We are deeply honoured and significantly moved by receiving a formal invitation from the City of Kyiv to help train and support their social workers to find suitable homes for, as well as support the new surrogate families of, an overwhelming number of orphaned children. Some estimate the total in Ukraine to be one hundred thousand. 

Witnessing this war from afar, and knowing how trauma can affect children (and their future children, and so on) has been a source of deep anguish and frustration for many of us. Yes, our country (Canada) is sending military equipment and humanitarian aid, but what about the children?

Now we have an opportunity to make a difference. One of our senior faculty, Eva de Gosztonyi from Toronto, has stepped up to lead this project. She is putting together a wonderful team, including Ukrainian nationals, to create a curriculum and courses to train the social workers and ultimately support the families. Since none of our courses have been translated into Ukrainian, this becomes our first priority. We have been told that there are fifty social workers waiting to begin their training with us as soon as their circumstances allow. 

We believe the Neufeld Institute has what is needed in terms of knowledge, material, and leadership. What we don't have is the money to fund this project, as our organization operates on a shoe-string budget. We have not asked for money to run the organization itself; however, what we do need is donations to fund this project, especially regarding translation and training. 

This is the second project we have taken on to provide assistance to Ukraine. The first was a project for Ukrainian mothers who had fled with their children across the border into Poland. Our Polish regional director – Joanna Bylinka – stepped up to create a program to apply emotional first-aid and to help the mothers to be the answers to their children at this time. The program was deeply meaningful, touching many lives. The donations were generous, reaching over $40,000, all of which was invested directly into that program. 

We now have an opportunity we can't refuse - to make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children who have lost the ones who were meant to take care of them. We haven't been able to stop the war, but hopefully we can reduce the impact of the war on the children who have been its victims.

The Neufeld Institute is a national registered charity in Canada and will provide receipts for income tax purposes to all Canadians. We will also receipt all international donations, but cannot promise that these receipts will be useful for tax purposes.  

JULY 17-21, 2023

EXPERIENTIAL PLAY INTENSIVE

Playful Therapy: Matchmaking Play and Emotion

TAMARA STRIJACK WITH TRACY AZEVEDO

This unique opportunity has come about through Tamara Strijack's teaching role with ACTS Seminary on the Trinity Western University campus in Langley. They have contracted her to lead this experiential intensive and opened it up to Neufeld Institute participants, as well. So, we pleased to offer this opportunity to our Intensive I alumni.

Developmental science has long been championing the healing power of the play mode, whether one is a child, an adolescent or an adult. However, in the field of therapy play is often overlooked and undervalued, often focused more on cognition and behaviour. Play can become marginalized or isolated into a particular model or approach, eclipsing its natural power. In this course, we will explore the purposeful dynamics of emotion and the inherent properties of play — and most importantly, the magical interplay when they come together.

In this on-site experiential course, we will play with the practical application across the lifespan. What does it look like to bring true play and playfulness into our practice, both in and out of the therapy room? What does it look like to matchmake play and emotion for those you care for and for yourself? With this insight of true play, we can see how play is nature’s design to take care of us, no matter what one’s role. We look forward to playing together with you!

PREREQUISITE: Intensive I: Making Sense of Kids

SUITABILITY: For anyone who would like a better understanding of the dynamics of play in human development and an opportunity to experience putting play into practice.

FACILITATOR: Tamara Strijack with Tracy Azevedo

DATE: July 17-21, 2023 in Langley, British Columbia, Canada

FEE: $700 early bird rate until May 15, 2023 ($800 afterwards)

Travel and accommodation not included.

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Neufeld Institute | 604-263-4278 | www.neufeldinstitute.org