If you're raising a child with complex trauma, commonly diagnosed as reactive attachment disorder (RAD), you likely feel alone, misunderstood, and judged. Many people don't understand the reality of living with RAD. But we at RAD Advocates do.

After raising children of our own with the disorder, we know what you're going through as a parent of a child with RAD. We're bringing our experience, knowledge, empathy, and professional connections to a conference created just for you.

At Navigating RAD 2021, you'll get the support and guidance you need from RAD Advocates staff and seasoned clinicians to create a realistic plan to move your family forward with confidence, including:

A copy of Your Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Parenting Roadmap: A Thoughtful Workbook To Help Your Family Survive and Thrive Through the Challenges of RAD, complete with tips and space to organize your thoughts and wishes throughout the conference so you can leave with a customized action plan

Opportunities to meet other parents of children with RAD nationwide for ongoing support and camaraderie after the conference is complete

Breaks with grounding exercises from supportive and caring people who understand the triggers that come from raising children with RAD

Everything we do at RAD Advocates is in the best interest of families of children with RAD. Because we're not accepting sponsorships at our conference, we're not obligated to provide anything but advice and guest speakers that we truly believe in.

Learn more about RAD Advocates here.

Schedule At-A-Glance

Information about keynote speakers and other presenters to follow.

Friday, August 20, 2021

8:15 — Check-in

9:00 – 10:00 am — Welcome and icebreaking activities, RAD Advocates

10:00 am -12:15 pm — Keynote: "'Why Am I Feeling Crazy?': The Life of RAD Parenting", Forrest Lien, LCSW, and Margaret Meinecke, LCSW

12:15 - 1:30 — Lunch break

1:30-3:00 — "Co-existing Disorders with RAD and their Effective Medical Treatment", Dr. John F. Alston

3:00 - 3:15 — Grounding exercise, Carrie O'Toole, M.A.

3:15-3:30 — Break

3:30-4:45 — "How to Find & Benefit from Therapeutic Respite Care", Karen Poitras of The RADish Ranch

4:45-5:00 — Closing, RAD Advocates

Saturday, August 21, 2021

9:00-10:15 — "Determining What You Have Left as a Family and Ideas to Move Forward", Carrie O'Toole, M.A.

10:15 - 11:00 — "Glass Children: The Impact of RAD on Siblings", Monica Badgley of RAD Sibs with a panel of young people who have a sibling with RAD

11:00 -11:15 — Grounding exercise, Carrie O'Toole, M.A.

11:15 - 11:30 — Break

11:30-12:15 — "Seeking Alternative Placement When Home Isn't Working", Scott Smith of Best Choice Admissions

12:15 -1:30 — Lunch break

1:30-2:30 — "Looking Back: A Chat about the Reality and Strategies through the Hard Work of RAD", an interview between Legend Houze, a young adult with RAD who is thriving, and his therapist Forrest Lien (followed by an audience Q & A)

2:30 - 2:45 — Break

2:30-5:00 — RAD Advocates supports and guides attendees through Your Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) Parenting Roadmap: A Thoughtful Workbook To Help Your Family Survive and Thrive Through the Challenges of RAD

At Navigating RAD 2021, you'll get the support and guidance you need from RAD Advocates staff and seasoned clinicians to create a realistic plan to move your family forward with confidence, including:

Schedule At-A-Glance

Friday, August 20, 2021

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Keynote Speakers

Forrest Lien, LCSW, Owner and Founder of Lifespan Trauma Consulting