio-educational and nonclinical, and parents are encouraged to have clinical services in their communities if necessary. The workshop will help you identify what to look for vis-a-vis therapeutic services. About the Workshop Leaders: Mary Olson PhD is a family therapist, Fulbright scholar, and faculty member of the Yale School of Medicine. Nazlim Hagmann, MD, MPH is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York and pioneer of recovery-oriented, community psychiatry. Both Drs. Olson and Hagmann are internationally recognized practitioners with decades of experience treating the spectrum of mental health problems presented by young people and their families. In particular, they are known for training therapists in mental health advances from Finland and Norway, particularly the Open Dialogue approach and reflecting process work. Now they plan to teach these same human skills and values directly to parents.

Time: Weekly, Tuesdays from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, U.S. Mountain time (5:00 pm Pacific, 7:00 pm Central, 8:00 pm Eastern). Next meeting: June 21, 2022

A space where families can exchange information and share experiences to foster a dialogue that goes beyond the predominant mainstream medical treatment model. Welcome! This Mad in America (MIA) forum hosts online parent support groups. We have started these groups in response to the many inquiries we get from parents who are skeptical of conventional drug-based treatments for children struggling with mental health issues and are now looking for alternatives. We currently offer two groups—one in Europe and one in the United States/Canada; all are conducted in English. This initiative, begun in the fall of 2018, has generated strong interest, and we hope to accommodate as many people as possible. Therefore, the U.S./Canada group now operates on a weekly, drop-in basis, as your schedules and needs allow.

The support groups, which last 90 minutes, are moderated and provide a confidential space where people can share information and experiences that foster a dialogue about psychiatric diagnosis, the use of psychiatric medications, and non-drug alternatives. We hope these groups will help parents and other family members to feel less alone as they struggle to best help the children in their lives. Everyone in the group has the opportunity to speak, and everyone is expected to be respectful of others. The moderators occasionally invite guest speakers to the meetings. Although MIA is hosting these forums, the moderators do not represent MIA. Their opinions and suggestions are their own.

Please write to me with any questions you may have about the support groups. You may also want to visit our Family Resources section, which provides information about drugs, blogs written by both professionals and parents, Q&As, research news, and other informational links. To sign up for a support group, please click “sign up here” at the bottom of the page and then complete the form. –Miranda Spencer, Parent Resources Editor