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Teresa Kellerman
is the Director of the FAS Community Resource Center in
Tucson, Arizona, President of Fasstar Enterprises,
and cofounder of FASWORLD.
She is the adoptive parent of a young adult with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
and has cared for several foster children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders.
She has conducted trainings on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders for the
Arizona Department of Health, CASA, and Prevent Child Abuse, Inc. Teresa
participated in a workgroup for the FAS Surveillance Project in Arizona
for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is a certified
FASD trainer for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals,
the Native American Alliance Foundation, The Arc, and SAMHSA’s FASD
Center for Excellence. Her popularity as a speaker is due to a
combination of her personal experience and success as a parent, her
extensive knowledge of current research, and her unique incorporation of
original materials such as skits, poems, and props.
With 30 years personal experience and 15 years experience in the field,
Teresa provides support and information for families, consults with
professionals, trains foster parents, and facilitates support groups for
birth mothers, adoptive parents, and caregivers. She has produced a set
of guidelines for teachers who utilize positive behavior support
programs. She has authored published articles, including a chapter in a
popular book on FAS, “Fantastic Antone Grows Up” published by University
of Alaska Press.
Teresa is a member of the National Association of FASD State
Coordinators and has presented workshops in the fields of education,
medicine, and mental health. She has designed presentations on
prevention, awareness, education, and intervention of FASD. Teresa
produces custom-tailored workshops for all audiences, including adults
with FASD. She has contracted with government agencies, community
organizations, and Native American nations throughout the U.S. and
Canada.
She offers classroom presentations to students of all ages and has
presented at Pima College, Prescott College, and the University of
Arizona. Teresa has produced a 16-unit college curriculum on FASD, a
two-day curriculum for parents of teens, and a one-day seminar for
adults affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol.
An accomplished web author, Teresa maintains a web site that reaches
50,000 visitors each month. She helped to found International FASD
Awareness Day and has assisted groups all over the world in educating
their communities about FASD through Awareness Day events on September
9th of each year since 1999.
Teresa shares a wealth of information on the Internet at this web site:
http://www.fasstar.com/fas.
Deb Evensen
 along
with her husband Wes have been educators
for several years
and have dedicated
their lives to educating families, systems and professionals dealing
with FASD. They are co-directors of the Alaska Affiliate to the National
Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS). They are extremely
passionate about FASD and have met several policy makers in Alaska and
in Washington to advocate for the issue.
The goal of this
project is to provide statewide assistance, through training, technical
assistance and support, to schools, individuals, families and
communities working with children affected by FAS and other alcohol
related disabilities. Services include consultation, education and
training for the development of effective methods and strategies to
teach and maximize learning in children prenatally exposed to alcohol.
Services are available to public schools, private schools, pre-schools
and parents who homeschool their children, as well as school
administration and school boards. In addition, services will be
available to other community agencies and individuals who work directly
with affected children in settings outside of the school arena, such as
infant learning programs, early intervention programs, child protective
services, village councils, health professionals, mental health and
social services workers, and the judicial system.
Common Misinterpretations of Normal Responses In
Children/Adolescents/Adults with FAS and FAE
from Integrated Active Learning © 1994-2002 Deb Evensen
|
Behavior |
Misinterpretation |
Accurate Interpretation |
|
Noncompliance
|
Willful
misconduct, attention seeking, stubborn |
Difficulty translating verbal directions into action,
doesn’t understand |
|
Repeatedly making the same mistakes
|
Willful
misconduct, manipulative |
Can’t
link cause to effect, can’t see similarities, difficulty
generalizing |
|
Often
late
|
Lazy,
slow, poor parenting, willful misconduct |
Can’t
understand the abstract concept of time, needs assistance
organizing |
|
Not
sitting still
|
Seeking
attention, bothering others, willful misconduct |
Neurologically based need to move while learning, sensory
overload |
|
Poor
social judgment
|
Poor
parenting, willful misconduct, abused child |
Not able
to interpret social cues from peers, doesn’t know what to do
|
|
Overly
physical
|
Willful
misconduct, deviancy |
Hyper or
hypo-sensitive to touch, doesn’t understand social cues
regarding boundaries |
|
Doesn’t
work independently
|
Willful
misconduct, poor parenting |
Chronic
memory problems, can’t translate verbal directions into
action |
 Given
the right circumstances... ANYONE can learn.
I'm
Sydney Sauber,(
www.noslip.org)
and through NO SLIP Educational Solutions, LLC, I
provide “Successful Learning Solutions” for parents,
students and educators affected by issues related to
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and
verbal and non-verbal learning difficulties. I show
young people, caregivers and educators how to use their
individual strengths to compensate for weaknesses,
succeeding in previously daunting tasks. My unique
approach—the product of 18 years' experience in the
field of education, and a personal history of ADHD—has
been successful in enabling children who have done
poorly in special education programs to achieve greater
academic success, even in a regular education setting.
On this site, you will find articles, personal case
histories and testimonials from those I have worked
with, as well as linked resources and personal advice
for children dealing with ADHD, LD, or learning style
differences. Please feel free to
contact me
if you feel that I might be able to make a difference.
Jodee Kulp
(
www.betterendings.org and
www.knarlwoods.com )
is the
founder of Better Endings New Beginnings and
she is the author of "Families at Risk"
Jodee Kulp is committed to excellence and integrity in her business, her
personal life and her family. Her professional, family and child
advocacy experiences includes: Our FAScinating Journey: The Best We Can
Be Keys to Brain Potential Along the Path of Prenatal Brain Injury,
Better Endings New Beginnings, 2002 The Best I Can Be, Living with Fetal
Alcohol, by Liz and Jodee Kulp, Better Endings New Beginnings, 2000
Families at Risk, Better Endings New Beginnings, 1993 Journey to Life,
Hazelden, 1986, 1991. Jodee was Co-Editor, MN Foster Care Association,
1991-1999, News and Views Editor, MN Foster Care Association,
1999-present, News and Views Our Families.
Jodee has been a Presenter/Keynote Speaker for Families at Risk
Conferences and Institutes; Verbal Abuse
Workshops; Creative Learning Strategies for FAS/FAE children; 10 Easy
Tips to Live with Your Child with Fetal Alcohol and Understanding Fetal
Alcohol from the Inside. Jodee Kulp has won the following awards: 1986
International Entrepreneur of the Year, International Council of Small
Business; Best of Show, First Place and Honorable Mentions in National
design and typography competitions; 1986 Minnesota Outstanding AVTI
Graduate; Who's Who in Professional and Executive Women and
International Book of Honor for distinguished service to Profession.
(Thank you to Bonnie Buxton
www.fasworld.com )
www.betterendings.org is operated by Minneapolis parent, activist,
and author Jodee Kulp. Jodee and daughter Liz, with FAS, have written a
book about their hard work in helping Liz to lead a normal life, and you
can buy it here, That's just one of the inspiring things you'll find on
this positive and enlightening site. Jodee is at (jodee@connetworks.com)
 Rob
Wybrecht was the first infant
diagnosed with FAS in Michigan, in 1973. Having a diagnosis at birth has
been extremely helpful to both Rob and his parents. Although there were
no conferences or books or videos on FAS in 1973, having the diagnosis
helped his parents think and parent differently. As Rob grew older he
wanted to become part of the solution of the FASD puzzle. He has been
involved in the areas of prevention as well as intervention. His bumper
stickers patterned after bus signs in Seattle have found their way to
Capetown, South Africa, and Paris, France
as well as all 50 states. He was also featured on the video “Students
Like Me”. He
was on
a national committee, NAG for Justice, to help individuals with
disabilities understand their rights in the criminal justice system.
He does trainings, for
peers, based on their project, “The Right
Rules”..
He
served on the planning committee of the first ever conference by and for
Individuals with an FASD. He was also a presenter.
In May he spoke at
the
FASD Center for
Excellence, Building State Systems conference and recently attended his
first steering committee meeting for the
FASD Center for Excellence, under SAMHSA. He is the first consumer to be
on a national committee for FASD.
Barbara Wybrecht, RN, BSN, PHN is
an FASD Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Spectrum Health FASD Diagnostic
Clinic, Grand Rapids, MI, and Field Trainer for Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration, FASD Center for Excellence.
John Hays (
www.hayskids.com ) and Holiday have 13 adopted
children, 10 of whom have been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorder (FASD). The staggering statistics against those with FASD
having successful lives, inspired the Hays' and some friends, who love
the Hays' chidlren to start HaysKids in 2003. Originally, they dreamed
of creating an assisted living center for adults with FASD. At the same
time, they saw how teaching parenting techniques specific to FASD could
really improve the quality of life for FASD children and those raising
them. Thus, HaysKids was born.
Sandra Stanton
(
www.ourbrainbuddies.com )
Our Brain Buddies
How does the brain take in, store, and
make meaning of all the things going on around us? Imagine storing our
experiences through time and space, then passing our perceptions on to
others, creating connections between people. Want to learn how to use
both the brain and the heart’s innate intelligence to increase effective
thought and decisions?
The brain has been the focus
of Sandra’s professional life while serving children and families. As a
teacher, school counselor, and now consultant, author, and speaker, she
teaches simple strategies families, schools and church groups can use to
maximize our awesome brains. Her techniques can also help mature folks
deal with memory and its challenges.
As parent to three grown
daughters and grandmother to nine delightful children under 10, she has
learned, laughed, listened and loved a lot. Her current Wisconsin Dept.
of Public Instruction certifications include school counselor,
administrator, and teacher. Check out presentation and publication
summaries on specific pages of this website. (see About Us for details).
Greg & Diane Olson
(
www.crittersandcompany.com
) Since 1989, Critters and Company
has presented to over 750,000 people in schools, businesses, communities
and churches. Using live animals personified and
storytelling, Critters & Company advocates that each individual has
potential for building a better world. Participants will view and hear
concepts related to the animals that applies to their life experiences.
In workshop presentations they will participate in complimentary skill
developing exercises.
Activities stimulate participant's goal development that leads to
personal success.
-
Memory Retention - Critters &
Company's use of live animals, stimulate the memory to retain
information longer.
-
Recall - This unique medium of
using live animals and story telling improves the foundational
recall of presentation concepts.
-
Barrier Reduction - The use of
live animals and story telling is an effective tool that gains and
maintains the attention of the participants
Stephen Neafcy
I was not
diagnosed with FASD until I was 43 yrs old and not knowing the reasons
for my actions was very frustrating. I was really a person who wanted to
do good!! I could not understand what drove me to disappoint those I
wanted to be proud of me. I was so lost! It was only after I was
diagnosed with FASD that I realized my brain was like a fuse box on
overload without the current flow that healthy brains have, to give me
the chance to think before I acted and make a choice. This was taken
away from me by the alcohol before I was born. Now where do I go from
here? First it was important for me to realize the reason I had a short
circuit. With this information I could pick up from that point and not
keep bashing my head against the wall trying to be normal and function
like those who don't have brain damage. This is impossible! Now knowing
this would I take advantage of this Knowledge? At first maybe so, but
with a chance to begin where I am capable and achieve from that point
can only better my life. Now I might have a damaged brain and be unable
to make decisions, but by turning to my higher power, that being (God)
would and could take over for me.
I could as these
words suggest be "BORN AGAIN". Yes I am talking about faith and turning
my life over to Jesus Christ. Now just Imagine being able to have The
Son of God take over for my damaged fuse box. Well I have done just
that, Jesus Christ is guiding me and when I have a situation that needs
a fuse box Jesus is there to comfort me and calm mtaught me the signals.
I first start out with the mellow music of a Composer named Mars Lasar.
With a Name Mars who would think His Music helps with bringing me back
to earth. Faith in my life over rides the brain damage and gives me the
strength to listen and let Jesus take control! I don't always release it
to The Lord. That's when I have problems and begin to panic! But in the
end of all the defects that the alcohol has given me, Jesus takes over
and all is calm and Peace is restored.
Programs are needed
for those who are affected with FASD. I will devote my life to see that
these get off the ground. I also will help create them, this is my
pledge to our Special Ones and those who Love them! Although FASD is for
Life, hope is here and I'm no different from any other affected
individual. I cast a Rainbow and say that at the end of this Rainbow is
productive life for all with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. I will
help unlock that door and help all of you see this Rainbow and see the
productive life that Your Special One can lead.
Ann Yurcek
begins her story as “just” a mom living her
dream of having a large family. Through
adversity we watch Ann, her husband, and her
children become wiser and stronger. Yurcek’s
gift to us is to share her insights so that we,
too, have the opportunity to gain wisdom, to
become more deeply spiritual, and to make a
difference. Through the pages of her family’s
journey we watch Ann transform into a warrior
mother and then an expert mom, battling and
changing broken systems with more disabilities
than her exceptional children.
In 1989, the Yurceks sixth child, Becca was born
with a rare genetic disorder, and while she
struggled to survive, her family tumbled into
poverty. Tiny Titan is the true and
inspirational story of their journey out of
poverty and the many miracles they received
along the way.
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 Ann Yurcek
( www.tinytitan.org )
begins her story as
“just” a mom living her dream of having a large family. Through adversity we watch Ann, her husband, and her children become wiser and stronger. Yurcek’s gift to us is to share her insights so that we, too, have the opportunity to gain wisdom, to become more deeply spiritual, and to make a
difference. Through the pages of her family’s journey we watch Ann transform into a warrior mother and then an expert mom, battling and changing broken systems with more disabilities
than her exceptional children.
In 1989, the Yurceks sixth child, Becca was born
with a rare genetic disorder, and while she
struggled to survive, her family tumbled into
poverty. Tiny Titan is the true and
inspirational story of their journey out of
poverty and the many miracles they received along the way.
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