2021 VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL FALL SYMPOSIUM
HOW TO COPE WITH EMPTINESS
Family Access-Fighting for Children’s Rights, in conjunction with the Steel Partners Foundation, is pleased to announce a two-day Virtual International Fall Symposium via zoom for alienated parents, grandparents, and other family members and professionals who work in the field of alienation. The Symposium will take place on Friday night, October 15, 2021 and Saturday, October 16, 2021. The theme is “Dealing with Emptiness.” As one might expect from that theme, the presentations will focus on how targeted parents and grandparents can cope with this particularly devastating type of psychological and emotional abuse. The speakers are not only specialists in parental alienation but experts in how to better handle and manage such problems. This will not only be an informative and helpful conference, but an uplifting one. Although primarily intended for family members, mental health and legal professionals who deal with parental alienation are also likely to find it worthwhile. Additional information, including a list of the speakers and their specific topics, are listed above.
On Friday night, October 15, 2021, we will have Rev. Dr. John Killinger as our guest speaker. Dr. Killinger's late wife Annie was the pioneer to bringing grandparent alienation to the forefront. This will take place from 6-7 PM EDT. From 7-9 PM EDT, we will have break out rooms.
On Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 8-5 EDT, our experts will be presenting on how to cope with emptiness. There also will be a time of Q & A at two different intervals of the symposium.
Everyone will receive welcome bags and door prizes and I will mail those to you prior to our event. We do hope you can join us.
SPEAKERS
REV. DR. JOHN KILLINGER“Life is More than Getting to Enjoy Your Grandkids—a Whole Lot More!"
Most of us, being normal human beings, tend to focus a lot on the things that are presently bothering us or are grievously missing from our lives. We unconsciously magnify the importance of those particular things, victimizing ourselves with more pain and anxiety than is absolutely necessary. Among almost all the alienated grandparents I have met—and I have met many--the fact that they can’t see or enjoy regular visits with their grandchildren has assumed an exaggeratedly large role in their thinking. I have found, in my own experience of living with alienation, that it is very helpful and often necessary to consciously minimize my concentration on my grandkids, to psychologically shrink the time I give to thinking about them, and to spend more time and concentration on the other aspects of my daily living. This doesn’t mean I love those precious grandchildren—there are four of them, now aged 11 to 17—any less. It simply means that I am not allowing my grief at being unable to see and be with them to color or distort the rest of my existence. Life is simply too great and too beautiful to allow this alienation factor to diminish the wonder and glory of it! Dr. John Killinger, noted author, minister, and professor, has pastored eight churches, including the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles and Marble Collegiate Church in New York City, and has taught at such major universities as Vanderbilt, Princeton, and Chicago. His wife Anne was the author of A Son Is a Son Till He Gets a Wife: How Toxic Daughters-in-Law Destroy Families, the book that spawned the alienated parents and grandparent movement in America. He himself has written more than 70 books, including three volumes of From Poppy with Love: Letters from a Grandfather to the Grandchildren He Isn’t Allowed to See. He has appeared on numerous radio and TV programs across the U.S., and served for many years as a special seminar leader for chaplains in all branches of the American Armed Forces.
SUE CORNBLUTH, PSY. D"What is Ambiguous Loss & Why Do Targeted Parents/Grandparents Need to Know about this To Cope with Emptiness?" Ambiguous loss is an unclear and unresolved loss that occurs without closure or clear understanding. This is what many targeted parents and grandparents are coping with on a daily basis. What is most devastating is that their children are still physically alive but psychologically they are gone. This kind of loss leaves a person searching for answers, and thus complicates and delays the process of grieving, and often results in unresolved grief. Ambiguous loss can cause anxiety, depression, anger, yearning, frustration, panic, and other negative emotions including feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and emptiness. One way to deal with this is to cultivate self-compassion. If you can learn to soothe yourself — especially through the use of specific techniques — then you are more likely to cope with the loss and emptiness. This presentation will focus primarily on two things: (1) techniques to reduce both internal and external conflicts of your loss; and (2) how self-compassion can help to reduce emotional distress. The presentation will include methods to cope with ambiguous loss such as (1) becoming comfortable with ambiguity (2) reconstructing your identity and (3) developing hope. This presentation will focus primarily on two things: (1) techniques that can reduce both internal and external conflicts; and (2) how self-compassion can help to reduce emotional distress. The presentation will include methods to foster self-forgiveness such as identifying, acknowledging, and accepting in order to lift spirits and enhance well-being. Related techniques will include journal writing, heart-holding, and positive self-talk. By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to identify specific steps they can take to reconnect with themselves and — most importantly — with their children and/or grandchildren. Dr. Sue Cornbluth is a certified parenting expert, coach and thought leader with international recognition, specializing in high conflict divorce and parental/grandparent alienation situations.
In 2013 Dr. Sue established Dr. Sue & You LLC, a consulting & coaching firm working with parents to help them successfully move through their high conflict divorce situations and reunite with their children. She has reunited hundreds of families with her tools and techniques. Her passion and goal is to heal family conflict with compassion. She accomplishes this through her work educating and guiding parents and professionals. Dr. Sue currently hosts a weekly radio broadcast in Philadelphia called “The Dr. Sue Show: Beyond Divorce: We Cure Conflict” on 860AM-Talk Radio. She also is the host of the television show “Dr. Sue and You” on Roku. Both shows educate the public about how you can become the solution to any conflict in your life. Dr. Sue has served as a child abuse and victims’ rights expert. The exposure she gained as a lead expert during the Jerry Sandusky trial directly contributed to the growing demand for her expert opinion. She has gained global recognition and is contracted for speaking engagements around the world. The Women’s Distinctive Business Magazine recognized Dr. Sue as One of the Country’s Most Distinctive Women. She is a regular contributor as a mental health expert for network television stations including NBC, Fox and CBS. She has contributed to several national publications. Dr. Sue resides in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. She holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and has worked as a Psychology Professor at Temple University. 
CAROL GOLLY, PH. D, LCSW, RPT-S"Weathering the Storm: Tips for Targeted Grandparents"
Grandparents facing the unnatural stress of being cut off from grandchildren may suffer emotional and physical consequences. Such consequences may include anxiety, depression, anger, complex grief and trauma, and resultant physical health issues. Managing such emotional turmoil and stress can be a profound challenge for affected grandparents. Dr. Golly will share information from grandparents and professionals regarding coping strategies and the building of emotional resiliency in order to build inner strength, self-compassion and confidence. Carol Golly has a special interest in parent and grandparent alienation. She is a founding board member of Alienated Grandparents Anonymous, Inc. (AGA) and completed her doctoral work on grandparent alienation in 2019. She has 30 years of experience as a psychotherapist for children, adolescents, and families in Naples, Florida. Carol serves as a court-appointed therapist for children and families and as an expert witness in cases of child abuse, trauma, neglect, and parental alienation.
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MODERATOR
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FALL SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS
We are so grateful for those who are sponsoring our symposium. Please use these sponsors as they truly have a concern for the cause.
SPONSORS
LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT S. HOFFMAN, P. L. L. C.
DOOR PRIZES CONTRIBUTORS
We want to thank the organizations and individuals who have contributed to our fall symposium by donating door prizes. Each participant will receive a door prize which are all nice ones as well as a nice welcome bag. We have as door prizes so far free consultations from several of our experts, autographed books from some of our experts, dvds on parental alienation, gift cards, and gift baskets. If you wish to Thank you for being a part of this much needed and exciting event.
Family Access-Fighting for Children's Rights
Steel Partners Foundation
Dr. Steven Miller
Dr. Colleen Murray
Bill Eddy
Robert Hoffman
Linda Gottlieb
Brian Ludmer
Dr. Sue Cornbluth
Shazia Sparkman
Loretta Maase
Ashish Joshi
Dr. Carol Golly
Rev. Dr. John Killinger
Caitlin Burgess
Steel Partners Foundation
Dr. Steven Miller
Dr. Colleen Murray
Bill Eddy
Robert Hoffman
Linda Gottlieb
Brian Ludmer
Dr. Sue Cornbluth
Shazia Sparkman
Loretta Maase
Ashish Joshi
Dr. Carol Golly
Rev. Dr. John Killinger
Caitlin Burgess
FALL SYMPOSIUM VENDORS
We wish to thank those who registered as vendors for our fall symposium. We have a separate page for them. The link is listed below.
https://www.familyaccessfightingforchildrensrights.com/fall-symposium-vendors.html
https://www.familyaccessfightingforchildrensrights.com/fall-symposium-vendors.html