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Reply to "What's Your 30 Second ACEs Elevator Rap?"

Wow. Ditto. Actually thought you wanted a rap (as in RAP song).....that is something a friend of mine could help with someday )

 

As I work predominantly with professional educators who care deeply about children, but for whom the concept of "unconditional regard" might be a stretch - I generally try:

 

Imagine that this little guy/gal who is in your class actually has the equivalent of a "Vietnam Vet brain" in their body at times which literally commands their attention...it transports them back to a hard time or place we might only imagine....and it is not one that they woke up hoping to have, but one that was the result of being dropped in a "war" of words, a "war" of adversity (divorce, trauma, neglect, poverty, sexual abuse - you name it)....and that by just showing up in school today it is a testimony to their absolute brilliance at self-care, self-preservation, self-determination....and even though our educational tradition has been to ask, "What's wrong with this child?" - I ask you to consider asking an entirely different, and empathetic question, "What happened to this child?" 

 

From this context I can usually immediately tell the receptivity of the professional to take a learning stance where trauma-informed care principles are of interest - OR- if the adult themselves does not feel safe enough in the moment to learn anything more than what they already know - I listen empathetically. I also reflect very HARD about what barriers to learning the adult might have which can include their own ACEs. I find that it is in that moment that I can best convey compassion toward the professional themselves and say, "If you, as a trained professional and adult,  are hoping that I am looking at the complexity of your professional situation through a lens of compassion, how much more is that true of this child as s/he looks to you?"

 

When I time this it usually comes out to 29.8 seconds, give or take a few seconds. 

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