Yorkshire Academy regularly hosts presentations and seminars of particular interest to parents. Each event in the Parent Education Series is free of charge and open to the community. Reservations are not required, so please check back regularly for schedule updates, and bring a friend!

2022–2023 Presentations

Crystal Collier portraitBuild Your Family Code

Friday, November 11, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
Presented by Dr. Crystal Collier

Dr. Crystal Collier, author of The NeuroWhereAbouts Guide, will teach families how to build their family code! A family code of ethics is a tool that parents can use to create unity, set healthy boundaries, and reduce power struggles with children. Dr. Collier will teach parents how to identify their children’s neurowhereabouts or the stage of brain development they are in to help grow and protect neurodevelopment from risky behavior. Dr. Collier will teach families how to use the family code during everyday interactions and how to integrate brain-based parenting and prevention science scripts into their daily communication.

Crystal Collier, PhD, is a therapist, prevention researcher, educator, and a person in long-term recovery. Her work has been recognized in the prevention science and addiction fields with the Torch Bearer Award by the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals, the 2019 Counselor of the Year Award by the Houston Counseling Association, and the Outstanding Research Award from the Association of Alternative Peer Groups.

Casey Casteel portraitCreating Connections—Parenting Through Connection Before Correction

Friday, January 20, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
Presented by Casey Casteel

Casey Casteel, educator, consultant, counselor, and coach has guided parents through all stages of parenthood. Casey will help parents learn to connect, communicate, and co-regulate to help provide a more peaceful parenting experience. We learn about the “why” of some common behaviors and struggles, how to proactively set children up for success, the importance of co-regulation, and how to facilitate and support emotional regulation. Casey utilizes a strength based and accepting, and sometimes playful approach, to help educate and support parents in their parenting journey.

Casey Casteel is a parent coach, educational consultant, and mental health professional. She has worked in a variety of areas of education and mental health for the last 20 years supporting Houston area families. Visit her website for more information.

Past Presentations

Some of the previous Parent Education Series presentations sponsored by the Yorkshire Foundation have included:

Adventurous Play and Loose Parts

Child-directed play is a deeply embedded and essential tool for processing the world, but finding time and space for tinkering, exploring, and discovering can be a challenge to fit in between life’s many responsibilities. Jill Wood, librarian at the Parish School and Director of Adventure Play, presented an overview of the many benefits of play and tips on how to set up environments that encourage creativity, independence, and problem-solving skills.

#1 Predictor of Future Success

Youth are struggling to stay in college more than ever. High-risk behaviors including substance use, technology overuse, and video games are on the rise in every socially economic status. In this presentation, parents learned the #1 predictor of future success. Techniques and tools for shaping this key behavior were included and discussed. Presented by Crystal Collier, Phd, LPC-S, Fellow in Addiction and Behavioral Health, Hope and Healing Center & Institute.

Child Sleep Secrets

Nicola Moy (Certified Sleep Sense Consultant and Yorkshire parent) presented a seminar that included the benefits of sleep and side effects for too little sleep; age-appropriate sleep recommendations; reasons as to why a child may be stalling bedtime, appearing hyper at bedtime, and having difficulty staying asleep; secrets to promote the best sleep possible for a child; dos and don’ts at bedtime.

Parent CPR/First Aid

If a family member, friend, or child in your care had a cardiac or first aid emergency, would you recognize the signs and respond quickly and appropriately? Caring People Respond has developed this training course to teach lifesaving skills.

Practical Ways for Kids to Deal with Life’s Little Ups & Downs

Miriam Mills is a Certified Life Coach and Stress Management Consultant and the owner of Breathe Flow Balance based in Houston. Having spent 15 years in the classroom and knowing the fears, anxieties and issues children can face she is passionate about teaching better ways to reduce and manage the ups and downs of life through the eyes of a child. During her seminar, she discussed communication skills, setting boundaries, practical applications for relaxation, and helping to reduce anxiety/fear.

Pediatrics 101

Dr. Janie Doan, pediatrician at CyFair Pediatrics and Dr. Yen Pham, gastroenterologist at Texas Children's Hospital discussed common childhood illnesses, remedies, and when to call your pediatrician.

Bullying/Cyberbullying

Crystal Collier (PhD, LPC-S, Fellow in Addiction and Behavioral Health, Hope and Healing Center & Institute) outlined what is and isn’t bullying, and offered resiliency skill tips to help instill in your children.

The Effects of Alcoholism and Addiction on Families & Children

Substances or other high-risk behaviors affect brain development and effects the manner in which addicted individuals parent. This presentation by Dr. Crystal Collier reviewed the effects of substance and process addictions, the family roles and rules in an addicted system, and the best methods to assist families who have members struggling with addiction.

Scary Statics and the Benefits of your Health & Fitness

Jeff Biehl, Parisi Speed School Director, explained the benefits of exercise and how to incorporate exercise into your family life. This presentation reviewed scary statics of not being active and how to reverse an unhealthy lifestyle.

Technology Boundaries

Technology is changing our social and emotional landscape, skills, and levels of intimacy. How can parents set healthy boundaries for themselves and their children when use of technology permeates our lives so inextricably? Lead by Dr. Crystal Collier, the third social and emotional parent workshop covered the effects of technology on the developing brain and utilized aspects of the first two workshops to integrate into a home plan for sound, brain-based rewards and consequences regarding technology.

“How Children Succeed” Book Discussion

Shirley Swinbank (Yorkshire Executive Director and Founder) discussed How Children Succeed, by Paul Tough, one of her favorite child development books. In addition, Mrs. Swinbank also shared many of her other “must have” books.

Puberty

After years of health care experience, Simone Woodage, R.N., began to realize how important it was for preteens and teens to have discussions about health. Ms. Woodage has been leading workshope and seminars for teens and adults since 2005. It is one of her personal goals to help parents have a more compassionate understanding and become more comfortable talking to their kids about puberty and beyond.

Developing a Math Mind at a Young Age

Shelly Chandra has taught math for over 8 years, coached teachers in Chicago and New York, and developed a challenging and unique curriculum at Yorkshire Academy for our 4th and 5th grade students. She shared different strategies and philosophies parents can adopt and incorporate with their children to help encourage a love of math, develop number sense abilities and critical thinkng skills.

Organize or Agonize

Marla Regan of Organized Time is a certified family manager coach and an active member of National Association of Professional Organizers and National Association of Women Business Owners. We learned how to be effective or efficient, setting routines, gathering the right tools for each organizing job.

Authentic Parenting

Parents recognized and explored how their childhood experiences may impact their parenting style. They heard the latest findings in neuropsychology regarding how attachment and interpersonal relationships impact development. And they learned about the bucket filling concept and how to fill their child’s bucket daily. Presented by Dr. Christina Navarro

Meditation—Making Friends with Your Mind

What is meditation? What about mindfulness? How can they make life better for busy modern people? This morning talk answered those questions (they are both about paying attention to your own experience) and touched on the many benefits of meditation, drawing on research from the fields of neuroscience, healthcare, and education. Presented by Claire Villarreal.

Authentic Communication

In 1995 Eleese created Authentic Communication, a unique media-coaching firm in which she applies acting principles and communication skills to help serve the business community. She has become a top Houston media coach working with corporations like Shell, Compaq (HP) and Conoco as well as coaching business and civic leaders such as Houston City Councilman Peter Brown, Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, and Fox TV news anchor, Krystle Kaliszewski. She gave us some great tips on how to connect with our audience in a truly authentic way and have fun and feel confident in the process!

Know a Quirky Child?

Curious if your child is developing age appropriate and peer typical social interaction skills? Know a “quirky” child? Parents joined Wendy Dawson, President of Social Motion Skills to discuss how social skills support inclusion in the community and directly influence independence and happiness. Topics included recognizing peer communication cues (verbal and non-verbal), self awareness and personal management as well as the importance of perspective taking.

Food Allergies—What Every Parent Should Know

Parents learned the basics about food allergies and how to separate fact from fiction. Mike Lade is a frequent public speaker on this topic and has been interviewed by KPRC Local 2, Great Day Houston, Newsweek Magazine, and the Houston Chronicle.

Building Blocks for Learning and Success

Dr. Christina Navarro addressed key elements of neurodevelopmental concepts in childhood which build success and confidence in school and beyond. Parents learned about developmental paridigms, how to utilize proven techniques, and recognize when additional support might be needed.

Rawfully Organic

We learned more about the benefits of choosing organic fruits and vegetables. At the age of 20 before she graduated college, Ms. Carillo-Bucaram started the non-profit organization called Rawfully Organic. This organic produce co-operative in Houston, Texas grew from 12 people in her living room to over 3,000 families in the greater Houston city limits.

Curious About Adoption?

Presented by Dr. Christina Navarro, this workshop identified the various types of adoption, how to use respectful adoption language, as well as explore current issues / trends in adoption.

Healthy Family 101

From Tyler Reimers M.Ed., CSCS and Stephanie Brown M.Ed, RD, LD, we learned which responsibilities are yours as a parent when it comes to food and fitness and what role your child has in designing nourishing fun, and tasty meals and snacks and creating fun interactive physical activity play for the whole family.

Common Nutritional Issues in Pediatric Medicine

This workshop identified several common nutritional issues in children. Dr. Fernando Navarro offered suggestions for parents as to when to seek medical intervention with regard to nutrition and/or pediatric gastroenterology related concerns.