A free caregiver workshop focused on mental health in children is being held at the Cortez Rec Center, 425 Roger Smith Ave., from 5:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20.
The first workshop, titled “Understanding Challenging Behavior,” will be hosted by Montezuma Leadership Network’s Mary Jo Standard.
All Montezuma County parents and caregivers are invited to attend. Dinner from Mona Makes will be provided, as will child care for children ages 5 and up. Children 5 and under may sit in the workshop with a parent or guardian.
“This interactive workshop is designed to support parents in understanding their children's frustrating behaviors. It can feel really difficult to get through to our children because of way their brains are growing and experiencing external social situations,” organizers said.
The workshop will teach how a child’s brain works and how this affects how they act and speak. Standard will also provide some “tips and tricks” on communicating and connecting with children.
The next two workshops will be on emotional regulation for caregivers, led by Tess Lynston from Indigenous Wellbriety, and internet safety, led by Chris Brown from La Plata Youth Services. The first will have a virtual session on Thursday, March 20, and in-person on Thursday, March 27 at the Mancos Public Library, 211 W. St.
The second will have a virtual session on Wednesday, April 9, and an in-person session on Wednesday, April 16. The location for this session is to be determined.
Other workshops will be announced this spring and summer, with more information forthcoming. All workshops will include a virtual option.
These workshops are being hosted in conjunction with Team UP, which stands for “transforming and expanding access to mental health care universally in pediatrics.”
“Team UP has planned a series of workshops for parents and caregivers in Montezuma County,” the group shared via an email provided by the Montezuma-Cortez school district. “Our goal is to support youth mental health through providing knowledge, skills and tools for parents and caregivers.”
Registration and more information can be found online at www.unitedway-swco.org/workshops-montezuma. Questions can be directed to veronicaw@unitedway-swco.org. Updates on future sessions will be posted on the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/teamupswco.
