Quarterly Discussion Series

Current Topic and Schedule

Hand to Hold offers a Quarterly Discussion Series on topics related to premature birth and loss.  Check back for information about our next Discussion Series in Fall 2011.

What About Healthy Siblings?

The May Quarterly Discussion Series was held on Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church in North Austin. It was a free event and the public was invited to attend.  Parents walked away with a better understanding of the struggles siblings in families of children with special health and developmental needs face and received practical suggestions on how to effectively support siblings.

Panelists  also shared suggestions about how to carve out special sibling time and how parents can work at finding balance, while freeing themselves from the guilt associated with parenting children with different needs.

Panelists who spoke at the event included the following:

• Khris Ford, LPC and Founder of My Healing Place
• Anne Claire Hickman, Child Life Specialist, Dell Children’s Medical Center
• Vanessa O’Dell, Social Worker, Dell Children’s Medical Center
• Emily McElmurry, Children’s Art Therapist and Teacher
• Joan Richburg, Adult Sibling and Physical Therapist in Leander ISD

Dinner was graciously provided by Buster’s BBQ and Rise and Shine Bakery. See the event flier. For more information, please contact Laura Romero at laura [at] handtohold [dot] org or (512) 924-8655.

If you would like to suggest a speaker or sponsor an upcoming gathering, please contact us. All discussions (where possible) will be filmed and posted online.

What Parents Said After Attending the Fall 2010 Discussion Series

“It was good to see you and the meeting was so informative. I now understand some of what is going on to this day with Jakey.” ~ Irma Schneider

“My husband and I really enjoyed the discussion series again last night. Thank you for offering this great resource to parents and we look forward to many more in the future.” ~ Katrina Moline

Past Discussion Series Topics & Speakers

Winter 2011

In keeping with Valentine’s Day, the most recent quarterly discussion series entitled “Maintaining Emotional Engagement: Re-focusing the Eyes of Your Hearts” was held February 18, 2011. When our worlds have been turned upside-down by an early birth, medical complications or the loss of a child, we seldom have the time or energy to nurture each other. Couples turned out to hear guest presenter, David Griffin, licensed professional counselor and board certified professional Christian counselor, talk about the tools needed to make their relationship with a partner a safe harbor. The discussion was open to and designed for believers of all faiths. Review the Powerpoint presentation.  Download a flier to share.

Couples enjoyed a date night! This interactive presentation included activities for both partners to do together. Couples enjoyed dinner compliments of Dream Dinners (620 North location) and dessert courtesy of La Pâtisserie by Luxe Sweets.  The Discussion Series was held at Covenant Presbyterian Church from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

David Griffin, MA, LPC, BCPCC, is licensed as a professional counselor and is a board certified professional Christian counselor with the International Board of Christian Counselors. Since 1984 he has dedicated his life to helping individuals and couples transform their lives by renewing the mind and living in emotional authenticity. His clinical training and expertise is in cognitive therapy for individuals and emotion-focused couples therapy, which complement scriptures. David has served adults, couples and adolescents in outpatient and inpatient settings with relationship issues, grief/loss, spiritual issues, stress/anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns.

David received his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University in psychology and a Master’s degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also the author of Date Smart to Marry for Life published in the spring 2010. He currently in private practice in Austin, Texas where he lives with his spirited and lovely wife, Susan. They have been married since 1985 and share three, successful adult children.

Fall 2010

The Fall 2010 Quarterly Discussion Series was held September 30, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Dell Children’s Medical Center in the Signe Auditorium. The event featured a talk about “Getting the Most Out of Early Intervention” by Chris Watkins of Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). Download the flier from the event.

After the panel, representatives from 13 local therapy practices attended for introductions and to answer questions.

Watch the video online and read more about the presentation.

Chris Watkins is a certified, licensed speech language pathologist. She has worked for over 25 years in several capacities in the Texas Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) system as an assistant program director, training coordinator, a speech language pathology contractor, and as a staff ECI speech language pathologist.

Summer 2010

The inaugural Discussion Series featured Dr. Jennifer Gunter, a nationally and internationally renowned obstetrician/gynecologist, mother and recent author of The Preemie Primer. Dr. Gunter discussed the “Mind-Body Connection and Prematurity” on June 23, 2010, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The free event was open to the public and took place at St. David’s Medical Center, 911 East 32^nd St., Austin, Texas, in the Conference Hall (Basement). Download a flier (PDF) from the event.

View video footage from the event and learn more about Dr. Gunter’s talk.

Dr. Jennifer Gunter is an Internationally renowned OB/GYN and leader in the field of women’s pain medicine. She is also the mother of three boys born extremely prematurely, two of whom survived. She is the author of The Preemie Primer, a comprehensive and practical resource for parents of premature babies to help guide them from pregnancy, through the NICU, to the toddler years and beyond.