Divorce or separation is a reality for millions of families.   

Co-parenting is an intentional commitment to put the children first.

Join other co-parents in this free skill building program as you navigate the challenges of co-parenting.  Learn about tools that are proven to help parents:

• Shield your children from parental conflict
• Disengage from the former relationship
• Manage anger
• Establish a cooperative, long-term relationship with each other as co-parents
• Develop effective communication skills
• Negotiate agreements in a business-like manner
• Increase co-parenting respect

Please click here to view our flyer:  https://cobys.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CPD-no-dates_1.jpg

This is a state-of-the-art training program that will equip you to meet the needs of youth in your home who may have moderate to serious emotional and behavioral health challenges.  Increase your knowledge and skills to help you understand how trauma impacts cognitive and emotional development of youth; regulate, relate and reason during times of high stress; promote attachment and attunement; respond to youth’s rejecting, testing, and challenging behaviors; adapt your parenting strategies to meet the youth’s needs rather than “fix” the youth; highlight the root causes of behaviors rather than the behaviors themselves; and manage high risk behaviors and crises.

11 sessions

This 11-session program is geared to parents of young children (aged 2-9) on the Autism spectrum or with language delays in order to promote children’s emotional regulation, social competence, language skills, school readiness, and relationships with others.

Topics discussed will include:

• Child-directed narrated play promotes positive relationships
• Pre-academic and persistence coaching promotes language development and school readiness
• Social coaching promotes friendship skills
• Emotion coaching promotes emotional literacy
• Pretend play promotes empathy and social skills
• Promoting children’s self-regulation skills
• Using praise and rewards to motivate children
• Limit setting and behavior management

Please click here to see a flyer of this program:  https://cobys.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IY-Autism-flyer-for-website_1.jpg

 (Approved program of the Lancaster County Children and Youth Social Service Agency)

10 group sessions plus 10 15-minute individual sessions: 17.5 total hours
A free comprehensive program designed to support parents and their children (birth to 12 years old). Using the evidence-based Incredible Years Parenting Program, this 10-week program supports attachment and parent-child interaction, encourages positive parenting, and increases parents’ ability to promote children’s social, emotional, and academic development.  In addition to the weekly group sessions, educators will also meet with participants for weekly individualized 15-minute phone check-ins.

Each month we will talk about topics that will be helpful to families providing care for children.  Connect with people in similar situations virtually on Zoom.com.  These workshops are open to anyone helping to raise or care for children – parents, caregivers, kinship parents – please join us!

Parenting Autism is an educational discussion group for parents and/or caregivers raising children on the spectrum, providing education, advocacy, and support.  Join other families who are sharing the same experiences and challenges that you face every day.

This group is held Wednesday evenings from 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Topics include: Navigating School, Homework Avoidance, Community Resources Available, Parenting Stress, Fears, Self-Regulation, Goal Setting.

(A court-approved alternative adjudication program in Lancaster County)

1 session, followed by at-home online course completion.

Parenting Wisely, evidence-based curriculum, provides parents and youth (ages 9/10 and over) with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to build stronger parent/child relationships and to promote regular school attendance. This program is a highly interactive family education online program. Participants will be instructed how to use the online program by a COBYS Family Life Educator. The program may be completed at home or anywhere internet access is available. Computer access and educator assistance are available as needed. There is also a Parenting Wisely Young Child program available for parents of elementary-age children (ages 4-8). This program receives funding by the PA Department of Health through the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission and the Lancaster County Children & Youth Agency.  The Parenting Wisely program is free for Lancaster County residents and referrals.   

Read about one family’s experience with the Parenting Wisely course.

Families will learn to:

• Strengthen family and school bonds;
• Enhance family communication;
• Help children develop responsibility;
• Establish family policies against problem behaviors, including truancy, violence, drug and alcohol use, etc.;
• Develop mutual support.

Please click here for a flyer of this program:  https://cobys.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PW-flyer-weekly-classes_1.jpg

6-8 sessions, 6 hours total

The Blues Program is designed for teenagers (aged 14-18), teaching skills that strengthen your power to push back against anxiety, stress, and depression.  Learn how your thoughts, feelings and actions interact to take control of your moods.  Join other teens in an online educational group and make positive changes in your life.

A permission form and assessment form will need completed in order to make sure this program is a good fit for your needs.  Please contact education@cobys.org if you have any questions.

Please click here to see a flyer of this program:  https://cobys.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Blues-Program-flyer-no-dates_1.jpg

Seeking Safety is an evidence-based group therapy program that focuses on coping skills in the present moment.

Many people affected by trauma may turn to addictive behaviors to try to manage difficult feelings. Seeking Safety discusses tools to help you manage these symptoms and to cope effectively.

Learn to navigate triggers and successfully build a life of safety, security and wellbeing.  People do not share stories of their traumas, but instead look towards the future and practice new ways to cope, safely.

Topics include: safety, stress and trauma, healing from anger, grounding, when substances control you, recovery thinking, community resources, healthy relationships, and boundaries.

Seeking Safety is an open-enrollment program.  Participants may join the group at any point and receive a certificate after participating in 10 complete sessions.