Northwest Austin Edition | June 2022

NONPROFIT

BY KAITLYN WILKES

2022 HEALTH CARE EDITION

Children are given the opportunity to learn about their parents’ illness or injury through medical tools.

Outreach and Development Director Nicole Halder uses her experience as a former client in her current role.

The playroom gives children ways to process their emotions and meet others going through similar situations.

KAITLYN WILKESCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

COURTESY WONDERS & WORRIES

Wonders & Worries Nonprot oers families coping tools for trauma N icole Halder said she has seen the work that Wonders & Worries, which serves

Wonders & Worries provides free professional support for children and teenagers coping with a parent’s illness. The center also provides resources for parents and professionals who wish to help or learn from Wonders & Worries. MAKING MEMORIES AND FINDING FEELINGS

• Individual and group sessions • New Wonderers six-session groups • No Worries monthly check-in groups CHILDREN AND TEENS • Parent consultations and classes • Recommended reading list PARENTS • Continuing education • Becoming a registered provider • WonderChat webinars PROFESSIONALS

are services for parents and profes- sionals to help talk about illnesses and injuries, continuing education and getting certications. The skills that families learn through Wonders & Worries also translate to helping them in their personal and profes- sional lives, Halder said. Halder said the skills her daughter learned through her six weeks at Wonders & Worries are used as a high school student, such as recognizing when she is anxious and knowing healthy coping mechanisms. Halder said the child life specialists at Wonders & Worries empowered her daughter by giving her the skills she needed to work through her emotions. Halder and her husband also received parenting classes that allowed their entire family to gain the communication skills they needed even after their time as clients. In the future, Wonders & Worries aims to be available in some capacity to everyone in the nation to be able to give families the resources they need when they need it.

• Family events • Bereavement support • Teen mobile app

families that have parents facing a life-changing illness or injury, does from many angles. She rst came to the nonprot as a client, then as a board member and board president, and now as outreach and development director. Halder joined Wonders & Worries in 2009 when her oldest daughter needed help processing Halder’s heart and thyroid conditions. She decided to stay as a board member because she had time to dedicate to the organization’s mission. Wonders & Worries has seven locations, serving the greater Austin, Houston and San Antonio commu- nities. The organization began in Austin, and its original location is on Burnet Road near US 183. Wonders & Worries helps chil- dren through one-on-one or group sessions and learning about their parents’ injury or illness through real and fake medical toys. There also

• Parenting podcast • Helpline (1-844-WE-WONDER)

• Research • Information on child development

“WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE PATH YOUR LIFE TAKES, ALL THOSE LITTLE PIECES, THEY BROUGHT ME TO WHERE I AM NOW.” NICOLE HALDER, OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Wonders & Worries 9101 Burnet Road, Ste. 205, Austin 512-329-5757 Helpline: 1-844-WE-WONDER www.wondersandworries.org Hours: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

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Rising inflation is forcing local families to make hard choices. They are calling United Way for help with food, housing, transportation, and more. Donate today at unitedwayaustin.org/giveunited to help us answer every call.

NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION • JUNE 2022