Programs Overview

This workshop is for couples in any relationship stage: dating, committed, engaged, or married.

Wherever your relationship is now…take it to the next level, with tools that will help you have meaningful, healthy communication. Our workshops are fun, interactive, and practical – you will walk away with skills that you can use right away.

Topics we will cover:

• What makes a healthy relationship?
• Communication tools: how to actually understand each other!
• Moving beyond the same old conflicts
• How to make your love last

“We are so thankful for the Lasting Relationships seminar. The tools have been a great equalizer and ‘field leveler’ in our communication and we are enjoying the discovery phase for the first time in our 15 year marriage. I would be exaggerating if I said we used the tools every time. In reality we still blow it on occasion, but for the most part we are communicating much easier and about much deeper and more difficult things than we could before, without incident. We are beginning to implement the communication tools in our relationship with our 13 year old daughter.” -Rick

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Research is proving that when it comes to teaching your children about making healthy choices and being responsible it’s not so much about what is being taught—it’s what is being caught.

This Healthy Relationship and Parenting class is designed to teach parents how to improve the quality of relationships within the home using the proven parenting techniques of Active Parenting Now. Active Parenting Now is an education program targeted to parents of 4-12 year olds. The program teaches parents how to raise a child by using encouragement, building the child’s self-esteem, and creating a relationship with the child based upon active listening, honest communication, and problem solving. This class will equip parents with the tools of natural and logical consequences to reduce irresponsible and unacceptable behaviors, and includes skills parents can use right away. Additional skills to improve the quality of relationships and communication with other adults in the home, social and workplace environments are included to support how we as parents model healthy relationships.

Session topics:

• Motivating your child to be responsible
• Gaining control through choices
• Enjoying your role as a parent 
• Modeling good communication skills 
• Becoming and encouraging better listeners

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This workshop is for singles or couples who want to learn skills they can use in any relationship – with partners, children, relatives, friends, and co-workers.

This unique approach to our workshops will start out with a concentrated look at communication and problem solving skills which can be applied to any kind of relationship (spouse, parent, friend, co-worker, etc.). The later part of this series will take a closer look at specific topics including parenting, money management, marriage, and more.

Topics include:

• Keys to healthy relationships – knowing yourself and the impact you have on others
• Communication tools – how to listen, speak, and problem-solve successfully
• Couples’ relationships – staying friends and making your love last
• Tips on money and parenting – becoming more effective at both

“You know, it seemed hard at first, putting some of these skills into practice, but each week gets better and better. Like the puzzle pieces are fitting together. This has been great for us!” Amber – Healthy Relationship Workshop participant

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This program is for singles and couples who want to gain control of their finances and learn how to effectively communicate about money matters.

Money is an important issue for everyone – in any economic situation. Finances and relationships can affect each other in positive and negative ways. When finances are going well, they can help the relationship; when finances are not going well, they can cause relationship damage. It’s important to get your money on track, for yourself and for your most important relationships. Our workshop will give you a little bit of both – money skills and some important relationship skills, so you can actually talk about money with the significant people in your life!

In this workshop, we will cover these topics:

• Developing an effective plan for saving, reducing debt, and budgeting
• Learning how your habits and attitudes about money affect your relationships
• Dealing with conflict around $ in a healthy manner - attack debt, not your partner

“My husband and I have been able talk about money in better ways, and are even able to have those hard discussions with my kids whom we have supported beyond our means in recent years.” - Judy

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This workshop is a great opportunity to gather skills and tools to help individuals succeed in the variety of relationships they encounter. Our connections with others in the workplace and at home doesn't have to be a challenge!

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CareerFit is a two-part workshop series open to everyone looking to better develop their job search skills. Community experts and NWFS staff cover topics including writing an effective cover letter and resume, how to conduct a job search, and proper interviewing techniques. Our programs are in English and Spanish.

General Outline of CareerFit:

Becoming Resumé Ready

• Developing the skills to write an effective cover letter and resumé.

Acing the Interview

• Interview skills
• Professional communication

Come and learn some great tips and encouragement in your job search and gain some more information about our new employment assistance program.

To get more information or upcoming dates, contact NWFS at 503-546-6377.

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Within My Reach is about developing healthy relationships. Some of the focus is on forming romantic relationships, and some of the focus is on skills you can use in any relationship, such as how to deal with conflict. Within My Reach also includes information about how adult relationships affect children. Join us for our interactive and informative workshops designed to strengthen singles' dating relationships. These workshops will help you learn skills for starting a relationship on the right foot. Topics covered:

• How to stay safe in relationships
• Why it’s important to set goals
• How to communicate and get to the real issues
• Choose wisely for yourself and your children

“Wow! I really am valuable and I can do a lot of things. All my life I felt I couldn’t do anything right, because that is what I was told as a child. Your group has given me so much power.” - Becky

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Northwest Family Services is offering workshops in the community to educate people about healthy relationship skills, positive parenting practices, maintaining strong marriages, and money management. Our goal is to give people practical tools to help them succeed in their relationships. NWFS is training Mentor Facilitators to offer workshop series throughout the greater Portland community.

Mentor Commitments:

Individuals and Couples will be asked to provide workshops (usually in a four-week format) on the skills that will be taught in the training. Typically, one can expect to provide 2-3 workshops per year.

Steps to becoming a Mentor Facilitator include:

Application; training workshop which includes project history and grant objectives, as well as curriculum training in the style of workshop you hope to facilitate; co-presentation of a workshop series with NWFS staff; ongoing support and skill development. Contact CarrieAnn Baker for more information.

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