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Parenting Education & Services
Parenting Education
A step-by-step process for people who live in poverty, giving individuals the opportunity to investigate their lives on their own terms. During sixteen 2-hour sessions, participants discover why they are in their situation, develop a plan to get themselves to a more stable life, and begin to build relationships that will help ensure sustainability as they go.
Parenting Support Groups in Knoxville, TN:
In-person and online-only support groups for parents of toddlers, adolescents, and teens.
Bethany Christian Services: Safe Families Program
When parents are experiencing difficulties caring for themselves or their children, you can help by providing support for their family as they take essential steps towards stability.
Grandparents as Parents through the Office on Aging
Since it began in 2000, the Knoxville-Knox County Grandparents as Parents Program has provided support, information, and referrals to community resources. There is no age or income requirement to join the free program.
Next Phaze Single Parent Support
Next Phaze empowers parenting teenage and young single moms to strive for personal and economic self-sufficiency and to understand their significance in God’s sight, resulting in a healthy future for them, for their children and community.
The McNabb Center offers a continuum of social services for families in need. The Center provides supervised visitation and behavior modification as well as a Therapeutic Foster Care & Adoption program.
McNabb Center Substance Use Treament
The McNabb Center offers a full continuum of substance use treatment services from residential care to Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT). The McNabb Center is the region’s leading nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, social and victim services.
Safe Baby Court helps parents identify their needs, access necessary resources and empowers parents and families to advocate for themselves and to flourish long term. The mission is to drive best practices for babies, toddlers and families and to steer the child welfare system toward more successful outcomes for this vulnerable population.
Therapeutic Services
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Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP) Program - The Adoption Support and Preservation Program (ASAP) and the Guardianship Support and Preservation (GSAP) programs are designed to support and promote a family’s success on every level and at every stage of the adoption and guardianship journey.
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Animal-assisted therapy options around Knoxville.​
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STAR– Equine-assisted therapy
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Hoof and Harness– Equine-assisted therapy
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Harmony and Horses– Equine-assisted therapy
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Paws for Kids– Emotional support dogs
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Built2Bond - educate any adult to take a love-based approach with a "child forgotten" to end the cycle of childhood trauma
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East TN Children’s Hospital Rehabilitation Center - Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physiatry
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Therapeutic Preschool - serves children ages 4-6 who have suffered physical, emotional, and/or sexual abuse or neglect, or have experienced a major loss or other traumatic events.
Support Groups & Services
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Adoption Support and Preservation (ASAP) Program - The Adoption Support and Preservation Program (ASAP) and the Guardianship Support and Preservation (GSAP) programs are designed to support and promote a family’s success on every level and at every stage of the adoption and guardianship journey.
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FUSE (Families-United-Supported-Engaged) - Monthly FUSE parent support groups are offered across the state of Tennessee. ASAP | GSAP FUSE groups are open to all guardianship, foster, and adoptive families.
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Post-Adoption Support Services - Adoption can present unique challenges, even long after the adoption has been finalized. Whether you're an adoptee, birth parent, or adoptive parent, Bethany Christian Services is here for you—providing expert support built on decades of experience in the field of adoption.
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Great trauma/support group resources for parents who are on the edge of compassion fatigue or giving up
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Free 30 Day Challenge - from Apathy to Empathy
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Online support group called The Village
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Very parent (specifically mom) focused, run by two adoptive moms
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Educational Videos & Literature
Recommended Books on Adoption
Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships, By Curt Thompson, Thompson, a Christian psychiatrist, looks at the mind-body connection and explains how understanding human stories can improve people's relationships with each other, God, and the world.
Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents By Deborah Gray Attaching in Adoption is a comprehensive guide for prospective and actual adoptive parents on how to understand and care for their adopted child and promote healthy attachment.
Before You Were Mine: Discovering Your Adopted Child’s Lifestory, Carissa Woodwyk. An incredible book that provides deep insight and perspective on embracing your adopted child’s birth story.
The Connected Child, By Karyn Purvis. A must-read to help adoptive and foster parents to better understand how to build strong and lasting connections with their children.
Created to Connect Guide, By Amy and Michael Monroe and Karyn Purvis. A Christian guide created to help illuminate the biblical principles in The Connected Child.
Eyes Wide Open Workbook: The Pre-Marital Assessment For Couples That Are Looking To Unite For A Long And Happy Marriage, By Dave Parrott
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How We Love Our Kids, By Milan and Kay Yerkovich. Based on research in attachment and bonding, this book gives practical advice on how better to meet your children’s love needs.
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Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma, By Deborah Gray
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The Out of Sync Child, By Carol Stock Kranowitz. Comprehensive and clear information for parents on Sensory Processing Disorder
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Parenting from the Inside Out, By Daniel J. Siegel. This book addresses how a deeper self-understanding can help you raise children who thrive.
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The Whole Brain Child, By Daniel J. Siegel. An easy read (REALLY!) that provides valuable ideas on how to help children grow and heal emotionally through everyday interaction.
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Wounded Children, Healing Homes: How Traumatized Children Impact Adoptive and Foster Families, by Jayne Schooler
Children's Books with Adoption & Foster Themes
A Mother for Choco by Keiko Kasza
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God Found Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren
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He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands by Kadir Nelson
I Wished for You by Marianne Richmond
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Lily’s Story by Danielle Ignace
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I’d Know You Anywhere, My Love by Nancy Tillman
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The Skin You Live In by Michael J. Tyler
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Wherever You Are, My Heart Will Find You by Nancy Tillman
The W.I.S.E. Up! PowerBook by Marilyn Schoettle
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Tell Me My Story series by Raquel McCloud
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The ABCs of Adoption and The ABCs of Foster & Kinship Care by Raquel McCloud