2024 Parent Care Workshop

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, we hosted our second-annual parent Care Workshop in Lafayette, CO. We had 5x the number of attendees as we had last year, welcoming 10 new members into our 4those folds.

The morning was hosted by Dr. Jodi Engstrom, returning for her second year to facilitate, and she walked our parents and caregivers through exercises that encouraged shining a light on the darker and harder pieces of our experiences, finding emaotional healing through therapeutic trauma work, and forging lasting connections through the sharing of our stories.

The healing in the room was palpable and apparent. Our parents and caregivers leaned in, and discovered new narratives as they engaged with their pasts and presents in news ways and forged ahead into their futures with some tender care provided to them in this unique space.

For our part, as the directors of 4those, Ben and I found the experience to be not only illuminating around our own journeys, but expansive with regard to where we hope to take our 4those Parent Care Workshops in the future. Stay tuned as we grow. We can’t wait to welcome you in to find you own hope, healing as possibility along the micropreemie path.

Here is some of the feedback we received from our participants this year:

  • The program was rated a 5/5 as a relevant and helpful opportunity around the healing journey after the NICU by all who responded to the survey

  • [This] community is absolutely critical

  • [I realized] we are not alone

  • [I] can take steps to integrate our experience and build our capacity to cope

  • [I liked] hearing the experiences of those around me

  • The size [of the group] was perfect

  • Relaxed and welcoming

  • Jodi was amazing at hearing and reflecting back wisdom

  • [I] loved the flash therapy aspect

  • This is a needed space to feel and say what is constantly there but not always welcomed in typical spaces throughout life as a post NICU parent

  • [I felt] held and strengthened

  • 4those exists to fill in the gaps

  • Bring your hopes and fears and leave feeling strengthened

  • I could have spent the whole day with this group

2023 PARENT CARE WORKSHOP

On Saturday, October 21, 2023, we hosted our first-annual Parent Care Workshop. This was a time for adult caregivers to come together and find connection, hope and healing care after the journey of the NICU with a micropreemie. Facilitated by a certified family and trauma therapist, our parents were given the opportunity to work through their shared stories together to find meaning and hope in their past, present and future lives. We were able to provide an intimate and welcoming space that reminded our parents that goodness is possible along the hard road.

Our attendees left our Parent Care Workshop with increased feelings of hope and possibility. They described the experience as "connecting," "healing," and "lightening" of their emotional burdens after the NICU journey. There was a 100% satisfaction rate with the programming and 100% likelihood that they would recommend our 4those Parent Care Workshop to other micro preemie parents and caregivers. I will never forget the privilege of serving our parents and caregivers in such a profoundly loving way. We saw change and impact up close, and it was more beautiful than we could have imagined.

Here are what some of our attendees had to say about the experience:

• There is tremendous power in being able to share your story

• There were so many eye opening moments

• It was an opportunity to grow

• I loved…continuing to bond with other NICU parents and I need this community so much for my continued healing and growth.

• It was great to have an intimate, facilitated environment with others who have experienced similar challenges.

• It was so wonderful to be open and talking among others who understood what I had been through and were willing to relate and be part of my healing process

• Connecting

• Healing

• Wonderful

• Extremely helpful

• It was great!! Hearing a definition of what trauma is, learning about the process to deal with it, and being asked to remember the visceral moments helped a lot

• Hearing about self-care both for yourself and your partner was great

• I really was amazed at how kind everyone was

• Just life-changing