Welcome to the very first Facing Giants newsletter!

First, thank you.

Whether you've toured the space, attended an event, seen us at a community event, brought your child to play, partnered with us, sponsored our mission, facilitated a program, begun using the space to serve your own clients or grow your practice, shared our mission with someone else, or simply encouraged what we're building. You've become part of this story. Facing Giants is a true grassroots effort, and every family, provider, organization, sponsor, and supporter who has crossed our path has helped shape what this community is becoming.

As more people begin using the space and interest continues to grow, I realized I needed a better way to keep everyone connected. Rather than trying to individually share updates, answer questions, and keep people informed, this newsletter will be our monthly way of bringing everyone together. Here you'll find updates on new programs, community partnerships, provider opportunities, upcoming events, resources for families, and ways to get involved as we continue growing.

Like everything we've built so far, I'm sure this newsletter will evolve over time. Thank you for your patience as I learn what is most helpful to share and how best to keep everyone connected. My hope is that this becomes more than just a newsletter—that it becomes another way to strengthen the relationships that make Facing Giants possible.

Thank you for believing in this vision, for sharing it with others, and for being part of what we're building. I'm excited for what's ahead and grateful to have you on this journey with us.

With gratitude,

Caroline Fithen
Founder & Executive Director
Facing Giants

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This Month at Facing Giants

This month, we wanted to share a snapshot of where Facing Giants is today—the programs now available, new opportunities to get involved, exciting partnerships taking shape, and a look at what's ahead as we continue growing.

As our community has grown, we've continued refining our space to better support children's programming, provider collaboration, and community events. By relocating our Play Room and Group Room, we've created greater flexibility for children's groups, workshops, trainings, therapeutic gaming, and other creative programming.

Available Now

Supporting Mothers Through Divorce

Introducing Divorce Strategy at Facing Giants

We're excited to officially introduce Divorce Strategy, a new service housed within Facing Giants and led by Caroline Fithen.

During separation and divorce, mothers are often asked to make life-changing decisions for themselves and their children while navigating overwhelming emotions, unfamiliar legal processes, and significant uncertainty. Having practical support during this season can make all the difference—not only for women, but for the long-term wellbeing of their children.

Through 90-minute Divorce Strategy Intensives, Caroline helps women understand the divorce process, prepare for parenting plan conversations, organize information, identify priorities, explore options, and make informed decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

For women seeking more comprehensive support, Caroline also works with a limited number of clients each year through application-based 3- and 6-month Divorce Strategy containers. These longer-term partnerships provide ongoing guidance, accountability, and practical strategy throughout the divorce process, allowing women to navigate each stage with greater confidence and intention.

Divorce Strategy is a non-clinical educational service. It is not therapy or legal representation. Instead, it provides practical education, organization, strategy, and resilience-building between legal appointments, helping women feel better prepared for the decisions ahead.

As with all of our work at Facing Giants, the goal is to reduce harm, strengthen families, and support healthier outcomes for children by equipping mothers with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to advocate well during one of life's most significant transitions.

Book an Intensive

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Weekly 5NP Community Acupuncture Drop-In Clinic

Every Tuesday | 11:00 AM-1:00 PM

Hosted by Mad World Magic's Sophie Wilkus

One of our favorite parts of each week is opening our doors for 5NP Community Acupuncture with Sophie Wilkus.

This gentle, community-based offering provides an affordable opportunity to slow down, regulate your nervous system, and simply take a moment to care for yourself. Whether you're carrying stress, feeling overwhelmed, or just need a quiet place to reset, you're welcome here.

Sessions are offered on a sliding scale to help make this restorative practice accessible to our community.

Click the flyer below to learn more and reserve your spot. If you know someone who could use a little extra support, we'd be grateful if you'd share it with them too.

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Calm & Capable Kids

Sometimes children don't need more words—they need the right words, presented in a way they can understand.

Our Calm & Capable Kids collection includes practical visual tools and printable resources designed to reduce auditory overload, support smoother transitions, promote autonomy, and strengthen communication between children and the adults who care for them.

The collection also includes encouragement and conversation tools for the moments when words are hard to find—helping children build emotional awareness, understand body autonomy and consent, communicate respectfully, navigate family changes, and develop a healthy sense of identity and self-worth. Resources like our Know Your Worth printable encourage children with truth-filled, empowering messages while helping interrupt unhealthy patterns that can become internalized over time.

When children can rely on visual supports, adults can step out of the role of constant narrator and into the role of guide—making room for more calm, connection, and confidence on both sides.

This is a growing resource library that will continue to expand as new tools are developed. Many of these ideas are inspired by everyday parenting, conversations with families, and real-life moments that remind us how powerful the right words—and the right visuals—can be.

Whether you're navigating everyday routines, co-parenting, divorce, or simply looking for practical ways to support your child's emotional development, these tools are designed to make everyday interactions a little calmer, transitions a little smoother, and connection a little easier.

Click below to explore the Calm & Capable Kids collection, and check back often as new resources are added.

Explore Calm & Capable Kids

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Private Play & Sensory Experiences

Did you know our Play Room and Sensory Room are available for private parent-child reservations?

Whether you're looking for intentional one-on-one time, a lower-stimulation environment, or a place to practice new skills together, these spaces were designed to help children and caregivers connect through play.

For many families, today's world can be incredibly overstimulating. Traditional play spaces often come with bright lights, loud noises, crowded environments, and the constant need to monitor what everyone else is doing. At home, it's easy to become distracted by chores, screens, and the never-ending to-do list.

Sometimes both children and caregivers simply need a place to set those demands aside—a space where the noise quiets, expectations lessen, and they can focus on enjoying one another, exploring together, practicing new skills, and building connection without the pressures that often accompany home or busy public spaces.

Whether your goal is emotional regulation, strengthening attachment, building confidence, or simply creating meaningful memories together, our Play Room and Sensory Room offer a welcoming environment intentionally designed to support those moments.

Reserve your experience today.

Book Online

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Growing Our Community

One of the greatest gifts of this journey has been watching people catch the vision and ask, "How can I be part of this?"

Facing Giants was never intended to be built by one person. It's a collaborative community where providers, educators, organizations, and community leaders come together to create meaningful opportunities for children, families, and adults.

Whether you're looking to grow your private practice, launch a new group, teach a workshop, or simply have an idea that aligns with our mission, we'd love to connect.

Community Update: Expanding Access Through Disability Services

One question we've been asked several times is whether individuals receiving developmental disability services can use funding to access the Facing Giants Play Room or Sensory Room.

While we're continuing to build relationships and explore long-term partnerships with local developmental disability services, we've been encouraged by recent conversations about ways families may be able to begin accessing our spaces sooner.

Through these conversations, we've been encouraged to begin to incorporate the Facing Giants Play Room or Facing Giants Sensory Room into an individual's Individual Support Plan (ISP) or treatment plan when clinically appropriate. For example, goals related to fine motor skill development, emotional regulation, sensory processing, transition tolerance, social interaction, communication, or other developmental objectives may be supported through intentional use of our spaces as part of a broader plan of care.

Our long-term vision is to make Facing Giants a trusted community "third space" where individuals, families, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), and caregivers can access a calm, private, low-stimulation environment that complements therapeutic, educational, and developmental goals. We also hope these partnerships create more opportunities for caregivers to receive meaningful respite while their loved one continues building skills in a safe, supportive setting.

While funding decisions and services will always depend on each individual's plan and provider, we're excited about the possibilities these conversations are creating. Our goal has always been to complement the incredible work already being done by families, therapists, educators, and support professionals by providing another environment where growth, connection, and resilience can continue outside of traditional settings.

We'll continue sharing updates as these conversations progress, and we're grateful to everyone who has helped move this vision forward.

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Get Involved

Facing Giants was never intended to be built by one person. It was created to bring together people who believe stronger families and communities are built through connection, collaboration, and shared responsibility.

Whether you're a provider, educator, nonprofit leader, business owner, creative, parent, volunteer, or simply someone with an idea that could make a difference, we'd love to connect.

Sublet With Us

We're currently welcoming a small number of providers interested in subletting office, Play Room, Sensory Room, or program space within our collaborative, trauma-responsive environment. If you're looking to expand your private practice while becoming part of a supportive professional community, we'd love to show you around.

➡️ Interested in subletting?
Click below to complete our Sublet Interest Form.

Explore Subletting

Lead a Program or Group

Some of the best ideas come from people who recognize a need and decide to do something about it.

We're actively looking for facilitators who are passionate about expanding access, breaking down barriers, and creating meaningful opportunities for children, families, and adults. Whether you're interested in leading a workshop, support group, educational series, wellness offering, creative program, or another community initiative, we'd love to hear your ideas.

You don't have to be a licensed provider—you simply need a heart for serving others and a program that aligns with the mission and values of Facing Giants.

➡️ Interested in facilitating?
Click below to complete our Facilitator Interest Form.

Become a Facilitator

Partner With Us

We also partner with businesses, churches, nonprofits, civic organizations, and community groups looking for meaningful ways to invest in children and families.

Partnerships can take many forms—from sponsoring parent-child experiences or educational resources to collaborating on community events or expanding access for families who may not otherwise be able to participate.

If your organization shares our vision of reducing isolation, strengthening families, and creating healthier communities, we'd love to start a conversation.

➡️ Interested in partnering?
Email us at [email protected]

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Looking Ahead

We're excited about what's on the horizon.

Several community leaders are currently developing programs that we anticipate launching in late summer and early fall, including:

• Social-emotional learning workshops for children and mothers
• Parent-child emotional skill-building groups
• Energy practice offerings
• Creative expression workshops
• Co-parenting communication workshops
• Single mothers support group
• Additional community education and family workshops

As these programs become available, newsletter subscribers will be among the first to know.

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Support the Mission

Facing Giants has been built through the generosity, encouragement, and belief of this community.

If you believe in creating spaces that strengthen families, support children, foster connection, and expand access to meaningful resources, we'd love to invite you to become a sponsor.

Whether you choose to support a specific initiative or contribute to our general mission, your partnership helps us continue building innovative, relationship-centered programming that works alongside—and sometimes beyond—traditional systems.

Every sponsorship helps create more opportunities for hope, connection, and resilience in our community.

Ready to help expand access? Explore our sponsorship opportunities below.

Facing Giants General Sponsorship

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With Gratitude

To everyone who has supported Facing Giants from the beginning, and to everyone who has joined along the way: thank you.

Thank you to the families who have trusted this space, the providers who are helping it grow, the volunteers who have offered their time, the sponsors who are investing in access, the community partners who keep opening doors, and the people who continue sharing our mission with others.

Meaningful community is not built overnight. It grows one relationship, one conversation, and one act of courage at a time.

Helping individuals, families, and communities move from isolation to connection, from survival to stability, and from hardship to hope.

If you have questions, ideas, or would like to collaborate, please reply to this email. I would love to hear from you.

With gratitude,
Caroline Fithen, MA
Founder & Executive Director
Facing Giants