Self Reflection
Our lens for self influences our sense of agency, exploration, tolerance for frustration, internal state and imagination.
The Casey Foundation and the Justice Resource Institute developed ARC Reflections, a training curriculum to develop foster parents and caregivers’ understanding of traumatic stress, increase their own emotional regulation and provide tools to support their parenting skills. This session eight guide emphasizes that sense of self and identity grow in layers over time. Participants will be taught that a key developmental process is the growth of a sense of self, an understanding of individuality and eventually the formation of a coherent identity
Every session includes a check-in to increase awareness and engagement of participants; a facilitator checklist of session materials; practice activities and take home log for participants; a representative case study to follow throughout the sessions; and reflective questions for participant growth and understanding.
Foster parents have the power to help shift a child’s or teen’s lens regarding their self-perception. Foster parents are encouraged to provide children and teens in their homes with opportunities to develop their racial, ethnic, religious, sexual or gender identity through various activities and participation in groups at a local church/synagogue/mosque/etc.