Educational Programs

Education Programs are currently on hold due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Past Programs

Princeton Family Care Associates Presents an
8-week Psycho-educational Program for Parents

"Helping Your Emerging Adult (EA)
Make Adult Decisions"

Princeton Family Care Associates has recognized a need to educate and support Parents of children between the ages of 17 to 27 who are struggling to achieve independence in areas of school, work and relationships and suffer from psychiatric illness and/or substance abuse.

Co-developed by Ricardo Fernandez, MD and Adria Trapani-Barnacz, RN, LPC, LCADC this program is a structured learning-based approach to increase understanding, compassion, and empowerment; lead by Adria Trapani-Barnacz, RN, LPC, LCADC.

Below is a brief outline of the Topics discussed at each 8 week program cycle.

Week #1
Typical vs Atypical Development

Learn how to discern between what is typical for the emerging adult age range vs what is cause for concern. Knowing the difference has major implications for parenting involvement and can also help alleviate confusion and uncertainty.

Once areas of vulnerability are found, learn what to support in the emerging adult (EA) that can help counter balance those vulnerabilities and increase resiliency.

Week #2
Nature vs Nurture

The answer is both! Learn what the implications are when there is vulnerability on either or both sides. When the EA has their own struggles this can pull for parents to act in ways that actually make things worse.
Identify common patterns for families that interfere with supporting the move toward independence.

Week #3
The Importance of Validation

True communication of understanding (or lack of) to the EA helps build a solid sense of identity,
self-confidence and promote emotion regulation. Learn why this is so hard for parents to do, and strategies to build this necessary skill. A healthy sense of self leads to better decision-making skills.
This same tool can also be used for parents to settle their own emotions and be more effective in times of conflict with the EA.

Week #4
Strategies for Increasing the Likelihood of Behaviors you Want

Humans change in predictable ways and for predictable reasons. The key to being successful at influencing behavior is learning some core strategies and knowing how to put them in action. Learn why some efforts at motivating your EA fall flat yet may work well for others.

Week #5
Getting Unstuck from Old Patterns

Understand how efforts that were initially intended to protect and support the EA can, paradoxically, become part of what maintains the problems parents are trying to solve. Help parents understand how their own normal emotions lead to feeling trapped and giving in.

Week #6
Open Troubleshooting & Practice

This less structured week provides an opportunity for parents to discuss their specific EA concerns. Active feedback is provided for interventions using all the strategies learned in the previous 5 weeks.

Week #7
Psychiatric Treatment: How to work together and model appropriate illness management

Understand models of treatment planning that support the EA in choosing appropriate medication and therapy options.
Help your EA weigh pros/cons without doing too much problems solving.
Learn how to plan ahead for ups and down and keep an eye open for easily missed priorities.

Week #8
Substances of Abuse: Experimentation/Recreational vs. Problematic Use

Learn important points of consideration for the most common substances of abuse, especially when the EA also has co-occuring psychiatric illness.
Guidelines for parents to help find a balance between establishing necessary boundaries and being overly rigid.
What are the dangerous behaviors and interactions with psychotropic medications to look out for.
How substance use interferes with treatment. It may not be the way you think!

In the past we have run three 8-week sessions.
2017 to 2019