June 2020

This week's "Breaking the Silence with Dr. Gregory Williams" will be a very special Father's Day Edition. Greg will be giving the world a "glimpse" into his private journal and speak on the topic: "FATHERHOOD: My Faults & My Thoughts." This show will feature his innermost thoughts of growing up with an abusive father that sexually abused him every day of his childhood until his 17th birthday. Dr. Williams will be sharing how the impact of that kind of trauma and abuse forged the patterns...

By Ernest Owens, The New York Times, May 26, 2020 During a recent session conducted over Zoom, my therapist told me I was “glowing.” In the middle of a pandemic. I struggled to explain why until she prodded, “No crazy experiences with white people this month?” “Not that I can immediately recall,” I replied. That’s when it became clear: I’m doing better these days because staying home alone and practicing social distancing has meant I’m avoiding many of the racist encounters that used to...

By Washington Post Staff, The Washington Post, June 8, 2020 The video of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis triggered protests across the United States and brought renewed attention to ongoing concerns about systemic racism in the criminal justice system. The slaying, in the midst of a pandemic that has disproportionately infected and killed black people , has exposed long-standing racial inequities in every aspect of American life. To help provide context...

By Traci Pedersen, PsychCentral, June 11, 2020 Women who experienced childhood trauma are more likely to become mothers at a younger age than those with a more stable childhood, according to a new Finnish study of girls who had been exposed to the trauma of war. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, support evolutionary theory which states that people living in an unstable environment with high mortality rates are better off reproducing sooner rather than taking the...

By David Kelly, Chronicle of Social Change, June 12, 2020 If we learn only one lesson from the pandemic, it must be that family is essential. Not just our own family or families that look like ours do, but all families. We should not need a public health crisis to remind us of this simple and very human truth. Most of us realize, although perhaps may not always fully appreciate, just how vital family is in our lives. Relationships can be complicated, and we might not always get along with...

Traumatic events can deeply impact a person’s ability to feel safe and secure in the world. Mental health professionals, especially those who are trauma-informed, understand the significance and prevalence of trauma, and they aim to respond to the unique client needs for physical, psychological, and emotional safety. It is estimated that 50-90% of people seeking mental health care have experienced one or more forms of trauma in their lifetime (CDC & Kaiser Permanente, 1995-2011); this is...

By Noah Lanard, June 15, 2020, Mother Jones He’d survived cancer and kidnapping. Now he was up against Trump and the pandemic. On April 13, Raúl Luna González told his sister Margarita Albarrán Luna that he was trying to hide symptoms of COVID-19 from the staff of the Louisiana immigration detention center where he was being held. People with fevers at the Richwood Correctional Center were being moved to solitary confinement while they awaited test results. Luna had survived too much to risk...

By Bob Koigi, Fair Planet, May 6, 2020 Growing up in Rwanda in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, 19 children out of several hundred living in the Imbabazi Orphanage were given the gift of learning photography with the U.S.-based nonprofit Through the Eyes of Children. Many of the children were just eight years old when the project began and had never ever seen a camera before. The workshops were held over 11 years with the same children. The resulting photographs — which are believed to...

The Vagal Nerve is the longest cranial nerve controlling a human’s inner nerve center, the parasympathetic nervous system. It oversees a vast range of vital functions communicating sensory input from outside triggers to the rest of the body. Polyvagal theory emphasizes the evolutionary development of two systems: the parasympathetic nervous system which is ultimately connected to the vagal nerve and the sympathetic nervous system.

Trauma, Attachment and Relationships Understanding trauma, attachment and relationships are important concepts to consider when operating from a trauma-informed approach. The world is experiencing many traumatic events at this time and no doubt, therapists will have a lot to assist with as we continue to work through these problems and deal with the aftermath both personally and professionally. As many of us know, the therapeutic relationship is a crucial component when operating from a...

Dana Brown, California's ACEs Science Statewide Facilitator, and Tracie Travers , Jobs for Maine's Graduates, JAG Main State Trainer, discuss the importance of acknowledging fear, loss, and vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes: Tips to build resilience Self-care strategies Multiple resources with hyperlinks are provided in this video designed to support school partners and their employees as they support students and communities. Video Link: Collective Trauma Healing...

By Melody T. McCloud, PsychCentral, June 10, 2020 It is past-time that this be publicly said: The term “African-American” is a misnomer for native-born Black Americans; and the media, and many Black Americans, need to stop using it . When you hear “African-American,” do you think of Charlize Theron, Elon Musk, Sienna Miller, or J.R.R. Tolkien? Probably not . You probably think of people naturally-blessed with various, rich skin tones; people who look like me, no tanning beds required. But...