| GROUPS |
Click here for a current list of groups in Minnesota. |
| CONTACT US |
Please send feedback and suggestions for
future issues to:
Circle of ParentsŪ Statewide Office
Priscilla Bennett
Communications Coordinator
709 University Avenue, Suite 234
Saint Paul, MN 55104
651-523-0099
pbennett@pcamn.org
Our Regional Coordinators:
Metro Office
Alice Lynch
Metro Program Coordinator
709 University Avenue, Suite 234
Saint Paul, MN 55104
651-523-0099
alynch@pcamn.org
Northeast Regional Office
Joan Johnson
Northeast Program Coordinator
9057 Sunset Strip
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472
218-821-6429
jjohnson@pcamn.org
Southeast Regional Office
Barb Sorum
Director of Family Support Services
606 East 5th Street
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-377-7665
bsorum@pcamn.org
Southwest Regional Office
Susan Thomes Southwest Program Coordinator PO Box 202 Silver Lake, MN 55381 218-308-1311
Western Regional Office
Mary Weaver
Western Program Coordinator
32662 Birchwood Shore Drive
Underwood, MN 56586
218-770-1385
mweaver@pcamn.org |
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| CHAPTER HIGHLIGHT | |
 Barb Sorum, Director of Family Support Services The Circle of ParentsŪ chapter in Albert Lea has been offering mutual self-help support groups since March of 1989. They celebrated their 20th anniversary last year, and now offer six different Circle of Parents support groups that include Father's for a Lifetime for dads, Spanish speaking families, Parents of Teens, two support groups are offered at the county jail for incarcerated moms and dads, and their original Circle group is open to anyone in a parenting/guardian role. Funding is supported by local fundraisers, private and service club donations, and they're honored to be a participating partner of the United Way of Freeborn County. They also work in close partnership with the Freeborn County Child Abuse Prevention Council, also known as H.U.G.S. (Help Us Grow Safely). Each October is recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and for the past six years this chapter has partnered with the H.U.G.S. council, Crime Victim's Crisis Center, Court Services, and Group Support Services & Visitation Center to provide a Candlelight Vigil in honor and remembrance of Minnesota victims of domestic violence. The October 7th program's focus was to mourn, celebrate, and connect as a community. ( read more here) |
| FACILITATOR TIP | | |
Sue Thomes, Southwest Program Coordinator October is National Domestic Awareness Month. The reality of domestic abuse ties into our work with preventing child abuse, so it is a good time to assess your current knowledge about domestic abuse and to search for resources available locally, statewide, and on a national level. It can also be a time to shed light on the topic of what constitutes abuse with your group attendees, perhaps handing out a very simple tip card/information sheet on the subject and letting members know that they can approach you for assistance with resources at any time.
Domestic violence in the home does adversely affect children and can have long lasting effects on their well being. It is in the best interest of the families we serve to be knowledgeable about topics surrounding domestic violence. It may be helpful to prepare a "toolkit" to aid you in providing resources (see links below) and assistance in the event that someone in your group indicates a need for information or assistance in finding local help. (read more here) |
| DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES | | |
How To Protect Yourself:
www.abanet.org/tips/publicservice/DVENG.pdf
MINCAVA Electronic Clearinghouse:
www.mincava.umn.edu/
Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women:
www.mcbw.org/
More Minnesota Resources:
www.aardvarc.org/dv/states/minndv.shtml
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
www.ncadv.org/
Resources from A Safe Place:
www.asafeplaceforhelp.org/safetytips.html
Violence Against Women - UMN:
www.vaw.umn.edu/ |
| CHILDREN'S PROGRAM TIP | |
Mary Weaver, Western Program Coordinator
Several years ago, I created a character called "Chuck, the monkey." I created Chuck to help my son in his therapy process dealing with attachment issues. I would take examples from our lives and make Chuck the main character. By detaching the story from my son, he was able to see how certain decisions and actions interrelated to one another without having him feel he was being talked to, blamed, or guilty for anything, which he wasn't. These stories happened weekly and usually involved a common theme around the house that week, one that needed to be addressed in a supportive environment. The tales helped my son believe in his decisions because he could look at it abstractly as Chuck. All of us - therapists, my son, and myself - learned some very valuable lessons in reaching out and connecting during this time, lessons that have helped us as we all get older and face different issues (yeah, he's 13 now, so totally new issues!). As he got older, I began looking around for additional ideas, and I came across Fantasticat.
There's this cat character - Fantasticat - he can do anything. If you think like Fantasticat thinks - then you can do anything, too. Fantasticat is a concept for teaching and learning and for helping people - particularly children, but grown-ups as well - to identify, express, and focus on their own unique personal talent and potential. Sometimes it's easier to see your dreams through someone else - like a funny cat character who can do anything. Fantasticat provides a platform for various ideas for teaching and developing people's self-belief and confidence. It's a simple method for self-reflection and visualization. (read more here) |
| BOOK OF THE MONTH | |
 Joan Johnson, Northeast Program Coordinator
A Face of Courage: The Tommy Watson Story
Tommy Watson is a school administrator in Brooklyn Park working towards a Doctorate in education. I was fortunate to hear his story in person at a recent forum on the challenges that face families with incarcerated parents. He has only recently begun to speak out about his difficult family situation as he was growing up in a crime ridden area of Denver. Throughout his childhood both of his parents were addicted to heroin, shoplifted to support their habits, and were frequently incarcerated. Tommy and his four siblings were shifted around to foster homes and relatives. At one point Tommy and eight others lived in a single motel room for an entire year. In part due to the help of others, and in part through his own personal drive, Tommy was able to avoid the traps of drug addiction and gang affiliation that eventually consumed the lives of some of his siblings. His grandmother remained a positive force in his life and he eventually earned a Big Ten football scholarship to the University of Minnesota where he started the long road of self-discovery. This is an inspiring story of courage and inspiration. Tommy is now happily married, the positive parent of four children, and is working to inspire others to persevere through adversity. He has published his story, A FACE OF COURAGE, and does motivational speaking. To take a quote from his recently published book, "AND SO LIFE GOES ON". The protective factors for a strong family were sadly missing in Tommy's childhood. There was some nurturing from siblings and his Grandmother. Tommy has broken the cycle as he is now a strong parent to his own four children. |
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Our Mission The mission of Minnesota's Circle of Parents is to empower parents to create healthy and loving families through positive parenting and mutual self help. |
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