What is the HOPE Parent Group?

ATS's HOPE Parent Group is modeled after the parent-training component of Adventure Camp. As discussed at the 11/12/2016 ATS-Kurtz Selective Mutism Seminar, parent training is an integral part of treatment for Selective Mutism. The more you are able to "work the program" outside of treatment, the more likely your child will continue to progress and generalize treatment gains. Because of the positive feedback we have received from parents who have experienced Adventure Camp's Parent Trainings, ATS decided to offer this component of camp to all parents year-round in order to facilitate treatment progress and empower parents to become the agent of change in their child's treatment journey.

The HOPE Parent Group's goal is to: 

• Teach parents the prinicipals of exposure therapy.
• Teach parents how to recognize exposure opportunities.
• Have parents learn how to coach their child to approach rather than avoid those opportunities.
• Have parents recognize how they themselves can be agents of change for their child. 

Facilitated by Dr. Kelly Amrhein, The HOPE Parent Group is meant to serve as an adjunct to the current intervention your child may be receiving, whether that is through school, ATS, or another clinic.

Why should I attend the HOPE Parent Group?

A benefit of the HOPE Parent Group is the education you'll receive. HOPE is at the core of ATS's values, and stands for Haven, Openness/Opportunity, Partnership/Parents, and Empowerment. Working from this value system, the HOPE Parent group aims to offer a supportive and safe haven for parents to discuss struggles and successes within a sensitive and understanding group while simultaneously providing research-based information and recommendations, as well as debunking common myths related to selective mutism treatment. Expert facilitators will provide parents the opportunity to receive tailored information from the current research on selective mutism and social anxiety disorder, and are able to offer insight based on their own clinical experiences. The HOPE Parent Group also aims to produce a partnership between the facilitator and parents to work together to solve common problems that arise during parent-led exposure practice. Finally, by providing parents with skills to recognize opportunities for engaging their child in brave practice outside of therapy sessions, this group will allow parents to feel empowered to help their child succeed.

Another benefit of enrolling in the HOPE Parent Group is cost. Treatment for selective mutism can be expensive, as treatment is needed in several areas of your child's life. The HOPE Parent Group is an opportunity to obtain a component of services offered by ATS at a lower rate than the cost of individual therapy. Furthermore, two parents or caregivers can enroll for the same child at one fee. Lastly, the more you "work the program" outside of treatment, the sooner your child can graduate from individual treatment. The HOPE program can help guide you in gaining the skills as parents and help you to continue your child's growth after treatment.

Who is HOPE Parent Group for?

HOPE Parent Group is ideal for:

• Parents/Caregivers of children who range from mild to clinical symptoms of selective mutism or social anxiety disorder (whether or not formally diagnosed).
• Parents/Caregivers of children receiving intervention at ATS, school, or other clinic.
• Parents/Caregivers new to treatment (or not in treatment yet) and looking for additional training to supplement treatment (or help with decisions about treatment).
• Parents/Caregivers whose children have "graduated" from treatment and are wanting support to maintain their child's treatment gains.

What to Expect - 8 Group Sessions

You can expect eight group sessions that will cover the foundational skills for exposure therapy, why the skills are important, and how you can begin to integrate these skills into daily interactions with your child. Additionally, strategies for engaging your child in exposure tasks and common roadblocks will be discussed. The facilitator will provide relevant readings, facilitate group discussions, discuss implementation strategies, and provide recommendations on how to effectively build from the foundational skills into exposure practice with your child to promote recovery. Finally, guest speakers on various topics may be included in this group as indicated.

While we provide a foundation of specific goals and learning objectives as stated above, we also want to include you, the parents, in setting the agenda. This is consistent with our HOPE value of parent partnership. Click here to state what topics you would like to see in the group.

When is HOPE Parent Group?

Select a time frame in "Enter Dates I can Do" link below. Previous groups have worked well in the evenings to accommodate working parents, especially on Fridays when there is less homework rush and school responsibilities on those evenings. We understand that Saturdays can be ideal yet difficult with children's extracurricular activities, and every child's activities varies. Therefore, please let us know what time frames will work for you, but also feel free to add specific days and times that work best for you. If there is enough demand, we will create more than one group to accommodate as many parents as possible. Click below to enter the time frames and dates you can do.

Enter Dates I can Do!

Fees 

Interested in Group Therapy for your child? See our other groups here! 

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