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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...

I am thrilled to announce that we have a special A Better Normal session which will be part conversation and part meditation practice for those who wish to participate. Our special guest is Sarah Peyton who is the author of Your Resonant Self: Guided Meditations and Exercise to Engage Your Brain’s Capacity for Healing. This event will be held on Tuesday, November 10th, at 12p.m. PST and 3p.m. EST. Registration link:...

Instead of pressuring already-stressed individuals to fix themselves, true wellness requires organization-level interventions. By Leah Weiss Oct. 20, 2020 The term “burnout” first came into use in the early 1970s in the context of air traffic control, after an increase in human error-precipitated collisions was linked to frustrations with increased traffic, poor human-machine interfaces, and the general monotony of the work. Described by the WHO as “resulting from chronic workplace stress...

Changemakers unite! Now is the time for a trauma-informed approach to healing and personal growth. The reinvention of the new normal starts with you!

COVID, ACES and Radical Self-Care Dr. LateshIa Woodley, LPC, NCC & Alexis Kelly, MPA COVID Thursday, March 13, 2020, I woke up thinking I love my life, I have the best job in the world, I get to wake up every day and strive to make a difference in the lives of students and families. Little did I know that a few hours later my life, the lives of my family, and the lives of the families that I serve would forever be changed due to the COVID pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, I was leading...

By Mary-Frances Winters, Stanford Social Innovation Review, October 14, 2020 Although more and more organizations are taking steps toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, people of color continue to consistently report feeling undervalued, unsafe, and exhausted from navigating unwelcoming work environments. They see implicit biases play out as micro-aggressions (such as consistently mispronouncing one’s name, confusing one person of color for another, or...

Excelerator: A Community in Action is the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities brand new, reimagined fall experience for learning, networking, and entertainment, starting October 19. This is a completely virtual experience that will provide a space for exchanging ideas, collaborating on solutions, and of course, having fun. Explore the program to discover courses and events that will be available through the online, interactive community, VeloCity. Here, participants will come...

What happens in the brain to make shame benign or toxic? What parts of our brains are injured by chronically being shamed by our caregivers, and how does that change who we are?

While serving as a Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, I first learned about the concept of "adverse childhood experiences" through a newspaper article. But when I wanted to learn more, I wasn't sure where to turn. After lots of research and trial and error, I found these resources to be some of the best. (Yes, ACESConnection is on the list!) If you would like your free copy of this PDF, just click the link and download: mrchrisfreeze.com/top38resources (Sometimes web links...

By Jennifer Moss, Harvard Business Review, September 28, 2020 How many of us are currently living without margins — the space to handle life’s simplest stresses. I know I’ve fallen into this trap myself. It can happen after being mentally stretched and dealing with chronic stress for too long. Basically, we are left with zero margin for error. It also means that we don’t realize we’re at our max until it’s too late. Before we know it, we’ve hit the wall. As part of the research that I’m...

Based on a longer white paper, this blog offers COVID-specific adaptations to trauma-informed approaches to improve human services that moved to the virtual space.

From Creating Presence, October 2020 Protects Clients: Clients who are exhibiting behaviors are often labeled or diagnosed without an understanding that many social disorders are a result of adversity and past traumatic events. These symptoms can best be understood with a trauma lens that recognizes the complex impact of trauma and other forms of adversity on the brain. Supports staff: Helping trauma-impacted children and adults is a difficult job that has a secondary traumatic effects on...