Adoption carries both connection and loss. For many adoptees, early separation and identity disruption can increase vulnerability to hyper-vigilance, unhealthy coping behaviors, and addiction.

Learn the brain science behind early loss and addiction, strategies for meaningful support, and how to set boundaries that promote healing and trust.

Adoptive parents, adoptees, professionals, and anyone touched by adoption will find value in this impactful session.

This program is generously funded by the Rubens Family Foundation and is open to the community.

Lisa ‘LC’ Coppola, LCPC, LMHC, M.Ed., is a licensed therapist, writer, and educator. She is the founder of Coppola Counseling & Consultation, LLC, and brings lived experience as an adoptee in long-term recovery from addiction. LC specializes in the intersection of adoption and addiction.  Her writing has been featured in Severance Magazine, Chicago Story Press, The Fix, and Adoptees Voices. In 2022, she authored Voices Unheard: A Reflective Journal for Adult Adoptees.

Register today to receive the Zoom link.

Preschool Socialization Group offers children additional support in their social interactions with peers. Through small and large group play activities, children will learn to identify their feelings in social situations and understand the consequences of their behavior.

Sessions run weekly on Thursdays at 4:15pm, from July 10 - September 18 at the Abe and Ida Cooper Center, 6639 N. Kedzie Ave in Chicago.

Girls Expressive Arts Therapy Group provides opportunities for alternative avenues of self-expression and social connection. There will be a group experience with emphasis on developing skills for emotional regulation, communication, and deepening social relationships. Girls are encouraged to use art, drama, and play to express themselves and connect with one another in a small group.

Sessions run weekly on Thursdays at 4:30pm, from July 10 - September 18 at the Abe and Ida Cooper Center, 6639 N. Kedzie Ave in Chicago.

Boys Group creates a space for boys to engage socially through play and other structured activities that support communication, problem solving, and emotional regulation. Through individual and joint activities such as story-telling, building, and physical play, boys will develop their capacity to interact effectively in their daily lives.

Services for People with Disabilities (SFPD) presents a free Community Education Workshop

Join speaker Attorney Cheryl Lipton from the Center for Disability and Elder Law as she explains what legal guardianship is and how to determine whether it is appropriate for an adult’s individual circumstances. She will provide an explanation of the documents needed for filing and for the hearing in Cook County, requirements for a Physician’s Report, and other important information. An opportunity to ask questions about the process will be provided.

This event is free and open to the public. Continuing education credits are available for QIDP's.

Registration is required.
Register online today or call Kathryn Dougherty at 773.765.3158 to register.

You will receive a Zoom link to participate via email the day prior to the session.

For help with registration, and for any accommodations, please contact Kathryn Dougherty.

Services for People with Disabilities (SFPD) presents a free Community Education Workshop. Join us for a presentation by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). This presentation will cover accessible public transportation in Chicago. We will take a closer look at accessibility features on fixed route public transportation, RTA Fare Programs, ADA Paratransit, and the Taxi Access Program. We will also discuss RTA’s free Travel Training Program and how to plan an accessible trip in Chicago.

Register Here

Presenter, Katie Garrity, is a Mobility Outreach Coordinator for the Regional Transportation Authority. She is a licensed clinical social worker and is passionate about community education.

This event is free and open to the public. Continuing education credits are available for QIDP's. *Session may be recorded

Registration is required. Register Today.

You may also call Kathryn Dougherty at 773.765.3158 to register. You will receive a Zoom link to participate via email the day prior to the session.

For help with registration, and for any accommodations, please contact Kathryn Dougherty.