Together Called 2025 sessions

We have a lot planned for Together Called 2025 beyond being blessed by Mark and Tona Ottinger. Take a look…

Preconference Session Friday Afternoon

Stories We Share

Included with a TC2025 registration is the opportunity to come a little early on Friday for a 2pm session engaging a panel of 5 couples in varied seasons of marriage and family who will be sharing their stories, things they have learned, and things they are still learning. We invite attendees to start their Together Called weekend here, joining with others to reflect on our unique and shared experiences and explore where God may be inviting you to see things in your own life in new ways. Our goal is for this session to be interactive and a helpful bridge into the weekend.

About the moderator:

Kelly Raudenbush and her husband Mark cofounded The Sparrow Fund with the mission of caring for foster and adopted children and their grownups by empowering relationships within and between families. What started as a small ministry where they could serve together has grown into full-time work for them both. With a Master’s degree in counseling from Missio Seminary and a certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health from Georgetown University, Kelly has a particular interest in partnering with parents to help children process and understand their histories in healing ways; encouraging, equipping, and empowering parents as they navigate the effects of trauma; and helping caregivers and teachers in her own neighborhood and across the world best experience the power of relationship. But, her biggest passion resides in glorifying God within their own family, as a wife and a mother to their four children…and their two dogs.

The Overflowing Parent: Raising Children from a Place of Fullness and Trust

It is easy to live life with thin margins, drifting on autopilot and wondering why we feel so empty when we believe in a God who is full. One of the greatest gifts parents can give their children is a sturdy, inspiring life grounded in the person and work of Christ. In this session, Dawn Woods will share how practicing Sabbath rest leads to restoration and allows us to be still, self-reflective, present with one another, and able to identify patterns of sin and dysfunction that are often subtle. She will help us better understand why it matters and how even busy families can practice the presence of God in ways that allow us to receive, BE instead of DO, and cultivate peace that transforms us so that our DOING is coming from a place of fullness in HIM.

About the speaker:

Dawn Woods loves birds and humpback whales almost as much as she loves people. She is described as eager to learn, a lover of nature, and highly relational. After being inspired by her high school English teacher, Dawn went on to study and teach English literature to high school students. In time, Dawn got her Master’s in Counseling and has spent over 25 years counseling and coaching parents, young adults, and adolescents where her wisdom and humor have been put to good use. She brings an objective, leveling voice to those working through challenges and an impactful perspective for the foster and adoption community given that she grew up as a biological child in a foster and adoptive family herself.

The Nervous System and Childhood Development

Early childhood stressors – whether physical, chemical, or emotional – can shape how the brain perceives, develops, and responds to its environment. When these stressors are persistent, the nervous system can become stuck in what is called a sympathetic dominant state, prioritizing survival over growth and regulation. This prolonged stress response can alter neurocognitive development, affecting focus, emotional regulation, digestion, and immune function. Chiropractic care can play a crucial role in restoring balance to a stressed-out nervous system. At home, parents can support their child’s nervous system everyday through nutrition, routines, sensory activities, and self-regulation techniques. In this session, husband and wife team Drs. Sydney and Joe Trovato will share their experience working with kids who have struggled with these early childhood stressors and the success stores they’ve had when their nervous systems are more adaptable and regulated. They will also offer us practical strategies to take home with us to support our children’s nervous system health and, ultimately, our children’s physical, emotional, and developmental health.

About the speakers:

Dr. Joe and Dr. Sydney Trovato are the Owners and Lead Chiropractors at Deep Rooted Chiropractic in Malvern, Pennsylvania. They are a husband and wife duo who graduated from Life University in 2023 and jumped straight into opening Deep Rooted Chiropractic. They both have their Pediatric Chiropractic Certification through the Pediatric Experience and have a neurological approach to chiropractic care. With this additional training, they understand the importance of finding the root cause of their patients’ health concerns in order to create a solid foundation for families to adapt, grow, and thrive throughout every stage of life.

Blocked Care: What to Do When You Run Out of Compassion

Blocked care is a self-protective mechanism in a parent’s nervous system activated by excessive stress. This suppresses the higher brain functions needed for caregiving causing the parent’s nervous system to develop a defensive stance toward their child. Adoptive and foster parents are at higher risk of blocked care due to parenting a child with a history of adversity. With support and good care, parents can regain compassion for themselves and their child. In this session, Melissa Corkum will help us identify the signs of blocked care, understand the causes and types of blocked care, understand how children develop blocked trust, learn the steps for overcoming and preventing blocked care, and explore ways to reclaim compassion for parents and kids.