About This Session
Laughter, Tears, and Triumphs
If you are trauma parenting, we know you will appreciate hearing from, and laughing alongside this amazing group. Join our panel of experienced caregivers, therapists, and advocates as they share their insights, challenges, and triumphs in navigating the complex journey of parenting children who have experienced trauma.
About Your Instructor
Stacey Gagnon
Lost Sparrows Founder; Board Member
Christy Irons has been a child advocate since she was 10 years old. Having been raised in a family that fostered children, Ms. Irons has built her own reputation as a strong advocate of foster children in South Carolina and internationally. Christy and her husband, Nigel, have one biological child and adopted 9 others. Ms. Irons has a widely read blog, The Sometimes 8 Irons, which chronicles the realities of a very diverse family life while actively seeking adoptive families for children in foster care. Ms. Irons holds degrees in Special Education and nursing. She is a member of the advisory board for Children’s Rights, a NY based organization advocating for rights of vulnerable children through the federal court system. Some may choose to adopt and others choose to be advocates, Ms. Irons has chosen to distinguish herself in both areas.
Christy Irons
Adoptive Mom, Child Advocate, Blogger
Corletta has earned an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist that has spent the last 13 years serving as a School Mental Health Clinician in the largest school district in South Carolina. As a Chief on the School Mental Health Team, Corletta values her role in enriching clinicians and investing in school partnerships. She has presented at the Greenville County School Conference on Recognizing At-Risk Students and co-created mental health literacy lessons taught to all Greenville County School District high school students. Corletta would say that God has entrusted her with students and families that seek connection and understanding from a trusted adult. Though the diagnosis of her students vary, one thing remains the same; her students are valued and loved through the therapeutic connection that she provides.
In addition to her professional career, she and her husband, Jay, are Sunday school teachers to some pretty awesome second graders. Corletta and Jay have four children of their own, three of which they had the privilege of adopting during their 12 years as foster parents.
In her free time she enjoys working out, reading, and playing with her two Great Danes, Cruise and Zane!
Corletta Brown
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Foster Parent
Mike and Sharon Dennehy, once unfamiliar with adoption, now have a large family of thirteen children - three biological and ten adopted. Their adoption journey began when Sharon felt called to adopt George, a Romanian boy born with no arms who was barely alive in a grim orphanage. Despite the challenges, they adopted George, who is now thirty years old and travels the world as a Christian inspirational speaker and musician, mastering multiple instruments with his feet.
The Dennehys continued to adopt children with special needs, including James from India, Tom and Siobhan through foster care, Caris from China, Tamer, Kalkidan, and Andinette from Ethiopia, Hope from Thailand, and Calvin from China. Through their experiences, which range from interacting with famous rock bands to visiting some of the poorest regions on earth, the Dennehys have witnessed God's amazing grace and have a unique story that showcases how He has woven their family together.
Mike Dennehy
Adoptive Parent
Listen in to our expert panel
You will appreciate hearing from, and laughing alongside this amazing group.