UP FOR DISCUSSION … What roles do our faith, our mental wellness, and self-care play in making us better caregivers? Are all three somehow related?

There is an upcoming program being planned for mid-June called INTEGRATE – A Faith & Mental Wellness Summit that I wanted you all to know about.  I am intrigued by its concept and by the kinds of speakers that will be assembled for this event.  There is a discussion on caregiving and dementia, but other topics also appeal.

Words like trauma, messy, forgiveness, play jump off the page and I cannot help but think caregivers especially will be exposed to a thought process or two that might shift our focus and give us some important tools to use to maybe think differently about the task at hand.  The Keynote Speaker, Aundi Kolber, is an accomplished author who writes well about her approach to moving through hard times.  Her talk alone is worth the price of admission!

Speaking of admission, I have attached an explanation of the summit from John Gregory, Community Care Director at Samaritan Counseling.  You will see that there is a special discount for caregivers – WOW, thank you to John and Samaritan.  Full instructions are given within his explanation.  I plan to attend – hope to see you there.

Integrate Summit Suggestions for Caregivers

Samaritan Counseling Services of the Gulf Coast was birthed out of a vision by the leadership of Church of the Palms over 25 years ago.  The center’s doors opened in 1999 and is now serving Manatee and Sarasota Counties in multiple locations.

A component of Samaritan’s board of directors’ strategic plan over the last few years is developing community services beyond one-on-one counseling.  In collaboration with Samaritan’s Pastoral Advisory Council, one of those developments is a first-time event coming next month.  On June 15^th, Samaritan is hosting the Integrate Summit.  The objective is to bring the faith and mental wellness communities together to educate, empower, engage, and encourage leaders and families.

The Summit’s presentation lineup features keynote speaker Aundi Kolber along with 12 breakout sessions.  These sessions will cover an array of topics, including Caregiver and Dementia.  The Summit will begin at 1PM ending at 8PM.

Understanding that everyone is not able to commit to attend the entire event, we have done our best to make it accessible for everyone.  Here’s how:

1. Registration is available in three time segments: All Day, Afternoon Only, or Evening Only
2. Tickets are based on your chosen registration: All Day-$49, Afternoon Only-$39, Evening Only-$29. NOTE: A 50% discount is available for you by using the code Caregivers.

With that in mind, we’d like to share our suggestions for how you can get the most out of the Summit as a Caregiver.  We certainly encourage you to sit it on Aundi Kolber’s talks.  She will begin the day at 1PM and end the day at 7PM.  Our suggestions for the three breakout sessions are these:

Breakout 1, 2:10-3:00PM – Spiritual Bypass by Dr. Jesse Fox

Breakout 2, 3:10-4:00PM – Caregiving and Dementia by Danielle Valery

Breakout 3, 5:45-6:45PM – The Power of Forgiveness by Carrie Seidman and Melissa Carlson

For all the details, visit Integrate Summit | Samaritan Counseling Service of the Gulf Coast (samaritangulfcoast.com)

To register, visit Registration Options (donorperfect.net). REMINDER: Use discount code Caregivers to receive 50% off.

For any questions, email john@samaritangulfcoast.com.

Our mission at Samaritan is to instill hope and transform lives.  We are honored to walk with you on your caregiving path.  Please let us know how we can serve you.

We look forward to seeing you June 15^th!