Fritzi, I just love your heart.  You are indeed my sister!  When I feel defeated and discouraged, I always seem to seek you out somewhere so just know your love and compassion for our incarcerated beloveds is contagious and we are grateful for all of us that are leaning in and pressing in hard for change.

There's something about God's beautiful beloveds who have a score of seven on the ACE test (you and I are a lot alike; seven is perfection!).  We're extra special because we understand our own traumas delivered in our childhoods.  That's why we can relate and LOVE others!!!

I understand the lack of patience, and I'm encouraged by you when I'm frustrated knowing I'm not alone.  So thank you for being vulnerable and honest, a vessel that God is using to bring healing and wholeness.  Transformation does take place one person at a time.  The healing trickles out into our prisons, along with our communities, when one incarcerated beloved is healed because we're talking about it, successful reentry occurs and we're sharing it so the message of a trauma-informed approach is heard all across the world and others are taking heed to its value.

Your compassion ALWAYS inspires me (so glad to know I'm not alone); and then you bring in one of my sheros, Dr. Stephanie Covington, who is a treasure trove of valuable information and wisdom (thank you so much, Dr. Covington, for taking the time to share your wealth of knowledge and experience with us.  We are grateful for you and praise God for you, your wisdom and YOUR LIFE being a trailblazer/world changer).  You are a leader we seek out for help and guidance.  So many people are getting blessed, and I can't wait to see the transformation that will take place in a year's time.  We need change; that's for sure.

And Fritzi, even though I'm up north, FSP, I am in agreement about the tablets.  Our guys need them and they need to be poured into immediately.  Their mental-health trauma being triggered by lockdown from COVID and lack of family support and visitation is quite a concern from suffering in silence and being in isolation for ten months.  The guys that are getting released are so full of anxiety.  The struggle is real and intense and it breaks my heart to see it because that just encourages them to fall back on their old behaviors and reactions instead of responding.  And with minimal programming, it's devastating.

Happy New Year!  Thank you again, ladies, for this wonderful dialogue.  We're stronger together and I love knowing how much compassion and kindness exists within our leaders in the carceral system that will bring change, one life at a time. 

Blessings, Tammy

This is wonderful!  Two great trauma informed champions teaming up to bring healing and dignity to those in the justice system. Go Stephanie and Fritzi!