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Organizational restructuring is often on the table when companies decide they need transformational change. And when organizations take on the major change of trauma-informed implementation, many of them also decide to change their organizational layout. When we talk about organizational structures through a trauma-informed lens, we often focus on moving away from a hierarchal structure and toward a flat structure—but those are not our only two options. There are 5 other organizational...

New!! 48-HOUR HISTORICAL TRAUMA SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION in collaboration with THE INTERNATIONAL HISTORICAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATION We are the only entity offering a comprehensive, 48-hour Historical Trauma Specialist Certification Program. The Program is broken into 6 levels and is built on a foundation of BIPOC cultures and neurobiology. It is taught from a multicultural perspective, injecting traditions and ideology from various cultures from around the world. In this inclusive study we rely...

The latest Surviving Spirit Newsletter - Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is out - It can be read online via this & you can also subscribe - http://ml.survivingspirit.com/dada/mail.cgi/archive/newsletter/20221113191424/ or this - http://newsletters.survivingspirit.com/pdfs/2022-11-The_%20Surviving%20_Spirit%20_Newsletter%20_November_2022.pdf Newsletter Content : 1] Trauma During Childhood Triples the Risk of Suffering a Serious Mental Disorder in Adulthood –...

“The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive.” You might be familiar with that saying from John W. Gardner which was first published in No Easy Victories (1968) and repeated in his popular book, On Leadership (1993). As someone who promotes Hope-Centered Leadership, I gotta say, I really like that quote! But would Gardner agree with how I view Hope-Centered Leadership? I think so; allow me to explain. Dr. Rick Snyder, the father of Hope Theory, defined hope as a positive...

Last week, we discussed how to recognize trauma states at work. The classic fight, flight, freeze, and appease trauma responses can reveal themselves in subtle ways, and other lesser-known trauma states can plague professional environments. Now that we know how to spot when someone is stuck in survival mode at work, it’s time to talk about how to help someone get out of that mindset. Today, we’ll explore the answer to the question: how can we respond to someone when they’re stuck in trauma...

Author: To read the entire Anonymous article, please see the attachment below. It’s a bluebird sky day as the clouds float away leaving behind distinctive dry desert air scoured by sagebrush, tumbleweeds and settled sand. As for me, I cozily sit in a floral patterned recliner by an open window drinking in hot tea and cold air from the open window. Biscuit “puppy purrs'' wedged between the arm rest and me. Her features are concealed by white fur giving her the appearance of a couture throw...

By Dan Witters and Sangeeta Agrawal, Gallup, November 3, 2022 Nearly one-fifth of U.S. workers (19%) rate their mental health as fair or poor, and these workers report about four times more unplanned absences due to poor mental health than do their counterparts who report good, very good or excellent mental health. Projected over a 12-month period, workers with fair or poor mental health are estimated to have nearly 12 days of unplanned absences annually compared with 2.5 days for all other...

To read the Blog Administrator's article, please click here. November 13 is World Kindness Day Kindness is good for you. According to researchers, helping others release hormones that boost your mood and wellbeing.(1, 2) Kindness is most beneficial to you and others when it’s made part of your routine. Acts of kindness take on increased meaning during an emergency when people need care, concern, and consideration. Here are 10 ways you can show kindness to yourself and others before, during,...

If you asked me what the single most important aspect of trauma-informed implementation is, I’d say it’s much more complex than that. But then I’d say safety at work . To be fair, there are many moving parts when we aspire to create safety at work. It’s not an easy task to undertake. From encouraging employees to develop individual safety plans to creating a comprehensive organizational safety plan , establishing safety at work can take years. It’s a lot harder than following eight simple...

If you asked me what the single most important aspect of trauma-informed implementation is, I’d say it’s much more complex than that. But then I’d say safety at work . To be fair, there are many moving parts when we aspire to create safety at work. It’s not an easy task to undertake. From encouraging employees to develop individual safety plans to creating a comprehensive organizational safety plan , establishing safety at work can take years. It’s a lot harder than following eight simple...

To read the Aspen Leadership Programs article, please click here. According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer , more than 60% of individuals believe it’s no longer possible to have constructive conversations about complex social issues. Initial reactions to those with different perspectives are those of distrust and skepticism. Leaders across all sectors are well-positioned to rebuild trust between individuals and institutions. Navigating these turbulent times may even define their legacy.

What's the difference between listening and hearing? We can’t control what we hear. Hearing is second nature. Listening requires focus. Imagine you’re standing in line at a coffee shop while music plays overhead. Everyone in the shop hears the music, but only a few of them might be listening to it. Who are our listeners? Most likely, the patrons in line with nothing else to do except wait will be listening. The busy barista can’t focus on the music, so they aren’t listening. The same is true...