Adverse Childhood Experiences course [TheAlpenaNews.com]

Hi Robert,

I must have talked to 1000 different people in small groups of 1, 2 up to 15 (and I suffer from social anxiety - only when it comes to speaking about this topic, I am no longer anxious). The paper just put in AM info. There is a PM  program too for everyone in town who wants to come. It is funny some folks get the concept of starting small to build a trauma informed community and some put their hands up and say "this is too big to handle".   Everyone who listens gasps and there is always an energetic discussion afterwards.

I keep saying start small. Small is how everything major is done.  I, who really need to loose some weight (which I started gaining 5 years ago after my brother started showing signs of psychosis), won't loose it all tomorrow.... The long term goals are worth it for the kids here and the levels of infant mortality (and shaken baby) we have which is well above the national average can only be decreased if we start to change the nature and the culture of the community and only by starting small otherwise there will be too much resistance. Starting small, others can join as we go along and those that think this is too big to handle have time to digest that there is much each one acting alone can do- but collective impact is greater.

I guess Monday I'm going with my power point directly to the paper.... That's where Alpena Democrats told me to go yesterday (on my Birthday) after I gave them a presententation -- no powerpoint this time.  There were only about 9 people present at a table in the back room at a local restaurant. I gave the talk as I know it by heart-- nothing is absolutely memorized because it doesn't have to be --- go with the flow of the Audience-- there were two lawyers present who kept questioning me as if I was on the stand -- I did really good in continuing my persistent discussion of the same idea… we have to start slow and steady…. I didn't know they were lawyers until after the event and the head of the party told me that is why she thought I kept getting grilled so much. It was okay to me though, as best as I can, I believe people do deserve answers and I am honest as I can be.  One gentleman though at the end looked at me and earnestly said "I guess I shouldn't call my grandson a dummy anymore."  I could tell he was very serious and was really thinking internally what ACEs exposure to his grandchildren could mean.  That is the kind of thought I would like people to go away with and with the education, even in individual lives and families, change can occur. t keep working to educate this little cold and snowy rural area of NE Michigan about ACEs and how working together little by little... big changes and growth can happen for us all! Thanks Robert!!

Seeing as the course is being offered at Alpena.....It would appear that things there are moving in a positive direction.....Kudos to "the planning committee" ! ! !    I would welcome seeing any public course syllabus materials, as well as hearing how the course and discussion (and noon luncheon) went. Thank You.