Check here to see our growing list of workshop speakers!
Workshops are a vital part of the Filled Gathering. Learn from experts in the fields of trauma, attachment, and child welfare; hear the stories of people with lived experience; and receive gospel encouragement from gifted teachers. With 30 workshops to choose from, you are sure to find the training and help you need!
SCHEDULE & ROOM LOCATIONS here
You’re Not Alone: Financial Support for Your Adoption Journey • Aimee Sipe, Madison Ziegenbein, Trisha Priebe
We all agree that finances should never be the reason a child doesn't have a forever family. Yet studies continue to show that the high costs of adoption and post-adoption needs are major barriers families face. Even as costs increase, there are many resources available to help cover much of these expenses. Learn more about grants, loans, fundraisers, and the Adoption Tax Credit from our friends at Both Hands, Lifesong for Orphans and Pathways for Little Feet.
A Safe Space for Lament • Aixa de López & Jackie Darby
As we walk on the path of adoption and foster care, we will encounter the harsh reality that to help our children heal and flourish, we must make space for lament or mourning. Join co-authors of Whose Am I, Aixa (adoptive mom) and Jackie (adult adoptee) as we look into the Word of God and discuss practical ways to bear one another's burdens through the grieving process of familial loss and trauma.
Beyond Sleep Training: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Better Bedtimes in Young Children • Allison Ezell
If you've ever cared for a young child in your home who had trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or just plain hated sleep altogether, this workshop is for you! So often, foster and adoptive parents feel stuck between wanting to provide trauma-informed and attachment rich parenting and getting good sleep. If you've ever wondered if healthy sleep habits were possible to achieve WITHOUT resorting to cry it out or extreme measures that just don't feel right for your children, don't sleep on this one! We'll cover some basic sleep science principles, the impact of trauma, and ways to increase felt safety for your young children so you can ALL get the rest you deserve! Recommended for parents and caregivers of children 0-8 years old.
From Guilt & Second-Guessing to Confident, Present Parenting • Anna Bernacki
Parenting through foster care and adoption brings unique layers of love, loss, and complexity. It’s easy to feel like you’re constantly questioning your every move, wondering if you’re doing enough or getting it all wrong. In this workshop, Anna Bernacki draws from her own experiences as both an adoptee and adoptive parent to offer practical, hope-filled tools that bring peace and direction back into your parenting. This workshop is a breath of grace for weary parents, helping you release guilt, embrace presence, and rediscover the confidence to keep going.
Honest & Hopeful: Practical Steps to Tethering to Jesus & Community • Christina Barkley
We were never called to foster alone! Join us as we offer practical ways to enter into community with healthy rhythms of tending to your soul and inviting your church in to support you. We will cover topics such as: recognizing the fostering journey as a mission, understanding the importance of inviting the local church in to support Foster Families, and proactive steps to do so, navigating hesitation, grief or disappointment when asking for and receiving support, and engaging in consistent rhythms of soul care to stay close to Jesus.
Complex Developmental Trauma and Your Child • Christina Reese
When trauma happens in the life of a child, it can impact all areas of development. A child becomes trapped in their stress and survival responses, not able to develop executive functioning skills that would help them problem solve and use their rational brain effectively. This can essentially take their train off the track, leaving them stuck. How do we help to get their train back on the track? What do they need to feel safe again and get back to growing and learning? How can we be the parents our children need us to be? Join Dr. Reese as she answers these questions and more!
What your worker wishes you knew • Desha Davis
Navigating a complicated system can feel overwhelming, especially when so much is at stake for our kids. This workshop will help you understand how the system works and equip you with practical tools for communicating and partnering effectively with your social worker in ways that advocate for and support the best interests of the children in your care.
Parents with Estranged Relationships with Adult Children • Elaine Shenk
This has been more prevalent in recent years, this separation, estrangement, emancipation, cutting one another off. Many words are used -- "I don't feel safe," "emotional abuse," "crossed my boundary." Many more ultimatums are given -- "until you ..." "unless I ..." "this cannot ..." As mothers, all we know is that our nest is empty and we don't understand. Or that we are angry and think, "if they only knew!" How do we come to terms with this grief and loss? And the shame of feeling like a failure on the parenting front? Where do we find hope and healing in this hard journey? Elaine will give practical steps to re-engage. Together we will look at postures of spiritual humility with open hands to allow the Lord to do His work in us and our children. Psalm 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
United & Carried: Holding Your Marriage and Your Mission • Genee Francis
This breakout invites foster, adoptive, and kinship moms to rediscover the beauty of marriage as their first ministry- while fully embracing the sacred calling of caregiving. Grounded in the theme Carried, we’ll explore the truth that before you carry case plans, trauma histories, and everyday transitions, you are first carried by God. From that place of strength, you can also carry your marriage covenant with care. Participants will examine how these two callings- marriage and motherhood- don’t compete, but complete each other when rooted in unity, intentionality, and God’s design. As we navigate the unique pressures, emotional load, and sacred work of caring for children with complex histories, we’ll rediscover how essential it is to stay connected and united in marriage. This session equips women with practical, faith-filled encouragement to remain united and together in every season of the journey God has entrusted to them.
The four skills of secure attachment: A framework for growth • Geoffrey Nelson
What does it take to build secure attachment with a child from a hard place? In this workshop, we'll explore the attachment cycle and how early experiences shape the way children connect—or struggle to connect—with caregivers. We'll then introduce four essential skills that lay the groundwork for secure attachment: giving care, receiving care, being autonomous, and negotiating needs. These aren't quick fixes but ongoing competencies to develop over time. You'll leave with a framework for growth and practical ideas for nurturing these skills in the children you serve
Care for the Medical Mom • Jaci Burgess
This workshop will focus on the realities of caring for medically complex children within the world of foster and adoptive care. We will discuss real life struggles, how to build community, and how to develop coping skills and resources relevant to this specific area of caregiving. The presenter will utilize her own experience as a medical mama, her work as a trauma therapist, and a gospel lens to facilitate this time together
Called...but Conflicted: Embracing the Sacred Tension of a Life Pulled in Many Directions • Jami Kaeb
Feeling the pull between endless responsibilities and the pressure to be everything to everyone? Jami Kaeb reframes this tension as sacred ground where God meets and shapes you. Discover freedom from perfection, embrace your God-given limits, and find courage to live faithfully—not flawlessly—in joyful dependence on Him. Leave grounded, encouraged, and less alone.
Grief Workshop • Jesse Boykin
This workshop creates a safe, honest space for foster and adoptive moms to explore the often-unspoken grief that comes with this journey—goodbyes, unmet expectations, ambiguous loss, and the emotional weight we carry for our children. Through guided conversations, reflection activities, and shared storytelling, Jesse helps moms name their grief, understand how it affects their hearts and homes, and discover healthy ways to process it. Moms will leave feeling seen, supported, and strengthened by the community around them.
6, 7 Ideas for Surviving the Tween & Teen Years • Jesse Faris
Tween and teen years can feel full of distance, silence, and tension as kids pull away. This session offers practical ways to bridge that gap, helping you meet your kids where they are, rebuild trust, and foster genuine connection. You’ll leave with actionable strategies to respond to disconnection with patience, presence, and guidance, keeping your relationship strong and thriving.
The Art of Mending: Pursuing Repair in Big and Small Ruptures • Jesse Faris and Tona Ottinger
Relationships with kids aren’t always smooth—misunderstandings, conflict, and tension are inevitable. This session explores how to respond when connections are strained, offering practical ways to repair trust, restore communication, and rebuild closeness. You’ll leave with concrete strategies for turning both big and small ruptures into opportunities for growth, understanding, and stronger bonds.
Red Light, Green Light: Building Kids’ Skills through Play • Tona Ottinger
Play isn’t just fun—it’s how kids learn important life skills. In this session, you’ll discover how simple games and playful activities can teach self-regulation, problem-solving, cooperation, and emotional awareness. You’ll leave with hands-on ideas for using play intentionally to help your kids grow, practice new skills, and build confidence—all while having fun together.
Every Hour I Need You • Katie Faris
So often, mom life exposes our weakness and insufficiency. It also reveals our children’s needs. We’ll never be able to answer all their questions, heal their deepest wounds, satisfy their greatest longings, or save their souls. Rather than trying to do these things on our own, in his word, God invites us to know him and lead our children to him. In this workshop, author Katie Faris will explain how our need is part of God’s plan, connect God’s character to everyday motherhood, and offer ways to contemplate God’s attributes individually and as a family.
Grace Meets Neuroscience: Caring for Children with Prenatal Opioid Exposure • Lenette Serlo
Children impacted by prenatal opioid exposure often experience brain-based differences that shape their behavior, learning, and relationships in complex ways. This workshop explores the science behind those differences and offers caregivers practical insight and encouragement to respond with greater compassion, build stronger connections, and move forward with hope.
Foster to Reunify: A Foster Mom’s & Bio Mom’s Perspective • Lindsey Phillips and Claire ROBINSON
This presentation focuses on what it can look like when foster families and birth families work together toward successful reunification. Drawing from the experiences of Foster parent, Lindsey Phillips, and Claire ROBINSON, a biological parent who reunified with her child, and intentional relationship-building, this session offers meaningful insight. Participants will gain practical suggestions for foster families engaging with birth families, along with a deeper understanding of the emotional experiences biological parents face when their children enter foster care.
Building a Calmer Brain from the Bottom Up • Melissa Corkum
Sometimes our kids seem to be angry and explosive all the time. Or maybe you feel angry and explosive all the time. Learn how to harness the power of neurobiology and polyvagal theory into practical ways to regulate your whole family’s nervous system from the bottom up.
Blocked Care: What to Do When You Run Out of Compassion • Melissa Corkum
Blocked care is a self-protective mechanism in a parent’s nervous system activated by excessive stress. This suppresses the higher brain functions needed for caregiving causing the parent’s nervous system to develop a defensive stance toward their child. Adoptive and foster parents are at higher risk of blocked care due to parenting a child with a history of adversity. With support and good care, parents can regain compassion for themselves and their child.
Creating Behavior Plans that Work for Children with ADHD and Other Diagnoses • Melissa Corkum
Traditional behavior plans that use extrinsic motivators such as stickers miss the opportunity to address challenging behaviors at the root. Additionally, diagnoses can muddy the waters about what is causing the behaviors and the “right” way to support your child. This breakout will walk parents through a step-by-step process for creating a behavior plan that honors their child’s nervous system. This process is appropriate for children with any diagnosis including ADHD, ODD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, FASDs, Complex Developmental Trauma, PTSD, and attachment challenges.
Self-Care Isn’t Optional • Nicole Barlow
Foster care and adoption place you directly on the frontlines of spiritual warfare. The enemy often works through exhaustion, burnout, and isolation to pull you away from the ministry God has called you to. In this session, we explore how caring for your body through rest, nourishment, movement, emotional regulation, and other forms of self care becomes a spiritual strategy rather than a luxury. You will learn why the enemy targets your health, how physical depletion weakens spiritual discernment, and how simple, sustainable habits can help you stand firm. Come be equipped to guard your calling, protect your peace, and show up strengthened for the work God has entrusted to you.
Loving a child with Reactive Attachment • Olivia Hudson
As a mother who adopted a child with reactive attachment disorder, I understand how lonely you can feel. In this session I will share my story and things I have learned along the way. My hope is that by the end, you will walk away connected to others with your same experience and understanding that this is a journey of continuous growth for you as a mom.
Understanding Trauma through a Biblical Lens • Paula Walker
Trauma and brokenness are not modern phenomena, but themes woven throughout Scripture, where we also see God do His greatest work of restoration and redemption. This workshop explores biblical stories that speak to pain, loss, and healing, inviting participants to see how God meets people in their broken places and brings hope, renewal, and purpose.
Difficult Behaviors or Brain Differences?—How Trauma & Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol Effects the Brain • Sandra Flach
This introductory workshop uses the FASCETS Neurobehavioral Approach to explore the impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol on the brain/body, outlines the primary, secondary, and tertiary characteristics of FASD, and unpacks accommodations and strengths-based strategies for parents, caregivers, and professionals.Objectives:Attendees will learn:-how prenatal exposure to alcohol impacts the developing brain-the primary/secondary/tertiary characteristics of FASD-how to apply accommodations & strengths-based strategies to best support the individual with FASD.
Talking to Our Kids about their Biological Family • Susan Paa
Adoptive and Foster Families have the unique experience of sharing information with their child, sometimes unknown to their child and complex, about their child's biological family. This session will increase confidence and reduce anxiety for foster and/or adoptive parents concerning these conversations by sharing guiding principles and practical tips.
Fill Their Cup: Supporting Your Biological Kids During Your Foster Care Journey • Talia-Rae Farrow
In this workshop, Talia-Rae shares about her experiences as a biological child in a foster/adoptive family. She speaks about different emotions and struggles she had over the years and relates it to the ways that other bio kids may feel too. She also discusses ways that her parents supported her on their foster care journey and suggests ways you can support your biological kids too.
Textured Hair Basics • Tamekia Swint from Styles4Kidz
Learn the fundamentals of textured hair, including different hair types and how to care for them. This workshop covers essential products, techniques, and tips for maintaining your child’s healthy hair and skin.
Hands-On Textured Hair Demonstration • Tamekia Swint From Styles4Kidz
Watch a live step-by-step demonstration of a basic textured hairstyle—from detangling to moisturizing to styling. You’ll also learn the science and cultural significance behind each part of the process.
Birth Mom Panel • Claire ROBINSON, Jennifer Woolley, Janelle Basham
This workshop will highlight the voices of Jennifer and janelle, birth moms who placed their children for adoption, and Claire, Biological mom whose children experienced removal and reunification. Through their stories, participants will gain deeper insight into the emotions, challenges, and realities birth mothers face, fostering greater empathy, understanding, and compassion for the families involved in the child welfare system.
Holding Both: Navigating Relationships with Birth Families Through Faith & Psychology • Cathleen Bearse
This workshop explores the evolving, often emotionally charged relationship with a child’s birth family before, during, and after foster care or adoption. Through the lens of both faith and psychology, we’ll unpack what it means to “hold both”—grief and grace, boundaries and compassion, loyalty and loss. Drawing on attachment theory, trauma-informed care, and spiritual wisdom, we’ll discuss how to process our own feelings, support our children’s connections, and engage bio families with honesty, humility, and hope.
SUPPORT GROUP LEADER WORKSHOP (FOR FTF SGL ONLY) • RENAUT VAN DER RIET
In this workshop, we’ll be encouraged and re-centered for faithful, sustainable ministry with foster and adoptive families. We’ll explore healthy rhythms for doing ministry—building sustainable practices of rest, refreshment, and resilience—so you can lead, serve, and care in ways that safeguard against burnout. For ftf SGL only.