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Workshops are a vital part of Filled (together). Learn from experts in the fields of trauma, attachment, and child welfare; hear the stories of people with lived experience; and receive gospel encouragement from gifted teachers. With a dozen workshops to choose from, we pray that you will be equipped and encouraged for your journey!

JAMIE FINN - Just for Moms
A session just for moms, filled with biblical encouragement, real stories, and honest confessions about the joys and struggles of foster and adoptive motherhood. Together, we’ll make room for the things we don’t always say out loud and turn to the truth of God’s Word for comfort, strength, and hope. Come as you are and be reminded that you’re not alone—and that God is faithful in the middle of it all.

EMILY DAY - Sibling Conflict
This session will equip parents with practical, grace-filled tools to transform everyday sibling conflict into opportunities for building wisdom, strengthening relationships, and fostering lifelong relational skills.

JASON JOHNSON & PHILIP PATTISON - Just for Dads
Guys, you are pouring yourself out in order to love and lead your families well through the foster care or adoption journey. It’s amazing, beautiful and exhausting. We get it, and you’re not alone. This workshop is designed for men, husbands and dads just like you that are living through shared experiences and can relate to your journey. You’ll be encouraged in the gospel, inspired in your calling and challenged to take your next best steps forward in a healthy, sustainable way.

JESSE FARIS - 6,7 Ideas For Surviving The Tween & Teen Years
Tween and teen years can feel full of distance, silence, and tension as kids pull away. This session offers practical ways to bridge that gap, helping you meet your kids where they are, rebuild trust, and foster genuine connection. You’ll leave with actionable strategies to respond to disconnection with patience, presence, and guidance, keeping your relationship strong and thriving.

ASHLEY & MARK JOHNSON - Family Matters: Building Your Village When Family Falls Apart
Fostering and adopting kids from hard places IS hard. In this workshop, we will discuss building a village when your family steps away through: therapy support, safe birth family as extended family, finding friends who can relate, and building practical marriage rhythms to keep you grounded both as a couple and individually.

ABBY BRYN MORTENSON - The Unique Grief Journey of Foster And Adoptive Parents: Exploring Practices To Support The Body, Heart, And Mind Through Secondary Trauma And Ambiguous Loss
A workshop for foster and adoptive parents who experience the grief of trauma and the ongoing losses we endure. We’ll discuss ambiguous grief, how chronic loss affects the body and mind, and we’ll experience practices for processing, honoring (and enduring) the weight of this holy calling.

EMILY DAY - Discipline That Connects: Building Connection Through Discipline
This workshop equips parents with practical, connection-focused tools to address behavior, build trust, and cultivate responsibility in their children through the lens of the Connected Families Framework.

CRISTIANA AMATO - Faith In The Trenches: Holding On To Jesus When Foster Care Gets Hard
Foster care will test your heart, your marriage, and your faith. This workshop offers practical encouragement and biblical truth for holding onto Jesus through it all.

SARA ODICIO - What Teen Adoptees Need
In this workshop, Sara will lend personal insights and tools on how to support teen adoptees in feeling seen, valued and heard and the importance of responding to the true need under the hard behaviors.

JESSE FARIS - Red Light, Green Light: Building Kids' Skills Through Play
Play isn’t just fun—it’s how kids learn important life skills. In this session, you’ll discover how simple games and playful activities can teach self-regulation, problem-solving, cooperation, and emotional awareness. You’ll leave with hands-on ideas for using play intentionally to help your kids grow, practice new skills, and build confidence—all while having fun together.

CATHLEEN BEARSE -  Same Team, Different Experiences
Foster care, adoption, and kinship caregiving can be stressful in different ways for each spouse; this workshop helps couples better understand one another, communicate with compassion, and stay connected through it all.