Ellison Center

05/28/2026

At times, all caregivers feel lost about what their child might need. Imagine what it might feel like if you were able to make sense of what your child was really asking from you. The Circle of Security® Parenting™ program is based on decades of research about how secure caregiver-child relationships can be supported and strengthened.

Ellison Center will be offering a Circle of Security Class on Wednesday afternoons from noon to 1:00pm and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, starting June 3rd to July 29th, 2026.

Learning Objectives of the Class:
🔵 Learn to understand your child’s emotional world and needs
🔵 Support your child’s ability to manage emotions
🔵 Enhance development of your child’s self-esteem
🔵 Honor your innate desire for your child to be secure in their relationship with you

Classes in English:
WEDNESDAYS, June 3-July 29 12-1pm or 6:30-7:30pm

Clase en español:
Lunes, Junio 8-Julio 27 6:00-7:30pm

Location: Virtual
Cost: No cost thanks to grant funding!
Who: Parents, Caregivers, Foster Parents, and Guardians
Registration: Scan the QR Code or see links in bio!

05/28/2026

At times, all caregivers feel lost about what their child might need. Imagine what it might feel like if you were able to make sense of what your child was really asking from you. The Circle of Security® Parenting™ program is based on decades of research about how secure caregiver-child relationships can be supported and strengthened.

Ellison Center will be offering a Circle of Security Class on Wednesday afternoons from noon to 1:00pm and Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, starting June 3rd to July 29th, 2026.

Learning Objectives of the Class:

🔵 Learn to understand your child’s emotional world and needs
🔵 Support your child’s ability to manage emotions
🔵 Enhance development of your child's self-esteem
🔵 Honor your innate desire for your child to be secure in their relationship with you

Classes in English:
WEDNESDAYS, June 3-July 29
12-1pm or 6:30-7:30pm

Clase en español:
Lunes, Junio 8-Julio 27
6:00-7:30pm

Location: Virtual
Cost: No cost thanks to grant funding!
Who: Parents, Caregivers, Foster Parents, and Guardians
Registration: Scan the QR Code or see below!

Register for Class in English Here ➡️ https://forms.gle/kPTadPbZVXaaiLy79

Inscribirse en la Clase en Español ➡️ https://forms.gle/xCJT8qQ8t7SFcSoa8

05/25/2026

Both of our locations will be closed today, Monday, May 25th, in honor of Memorial Day. We will be back to our normal hours of operation on May 26th!

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

05/16/2026

This is so exciting! Friends of Ellison Center and fans of the baseball team will be able to support the work we are doing with infant and early childhood mental health!

On June 3rd, in partnership with Newport Healthcare, the St. Cloud Rox are auctioning off special game-worn jerseys that are promoting Mental Health Awareness. Players will wear the special jerseys on Wednesday, June 3.

The auction will be open soon - 100% of all net proceeds will go to benefit Ellison Center.

You can find the link to look at the jerseys here: 2026mentalhealth.afrogs.org/ #/index

We are so grateful for this generosity - can’t wait to see you at the game!

05/15/2026

For National Mental Health Awareness Month, we at Ellison Center are focusing in on the needs of the youngest members of our community. Something that can have a significant impact on children’s mental health is screen time. This is a nuanced issue that so many parents and caregivers are aware of, and often they may need support in figuring out the right balance that will benefit the mental health and wellbeing of their children.

At Ellison Center, we want to take a wholistic approach in our work with young children who are experiencing mental health challenges, behavioral difficulties, and other emotional needs. One of the areas that parents can be aware of is their use of screen time with their small children, especially in the type of screen time. There is a difference between gaming, for example, and recreational/educational screen time! Parents can find healthy ways to create boundaries around screens, while also using technology in a way that benefits the whole family.

If parents or caregivers are in need of support for a child’s emotional and mental health needs, Ellison Center providers are here to offer their guidance and help. You can find out more about our various educational programs, therapy services, and other resources at our website - reach out if you have any questions. Our team would love to help!

Ellison Center Services: https://www.ellisoncenter.org/services

(Source: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2025/06/screen-time-problems-children)

05/12/2026

Today is National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day, and we would love for you to meet our incredible team of providers! Ellison Center is daily made a better place by the caring work of these amazing humans and we couldn’t be more thankful for their devotion to supporting the mental health needs of young children and caregivers!

05/12/2026

So excited for Summer Book Clubs with Ellison Center, starting in June! These virtual book clubs are NO GUILT! Whether you’ve completed the weekly reading or not, we would love to have you join the conversation so we can learn from one another. Participate at whatever level is most valuable to you.

More info about the book clubs are found here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSePF_54tISus7jxOQY2QgPzr0UDrG1StL9oz6cM0fKEXiDggQ/viewform

Hope to see you this summer!

05/11/2026

Please join us in welcoming Paul Tatro as the new Executive Director of Ellison Center!

Paul brings more than 20 years of nonprofit development experience to our organization, with a career dedicated to strengthening mission-driven nonprofits and building resources that support vulnerable populations across Minnesota.

Paul is passionate about the importance of early childhood and believes that supporting children from birth means supporting whole families. His commitment to making those supports accessible to everyone in our region aligns deeply with the mission and values of Ellison Center.

We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to the leadership, vision, and community connection Paul will bring to Ellison Center. Please join us in giving him a warm welcome!

05/10/2026

Welcome, Paul! We are so excited for this next chapter of Ellison Center 😁👏🏼

He succeeds Tracy Schriefels, who founded the organization in 2020 and served in the role for more than five years.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all who mother.

Today we honor moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, foster and adoptive moms, aunties, mentors, caregivers, chosen family, and every nurturing soul who leads with love and care.

Mothering is more than biology - it’s compassion, guidance, support, and showing up when it matters most.

To all who mother in any form: we celebrate you today.