Tip of the Week: PWSA (USA) Convention & Providers Conference, and the Importance of Positivity

Representatives from Latham Centers’ Children’s and Adult Services Programs traveled to Orlando, Florida for the PWSA (USA) 2019 National Convention this week. Patrice Carroll, LCSW, Latham’s Director of PWS Services, co-chaired the Professional Providers Conference on Thursday where approximately 100 providers from around the world learned from one another. Above are photos of Patrice, Lee Chamberlain (Vice President of Operations/COO), Brittni Kliment (Director of Program Marketing and Admissions), and Katrina Fryklund (Director of National Outreach), who spoke on panels and led round-table discussions including self-care, behavior management, vocational opportunities, human rights, and more.

Today was the start of the General Conference, in which approximately 1200 attended, representing the highest attendance ever at a PWSA (USA) conference.

The Keynote address focused on ‘maintaining positivity’ – something that we think is vital to all of us. Rick Guidotti of Positive Exposure gave an inspirational Keynote in which he said, “Change how you see, see how you change.” He travels around the world and takes photos of individuals of different abilities, boosting individuals’ confidence day-by-day. Two individuals with PWS, Griffin and Justice, spoke about their positive life-experiences and the importance of staying joyful and optimistic about the future. The speakers left our staff inspired with the concept of “self-acceptance = self-esteem = self-advocacy” (Rick Guidotti, https://positiveexposure.org/).

We hope to leave you with that TIP as well: stay positive, be optimistic, and always see the best in your loved one with PWS. Our next LivingHealthy Podcast will highlight how we stay positive at Latham Centers.

Patrice Carroll is Latham Centers’ world-renowned Prader-Willi syndrome specialist. She works with Latham’s residents with PWS, their families, and consultants, continuously learning and teaching about PWS best practices. Do you have questions for our PWS specialist? Submit your “tip” topics or general questions to TipTopics@LathamCenters.org.