THE FALL 2011 SCHEDULE OF THE IAC CENTER, JONI MANTELL

IAC Center Workshop Highlights

*How to Talk to Kids about Adoption from Infancy to Age 6 - Sunday September 18, 2011 - 10 to 12noon at the IAC Center Pennington Office.
*W.I.S.E. Up Saturday September 24, 2011 from 3 to 7p.m. in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
*W.I.S.E. Up Saturday October 15, 2011 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Colt's Neck, NJ
*Adoption Event for Teens - Sunday, October 2, 2011 at IAC Center in Pennington, NJ
*Crossing the Bridge from Infertility to Adoption or Third Party Reproductive Options Saturday March 31, 2012 at the Princeton Hyatt, Princeton NJ.

IAC Center Workshops are accepted by some adoption agencies for home study credits. Click on the links for full workshop descriptions and registration; or contact emorgan@iaccenter.com or 609-737-8750.
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IAC Center Groups:

Pre-Adoptive Parents Support Groups - meet once a month

Pennington - Second Saturday of the month 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sept 10, Oct 8, Nov 12, Dec 10, 2011
Summit - Third Sunday of the month from 1:00 to 2:30p.m. July 17, Aug 21, Sept 18, Oct 16, Nov 20, Dec 18, 2011
New York - Third Tuesday of month Time 6:15 to 7:45, July 19, Aug 16, Sept 20, Oct 18, Nov 15, Dec 20, 2011

Adoptive Parents Support Groups - meet once a month

Pennington Parents through Domestic Adoption Group - Third Sunday of the month from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. September 18, October 16, November 20, December 18, 2011.
Pennington Parents through International Adoption Group - Fourth Sunday of the month from 10 to 11:30 a.m. September 25, October 23, Nov 13 (holiday adjustment); December 11 (holiday adjustment), 2011
Montclair Parents Evening Group - Third Wednesday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m. September 21, October 19, November 16, 2011
Montclair Parents Daytime Group - Third Tuesday of the month from 12:30 - 2 p.m. September 20, October 18, November 15, 2011
Montclair Parents of Teens Group - Will meet on the fourth Wednesday of the month from 7 to 8:30 - September 28, October 26, November and December dates to be determined due to holidays.

Kids and Teens Adoption Groups -meet once a month

In Pennington

Pennington Girls Teen Group - Second Friday of the month from 6 to 7:15 p.m. - October 14, November 11, December 9, 2011. Contact IAC Center Counselor Jessica Cichalski, MSWjcichalski@iaccenter.com or (609)737-8750 for a screening interview for this Group.
Pennington Girl's Group - For girls ages 8 to 10. Second Friday of the month from 4:30 to 5:45. October 14, November 11, December 9, 2011. Contact IAC Center Counselor Jessica Cichalski, MSW at (609)737-8750 or jcichalski@iaccenter.com for a screening interview for this Group.
Pennington Teen Boy's Group - Group will start in Fall 2012 on either a Sunday afternoon or a week night based on what works best for everyone. Contact IAC Center Counselor Sasha Martone, MSW at (609)737-8750 or SMartonemsw@iaccenter.com for a screening interview for this group.

In Montclair

Montclair Teen Group - Usually meets on the First Monday of the month from 6-7:30pm but due to summer schedules will meet on Tues. July 5, Mon August 1, September 12; and then on October 3, November 7, December 5, 2011 . Contact IAC Center Counselor Bridget Devine atbdevinemsw@iaccenter.com or 973-534-6680 for a screening interview for this group.
Montclair Kid's Group (Ages 8 to 10) - First Monday of the month from 4 to 5:30 but due to holiday will meet Tuesday July 5; August 1, September 12, October 3, November 7, December 5, 2011. Contact IAC Center Counselor Bridget Devine at bdevinemsw@iaccenter.com or 973-534-6680 for a screening interview for this group.

Contact emorgan@iaccenter.com or 609-737-8750 for more information or to sign up for a group. All IAC Center Groups are professionally led. Fee per session is either $75 or $60. Couples are billed as one member as our way of encouraging both partners to attend.
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Infertility Support Groups - We have found that regular attendance is difficult for infertility patients to commit to. We continue to take names and try to build groups.

We offer Infertility and Family Building Options Counseling in our Pennington, Montclair, Monmouth County NJ and NYC offices. Contact: emorgan@iaccenter.com or call 609-737-8750.

**Counseling offers a non-biased overview of family building options to facilitate individuals and couples in making timely decisions that are mindful of long term implications. Using a life-long short-term counseling model, counseling is available throughout the adoption life cycle for all adoption triad members.

WSJ 7.23.11 An excerpt from "The Baby Chase: An Adventure in Fertility" by Holly Finn.

Good stuff. Just didn't like when she said this about considering using donated eggs, "I know that it's not just genes that you pass down to a child; it's also your spirit and what you believe. Still, I resist having someone else's baby."

http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424053111903461104576458134196248312.html?KEYWORDS=infertility

RESOLVE's Telephone Series:Talking to Friends and Family about Third Party Reproduction August 18th.

The National Infertility Association
http://www.resolve.org/resources/resolve-s-teleseminar-series.html

RESOLVE of the Bay State

RESOLVE of New England's Annual Fertility Treatment, Donor Choices, and Adoption Conference, November 5, 2011
If you are new to infertility or in the midst of treatment, the amount of information and the range of feelings and options you must sort through can be overwhelming. This annual conference provides the information you need in a compassionate context, with people who know what it's like to want a baby more than anything. The conference will help you feel supported and become informed about the best possible choices for building your much-wanted family. Click here to read about the conference.

http://www.resolveofthebaystate.org/conference.html


Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

New York Support Groups RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

http://www.resolve.org/support-and-services/support-group/new-york-support-groups.html

Great fertility deals for those trying to conceive

I love it! Looks like someone finally came up with the un-designer baby site:)

http://yourfertilitydeals.com/

Building Infertility Awareness One Person at a Time. Circle + bloom

Building Infertility Awareness One Person at a Time. When I tell people that there are 7.3 million couples affected by infertility in the United States alone, their response is usually of disbelief.  By contrast, there are about 200,000 new incidents of breast cancer each year.  Clearly, breast cancer is a devastating disease and 200,000 is an enormous number, but it does strike me that a disease that impacts 7.3 million couples has little awareness and is so misunderstood. The RESOLVE organization has done a tremendous job in this year's National Infertility Awareness Week, which officially runs April 24 - April 30th.  They have created an excellent resource that lists events that are running both virtually and all across the country in an effort to build awareness.  And as our way of celebrating, we are offering an unprecedented35% discount off any of our programs!  Simply enter "NIAW35" during April 24 - 30, 2011 to enjoy immediately.  Now is the time to download and buy! And we are offering a free online interactive webinar with the esteemed Dr. Rob Kiltz on Monday night at 6pm (April 25th).  We will be discussing the mind-body connection and Dr. Kiltz will be ready to take your questions.  Click here for more information. Myth Buster:  "You Can Always Just Adopt" As part of NIAW, RESOLVE has challenged us to "Bust a Myth" about infertility.   You know when someone says to you "you can always just adopt" that they have no idea what they are talking about.  Like the process is easy?  Like the decision is straight-forward? My closest friends decided to continue bu idling their family and adopted their third child.  We first wrote about their journey in this blog post called "The Windy Path of Adoption" and the extreme heart-aches they endured.   They never gave up, however, and they are now the very proud parents to a little baby boy adopted in Florida. Their story is one of patience and courage for not only them but their family and friends who witnessed the highs and lows of their journey.  We were so happy to have had Stephanie talk with us in an incredible and raw story. Happy Mind + Healthy Body Introducing the latest addition to our family! Ever wonder why you seem to get sick when you are over-tired? Ever wonder how you could use the Placebo effect to your advantage? Why you can’t stick to your New Years resolutions for healthy change? Or even how to effectively reduce stress so you can sleep better, reduce the times when you feel down or depressed, and improve your levels of energy? Only $24.00 for the download and get started today!  And don't forget to use the 35% discount code this week, bringing the cost of this program to only $15.60!

Pved Board Member Sharon lamothe in the Seattle Times Newspaper

Bill would let parents-to-be pay surrogates.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014497505_surrogate15m.html

The NYC Gathering November 14, 2010

The NYC Gathering November 14, 2010

Upper West Side, 12:30-5:30pm

~Considering and Creating Strong Families~

A Day of Peer Groups and Professionally Led Support, Education and Roundtable Discussions for the Third Party Reproduction and Parenting Community

Topics Include:

Disclosure for Ages and Stages of Development ~ Family Communications

Known and Unknown Donation ~ Acupuncture for Fertility ~

Traveling for Donor IVF~ART Patient as ART Legal Client

Children’s Book Review ~ Creating Your Own Photo-Story book

Choice Parenting and Donor Selection ~ Nature and Nurture

~Adoption and ART Decision-making~

Attachment and Identity Formation in Family Building

~Disclosure for Blended Families~

Participation by Clinicians, RN’s, Doctors, Agencies, Attorneys, Parents  Engaging Discussion Groups

Families Sharing Support, Education, and Resources

Registration ~12:15-12:30

Lunch & Introduction ~12:30-1:00

Q&A ~1:00-2:00

Roundtable I~2:00-3:00

Roundtable II~3:15-4:15

Q&A and Closing~4:15-5:15

Workshop $75 pp includes lunch, 2nd or more adults $50, Creative Sitters Childcare $45 for the day in the Discovery Gym (adjacent to workshop).

Contact Saxel95@aol.com for registration

Northeast Region of RESOLVE - Events That Offer Something for Everyone

Update from the Northeast Region of RESOLVE Serving Fairfield County Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Eastern Pennsylvania HelpLine: 888.765.2810 RESOLVE is hosting three family building events in New York and New Jersey this month.  No matter where you are in your family building journey,  visit our experts to get answers to your questions. New to fertility treatment About to start IVF Completed one or more cycles of IVF Thinking about adding complementary treatment Considering adoption - domestic or international  Considering donor egg or donor sperm, or embryo donation Read more below: Disclosure Issues in Adoption and Egg and Sperm Donation November 3 New York, NYAnne Malave, PhD, guides workshop participants through what and  how to share information about their family-building decisions. Register today.  Ask the Expert: A Family Building Expo November 7 Princeton, NJ If you have been trying to conceive for more than six months, or want to know more  about your family building options, this event is for you.  Ask the Expert is a Family Building Expo featuring: One-on-one appointments with family building experts including medical/ART, adoption, acupuncturists/complementary and mental health professionals.  15 minute appointments available  with up to 3 professionals for all attendees. Exhibits from local family building professionals  Resource bag full of information Connect with others who struggled on this path and resolved their infertility. Drop in anytime between 1:00PM and 4:00PM, and stay for one hour or all three.  Admission is only $5!Learn more.  Moving from Infertility to Adoption November 16 New York, NY Phyllis Lowinger, LCSW, will address the complicated questions and decisions  at the heart of infertility patients considering adoption. Learn more.

Support Group and Events Listing Update 10.24.10:

Please Reply: NYC GATHERING WORKSHOP NOV 14,2010. Anyone (peer or professional) interested in leading or suggesting specific topics for small roundtable discussion groups at this event please let me know.

The NYC Gathering Womens Dinner in Midtown- Tues 11-16, Mon 12-13 saxel95@aol.com. 516-967-7430, 5:30-7:30pm.

Long Island Resolve Peer-Led Support Group-Third Thursdays Monthly -Nov 18, Dec 16, 7-9pm. Saxel95@aol.com, 516-967-7430.
Tuesdays -Judith Kottick,LCSW -Montclair NJ,Support Group for Donor Parenting mailto:Judykottick@comcast.net  Tuesadays 10-26,12-7

Weds-Midtown-Family Building Network for Donor Conception and Surrogacy-Support Group with Patricia Mendell, LCSW, Pmendell@aol.com 11-17,12-15,1-19 from 7-9pm.

Weds-Anne Malave, PHd-Support Group for Women Exploring Egg Donation-2nd and 4th Weds of the month, 7-8:30 pm, afmalave@aol.com ,212-787-1304.

Tues-Upper West Side-Nov 9, Dec 14,Support Group, Elizabeth SIlk, LCSW, 212-873-6434 , Nancy Kaufman, LCSW, 212-772-1200 or thirdpartyparenting@yahoo.com.

Thursdays-Midtown Not strictly Third Party Reproduction, open (free) drop-in group Carolyn Berger, LCSW. at Batzofin Fertility Center in Midtown on the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month, 6-7:3pm. cnberger@optonline.net 914-834-6396.

Stress Reduction for Infertility Classes with Helen Adrienne, LCSW, BCD, 420 East 64th Street call 212-758-0125,or email helen@helenadrienne.com, 6:30-8:30PM,cost $75.00. Meets@NYU Fertility Center, 660 First Avenue, 6th Floor, corner of 38th Street, NYC.

The November 14 NYC Gathering Workshop

Planning for The November 14 NYC Gathering Workshop is being finalized. Replies needed from leaders and participants Please.
If you would like to but have not already confirmed your attendance as a participant or facilitating a peer or professionally-led roundtable, please let me know what your topic (roundtable I or II or both) will be. You are welcome to bring your current group so we can include them in the gathering, introduce your organization,expertise, community, interests to us and likewise, us to you. Feel free to bring your printed materials, brochures, flyers, books you've authored or have found to be helpful, etc.

This is a day of support and education, all ideas and topics will be considered and anyone thinking, trying or parenting through Third Party Reproduction is welcome. Blended families are welcome, as are LGBT families, Choice Moms and Dads, Co-parenting families, etc.

If you are a leading a roundtable and are a professional in this field and/or have something you'd like to share with the entire room we will have time set aside for Q&A.
We have interest in leading small (8-10 people)roundtable discussions on these topics and have room (total 15 tables) for more of the same or others
Disclosure
Decision Making-Adoption, Donor, and Surrogacy
The legal client as Fertility patient
DS Dad and Personalized Family Story Picture Book
Nature vs Nurture-Genetics and parenting discussion
Childrens Book Discussion
How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen So Kids will Talk
Body-Mind Connection
Alternative Medicine
The Donor Selection Process for Choice Moms

The schedule is as follows.

Registration 12:15-12:30
Intro-12:30-12:45
Roundtable I-12:45-1:45
Lunch-1:45-2:30
Rountable II-2:30-3:45 pm
Break 3:45-4:00
Q&A Closing 4:00-5:00

The format is roundtables of 8-10 per table, peer and professionally led. Cost is $75 pp, $125 per family (total adults), $45 per child for babysitting all day, lunch is included.

Please distribute this as your flyer until the final version is ready.
Thanks and best to all,
Sara Axel
The NYC Gathering
516-967-7430
http://donorgroupsnyc.blogspot.com/

NYC Fall/Winter 2010 Events

HOLD THE DATE: NYC GATHERING WORKSHOP NOV 14,2010. DETAILS TO FOLLOW. Anyone (peer or professional) interested in leading or suggesting specific topics for small roundtable discussion groups at this event please let me know.

Monday Sept 13-The NYC Gathering Womens Dinner in Midtown (CHILDRENS BOOK REVIEW-discussion led by Psychologist and Donor Mom, Dr. Nancy Freeman Carroll), Mon Oct 18, Tues 11-16, Mon 12-13 saxel95@aol.com. 516-967-7430, 5:30-7:30pm.
Thursday Sept 16-Long Island Resolve Peer-Led Support Group-Third Thursdays Monthly -Oct 21, Nov 18, Dec 16, 7-9pm. Saxel95@aol.com, 516-967-7430.
Tuesday 9-14 -Judith Kottick,LCSW -Montclair NJ,Support Group for Donor Parenting Judykottick@comcast.netTuesdays 10-26,12-7.
Weds 9-15-Midtown-Family Building Network for Donor Conception and Surrogacy-Support Group with Patricia Mendell, LCSW, 10-20,11-17,12-15,1-19 from 7-9pm., pmendell@aol.com
Weds-Anne Malave, PHd-Support Group for Women Exploring Egg Donation-2nd and 4th Weds of the month, 7-8:30 pm, afmalave@aol.com ,212-787-1304.
Tues Sept 9-14-Upper West Side- Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 14,Support Group, Elizabeth SIlk, LCSW, 212-873-6434 , Nancy Kaufman, LCSW, 212-772-1200 or thirdpartyparenting@yahoo.com.
Thursdays-Midtown Not strictly Third Party Reproduction, open (free) drop-in group Carolyn Berger, LCSW. at Batzofin Fertility Center in Midtown on the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month, 6-7:3pm. cnberger@optonline.net 914-834-6396.