Skip to main content

Oprah Winfrey takes up the cause of trauma-informed care

 

A behind the scenes photo of Alisha Fox (far right), Oprah Winfrey, and members of Alisha’s family, courtesy of SaintA
__________________________________________________________________

One immediate impact of the Oprah Winfrey’s 60 Minutes segment on childhood trauma is that the website of SaintA, an agency featured in the program, crashed almost immediately. It is still down (but keep checking). A common response to the program is that it is powerful in its storytelling and presentation of the science but it leaves you wanting to know much, much more…that’s a good thing. Even if you were able to view the 14-minute segment when it aired Sunday night, don’t miss the 5-minute 60 Minutes Overtime, both available by clicking here.

The impact of Oprah Winfrey’s involvement in promoting trauma-informed practice could be enormous. Mike O’Bryan, a director at The Village of Arts and Humanities in Philadelphia and a member of the Board of the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice, said “The cause now has an iconic "champion of champions.”

Winfrey says this knowledge is “life changing” and nothing will ever be the same for her…not the way she runs her school in South Africa or how she responds to an employees who is being a jerk. She will now ask the question “What happened to you?” rather than “What is wrong with you?”

ACEsprofilecomboslideOprah Winfrey’s newly discovered passion will add momentum to and amplify the ever-expanding ACEs/trauma-informed/resilience movement—efforts that grind along, unstoppable. ACEs Connection, along with other organizations, encourages the growth of the movement at the community level. A new resource that is available for communities to use to get started or spread the work they are currently doing is a new series of 50-state profiles. The Prevention Institute also just sent out a communication outlining the resources the organization has developed to address community trauma.

Let us know your reactions to the 60 Minutes Oprah program are and how you think having Winfrey as a champion could make a difference in the movement. What were the most meaningful parts of the program for you? Where are we going next?

Attachments

Images (1)
  • ACEsprofilecomboslide

Add Comment

Comments (1)

Newest · Oldest · Popular

One thing I hope people change in the words they use as opposed to the words spoken in that interview... when it comes to the ACE 10-questions -- it is NOT a test, as referred to in the interview by Oprah and the teenager that was featured. It is a SURVEY. Using the word "test" can easily put people in the mindset that it is something they pass or fail; or do well at, or do poor at. That is not the case. The ACE 10-question survey is a public health and social risk assessment, not a test. Also, if you use the ACE Survey in your work as I do, I encourage you to use a Resilience Survey at the same time. Everyone has more than one side of "their story"... more than just adversity. Using only the ACE Survey can activate emotions that can be very challenging for a person. Balancing it with a Resilience Survey can change the mindset to be about Hope, which we all need.

Post
Copyright © 2023, PACEsConnection. All rights reserved.
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×