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“It’s so important that we all speak up on mental health.”- Anne-Marie Mental health still remains a taboo in most parts of the world. People are afraid to talk about their struggles because they fear that they won’t be understood and will be ridiculed. As a result, they don’t speak about their struggles and suffer silently. But, now with the prevalence of the pandemic, the world has also witnessed a mental health crisis. People are speaking about the anxiety and depressive episodes...

Back by popular demand! I am excited to share the registration for a special edition August workshop! Register here: www.bit.ly/riseaug Image description: A black background with bright yellow text says Free, Interactive Workshop August 18, 2021 | 3:30PM PT/6:30PM ET Unlearning Ableism for Educators Register www.bit.ly/riseaug The workshop is scheduled for 2 hours with a brief break included and will be recorded. A copy of the recording and slides will be sent out to all registered...

By Linda Grabbe, Melinda K. Higgins, Marianne Baird, and Katherine M. Pfeiffer, Trauma Resource Institute, July 2021 Background: Front-line workers (FLW) are at risk for secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and related psychiatric sequelae: depression, anxiety, suicidality, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep and substance use disorders. FLW are in need of self-care programs to support their mental health. Methods: Quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of a simple mental...

By Heather Forkey, Moira Szilagyi, Erin T. Kelly, and James Duffee, American Academy of Pediatrics, August 2021 Abstract Most children will experience some type of trauma during childhood, and many children suffer from significant adversities. Research in genetics, neuroscience, and epidemiology all provide evidence that these experiences have effects at the molecular, cellular, and organ level, with consequences on physical, emotional, developmental, and behavioral health across the life...

The Powerful Connection Of Music With Michael Skinner - Cybertrap 60 Published on July 20, 2021 Here's the latest episode of "The Cybertraps Podcast," co-hosted by Frederick Lane and Jethro Jones. Michael Skinner is an award-winning advocate, educator, writer and critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, guitarist, addressing the issues of trauma, abuse and mental health concerns through public speaking, writing and his music. He has spoken at the National Press Club, was a keynote presenter...

During the July Kings County ACEs Network of Care event, we dove into a deeper understanding of evidence-based trauma-informed policy development by looking at a real-life example of a training policy developed by Kings United Way, one of our Network of Care partners. Finally, we invited the community to share their successes and lessons learned through a Community Highlight segment. As we move our community toward being ACEs Aware and trauma-informed, we feel it is imperative that we lead...

Reimagining Resilience 1: Using a Trauma Lens TWO Online Opportunities - Clock hours available!

I arrived at the interview 15 minutes early, wearing my freshly pressed outfit and holding copies of my resume. As I walk through the door, I am flooded with anxiety. Not because I feel unprepared for the interview or concerned that I lack the skills and experience needed for the job; the anxiety stems from a fear that they will see through the protection I hoped my outfit offered and I wouldn’t get hired because they know I am a lesbian. For myself, and so many other members of the LGBTQ+...

By Bryce Covert, The New York Times, July 20, 2021 With more than half of American adults fully vaccinated against Covid , employers and employees alike have turned their eyes back to the office. They’re locked in a conflict over when they’ll return and, when they do, what the return will look like. But we shouldn’t just be talking about the parameters of how we get work done in a postpandemic world. We should be pushing to do less of it. In truth, the debate over the return to the office is...

From UMass Medical School Communications, July 15, 2021 The American Academy of Pediatrics has published Childhood Trauma & Resilience: A Practical Guide , written by UMass Medical School child trauma and treatment experts Heather Forkey, MD, and Jessica Griffin, PsyD, along with co-author Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, president-elect of the AAP. The new resource for clinicians and caregivers provides guidance on trauma-informed care and the protective power of resilience. It details the ways...

A newly developed document titled “Utilizing Data to Improve Child Wellbeing Through Community Action” has just been released and can be found attached to this blog post. The purpose of this document is to identify best practices in utilizing data to monitor and evaluate child adversity, health, development, and wellbeing in order to build community support and create policy, systems, and environmental change. This resource was created in partnership by All Children Thrive - California and...

Join us for an upcoming webinar, Beyond Employee Assistance Programs: How Organizations Can Take Care of Those, Taking Care of Others. The webinar is free to all and scheduled for July 15, 5-6pm CT and made possible through collaboration with Trilogy Behavioral Healthcare . Registration and more information is available below. The world has lived through a shared trauma. For over a year we have been thrust into grief, isolation, and fear for our health and the health of others. This free...