Fear

Insights & Gifts Discussion Guide

Empowered To Connect has created a discussion guide for the Insights & Gifts Video Series. This discussion guide was designed primarily for use in a small group setting where parents have the opportunity to share openly and learn from others. However, we believe that parents will also find this video series and the discussion guide beneficial for individual use or use as a couple.

Download the Insights & Gifts Discussion Guide free of charge by clicking here.

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago

Finding a Place to Start

Often parents who are struggling to connect with their child find it difficult to find any real measure of hope. In this brief video, Dr. Karyn Purvis talks about the importance for parents to find even a single point of connection as way to start building a bridge so that they can begin to reach their child.

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago

Created To Connect Study Guide

Created To Connect: A Christian’s Guide to The Connected Child is a study guide created by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Michael & Amy Monroe to help illuminate the biblical principles that serve as the foundation for the philosophy and the interventions detailed in Dr. Purvis’ book, The Connected Child. This study guide is designed to help adoptive and foster parents better understand how to build strong and lasting connections with their children, and is ideal for use in small groups as well as by individuals or couples.

By Michael Monroe, ago

Insights & Gifts Video Series

This 16 video series (developed in partnership with the TCU Institute of Child Development) offers seven insights and seven gifts that are highly relevant for all parents who are parenting or considering adopting or fostering children from hard places. ETC has also developed a discussion guide for this video series, ideal for use either individually or in small groups. You can download the Insights & Gifts Discussion Guide free of charge.

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago

Common Questions & Concerns

Each of us in our respective work and ministries receive many questions from parents and parents-to-be. These questions deal with a wide range of topics and issues, such as fear, behavioral challenges, discipline, attachment, communication, lying, sensory processing, sleep habits – and the list goes on and on. While each situation has its own unique aspects, there are some fairly common questions and concerns that adoptive and foster parents ask.

In order to help these parents find some of the answers they need, we are launching a series called Common Questions and Concerns. Over time we will address various questions and concerns that parents are raising, and offer practical and proven advice to help parents respond in ways that build and strengthen the connections with their children.

Our first post in the Common Questions & Concerns series deals with the issue of fear, and how parents can help their children overcome their fears:

By Michael Monroe, ago

Children from Hard Places: What Everyone Needs to Know

“Children from Hard Places.” This is the phrase used by Dr. Purvis and others to describe children that have experienced some type of abuse, neglect or trauma during their lives (including prenatal exposure to substances or high levels stress, difficult labor or birth before or medical trauma). Obviously, this phrase applies to most children who were adopted or spent time in foster care.
audio recording of this presentation (mp3 file)

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago

Caught Between the Amygdala and a Hard Place

Tufts of red hair emerged over the kitchen counter followed by dancing blue eyes and a small freckled nose. “Mommy!” asked the pleading voice of a young five-year-old Suzie, “Can I have a power bar?” Busily working in the kitchen mother replied, “No sweetie, I’ve cooked a big dinner with some of your favorite foods and it will be ready in just ten minutes.” Without warning little Suzie erupted into a volcanic flurry of rage. “You’re so mean to me! You’re always mean to me! You never let me have anything I want! I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!” As she ran to her bedroom her mother listened with dread to the slamming of the door followed by the all too familiar sound of toys being thrown against the wall, smashing new toys that replaced toys from her last rage. Mom sighed at the reverberation of another familiar sound – a crash, as Suzie pulled over her bookshelf – followed by the tearing and ripping sounds of Suzie’s books as they were disemboweled and thrown across the bedroom floor.

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago

Dr. Purvis Lecture Series DVDs

Our desire is to make available highly relevant information and resources through this site and to do so free of charge. However, occasionally we share with you great resources which are only available for purchase. Such is the case with Dr. Purvis’ Lecture Series DVDs. This DVD series contains footage from campus lectures given by Dr. Purvis and can be ordered online. The cost is $60 per DVD (or $250 for the complete set of five DVDs) plus shipping.

By Dr. Karyn Purvis, ago