Stepping Stones Counseling Center Workshops

Most of our workshops are FREE!
Held at Stepping Stones Counseling Center

Stepfamilies are rapidly growing in number but are rarely seen as a cohesive force. Promoting a renewed sense of family, a desire to empower all members within the stepfamily, and a hope to increase the statistics on remarriage is a top priority of Stepping Stones Counseling Center. Articles in newspapers and magazines focusing on our lifestyle will promote the normalization of living in-step and overcome prejudices about stepfamilies. Educating teachers, mental health professionals, the clergy, and politicians will help to have our lifestyle better understood. Training workshops for parents, adolescents, and children will teach understanding within our ranks. Counseling services will build relationship skills, better understanding of differences, and help stepfamily members to map their new territory. We hope you will support our Center's goal of building a STEPFAMILY COMMUNITY.

Many workshops are free and require pre-registration via email or telephone. Name(s), address, and phone number are needed for email registration. A confirmation will be returned by email or phone contact. Space is limited so register early.

Learning to Forgive our Families: A Workshop Series for Parents and Step Parents in Step Families

People re-partner with hope and joy. Then reality sets in. Old hurts can re-surface; new hurts can be experienced. How do we deal with resentments that build up inside of us?

Research has shown that forgiveness is one of the leading factors in maintaining long term, successful relationships. And, forgiveness is a skill that can be learned. When we build up resentment, and have no method of letting go of it, we will inevitably put our relationship at risk. Forgiveness is a method of letting go of hurts; not by ignoring them, but by learning how to release them. Forgiveness is a skill that can help us to weather the ups and downs of family life, and to succeed in our relationships.

Join us for this new, two part workshop series. We will be using didactic and experiential teaching approaches to help you learn how to use forgiveness to lessen pain, to increase love, and to create more peace in your step-family.

To be offered again in Winter 2012

Workshop leader: Jed Rosen, MSW, LCSW
Jed Rosen is the Clinical Director of The Forgive for Good Center for Forgiveness Education. Jed has published many articles on the clinical application of forgiveness. He has taught forgiveness to professional and lay audiences throughout the country. Jed now runs a Forgiveness Certification Training program in Allendale, N.J. Jed is a private practitioner of psychotherapy for over twenty five years.

Stepmom Support Group

Next stepmom support group meeting TBA. Please contact the group coordinator, Isabella, at ilowson@live.com to register and get more information.

The group will discuss stepmom concerns and stepfamily life including children, husbands and partners, former spouses, new family issues, finances, etc.

All stepmoms are welcome to join. The group is peer-led and there is no cost for participation. The group will be limited to eight women so please hurry if you would like to join.

Successful Stepparenting

For Stepparents Only!
This workshop is designed to give step-parents a deeper and broader understanding of stepparenting with children of various ages. Suggestions and tips will be provided to help step-parents improve their communication and relationships with spouses and stepchildren. An open discussion will follow the presentation. (A follow-up workshop may be offered for biological parents and stepparents together.)

Workshop Presenter: Dr. Nancy Lerner, Clinical Psychologist, Specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychology

To be offered again, winter 2012

Making Your Stepfamily Work:
A Workshop For Parents

Information on adapting to stepfamily life, helping the child or adolescent in-step, and dealing with common concerns that cause everyone stress (i.e. discipline, loyalty conflicts, former partners, power struggles). Workshop Leader: Robert Klopfer, L.C.S.W., Co-Director

Location: Stepping Stones Counseling Center
Dates: Thursday, Nov 3 and Nov. 10, 2011
Time: 7-9 PM.

Dealing With The Former Wife: A Workshop for Men

How to avoid battles, work things out, and assert yourself when needed with your former spouse. Help for men to lower their stress level and be a more effective father with their kids.Workshop Leader: Dr. Arthur Honan, LCSW

To be offered again, winter 2012
(A minimum of five men are needed to hold the workshop.)

Post Divorce Mediation in Stepfamilies
In many stepfamilies, issues from the prior marriage intrude on a too-often basis. Join our on-staff mediation/clinician who helps families to resolve visitation conflicts, discipline, boundary issues, and values. Learn to parent-apart together. Sharon Klempner, LCSW

To be offered again, winter 2012

For additional information or an appointment:

steppingstones@att.net

312 Warren Avenue (Suite 2)
Hohokus, NJ 07423
201-652-8222 (private)
201-444-3686 (center)