Conversations With Kidspeace

Supporters of KidsPeace’s foster care operations in Fayetteville, North Carolina will come together again this fall to celebrate local artists and raise funds to help our office care for foster families in the region. Host Bob Martin talks with Program Manager Mike Edelman about the 9th annual KidsPeace Fayetteville Auction, on the latest episode of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast. Hear it now here, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

KidsPeace and its clients benefit tremendously from the generosity of donors and philanthropic-minded people – whose contributions often make it possible for our kids a chance to just be kids, if only for a little while. In some locations, support is provided by groups known as Boards of Associates. On the latest episode of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, Lehigh Valley BOA Co-chair Shawn Hughes of BSI Corporate Benefits discusses the group’s work and its current efforts to raise funds to improve recreational facilities at KidsPeace’s Children’s Hospital and the Pennsylvania residential treatment campus. Listen here, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. The Lehigh Valley BOA has two fundraising events coming up – the “Sunset Social” reception on August 24 and the 37th annual KidsPeace Golf Classic, both at Woodstone Country Club in Danielsville, PA. For sponsorship and ticket information, contact Missy Hartney at Melissa.hartney@kidspeace.org, or 610/799-8071.

On the latest installment of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, host Bob Martin talks with the head of a nonprofit arts organization about how they faced the challenge of retaining and motivating employees when COVID-19 threatened to end everything they and their organization does. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

Navigating the transition into young adulthood isn’t always smooth or obvious, and many of us rely on parents and families to help us make sense of that all. But kids ageing out of foster care may not have that support system, and KidsPeace Foster Care in New York is addressing that need with a new program called “Adulting 101.” Celebrating National Foster Care Month, the latest episode of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast features the program’s leader, Ariel Helman, Children and Family Treatment and Support Services supervisor in KidsPeace’s Kingston, NY office. Ariel talks about the rationale for the effort, how it’s organized, and what she hopes will be its impact on its young participants. You can hear the podcast here, or subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts! The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

KidsPeace kicked off the celebration of its 140th Anniversary at the end of January, following the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic that has remade the landscape of mental healthcare in America. Host Bob Martin welcomes KidsPeace President and CEO Michael Slack to discuss the significance of the anniversary and what he expects for the organization in the year ahead, in the premier episode of the fifth season of the Conversations podcast.

A favorite saying … an inspirational quote … maybe a tip to do something around the house better. For the past four years, guests on our Conversations podcasts have shared their wisdom and expertise by providing visitors with “life hacks.” In this last episode of 2021, we revisit some of our favorite life hack suggestions, to provide our podcast audience with some guidance and hope for the coming year. Bob Martin hosts. Conversations with KidsPeace returns for a fifth season in 2022. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts! OUR SPONSOR The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

The latest issue of Healing Magazine has been published (at www.healingmagazine.org), with a special section examining the therapeutic power of telling stories. On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, several of the issue’s contributing authors give their perspectives on stories and storytelling as a tool to overcome trauma and strengthen mental wellness. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to forget other issues continue to affect our society. One of those issues: substance abuse and addiction, and on a new episode of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast we discuss how KidsPeace’s treatment programs are serving clients in need in the COVID age. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the latest edition of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast discusses an approach described as “CPR for suicide prevention.” Host Bob Martin and suicide prevention trainer Jessica Racine also discuss some of the prevalent myths around suicide in our society, and how to combat them. If you or someone you know is experiencing a suicide crisis: Call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.) Or contact Crisis Text Line by texting HELLO to 741741 (www.crisistextline.org.)

One effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and organizations has been a renewed interest in the emotional and mental health of their employees.  In the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we discuss a new initiative by the consulting practice Spyglass Solutions to equip and train groups to help their workforces practice effective self-care to address the effects of stress and anxiety. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

In the latest installment of Conversations with KidsPeace, host Bob Martin talks with three contributors to the just-published issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine -- discussing how games can help train new direct care employees, and how education and art therapy have been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  And you can find the articles from the newest issue at https://www.healingmagazine.org/issue-47/ The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

The Spring/Summer 2021 edition of Healing Magazine has been published at healingmagazine.org. The magazine’s “Spotlight” section looks at how games can be beneficial in a therapeutic sense, and its lead article highlights KidsPeace’s leadership in using the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons in its group sessions with individuals with autism. Last fall KidsPeace’s Rob Harvey discussed his work in this area on the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast.  You can download the new “Games People Play” issue or read and share individual articles from the magazine at www.healingmagazine.org The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

It’s described as the most significant reform in federal child welfare policy in decades. How will the Families First Prevention Services Act change programs like foster care and residential treatment across America? KidsPeace’s Ken Olson joins the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast as part of our commemoration of National Foster Care Awareness Month, to discuss the law’s impact on caring for kids in need. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

May is National Foster Care Month and, after a year of pandemic, how has foster care changed? On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we talk with two KidsPeace foster care experts on what adjustments were made to deal with the impact of COVID-19, and which of those adjustments are likely to remain after the pandemic eases. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

Amid the issues surrounding the impact of COVID-19 on our lives, some people appear to be handling all of it exceptionally well – demonstrating a high level of quality and leadership in their chosen field.  They may be considered experts and leaders by everybody, everywhere …  … except in their own minds.     On the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, a discussion of the phenomenon of “imposter syndrome” – when high-performing individuals doubt their own worth.  Host Bob Martin is joined by Dr. Ashleigh Anderson to explain what this condition involves, how it might be made worse by the pressures of the pandemic, and what those who may experience it can do to ease its impact on their lives. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

Healthcare organizations have had to adopt new approaches to serving their clients amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But will those new ways to deliver care continue to be an option after the crisis eases? In the case of outpatient mental health treatment, the answer for one option appears to be “Yes.” On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, host Bob Martin discusses the future of telehealth in outpatient care with KidsPeace’s Breannah Allen. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions.org/conversations

KidsPeace has launched a new consulting practice – aiming to share its expertise and insights with other organizations. On the latest “Conversations” podcast, host Bob Martin talks with Spyglass Solutions principal consultants Patrick Slattery and Ben Steefel about expectations for the new venture and what organizations can benefit the most from working with Spyglass. https://www.spyglasssolutions.org

2020 will go down in history as a remarkable and challenging year for all of us … including KidsPeace. What will be the lasting impact of 2020 on the organization – and what can we expect from 2021? On the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, President and CEO Mike Slack joins host Bob Martin for a look back, and look ahead, for KidsPeace and mental healthcare in general.

KidsPeace’s TeenCentral.com service has provided needed support to young people struggling with anxiety and stress from the COVID-19 pandemic. On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast host Bob Martin checks in with TeenCentral’s Jodi Whitcomb and Jessica Racine on its continuing efforts to provide hope and help to youth, and they explain the process for the centerpiece of the service – the stories submitted by teens and the response they received from the service.

The latest issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine looks at the impact COVID-19 has had on mental health in America, and proposes a new way to look at safeguarding our mental wellness in the face of the stress of the pandemic. On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Matthew Koval discusses how we can adopt a set of actions to protect ourselves against the effects of COVID-19 – call it “mental health protective equipment,” or MPE. Bob Martin hosts.