Family members involved in the IOSS Counseling group enjoy some Science Center activities during a Family Fun Night organized to allow parents and families opportunities to relax and have a fun time.
A gathering of Looking Glass counseling clients and family members enjoyed a casual evening of fun, food and prizes at the Eugene Science Center on Tuesday, June 25th. The Intensive Outpatient Support Services counseling group (IOSS) is a strength-based, team oriented, and community involved approach focused on making positive changes in a child’s individual and family functioning level. The family fun nights, a new initiative, are offered quarterly and aim to allow the youth and families an opportunity to enjoy a relaxing and fun environment in a safe and stimulating venue.
“Families can often become very isolated and feel varying levels of stress and anxiety when connecting to the community,” explained IOSS Clinical Supervisor Jaime Ellsworth. “Many factors like trauma, anxiety, depression, complex system involvement, and having historical negative experiences may create barriers for families being able to connect with other families, connect to community partners, and to create positive experiences with one another in a safe and encouraging way. The hope is that these IOSS Family Fun Night experiences will generate increased connection, create positive memories, and increase their access to supports. The Looking Glass IOSS program provides individual and family therapy (in the home, school, and community), group therapy, skill building (in the home, school, and community), medication management, team meetings, and coordination with various systems (schools, DHS, DYS, medical providers, etc.) in an effort to maintain successfully in the least restrictive setting.”
The June event, consisting of about 30 people with youth aged 3 to 17, included the arrival of the Franz Bakery grilled cheese truck, that provided all participants with free and yummy grilled cheese sandwiches.
Looking Glass is very thankful to the Eugene Science Center, Franz Bakery and all those involved in helping our clients and families enjoy an evening out.
The next family fun night is planned for September at Bricks N Minifigs in Eugene.