Tagged With "Family Visit"
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The implicit bias of, “Mental Illness” and “mentally ill”, a lexicon of hurt.
How can we heal from the implicit bias of “ Mental Illness ” and “ mentally ill ”? I hear these words and it sounds like fingernails scraping down the chalkboard. “ The stain of dehumanization colors the mind, body and spirit and it is not so easily washed away.” - Michael Skinner Recently I read a blog post at the ACEsConnection website, “Erasing My ACES” by Sirena Wheeler. It was posted on April, 19, 2020. It struck a chord with me, many in fact and it put me on a spiral down memory lane.
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The implicit bias of, “Mental Illness” and “mentally ill”, a lexicon of hurt.
How can we heal from the implicit bias of “ Mental Illness ” and “ mentally ill ”? I hear these words and it sounds like fingernails scraping down the chalkboard. “ The stain of dehumanization colors the mind, body and spirit and it is not so easily washed away.” - Michael Skinner Recently I read a blog post at the ACEsConnection website, “Erasing My ACES” by Sirena Wheeler. It was posted on April, 19, 2020. It struck a chord with me, many in fact and it put me on a spiral down memory lane.
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The New Science of Empathy and Empaths (drjudithorloff.com)
Empathy is when we reach our hearts out to others and put ourselves in their shoes. However, being an empath goes even farther. Like many of my patients and myself, empaths are people who’re high on the empathic spectrum and actually feel what is happening in others in their own bodies. As a result, empaths can have incredible compassion for people–but they often get exhausted from feeling “too much” unless they develop strategies to safeguard their sensitivities and develop healthy...
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To Heal CPTSD, Do You Need to Love Yourself?
One of the messages that’s been drilled into us by popular culture is that “you have to love yourself before you can love someone else.” This is something people tell you when you get your heart broken and you feel like you must be… no good! And for a lot of years, every time I heard this I felt like a different species than everyone else. Because there were times when I didn’t particularly love myself – and here and there when I was younger, times when I hated myself. But there was a never...
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Triggered by the Holidays? [attachmenttraumanetwork.org]
From the blog manager [of the Attachment & Trauma Network blog] Many of us raising children affected by early trauma and attachment disorders know holiday stress all too well. Even the most well-meaning relatives can inflict additional pain, sometimes because they simply do not understand, other times because they cannot help but judge. Our decisions, our families, our lives, may look very different from what they dreamed, hoped, or expected. Old hurts get triggered and we find ourselves...
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Why Silence is So Good For Your Brain (dailygood.org)
We live in a loud and distracting world, where silence is increasingly difficult to come by -- and that may be negatively affecting our health. In fact, a 2011 World Health Organization report called noise pollution a "modern plague," concluding that "there is overwhelming evidence that exposure to environmental noise has adverse effects on the health of the population." As our internal and external environments become louder and louder, more people are beginning to seek out silence, whether...
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Are You Re-Traumatizing Yourself? 16 Things We Do That Can Set Us Back with Childhood PTSD
Part of the damage from abuse and neglect in childhood is what actually happened when we were kids. But a significant part of the problem today comes from what I call "Inside Traumas." These are self-defeating behaviors that are common to people who are frequently in a state of dysregulation. They start as an innocent attempt to feel calm and stable, but they can grow into significant traumas that cause real problems for us and others. If you'd like to learn about my online course, Healing...
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Call for Proposals Philadelphia Trauma Conference (March 6th)
CALL FOR PROPOSALS 4th Annual Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference Purposeful Action to Strengthen Families, Communities and Systems JULY 28-30, 2020 JEFFERSON'S EAST FALLS CAMPUS PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144 We are looking for: 90 minute presentations 3-hour intensive workshops, AND poster presentations Visit http://bit.ly/PTTCProposals to submit a proposal. DEADLINE: MARCH 6, 2020
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Children & Families COVID19 Resilience Brief 5: Music For Healing
Click on the pdf link for the full child-friendly article.
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CPTSD: How to Transform Fear, and Develop INNER STRENGTH
Now that the pandemic has us all in a crisis situation, we’re about to find out to find out who falls apart in a crisis, and who rises up to serve, lead and encourage others. The ones who shine are not always who we expected — have you noticed this? Here in California we’ve been sheltering in place for over two weeks now. Everywhere in the world, we’re trying to figure out how best to respond to the pandemic, how best to care for ourselves and the people we love. It’s a work in progress. For...
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Developing Super Powers: Using Resilience Strategies to Cope with Negative Experiences. Introducing CRI's Newest Book!
“I believe that everyone, especially a child, deserves to know how their brains are shaped by environment, to then understand their capacity for building proactive protective factors. We all deserve to be super heroes as we do the best we can to consciously live life well. ” - Teri Barila The superheroes we learn about in comics, movies, and TV shows swoop in to save the world with their incredible powers, to shield people from harm. But in our world, no matter how much we wish to protect...
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Dr. Bessel van der Kolk offers tips on how to help children and adults cope with Covid-19
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of the bestselling book, "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma," offers specific ways in which parents and caregivers can help children (and themselves) cope with the new (or residual) feelings of trauma that Covid-19 ignites. For more information visit Dr. van der Kolk's website at: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/ For a calming experience with Licia Sky, (Recommended by Dr. van der Kolk in this video) you can register for...
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Helping Someone with PTSD: Helping a Loved One While Taking Care of Yourself (www.helpguide.org/)
"PTSD can take a heavy toll on relationships. It can be hard to understand your loved one’s behavior—why they are less affectionate and more volatile. You may feel like you’re walking on eggshells or living with a stranger. You may have to take on a bigger share of household tasks, deal with the frustration of a loved one who won’t open up, or even deal with anger or disturbing behavior. The symptoms of PTSD can also lead to job loss, substance abuse, and other problems that affect the whole...
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How Making Music Can Help Students Cope with Trauma [KQED News]
By Juli Fraga, MindShift Podcast, KQED News, July 15, 2019 Studies about the Ten Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have shown that most people have experienced one of these traumas in childhood, such as being abused, having a parent who is incarcerated, experiencing homelessness, among others. The trauma one experiences in childhood can affect adult mental and physical health in later years, especially if a person has multiple ACEs. While the harm can have lasting impacts, health...
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Mind Matters: Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience Two-Day Intensive Training
with Author, Carolyn Rich Curtis, Ph.D. 8:30 AM–5:00 PM $399 for 2-day Intensive Training CEUs are available for an additional charge. Each trainee must have a copy of Mind Matters ($299 plus tax (CA and SD only) plus S/H) As a result of this training , you will learn to teach: Self-soothing skills to manage emotions Ways to analyze stressful thoughts How to deal with intrusive memories Ways to develop a protective lifestyle And you, as an instructor, will learn . . . How to provide a safe...
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Resources for ACEs Survivors
With the link between ACEs and health outcomes now firmly established, many people are asking how to help those who have survived ACEs. Often people are seeking written resources. Having developed resilience curricula that were piloted at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and taught to various high-risk populations, I’d like to suggest some resources. As an outgrowth of these trainings, I developed three books that are skills-based and experiential, since information alone...
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Sesame Street Resources for Families Coping After Natural Disasters
In the aftermath of recent hurricanes and wildfires, the Sesame Street in Communities team wanted to reach out to provide information on our available resources to help families cope in the aftermath of natural disasters, and other traumatic experiences. Bilingual videos, articles, printables and more, are all available for free on our website at www.sesamestreetincommunities.org . Here are the links to a few topic pages that may be most useful to you as you work with families in the...
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Seven Benefits of Working with a Therapy Animal from a Handler's Perspective
Sometimes I feel selfish for walking away from our therapy dog sessions with my heart overflowing with joy, a smile radiating from my face AND heart. I love watching this dog turn a child’s tears into giggles. Sammie has a thing for kids. Her tail wags every time she sees one. Whether we are walking the halls at a school or the trails at a nature preserve. She wants to meet them all and offer a snuggle. As a result, her tail thumps in canine happiness, and I just can’t help but grin.
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Seven Strategies I Use To Reregulate As Anxiety Symptoms Surface
So, how does Teri Wellbrock bring herself back into a state of calm once the anticipatory anxiety has been triggered? Here is Teri's personal go-to list. Please keep in mind she created this plan on a trial and error basis. She loaded her coping skills toolbox with exercises, fidgets, courses, books, therapy suggestions, and techniques discovered through personal research. Following is her top seven strategies, however, please note that she has a much larger bag-o-tricks to pull from if needed.
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Sheltering in Place: ACEs-Informed Tips for Self-Care During a Pandemic
Millions of lives have been affected in unprecedented ways by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are all grappling with uncertainty—our daily routines interrupted, not knowing what is to come. For those of us who have Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), these times can be particularly distressing. At the Center for Youth Wellness (CYW), we know that childhood trauma can have a significant impact on an individual’s health and well-being – both physiologically and psychologically. Since the...
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Some Trauma Really is Unspeakable. So These Women are Sewing Their Stories, Instead [washingtonpost.com]
By Rachel A. Cohen, The Washington Post, November 27, 2019 A 16-year-old girl was abducted, raped, beaten and held captive for months in Congo. She became pregnant and gave birth. In an effort to avoid the stigma and shame that this would bring upon her family and because she would not be eligible for any other marriage, her parents joined the perpetrators’ family in trying to force her to marry her abductor. Although she was expected to obey, she refused. The perpetrator’s family took her...
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Strengthening Families Framework TRAINERS
Thirty more individuals in the states of California, Indiana, and Alabama were just trained to be a trainer of the Strengthening Families Framework from the National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds. This is HUGE! That makes slightly over 1,000 total from the 50 states. But what happens now? We have newly trained trainers trying to reach out and converse with everyone and anyone, with local Health and Human Services Agencies, with local schools, fire departments and police...
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Zabie Yamasaki: Trauma-Informed Yoga (www.unite.us/videos/)
This is a short trauma-informed yoga practice led by Zabie Yamasaki. Yamasaki is founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga and the Program Director of Trauma-Informed Programs at UCLA.In this video, she invites us all to do a few moments of nervous system regulation. I had the honor of interviewing Zabie six years ago, and then publishing two pieces about trauma-informed yoga ,, post-traumatic stress healing, and survivor-led programs for trauma survivors. I've followed her work...
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Re: Helping Someone with PTSD: Helping a Loved One While Taking Care of Yourself (www.helpguide.org/)
Thank you for posting this! Thought you might like this article I wrote as well - https://brickelandassociates.c...vivor-relationships/
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Re: Helping Someone with PTSD: Helping a Loved One While Taking Care of Yourself (www.helpguide.org/)
Alfredo, this guide is so well done. It deserves to be shared widely. It seems that some of the tips, such as avoiding taking a blithe attitude toward someone's traumatic experience and stopping the person from talking about their feelings, could go far in preventing PTSD in the first place (in people who haven't already developed it, that is). Thanks for posting this here.
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Re: Helping Someone with PTSD: Helping a Loved One While Taking Care of Yourself (www.helpguide.org/)
The guide is EXCELLENT! Thank you to the creators and publishers and to Alfredo for sharing here. I am indebted.
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Re: Helping Someone with PTSD: Helping a Loved One While Taking Care of Yourself (www.helpguide.org/)
Thanks for sharing your article, Robyn. I always learn so much from your articles. And this information is helpful not only for the loved ones of trauma survivors, but, in my experience, also for the trauma survivors themselves. I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes I need a reminder that many of the difficulties I experience because of a history of trauma are deserving of some compassion and patience -- from myself.
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Re: Strengthening Families Framework TRAINERS
Sarah, this is exciting news and it sounds as if this training will put many more "foot soldiers" on the ground in the movement, if you will. Is there a link you can post with more information about the program?
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Re: Sesame Street Resources for Families Coping After Natural Disasters
Andrea, thank you so much for sharing these excellent resources here! I'd like to suggest that you share them with a couple of other ACEs Connection communities as well -- ACEs in Early Childhood and ACEs in Education . If you have questions or need more information, please let me know!
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Re: Some Trauma Really is Unspeakable. So These Women are Sewing Their Stories, Instead [washingtonpost.com]
Incredible project.
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Re: Resilience for Children & Families 8: Tough Feelings during Covid-19
These are great tips! Thank you for sharing!
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Resilience for Children & Families 8: Tough Feelings during Covid-19
This week we explore and address the difficult feelings children and youths are having right now as they hear so much confusing information. They may now start being personally affected not only by quarantine, but people getting sick. We hope these resilience briefs help the children and youths in your practice and lives.
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New YouTube Playlist with All of ACEs Connection's Elaine Miller-Karas Videos
It has been an honor to collaborate with the wonderful and wise Elaine Miller-Karas on 5 online events since I started working at ACEs Connection a year ago. The recordings of these events are our most popular videos on YouTube, with a combined total of over a thousand views. I have now compiled them into a single playlist on our YouTube Channel. >>Click here to visit the playlist<< The videos include: 1. Building Resilient Communities - August 8, 2019 2. The Human Impact of...
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Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: One-Pager
Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: One-Pager
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Sebastopol Peace Bag concept has spread to Southern California
Local Sebastopol non-profit Peacetown is spreading joy and community engagement through the Family Village's project called Peace Bags. Every week for 13 weeks a different local organization "sponsors" a week by providing printed resources and an activity that supports community connection, family engagement, and some fun. The bags are distributed for FREE in collaboration with a local toy store. I happen to come across a conversation on one of the posts I made regarding Peace Bags. The post...
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Special Guests Graham Bodie & Erahm Christopher 8/27/20 12 p.m. PST for A Better Normal/Education Upended
"I have toured the country for the past 10 years to talk to our young people. I’ve learned that the biggest threat to our humanity is not guns, mental illness or our government. It is that everyone is talking and no one is listening. ” Erahm Christopher, The Washington Post Please join us on Thursday, August 27th as we host special guests Erahm Christopher and Graham Bodie to discuss the power of listening as part of our A Better Normal / Education Upended community conversation series.
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Introducing the Transform Trauma with ACEs Science Film Festival & Follow-Up Discussions
Transform Trauma with ACEs Sciences Film Festival & Follow-Up Discussions The following weekend watch parties and follow-up discussions are co-hosted by ACEs Connection, The Relentless School Nurse , and The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy & Practice (CTIPP) . We appreciated the filmmakers for making these films free to watch for our members and for the public programming of PBS. The films we’ll feature are as follows: Portraits of Professional Caregivers Whole People Part 1...
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Yoga for Embodiment & Agency Live Online Movement Practice- Dion Wiedenhoefer
Hi There Friends ~ Hello September! Does your nervous system need a reset? If yes, I am so with you! It's been awhile since we've met in community for an embodied practice of breath, movement and connection, and I am looking forward to gathering again. I've missed y'all! September 10 - October 15, 2020 Six Week Class Series Thursdays, 12:00-12:50 To learn more visit my website at www.dionwiedenhoefer.com Persons of all identities and abilities welcome! Please connect with me to receive the...
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New Resource: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One-Pager (English & Spanish!)
English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe...
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New Resource: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One-Pager (English & Spanish!)
English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe...
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Available on Demand: California ACES Academy: Addiction born out of ACEs and the return of hope with Dr. Susie Wiet, MD [avahealth.org]
NOW AVAILABLE ON DEMAND ADDICTION BORN OUT OF ACES AND THE RETURN OF HOPE Dr. Susie Wiet The downstream effect of childhood trauma has been well documented regarding the biological and psychosocial impacts. This presentation will highlight the neurobiological changes associated with ACEs that function as a "primer" for the onset of addiction and related behaviors. It will conclude with principles for influencing these same pathways that assist with restoration of the mind and health. Susie...
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Family Visits: Ten Self-Care Tips
Lately, a lot of people who grew up with childhood trauma are going “no contact” with their families and loved ones. I hear people talking about it with relief and sometimes a sense of accomplishment. For many people, the abuse was egregious and may be ongoing; in these cases, walking away for good may be necessary and courageous. For others, going no-contact is an emergency form of self-protection that, over time, may not need to be permanent. So I want to share with you ten tips to protect...
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Virtual Viewing of Whole People from Dec. 11th-13th with Follow-Up Discussion on Dec. 15th at 7p.m. EST
As part of the Transform Trauma with ACEs Sciences FREE Film Festival & Follow-Up Discussion Series we bring you Whole People (parts 1 & 2 & 3). The documentary viewing will take place in the Transform Trauma with ACEs Science Film Festival Community on ACEs Connection . Each of our first three sections is just under twenty-seven minutes long and the topics are as follows: Preview: Whole People | 101 | Childhood Trauma | Episode 1 | PBS Preview: Whole People | 102 | Healing...
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Thoughts, a Song & a Book to Share
Thoughts - “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” - Fred Rogers “ Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” - Desmond Tutu “ Everything that happens to you is a lesson. Everyone you...
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Whole People Watch Weekend on ACEs Connection (Dec. 11th - 13th)
The Transform Trauma with ACEs Sciences FREE Film Festival continues this weekend. Please join us to watch parts 1, 2, and 3 of the PBS Whole People series at your convenience, on ACEs Connection, by clicking play on the videos below: Whole People | 101 | Childhood Trauma | Episode 1 (27 min) Preview: Whole People | 102 | Healing Communities | Preview | Episode 2 Whole People | 102 |Healing Communities Episode 2 (27 min) Whole People | 103 |A New Response | Episode 3 (27 min) This is one of...
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The Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery Workbook (Dr. Glenn Schiraldi)
A new guide for healing the hidden wounds from ACEs The Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery Workbook Glenn R. Schiraldi, Ph.D. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2021, 232 pages Practical, powerful skills for healing the hidden wounds of childhood trauma “ Dr. Glenn Schiraldi is one of the world’s most trusted experts on stress and resilience. His Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery Wor kbook is the most complete, accessible, and evidence-based healing resource available.
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Relieve Pandemic Tension in Your Mind, Body with Yoga and Meditation
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a shock to the system for many -- for individuals, for countries, for economies on a huge scale. As a survivor, you know we will get through this . The only way out is through. But the stress the pandemic has visited on your body has not been kind. Meditation and activities that promote mindfulness (like yoga) can help stem some of this stress and relieve the tension the pandemic has left behind in your bones. If you’re ready to move toward healing and more...
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Why I Promote the Science of Hope over Resilience
I said then what I believe even more strongly now: "Hope is the belief that your future can be brighter and better than your past and that you actually have a role to play in making it better."
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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.