Washington State Essentials for Childhood is launching a series of lunchtime webinar series.

Series three and four webinars are: 
3 Guiding Truths for Building Regulation and Resilience in Children with Significant Trauma Related Needs   
Time and Date: April 14, 2020; 12:00 – 1:00pm
Presented by: Tiffany Sudela-Junker

Mother by adoption, Tiffany Sudela-Junker shares stories from her own personal and parenting transformation along with the science & insight that led her to uncover Three Guiding Truth’s for supporting children, parents and providers.  She illustrates how responding in biologically respectful ways builds environments that support regulation, hope and resilience in children with significant trauma related needs. 

Time and Date: April 14, 2020; 12:00 – 1:00pm

Register for 3 Guiding Truths Webinar Here

Biography 

Tiffany Sudela-Junker is mother by adoption to two children with vastly different trauma-based special needs. Her award winning documentary, “My Name Is Faith” captures the Junker’s early journey, coming to terms with the impact their daughter’s difficult beginning would have on them all.

With her own growth process as an example, Tiffany mentors and advocates for an “empathy + connection before correction” approach to parenting. Stressing EXTRA empathy, mindfulness, humor, attunement, self-compassion and reciprocal atonement as key ingredients to helping tough kids achieve higher function and healthy relationships. 

Through stories of struggle and lessons learned with her brilliant, challenging and hilarious children, she raises awareness and an authentic understanding for the EXTREME neurology, behavior, circumstances, and the emotional strength found in families struggling to overcome the aftermath of childhood trauma. 

Selected as a 2017 Angels in Adoption Award recipient by Senator Patty Murray (WA), Tif is a board alumni and professional member of the Attachment & Trauma Network, a community of parents creating trauma-sensitive schools, building awareness about the lasting impact of trauma and empowering parents to facilitate recovery and help build resilience with their children.

In addition, Tiffany is on the Leadership Committee for Kitsap Strong, a collective impact initiative with a mission to help all people flourish through an emphasis on empowerment and equity, educational attainment, the prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences/toxic stress, and the building of resilience & hope.

Empowering Parents with the Brain Science and VROOM: "Vroom Can Help You Support the Families You Work With"  
Time and Date: April 28, 2020; 12:00 – 1:00pm 
Presented by: Marilyn Gisser

Research tells us that early childhood is a critical period of brain development. Babies are born learning. They are wired to seek attachment to responsive, caring adults. Caregivers’ everyday interactions with their children play a critical role in supporting healthy brain development, creating a foundation for lifelong health and well-being. Positive caregiver-child interactions also boost protective factors that are proven to reduce the likelihood of neglect and abuse.  

This research informs Washington’s Essentials for Childhood Initiative, a cross-sector partnership working toward the vision that all children thrive in safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. One strategy we are deploying is engaging partners and providing training and technical assistance with Vroom. Vroom takes brain science out of the lab and puts it into the hands of parents and caregivers of children birth through age 5. It empowers them to see what they are already doing to support their child’s brain development and encourages more. It turns shared, everyday moments into brain building moments, offering tips that are fun, easy, and promote bonding. And it explains the science behind every activity. Vroom is a powerful tool anytime. And it can be especially useful in current times when families are cut off from supports and activities. 

Vroom fits in a wide range of programs and settings, including but not limited to social services, community settings like libraries and museums, play and learn, parent education, health services, and more. Vroom can help you support the families you work with, be a tool for engaging families and build common language and connection across systems. 

This webinar will cover:

• Brain science basics, and why early relationships are so important.
• Introduction to Vroom: what it is, how it helps caregivers make the most of their time with their children and build protective factors.
• Discussion of how we can use Vroom to share brain science with families, even in these times when our direct contact with families is limited.
• How Essentials for Childhood can help you incorporate brain science and Vroom into your work, through learning opportunities, tools and more.

  Time and Date: April 28, 2020; 12:00 – 1:00pm

Register for Empowering Parents with the Brain Science and VROOM Webinar Here

Biography 

Marilyn Gisser, MHSA, has over twenty years’ experience in Washington State government public health and health services planning and administration. For most of that time she has worked to promote the health and well-being of children, families and communities.

As part of the Washington State Essentials for Childhood initiative team, Marilyn brings a positive, prevention approach to the vision that that all children in Washington State thrive in safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. Marilyn leads work to embed brain science into programs and initiatives that reach families of young children and empower parents and caregivers to support their child’s brain development. She also works on partnership efforts on other Essential’s strategies including the ACEs and Resilience Community of Practice.
Marilyn has a Masters of Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan.