TRC is a multi-disciplinary group of professionals that includes therapists, child/adolescent psychiatrists, forensic specialists, pediatricians, educators, graduate students (social work and medical), academics, a nutritionist, a peer specialist, and psychologists.
The group was spearheaded by Dr. Susie Wiet, who for the past twelve years has worked with victims whose traumas have led into addiction. Her vision is to grow community awareness about the effects and identification of trauma while building resiliency for earlier intervention and healing. The long-term goal is reduction then prevention of interpersonal trauma across the life-span.
TRC first convened in May 2014. By August, its members voted to host an educational symposium for professionals who work with the public. A robust speaker panel comprised of national and local experts was assembled for the October 15, 2014 Health and Resiliency Symposium: Building a Trauma Informed Community, and was modeled after the successful Academy on Violence and Abuse symposium held in Ohio in April 2014.
Each presenter received the highest marks on surveys; the afternoon concluded with two extremely well-received panel discussions:
- a survivor panel that focused on how professionals missed signs of trauma that could have led to earlier recovery, and
- a state agency panel that reflected on the take-away principles addressed during the day of education.
The all-day symposium “sold out” with over 150 attendees within two weeks. The day was free of charge and was generously sponsored by non-profit organizations, professional associations, and private and public sector donations. Follow-up surveys are maintaining and expanding connections throughout the state.
TRC is now on a mission to continue community collaborations and is structured as a hybrid of active dinner meetings (every other month) and ad-hoc project-focused committees (interim months). The first TRC ad-hoc project will be a collaborative with the Utah State Office of Education that will focus on educating the educators on trauma and resiliency; it is led by Carol Anderson.
TRC has partnered with the Trauma-Informed Care Network of Utah (TICN-U), founded in January 2014 by Kristan Warnick; it provides educational seminars for therapists that will close the gap between therapy and medicine.
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