Tagged With "Avoidance of Relationships"
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PLAYING FOR KEEPS Festival Schedule + UCLA Health Equity Panel [kpjrfilms.co]
PLAYING FOR KEEPS The upside of downtime The latest documentary feature film from KPJR FILMS rolls into virtual festivals nationwide. Consider the official definition of play: engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose. And yet hard science and deep wisdom tell us that play is neither silly nor impractical. The desire to engage in enjoyable experiences for their own sake is hard-wired into the brains of all mammals, and humans are no exception.
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For Survivors of Childhood Trauma: How To Find REAL LOVE
For people who were abused and neglected in childhood, one of the cruelest ways the damage shows up is in romantic relationships. Too many of us go through life either alone, or in relationships where we’re not loved, not safe, and not happy. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you have Childhood PTSD and you’re wondering why you keep attracting people who are either dysfunctional, unavailable or abusive -- you’re going to want to read this... READ FULL BLOG POST or.. WATCH THE VIDEO ON...
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Art and Trauma: Creativity As a Resiliency & Healing Factor
Art and Trauma: Creativity As a Resiliency & Healing Factor I have long believed that all of the creative arts are healing. I was drawn to music because it made me feel good, first just listening, then learning to play the drums and then performing in rock bands. Later in life, learning the guitar and singing along with songwriting. Sadly, trauma disconnects so many of us from our creative outlets...finding the ways to reconnect with our creative selves goes a long ways in healing the...
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Art and Trauma: Creativity As a Resiliency & Healing Factor
Art and Trauma: Creativity As a Resiliency & Healing Factor I have long believed that all of the creative arts are healing. I was drawn to music because it made me feel good, first just listening, then learning to play the drums and then performing in rock bands. Later in life, learning the guitar and singing along with songwriting. Sadly, trauma disconnects so many of us from our creative outlets...finding the ways to reconnect with our creative selves goes a long ways in healing the...
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Healthcare providers learn skills to prevent burnout, build resilience
It’s an enormous understatement to say that healthcare workers today are suffering. Every day, you hear interviews with nurses, physicians, social workers, and others in healthcare saying they’re pushed to the breaking point and beyond. But, by using skills taught in the Community Resiliency Mode l (CRM), even people under severe stress can weather the onslaught, do their work, and get along with colleagues. CRM is an evidence-based training program that’s being used by millions of people in...
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Join the Compassion in Therapy Summit: A Free Online Training with Awake Network January 30th—February 3
The free 2021 Compassion in Therapy Summit co-produced by The Awake Network and The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion begins Saturday, January 30th! If you or someone you care about is a therapist, social worker, clinician, psychologist, counselor, or anyone else working in mental health or you want to learn more about applying self-compassion to your own well-being, please check it out below and help spread the word! Join this FREE online event and learn mindfulness, self-compassion, and...
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Join us for Choose Love Awareness Month for Hope, Healing, and Connection
As we are all living under the mandate of social distancing we find almost everyone struggling with the ethos of our current stressful environment. As human beings, we were created to connect with one another. Our brains have mirror neurons that help us socialize and communicate by reading the expressions of others. The famous evolutionist Charles Darwin concluded that it would be those who were most ‘sympathetic’ to each other, in other words generous, altruistic, and compassionate, that...
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List of Books, Therapies & Resources for Healing Chronic Illness and Other Effects of Trauma (Free Downloadable PDF)
These are the books, therapies and resources I wish I'd known about when I was a family doctor and when I first started getting sick with what would turn out to be a disabling chronic illness. This compilation includes the most helpful resources I’ve found over the past 20 years of learning about the science of adversity, why it's not psychological and how to heal the effects of trauma.
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Compassionate Leadership Online Training
Online Compassionate Leadership Online Training focused on leading teams who work in high-stress and trauma-exposed environments starting in March. The Compassionate Leadership Online Program will give you the skills and knowledge needed to cultivate a culture of compassion within your teams and organization. It is a series of 5 2-hour long sessions and runs from March-May 2021. This program is led by experts in the field of compassionate leadership - Cambria Walsh, Consultant and Trainer on...
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How adverse childhood experiences or ACEs impact your current wellbeing
Often, people who have a history of trauma in childhood find themselves struggling to flourish in adulthood. Trauma affects the brain in ways that can make you more likely to experience difficulty when faced with emotionally stressful and demanding situations in your relationships, at work, and as a parent. Throughout my life, both growing up and as an adult, I’ve faced a number of challenging life experiences, stressors, and traumas, and I understand this struggle on a deep, intrinsic...
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The Friend of Love
This article was originally posted on the Forward-Facing Institute Blog written by Rebekah Brown The Friend of Love - Resiliency My best friend is moving away. She’d been dropping hints for months, but I decided to retreat behind a wall of denial and hope for the best. The best was not to be. Ellen is moving, and there isn’t anything I can do about it. We had our share of joyous events over the time we had together. Once, a seafood company sent $300’s worth of prime, unreturnable Maryland...
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What Science Reveals About Gratitude’s Impact on the Brain (mindful.org)
New research sheds light on the physiology of gratitude, bringing us closer to being able to understand and harness the health benefits of this powerful emotion. How Gratitude Strengthens the Mind-Body Connection Given the clear relationship between mental and physical health, I thought that understanding what happens in the brain when we feel gratitude could tell us more about the mind-body connection—namely, how feeling positive emotion can improve bodily functions. I also thought these...
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The Method For Receiving Infinite Support and The Power of Gratitude and Appreciation
Those who struggle with ACE’s have a tendency to focus on the negative as a means of self-protection. We fear opening our hearts because of the brutality we experienced in early childhood when our hearts were already open. It takes a tremendous amount of inner work to free our energy from continuing to produce the false barrier of protection, which constitutes our barrier to experiencing all of the love and joy and support that we long for. In this article I offer an alternative view that...
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Healing Is Never a Solo Journey
Developing intimate connection with even one other person can create fertile soil for social transformation.
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What Does “Tough Compassion” Look Like in Real Life? (greatgood.berkeley.edu)
Tough compassion means speaking up, setting boundaries, and making uncomfortable choices for the greater good. On a podcast episode , psychologist and GGSC founding director Dacher Keltner described the idea, explaining how some contemplatives practice a form of kindness with a decided edge. “In the deeper traditions of compassion, like a lot of the Buddhist traditions, they have an idea of tough compassion—to step in and, in a good way, guide the person to a different form of behavior or...
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A Strengths-Based Approach Brings HOPE to ACEs
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its first in a series of reports called “Snapshots” after polling 3,000+ parents about their experiences during the pandemic. Surprisingly, while many of the findings were concerning, most people reported a deepening relationship with their children despite the stress and tension they were experiencing.
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The Power of Prayer and Meditation
“The minds who spend hours worshiping God in prayer and meditation are different yet more blessed than others.” – Barbara Bradley Hagerty The power of prayer and meditation cannot be overlooked. In today’s busy life, the importance of meditation and prayer has increased multifold. Not only do they bring much-needed peace to the increasingly materialistic mind, but they also enhance character traits that are essential for success in life. Prayer and meditation are the ways to know the meaning...
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The most important thing you can do with your kids? Play with them! says Dr. Bruce Perry
“The most important thing you can do with your children is play with them!” said Dr. Bruce Perry, noted child psychiatrist and author. He was answering the question, “How do we prepare our children to go back to school next fall?” Perry, a brain expert specializing in how children are impacted by trauma, gave a presentation on his neuro-sequential model of brain development to more than 800 people at an Austin Ed Fund event Monday evening. The co-author, with Oprah Winfrey, of the new book...
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Horses Teach Us How to Connect on a Human Level
I have always loved horses. When I was a young girl I collected plastic Breyer model horses, read books about horses, and even watched television shows that had an equine theme. I think it is their exquisite beauty, their inherent wild nature, and the vulnerable and trusting relationship between horse and rider that is the attraction. I purchased my first horse when I was twelve, spending a year cutting lawns, weeding, and babysitting, eventually raising enough money along with my parents’...
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How Exercise May Help Us Flourish [nytimes.com]
By Gretchen Reynolds, The New York Times, May 12, 2021 Our exercise habits may influence our sense of purpose in life and our sense of purpose may affect how much we exercise, according to an interesting new study of the reciprocal effects of feeling your life has meaning and being often in motion. The study, which involved more than 18,000 middle-aged and older men and women, found that those with the most stalwart sense of purpose at the start were the most likely to become active over...
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A Better Normal: Practicing Resilience | Witnessing Ourselves: Grief & Self-Care in Times of COVID-19 Transition
Please join us for our next A Better Normal: Practicing Resilience episode, a live Zoom event! In A Better Normal we imagine and create a PACEs science-informed world together. In Practicing Resilience we fill up our own cups with healing practices for ourselves. Witnessing Ourselves: Grief & Self-Care in Times of COVID-19 Transition Thursday, June 17th, 2021 | Noon to 1pm PDT Live on Zoom | Hosted by Gail Kennedy and Lara Kain Guest: Sandra J. Valdes-Lopez, MDiv, CA, TCTSY-F, RYT...
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A Solution to the Desperate Need to Belong
As humans, we have a basic, primal need to belong. Belonging is defined as ‘the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group . It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to others, including friendships, family and work.’ Feeling disconnected, unimportant, or not cared about can translate into feelings of loneliness. This has led to much of the suffering our society is experiencing today. Cigna...
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Taking a Vacation Might Save Your Life [discovermagazine.com]
By Leslie Nemo, Discover, August 11, 2021 Vacations are about more than dips into the pool or long naps (though those are nice). The time away from work and possibly spent with loved ones is good for our physical and mental health, as study after study shows. Sure, researchers can’t account for how every vacation detail might change how people feel when they clock back into work, says Brooks Gump, a public health researcher at Syracuse University. “The quality of the vacation, the length of...
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My Biggest Insight of the Summer (Healing Complex PTSD and Chronic Illness)
Spring in my garden is a riot of color. I caught the above pic of my poppies just past their peak after deciding to replace them and wanting to document the process. Because uprooting a cheery, bright colored plant that makes me happy in order to take the chance that something else might do an even better job can feel, as a friend of mine once quipped, "fraught with peril." And that's what it can feel like when we are in the process of healing. When, instead of believing that this is the...
Member
Rachel Groth
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Reimagining Resilience workshop series - Nov. daytime & evening options
Reimagining Resilience 1: Using a Trauma Lens November daytime option - Mondays, 11/8, 15, & 29 11am - 12:15pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/194069215247 November evening option - Tuesdays, 11/9, 16, & 30 5pm - 6:15pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/180398666267 You will leave this training series with a deeper knowledge of trauma’s impact on developing brains, a better analysis of your own behavior and triggers, and concrete next steps to improve your relationships with kids. The course...
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Self Care and Resilience
Self-Care and Its Importance for Relationship Intense Fields Self-care is incredibly important for new members in the counseling field, and overall for any field that is relationship intense. A relationship intense field is any field that requires the practitioner to form a strong relationship or bond with their client in order to complete their job. Examples of these positions are; nurses, counselors, teachers, healthcare providers, or social workers. Self-care is a part of creating a...
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The Importance of Choosing Love Every Day
February is a special month – it’s Choose Love Awareness Month! It’s time to celebrate love and focus on our ability to choose love in our lives! For 28 days the Choose Love Movement shares daily action tips on ways you can bring more ‘Nurturing Healing Love’ to yourself and others all month long and beyond. We also share how you can live a Choose Love lifestyle by incorporating the Choose Love Formula into your daily life: Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action = Choosing...
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WEBINAR: Strengthening Social-Emotional Wellbeing for Youth in Care
In today's uncertain times, many youth experience housing insecurity, unstable or unsafe relationships, and toxic stress. Social and emotional wellbeing can help these young people overcome adversity, heal from trauma, and build resilience, thereby increasing their hopes for the future. Learning and practicing mindfulness skills can be the pathway to increasing self-regulation, building healthy relationships, and increasing resilience. The question is how can youth move towards social and...
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Nightmares and ACEs: They No Longer Need Rule the Night
Recurring nightmares lead to much needless suffering for survivors of adverse childhood experiences—suffering that goes well beyond disturbed sleep. Five steps help take back the night.
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Stress is Contagious: How to Stop the Spread & Regain Your Health
Stop the spread...of STRESS! Stress is not only triggered by external or internal factors. You can also pick up stress from social interactions – spouse, other household members, colleagues, etc. – usually referred to as emotional contagion. Learn how to stop the spread of stress and regain your health.
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Brené Brown shares her heartfelt thoughts on how long grief should last (upworthy.com)
One of the most challenging things about dealing with grief is the feeling that it will never end. After losing a loved one or at the end of a relationship, we feel that something is missing in our lives and fear that hole could remain forever. This feeling of sorrow can linger for months while we cycle through the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. “How long does true grief last in the heart?” a fan asked Brown. “As long as it takes,” Brown replied. “We...
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The Mirroring Between Individual and Collective Trauma Healing
Remembering past trauma begins the “re-membering” process of taking our fragmented pieces and putting them back together. This applies to individuals with trauma, as well as the collective traumas we experience in societies and our world. Remembering trauma is a growth process because the memories open the door to putting all the pieces together which leads to our healing. We know that our physiological reactions to trauma are held in our bodies and DNA. As individuals, before we can begin...
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The Importance of Supportive Relationships with Fighting Back Santa Maria
For the final week of Child Abuse Prevention Month, our stress-busting strategy is Supportive Relationships. Supportive relationships make a significant impact on our social, emotional and physical well-being. Renowned psychiatrist and trauma expert, Dr. Bruce Perry writes, “The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.” We will be highlighting the...
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Underground Shame from Adverse Childhood Experiences: Understanding Prepares the Heart to Heal
New understanding of the brain provides hope for breaking the painful grip of shame that’s imprinted in childhood and continues to affect adults. Rewiring shame calls for more than the traditional left brain approaches.
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Financial Security and Violence Prevention: Survivor Wealth and Wellness!
Thursday, July 28th, 2022 at 10:30 am - 12:00 pm PST, ValorUS is hosting a web conference on Financial Security and Violence Prevention. This web conference is designed for staff who have basic knowledge of sexual violence and intimate partner violence and are interested in learning about the connections between interpersonal violence and financial security. This training will support an exploration of participants' relationship with money, how this shows up in life and work, and ways to...
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The Relentless School Nurse: Believe in the Difference You Make & Set Boundaries!
(*Editor's note: Rutgers–Camden lecturer inducted into the National Academy of School Nursing ) Did I ever tell you that I LOVE snail mail, especially handwritten notes sent through the mail? The other day I sorted through the mail and found three cards! One was from Mom's Demand Action thanking me for speaking at a recent rally. One was from Jeanne Kiefner, a school nursing treasure who will be our forever "Head Nurse," thanking me for spending time together during our recent NASN...
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48-Hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program
Iya Affo & Heal Historical Trauma Presents New!! 48-HOUR HISTORICAL TRAUMA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION in collaboration with THE INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATION We are the only entity offering a comprehensive, 48-hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program. The Program is broken into 6 levels and is built on a foundation of BIPOC cultures and neurobiology. It is taught from a multicultural perspective, injecting traditions and ideology from various cultures from...
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Growth through trauma
There is growth through trauma. Hard as it is, there IS growth through trauma. Very often, we do not see it at the time. It is not until we reflect on what happened and find possible reasons why we faced a flashback or responded so badly to a trigger. I have been forcing myself to attend the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care hearings because I wanted to discover WHY professionals working in our State institutions would cause harm to children and youth. I wanted to discover WHY they...
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9 Ways to Embody Trauma-Informed Values
Throughout our last several blogs, we’ve explored the broader themes of how to accomplish trauma-informed cultural change. We’ve also discussed how embodying trauma-informed values is essential to accomplishing that change. But what does embodying trauma-informed values look like in real time? How are we practicing the values in our personal and professional lives? How do the concepts we discuss become embedded and embodied in our work? Today, we’ll give you concrete examples of how to...
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A Sound Healing Grief Ritual for the Climate Crisis with Eric Bowers
When we don’t have support and space to grieve significant losses, the grief stays stuck inside us and takes a toll on our mental and physical health.
Member
Sallie Prewitt
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Announcing The Connections Matter Academy - Videos to Help Teens Cope with Trauma
The Connections Matter Academy is a set of engaging videos designed to educate young people about trauma and how it impacts their life. We created it to inspire teens to begin their healing process, break the cycle of intergenerational trauma, and reach their highest potential through healthy connections with others. What exactly is The Connections Matter Academy? An educational, inclusive, and entertaining animated series to help teens and young adults cope with trauma Co-created by Beth...
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Reciprocal Authenticity
You can view the original post on Rise to Resilience from August 17, 2022 here . I named “reciprocal authenticity” to one of my closest friends, Leona, on December 11, 2021. I’ve thought about and referenced it a lot since then, in a number of contexts. I knew a blog was percolating in my mind, body, and soul, but the Just Right start to it hadn’t arrived yet. Then I received these messages from another close friend: If I had to pick three words to describe you, they might include Wholesome...
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How to Increase Your Sense of Control and Boost Your Resilience
When I look back, I am amazed at how differently I dealt with adversity during the first few decades of my life. Growing up in a stressful home primed me to experience life with caution. Whether it was being afraid of physical harm, loneliness, or failure, I’ve lived my life with an exaggerated fight-flight response to everything. Adversity seemed around every corner, and no one was ever there to save me. I developed maladaptive mechanisms to minimize, avoid, or go around the things I was...
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💗 Get A FREE Copy of My NEW Book - It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD
Hi Everyone! The good news is after seven years, with a five year break (AKA stall-out), I have finally finished my new book and have titled it: It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD Although my book won't be available to the general public until its launch date on Feb 21 st , 2023, I am offering FREE advance reader copies to a limited amount of people this week. Below is a summary of what my book's about and how to qualify to get a free copy this week.