A Global Family Finds Helps in Wilderness Treatment model: Research and narrative on outdoor behavioral health option for troubled youth

Mark Burdick

Outdoor Behavioral Health (aka wilderness treatment) provides an effective option to help global families with troubled youth find a center and a plan for ongoing positive growth. This presentation provides an overview of a unique form of therapy. Additionally, Journal and Ebook materials will bring hope and guidance to families in need, educators and administrators looking for resources, and professionals in need of referral options.

Preparing TCKs to Step Out of the Third Culture: The Four Pearls

Tina Quick

Third Culture Kids often do not realize how their globally mobile childhoods have impacted them. This session will focus on the “Four Pearls” – the unique challenges all TCKs face when they leave the “third culture” or expatriate culture. It will give tools and strategies for dealing with the challenges and speak to parents and educators as to how they can prepare their children/students to, as Pollock and Van Reken would say, “Leave well to enter well.”

The Power of One: How to LEAD the change you wish to see

Naomi Hattaway and Emmy McCarthy

This session will utilize case studies as well as real-life examples from our years of community building and leadership, and will include attendee participation. We will bring to light the various ways in which ordinary citizens can utilize their global experiences and life education to affect change within society, provide leadership to their communities and help create opportunities to seek out others operating in the same arena. Together we will explore a new model of leadership, one that is founded on inclusivity and the power of the individual to lead the change they want to see in the world.

Secure Planks in the Re-Entry Bridge: a look back and build forward workshop

Michael Pollock

Participants will uncover the history of the RAFT as developed by Michael Pollock's father, David C. Pollock and the research and practice behind it's success. We will look at some current adaptations, and walk through a process for every mobile family and community to build their own re-entry bridge.

When the music stops for a transnational family: which court and which laws apply?

Lucy Greenwood and David Hodson

Everyone hopes all goes well in family life. But living and working abroad or being in families with those from other countries or cultures has its own pressures and stresses. FIGT members are aware of others for whom living in foreign countries have been too much and caused family or parental breakdown. This talk will, therefore, cover points which might provoke alarm bells as well as preparation before you travel. Attending this session, you will receive a global view of family laws around the world and some practical tips to possibly help keep the music playing!

Adult TCK Coping, Skills and Identity: Current Research 

This panel, sponsored by the FIGT Research Network, presents three examples of current research on Coping, Skills and Identity of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) and Adult TCKs. All three illustrate qualitative research approaches. 

Emma Dodwell-Groves “The ATCK Experience: Professional Versatility and Emotional Distance” 

Amy Jung "An Examination of the Long-term Impact of Sending Organizations on TCK Perceptions and Positive Identity Development"

A Family Just Like Mine

Barbara-Anne Puren

This session will address the transformation of the family unit in modern societies, and convey the message that all children deserve to be loved and cherished by responsible parents, in whatever shape and form those parents may come. The focus will be on children who have been hurt in life and explain how 'Claiming Narratives' pass on family history, traditions and rituals that help the child feel claimed and accepted.

Are You Airbrushing Your Cross-Cultural Life? Consider 'ABC & XYZ' to Enhance Resilience in a Globally Mobile World

Linda Janssen

Living and working abroad can be exciting, enriching and exotic, but showcasing only the travel, adventure, cultural opportunities, or glamorous globalized work environment while editing out the challenges does us no favors. Airbrushing our lives on social media and in person downplays parts of our lives that aren't "picture perfect." It holds us back from acknowledging and addressing issues, and keeps others from supporting us should we face sadness, loss, alienation or overwhelm. When we pull back the curtain a bit, we can be more honest with ourselves and others. By appropriately sharing the less-than-perfect or downright difficult, we can begin to heal, grow, and thrive. Whether for you, your family, or the clients you work with, come learn six important ways to ditch the airbrush in favor of the authentic, strengthen your resilience, and engage in a conversation about living healthier, emotionally engaged, cross-cultural lives.

Diverse Experiences Among Expats

Jeniece Lusk

This session will include presentations of literature reviews and research focusing on expats/families of color and their experiences abroad, as well as insight into their views as a member of a marginalized group at home versus their views as expats abroad.

The ‘Other’ Expats: Diverse Voices from Dubai and How Race, Class and Privilege Affect our Mobility Experience

Mariam Ottimofiore

How do race, class, and privilege affect our mobility experience? In this practical and insightful workshop, Mariam will present the diverse voices and stories from the 'other expats' in Dubai: the migrant workers who hail mostly from South Asia and move to the Middle East for work. Their example will be used to launch a discussion and understanding of how class, race and a lack of privilege often hold them back from being recognized as part of our globally diverse community. Participants will then be challenged to complete an interactive "privilege exercise" to help tear down the multiple aspects of our intersecting identities and arrive at some clarity and understanding of the role privilege plays in shaping our global experiences.

Counseling the Globally Mobile

Lois Bushong

In today’s world there is a wealth of resources on the characteristics of TCKs and their highly mobile society. Yet, there remains a huge hole in the counseling or coaching literature on how to work with TCKs, particularly in the area of depression and anxiety. Counselors frequently discount the TCK's history and do not see their current symptoms as relevant to what they may be currently experiencing. Often it is THE force fueling the surface symptoms. TCKs may feel misunderstood, hopeless and often lose faith in counseling and abruptly withdraw from therapy or conveniently move once more. This session will give practitioners many practical tips on how to counsel TCKs of all ages and what pitfalls to avoid.

Misunderstandings, Misperceptions, Missed opportunities - the Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication

Trisha Carter

Communication is critical to the success of any endeavor. Global teams, whether corporate, government or voluntary depend on mutual understanding for successful collaboration. In this fast-paced world, we are constantly expected to adapt and update our skills. In this interactive session, we will review real-world scenarios and build a flexible framework to nurture understanding and develop practical skills.

The Triad for Financial (and life) Success While Abroad

Jennifer Patterson

When we need a new pair of shoes, we don't fill out a questionnaire that asks shoe size, color and our goal for the shoes and then tells Zappos to send us the shoes they choose for us, so why is it that personal financial planning for the globally mobile has been reduced to the equivalent? In this interactive, workshop-style session, you will learn specific elements that must be included in your planning process to compensate for uncertainty. Also, you'll discover your most powerful number and what to shoot for so that the financial and life goals of the family can be achieved. Worksheets will guide the learning.

Constructing a coherent cultural identity across postings, roles and routines

Elisabeth Weingraber-Pircher

As movers we don't just struggle to answer the infamous "where are we from" question but also find it challenging to answer the following questions: "Who are we?" and "Who do we want to be?" Sometimes it seems we are different people in different languages, places, and communities, as well as at different times in our lives. How can we reconcile our experiences, cultural values, and our roles to construct a coherent cultural identity that feels right? How do we keep our identity as dynamic as we are while feeling connected to past, present and future experiences, roles and cultural values? To answer these questions, we will examine cultural identity models and start constructing our dynamic cultural identity right away.