Special Needs Chapter Meeting | Parent Grief Journey
November 4 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EST
Speaker Bio:
Sam Timbrook
Sam grew on a farm. After forty-three years of marriage his wife passed away followed by his son’s death a few years later. Sam holds a Master’s degree in counseling and a Doctorate Certificate in Conflict Resolution. He has been a school psychologist and Pastor all of his adult life. Sam is the parent of a medical fragile child with many special needs and worked with children with special needs and their parents in the public sector for more than 25 years. He has had years of experience guiding parents with parenting plans as well as ongoing Life Coaching.
He is an insightful Life Coach with those wanting to move “forward” not just “on” in their parenting. He guides parents in considering what is best for the child short and long term. He is known for his supportive humor.
Focus of interview.
It has been my observation and my personal experience that most parents with children with special needs are not aware they are going through grief. When the child should be experiencing something because of the chronical age but cannot due their special need, the parents go through the grief journey. It is not a stage of grief, it is a circle of grief. In my parenting, I grieved more when my child was five than when he was born (he spent 3 months in newborn intensive care) because I thought every child in my town was going to kindergarten except mine. The interview will consider this impact and how it may be one factor for divorce and how to respond before, during and after the divorce.
Chapter Meeting
Chapter meetings occur monthly and are facilitated by the chapter leadership. In addition to networking and building relationships, each member has the opportunity to present an NADP ED Talk and provide valuable divorce-specific education to their fellow chapter members.
