WHEN: 1/28/25, 2/4/25, 2/11/25, 2/18/25, 2/25/25, 3/4/25 from 6:15-7:30 PM(EST)

WHERE: Zoom

COST: FREE!

Back to Basics & Beyond: An Adoption Learning Cohort

NPAC is excited to announce its second NTDC parent cohort starting the last week of January - start your new year off with a wonderful, supportive group of adoptive parents! The National Training and Development Curriculum, or NTDC, is a robust curriculum developed by C.A.S.E. and several nationwide partners to meet a wide range of needs faced by foster and adoptive families. This cohort will be open to all adoptive families in the Northern region of Virginia, with preference provided to families currently receiving post-adoption support services through the Northern Post-Adoption Consortium, and the group will run for 6 consecutive weeks. The group will cover the following themes:

• Child Development
• Attachment
• Separation, Grief, and Loss
• Trauma Related Behaviors
• Trauma-Informed Parenting
• Effective Communication

Please note that these are the same topics covered as the ones in the Fall 2023 NTDC cohort hosted by NPAC. While the topics will be the same, the discussion may be very different!

Each group will feature materials created for adoptive families and will include time for reflection and discussion. The group will be led by two post-adoption support coaches from NPAC: Lauren DeFrese from C.A.S.E. and Lisa Grass from enCircle.

NTDC is a dynamic curriculum with something for everyone – come join this group to meet some of your fellow NPAC families and expand your parenting toolkit!  

ABOUT THE FACILIATORS:

Lauren DeFrese, MS, received her Master’s Degree in Counseling from Texas A&M University in 1991 and has spent the past 30+ years working to improve the lives of children, youth and families. She began her professional journey working in an emergency children’s shelter, providing temporary care for foster children and runaway youth. She then provided clinical services to therapeutic foster children, utilizing play therapy, sand tray, and other expressive therapies to help them process their past experiences and prepare them for their future permanency plans. After relocating to the Northern Virginia area, Lauren focused her work on adoption, preparing adoptive families for Special Needs and International Placements. Lauren has brought her professional and personal experience with adoption to the Northern Post Adoption Consortium. She enjoys working with families from all different types of adoption (private, foster care, kinship and International) and at different stages of the adoption journey. Lauren particularly connects with the TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Model and incorporates the connecting, empowering and correcting principles in her work with families. Each family is so unique with their own strengths and needs and Lauren appreciates the flexibility to work alongside families through Individualized Family Partnership Plans.

Lisa Grass, MSW - Post Adoption Support Coach, Northern Post Adoption Consortium, enCircle

Lisa has the great privilege of serving foster and adoptive families for approximately 15 years. Lisa received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Cheney Washington. Lisa feels that she excels at helping families and children identify their unique strengths and help them build on what they already possess. In her spare time, Lisa’s family likes to hike, bike, and spend time at the beach when they can.