In April, Holt International is excited to partner with the orphan care organization Show Hope to present live simulcasts of "Empowered to Connect" — a conference featuring the director of TCU's Institute of Child Development, Karyn Purvis, and other guest speakers. The two-day experience will take place in San Antonio, Texas on April 10-11 and will be broadcast live in the following cities where Holt International has branch offices:

Eugene, OR
Fresno, CA
Gilbertsville, PA
Lee's Summit, MO
Omaha, NE
Portland, OR
Santa Clarita, CA

The Empowered to Connect conference is designed to help adoptive and foster parents, ministry leaders and childcare professionals learn to connect with children who have experienced grief or trauma — children who come, as Dr. Purvis says, from "hard places." The conference will offer hands-on, practical tips to engage with and support at-risk children — helping them heal and become all that God desires.

Conference sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific & Central time zones) and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Mountain & Eastern time zones) both days, with a break for lunch.

Register online HERE.

You will receive a free accompanying workbook if you register by February 27.

Although this conference simulcast is open to anyone interested in attending — and we encourage you to invite your friends — it is ideal for foster or adoptive parents (or anyone considering fostering or adopting), social workers, agency professionals, child care workers, church staff and ministry leaders, counselors, therapists and any parent struggling to connect with their child.

Here is a breakdown of the sessions:

Day 1 — Friday

Session 1: Welcome, Introductions & Overview
Session 2: Hope & Help for the Journey (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis)
Break
Session 3: Understanding a Child's History and Its Impacts (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis)
Lunch
Session 4: Adoption from the Inside Out: The Role of Parent History and Expectations in Connecting (led by Michael & Amy Monroe)
Break
Session 5: Our Journey of Hope: The Coley's Adoption Story (led by Dan & Terri Coley)
Session 6: The Attachment Dance (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis)
Session 7: Q&A with Dr. Karyn Purvis

Day 2 — Saturday

Session 1: Welcome
Session 2: Empowering Our Kids to Succeed: Understanding Sensory Processing and the Neurochemistry of Fear (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis)
Break
Session 3: Helping Adoptive and Foster Families Find the Education, Support and Help They Need (led by Michael & Amy Monroe)
Lunch
Session 4: Foundations for Behavioral Change (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis)
Break
Session 5: Strategies for Behavioral Change (led by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Michael & Amy Monroe)
Session 6: Resources and Next Steps