The Blog that Went Viral

A presentation on the controversial topic of grief and loss in the life of the TCK.

Why did this particular blog go viral?

What we learn from social media and research regarding TCKs and depression.

The presentation will:

• review the research and magnitude of social media regarding depression among adult Third Culture Kids,
• introduce the audience to various techniques that have been effective in helping adult Third Culture Kids deal with severe depression,
• learn how to work with Third Culture Kids as they face many goodbyes and thus reduce the likelihood of severe depression in adulthood.

Insights into Counseling TCKs

This story-packed presentation will illustrate how to be an effective therapist with adult TCKs. We will look at the history of our field, some of the common symptoms TCKs present with and what often lies beneath the surface. The goals of the presentation are:

• to help identify and work well with TCKs when they present for therapy,
• to raise importance and understanding of counseling Third Culture Kids,
• to enhance comprehension of the world of the Third Culture Kid (TCK), adult TCK, and Third Culture Adult (TCA).

The Impact of a Broken System on the Adult TCK

The listener will be encouraged to explore how international systems can impact TCKs; as well as, the pressure which is placed on many TCKs whose behavior impacts the career of their parent(s). Various examples will be explored in detail of adult TCKs where the impact of of broken systems impacted their lives as adults.The presenter has developed a practical way to look at how some international systems start out, and remain healthy or slowly cycle into unhealthiness and strongly impact the life of their international employees and their children.

The goals of the workshop are the following:

• The role of international systems and their impact on the employee and their families.
• How to gently explore avenues of escape from the self imposed emotional and psychological traps of broken international systems to triumphant repatriation.
• What about apologies and forgiveness?
• How to be a friend to the adult TCK who has been wounded by a system of their childhood overseas.

Thriving Through Transitions

Through the use of media, the presenter looks at how the expatriate can not just survive the many necessary transitions they must make in their international career but how can they actually thrive in times of transition.

The session will look at the following principles:

• There is a normal cycle to transition.
• Each person will pass through these stages in their own unique way.
• Not all family members will experience the cycle in the same way and length of time.