Native American Fathers & Families

Fatherhood/Motherhood is Sacred
This session outlines the approach to a highly successful parenting curriculum developed by a Native American father for Native American fathers and
mothers. The workshop identifies core principles of the curriculum offered to facilitators that work with Native American parents, on and off
reservations.

Building Effective Relationships
This workshop will also offer participants the opportunity to discuss and develop healthy boundaries to allow participants to define their personal limits
and determine appropriate responses to violations of those boundaries. It will also explore how compulsive behaviors impact healthy relationships.

He Said; She Said: Enhancing Male/Female Communication
This workshop will explore gender communication patterns and identify strategies to help participants enhance their capacity to communicate with the
opposite sex in professional settings. Participants will discuss ways to apply strategies in their work with fathers and families.

Finding Solutions: Ethical Decision Making & Mutual Problem Solving
This session will focus on the application of problem-solving and decision-making skills to ethical and moral issues that arise in couples and families
regarding finances, child rearing, personal behavior, household responsibilities and related issues.

Respecting Maternal and Paternal Parenting Styles
This workshop will present a summary of results of current research on maternal and paternal parenting approaches, comparing and contrasting the
two. It will present management and line staff of family service agencies, government programs, and community organizations with opportunities to
develop strategies to recognize and respect the benefits of these gender differences in their program delivery

Addressing Family Violence
This session will provide opportunities to explore a range of emotional responses to typical personal and family situations that may lead couples to
create problems and express their responses in harmful or dangerous ways. It will also address methods for individuals to increase their capacity to
create positive outcomes in their emotional responses to conflict in their primary relationships.

Understanding Addictive Behaviors
Addictive behaviors are difficult to stop, even when there is a strong personal desire to change. They are enslaving habits, particularly when
mind-altering substances are used. Addictive behaviors often override reason or rational thinking. The challenge of changing brings a new outlook of
optimism toward life through strengthening personal commitment and self control. An addicted person may feel ashamed, alone and abandoned. They
often feel that the pain and struggles are almost too difficult to bear. This workshop will offer the optimism and skills for change to create new,
healthier behaviors.

Marriage Enrichment
This workshop was created to help community professionals promote resiliency in committed couples, as well as for couple’s workshops sponsored
by family service agencies, faith-based communities, self-help groups, and tribal organizations. It provides opportunities to examine risk factors that
stress marital relationships and offers techniques to assist couples to enhance their capacity for strengthening their primary relationship.

Enhancing Positive Spending Habits & Managing Personal Funds
This class will teach basic tools in effective money management and explore tendencies that some people have about a life style that focuses on an
immediate gratification, resulting in a credit-driven spending philosophy.

A Father’s Place: the Importance of Male Involvement during the Early Years
This workshop will examine the important roles and responsibilities of father involvement with young children and present strategies that promote and
support male involvement in parenting and early childhood education programs, such as Head Start and early childhood education settings.

Assisting Fathers of Children with Special Needs
The emotional impact that a child with special needs may have on parents, especially fathers, is addressed and research is presented on what fathers
of special needs children require in growing strong families, as well as what family support programs can do to increase father involvement.

Promoting Co-Parenting
This session will encourage mothers and fathers to examine their current level of co-parenting responsibilities and to discuss opportunities for making
adjustments in the sharing of their responsibilities. This is especially important if it is determined that they and their children would like to see
changes occur. It is not uncommon for both parents to become more engaged in the daily activities of their children’s lives as their awareness is
raised and support is offered to assist them to clarify their roles and responsibilities in raising healthy children.

Marriage Preparation
This workshop will offer suggestions for individuals to consider in preparing to establish a strong foundation for a committed relationship and exploring
their personal strengths and challenges.

Finding a Mate
Many single adults struggle with finding the right person to settle down and marry. A range of issues will be presented including what you consider
required marriageable qualities, where to search for a healthy partner and effective and safe dating techniques.

Group Facilitation Skills Building
Group facilitators often confront problems from group members who are struggling with grief, loss, anger, despair, loneliness, hurt and other difficult
personal and family problems. This session offers suggestions to help facilitators address those issues in respectful and supportive ways.

Assessment Guide on Father Inclusive Practices
This workshop offers agency staff, at all levels, the chance to examine their program policies, practices, and procedures that may inadvertently
preclude fathers from benefiting from their services and proposes specific strategies to implement more father-friendly practices.

Establishing an Effective Fatherhood Program
We will explore selected programs, strategies, and services that have proven to be effective in enhancing fathers’ parenting skills, helping them to build
healthy relationships with the mothers of their children, supporting fathers in transition, and increasing their participation in family service delivery
systems.

Applying Case Management Practices in Responsible Fatherhood Programs
This session will provide introductory practice-based training on the fundamentals and principles of human and social service case management, and
instruction on how responsible fatherhood program practitioners can apply case management strategies in their work with men in fragile families and
as non-custodial and shared-custody fathers.

Implementing a Healthy Marriage Initiative in Your Agency
This workshop will present an overview of the efforts of NAFFA to develop and implement healthy marriage initiatives that address marriage preparation
for use by staff working with Native American families. The focus of the workshop is to provide a tool for service providers to employ if and when their
clients are ready to discuss the option of marriage.

Developing an Action Plan for Your Future
This wrap up session will provide the opportunity for couples to take the information presented during the Healthy Marriage Initiative training and apply
it to their daily lives. We will create an action plan for each individual to allow them to make personal use of the content and shape it in a way that fits
with their own values and needs.

For more information on scheduling any of these workshops, please contact us at 480-833-5007.