Empirically-Derived Programs
Gratitude Conversations
We developed this program to provide parents and caretakers with
skills to foster gratitude in their children, particulary pre-teens and teens.
We know there are many ways to foster gratitude in children and that these
skills may not be the best fit for everyone. We hope that you accept them in
the spirit in which they are offered – as another tool for your growing parent
toolbox. Thanks for your interest in our program and in joining us for this
adventure in parenting.. You may access the program handout to follow along with the program HERE.
The Good Gifts Program
The Good Gifts program is a four-session group program designed for opporutnity youth to explore their own gifts and how to share those with others through gratitude, generosity and hope. The Program was developed by Peter Samuelson and Karen Kingsley (Sr. Director of
Youth and Family) at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS), in collaboration with Brandy Olson. Funding
for this project was provided by Baylor University in collaboration with
the John Templeton Foundation, awarded to Dr. Peter Samuelson (PI) and Dr.
Andrea Hussong (Co-PI).
The Family Stories Program
The Family Stories Program is a 14-session parent-child intervention for mothers in recovery from addiction who have a child aged 2-6. The curriculum emphasizes communicating with co-parents, behavioral parenting, parent emotion socialization, anger management, and planning for potential relapse. We developed the program based on literature related to the internalizing pathway to substance use and disorder and have completed a small pilot study to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and retention.