Tagged With "Big Feelings"
Blog Post
7 Ways to Help a Child Deal with Traumatic Stress
Traumatic stress feels awful. Thankfully, there are small things we can all do to help relax a hyperaroused nervous system.
Blog Post
A Message from DSS: CCB 18 - July 2019 Reports are Due Oct 7th 2019!
Good afternoon CCB 18 County Contacts, This email is to inform FY 2019-20 Bridge Program opt-in counties of revised CCB 18 report and instructions via All County Welfare Director Letter dated August 23, 2019. The CCB 18 (7/19) report takes effect for the July 2019 report month. The July 2019 report’s due date has been extended to October 7 th . July and August report months will be due on the same day. Feel free to submit the July 2019 report at any time before the due date. Due to...
Blog Post
Book review: "Once I was very, very scared," a book on childhood trauma
The past few years have brought a wealth of evidence for the impact of childhood trauma on lifelong health. The AAP has recognized the importance of childhood trauma with conferences (2015 Violence, Abuse and Toxic Stress: An Update on Trauma-informed Care in Children and Youth) and resources ( AAP Trauma Toolbox for Primary Care .) Like many pediatricians, I have been grateful for the attention to and evidence base for an area of pediatrics I see on a daily basis but for which I have felt...
Blog Post
CA to reimburse for only one of three ACEs screeners
California health care providers will soon begin to learn how many of the 13.2 million California children and adults in the state’s MediCal program have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). But the state’s proposed decision to reimburse only one of three recommended options for screening children has drawn mixed reactions from pediatricians. “If we have mandated legislation that only looks at one screening tool, it really limits the opportunity to improve that screening...
Blog Post
Calming Your Anxious Mind Through Rhythmic Movement
5 Rhythmic Movement Practices That Can Calm Our Anxious Mind
Blog Post
Care for Yourself, So You Can Care for Others
December can be a busy and stressful time for everyone. Please see the message below from the Office of Head Start, reminding you to take care of yourself and giving some helpful daily tips- Safe Foundations, Healthy Futures Campaign Care for Yourself, So You Can Care for Others December 2018 December can be a particularly hard time to take care of yourself. You may be busy, over-scheduled, stressed about finances, or worried about family. This month, the Safe Foundations, Healthy Futures...
Blog Post
Control, Predictability Can Help Counter Students' Trauma, Research Finds [blogs.edweek.org]
Interventions that help students think flexibly and feel more control over their learning may help counter the effects of disadvantage and trauma, suggests emerging research at the International Mind-Brain Education conference here. More than 1 in 3 U.S. children have experienced at least one major trauma—from abuse or neglect to the loss of a family member to death, prison, or drugs—by the time they enter kindergarten. By the end of their school years, nearly half have had at least one...
Blog Post
Early childhood educators learn new ways to spot trauma triggers, build resilience in preschoolers
A hug may be comforting to many children, but for a child who has experienced trauma it may not feel safe.
That’s an example used by Julie Kurtz, co-director of trauma informed practices in early childhood education at the WestEd Center for Child & Family Studies (CCFS), as she begins a trauma training session. Her audience, preschool teachers and staff of the San Francisco-based Wu Yee Children’s Services at San Francisco’s Women’s Building, listen attentively.
Blog Post
Former Foster Youth Share Findings of Survey on Preventing Removals from Families [chronicleofsocialchange.org]
In early February, the National Foster Care Youth and Alumni Policy Council hosted a webinar on its most recent policy focus on preventing unnecessary removal of children from their families. Three former foster youth – Dani Townsend, David Hall and Nico’Lee Biddle – presented the group’s findings from their survey on the subject and recommendations that will be shared with federal stakeholders. Hall shared a few highlights from the survey, which included responses from 200 current and...
Blog Post
From Compassion Fatigue to Healing Centered Engagement: Turning Trauma Informed Values into Action
To pave the way for a truly strengths-based approach to full healing and recovery for both service users and burned out staff, we must educate them on (1) the central role of primal body responses to trauma (past and present), and (2) the early development of adaptive thoughts and behaviors in response to
traumatic experience.
Blog Post
Growing Resilient Kids
Resiliency is defined as the ability to bounce back from stressful events we encounter in life. When something we encounter is so overwhelming to us that we become stuck in it, that is one definition of trauma. Resiliency can be viewed as the antidote to trauma. In fact, when we effectively process trauma we have experienced, we often come out the other side far more resilient than before. Our nervous systems have a higher stretch capacity, so to speak. How do we help our kids stretch and...
Blog Post
“I Like to Move It, Move It!” – How Dance and Rhythm Can Reduce the Impact of ACEs (stresshealth.org)
As it is, more and more researchers studying the healing power of rhythmic movement on people who’ve experienced trauma from Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as abuse, neglect, or parental mental illness or substance abuse issues. Among these researchers is Dr. Bruce Perry, a psychiatrist and senior fellow at the Child Trauma Academy in Houston who advocates dance, drumming, walking and other rhythm-based movements to help kids with trauma. In a book about trauma and the power of...
Blog Post
Limbic Revision – Love Heals Your Traumatized Brain
Limbic revision is simply another name for revising and rewiring the faulty development of our brain, namely our limbic system. In simple terms in order to truly heal we need to experience deep and attuned loving care.
Blog Post
Marin Community Clinics in California screen babies for ACEs, provide support in effort to prevent trauma
When Marin Community Clinics (MCC) first considered screening their patients for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) they already had decided that if they were going to prevent children from acquiring ACEs, they had to take a radical approach.
Blog Post
Mental Health and Resilience Month Part 3: Declutter Your Mind
Happy Friday! For this week's mental health and resilience tip, I wanted to give resources on ways to declutter your mind. Some of them are more literal (#6 - declutter your workspace), but most of them are figurative ways to help you feel less stressed and more centered. My personal favorite is #5 - breathe. Taking a slow, deep breath actually lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, which signals to your brain that you're calm, which then makes you feel calmer! You can read the list...
Blog Post
Mindfulness Stress Reduction Techniques for Healing
Whether you're healing from illness, trauma, or other difficult times, these mindfulness stress reduction techniques can support your healing.
Blog Post
My hopes for a trauma-informed California
Every evening, I try to engage my daughter in reflection, gratitude, and hope. I try to practice the same, but tonight, I felt the need to share with you all. Today I had the opportunity to attend the Toward a Trauma-Informed Northern California Summit 2018 – it was an incredible experience. We were welcomed with a moving, informative, and engaging keynote speaker, Dr. Isaiah B. Pickens , who laid the foundation for what would be a day of growth, reflection, connection, and peer support. He...
Blog Post
New Community Manager
Hello! I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself as the ACEs Connection Community Manager for the California Bridge Program. Some of you might know me from my time as Research Associate at the Network from 2012-2015. I’m very excited to be back in this new capacity, working in Communications and Trauma-Informed Care. I have a BA in Psychology and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and am passionate about children’s well-being - particularly low-income children - and the effects...
Blog Post
New Health Resiliency Stress Questionnaire debuts for pediatricians, family practice, internal medicine...but anyone can use it
There's a new ACEs-resiliency survey in town! It came out of a conversation between two physicians having a conversation on a bus. Here's the story about how it was developed, and how to use it. Pilots were done in a pediatric clinic, internal medicine, addiction treatment center, group therapy, and psychiatric practice. It's now being used in two community clinics.
Blog Post
Running TIC Resource List
This is a running list for trauma-informed care websites and resources that aren't downloadable, so you can access them in one place. I will keep this list updated, and you can always find it under the Running TIC Resource List blog category (this will be the only blog in there). If you have any additional resources, please post a comment below with the link, or send me a private message or email at gdimatteo@rrnetwork.org , and I will add it to the list. As always, feel free to reach out to...
Blog Post
Opinion: Why 'Sesame Street' is Smarter About Foster Care Than Your Local Child Welfare Agency [latimes.com]
By Naomi Schaefer Riley, Los Angeles Times, October 17, 2019 When “Sesame Street” adds a character and a story line to its fabled neighborhood, people notice. In May, the show’s creators introduced Karli, a Muppet in foster care, and this month they revealed the reason for her situation: Her mom struggles with substance abuse. In supplemental “Sesame Street in the Community” videos available online, Elmo’s dad explains to him that “Karli’s mother has a disease called addiction. Addiction...
Blog Post
Parent Handouts: Understanding ACEs, Parenting to Prevent & Heal ACEs (English)
Please see the main post for these parent handouts in the ACEs Connection Resources Center. These two flyers ( Understanding ACEs and Parenting to Prevent & Heal ACEs ) can be downloaded, distributed, and used freely. One is brand new and the other is a revision. Both flyers were made with generous support from Family Hui, a Program of Lead for Tomorrow. Translations of these flyers are in progress and will be shared by Family Hui and updated on ACEs Connection when available.
Blog Post
Raising The Organic Unity Of Child-And-Community
“When a child displays a behavior problem, the first place to look for the cause and for the solution is to the child’s environment.” Maria Montessori We cannot truly separate the child from the community. In our efforts to “fix” child behavior or heal the child from the traumatic impact of adverse childhood experiences, we need to relate to the community as an extension of the child’s physical and psychological constitution. An organic unity operates here. There is more than just a...
Blog Post
Self Regulation Skills Bring Resiliency to Angry Preschool Boy
SUCCESS! RESULTS! Here's a testimonial from a preschool teacher who reinforces the Superkid Power skills I teach to a classroom of 3 and 4 year olds. "Two very active little boys were playing in the dramatic play area. Both saw a police officer uniform that they wanted to wear. We have been working on social dialogue throughout the month so one little boy responded with "Can I have it when you are done?" The other little boy responded with "Yes." Thinking that he was able to play with it...
Blog Post
Sesame Street in Communities Takes on Trauma
Just this morning, Sesame Street in Communities announced its initiative to support foster children, foster parents, and the providers who serve foster care. Further, more trauma related topics will be addressed soon. The upcoming programing is detailed in today’s The Atlantic article “For-Now Parents’ and ‘Big Feelings’: How Sesame Street Talks About Trauma: ‘The Muppets can often do what humans can’t. They’ve got this special power.’ ” “ "Through its Sesame Street in Communities...
Blog Post
Tantrums [Zero to Three website]
Anyone who has interacted with young children knows that tantrums can be hard to manage! Children are still growing in their ability to manage emotions, and they need patience and guidance along the way. The Zero to Three website can provide tips and strategies for helping children work through these difficult emotions, and help parents and caregivers stay level headed in the face of them. Acknowledge what your child is feeling. It is never wrong for a child to feel angry or sad, but you can...
Blog Post
Thank you for a successful first training
Thank you to everyone who came to our first trauma informed care two-day training! It was great to see many of you there - to connect names to faces and re-connect with some of you. There was a lot covered in a relatively short time, and we appreciate all of your enthusiasm and openness throughout. Although you were all there to be trained, I was struck by the experience and knowledge each of you bring to the group. I hope that as we continue, you not only learn from the curriculum but from...
Blog Post
The Deficit Lens of the 'Achievement Gap' Needs to Be Flipped. Here's How (edweek.org)
For too long, American schools have had a default orientation toward measuring students' abilities and achievement, rather than focusing on the resources-such as engaging learning environments and high-quality, culturally responsive teaching practices-that empower students to learn new concepts and skills. When data reveal students' shortcomings without revealing the shortcomings of the systems intended to serve them, it becomes easier to treat students as deficient and harder to recognize...
Blog Post
The Ripple Effect
Last week I attended Safestart's Annual Training, where Chandra Ghosh Ippen presented "Ripple Effect: An Integrative Framework for Enhancing Trauma-Informed Practice Across Systems" . Other than being incredibly informative, it made me really excited about the role and potential impact you all have by being part of the Bridge program in California, and I wanted to impart some of that to you. She emphasized that trauma is the number one human epidemic facing our world today, but by creating a...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: April 2019
E-Newsletter Emergency Child Care Bridge Program Network Updates 2019 Join Network/CAPPA Conference: Call for Presenters The California Child Care Resource & Referral Network (Network) and the California Alternative Payment Program Association (CAPPA), along with our 2019 Joint Conference Committee are excited to announce the 2019 Joint Network/CAPPA Conference. The Joint Conference will be held October 2 – 4, 2019 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Sacramento. We look forward to an...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: February 2019
E -Newsletter Emergency Child Care Bridge Program Network Updates Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Curriculum As mentioned in February's TIC Training & Coaching webinar , there will be a total of three core modules, with an additional module which covers historical and intergenerational trauma's impact on family dynamics. The Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Curriculum Module One as well as Historical & Intergenerational Trauma is available for download on the...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: January 2019
Network Updates Happy New Year! Starting January 31st, the TIC E-Newsletter will now go out on the last Thursdays of the month. The Bridge Community Call will occur on January 29th and continue to occur on the last Tuesday of the month. Starting in January, the call will cover updates to the Bridge program, updates that are specific to the role of the TIC Trainer and Coach, any relevant policy, sharing of existing cross-county resources, strategies, etc. Starting January 30th, the TIC...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: January 2019
Network Updates Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Curriculum The Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Curriculum Module One as well as Historical & Intergenerational Trauma are complete: Module One: Understanding the Impact of Trauma & Identifying Strategies to Promote Healing (Powerpoint) Exploring the Impact of Historical & Intergenerational Trauma on Family Dynamics Today (Powerpoint) Instructor and Participant Guides will be available on the new Bridge...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: March 2019
E-Newsletter Emergency Child Care Bridge Program Network Updates Announcing: Module 2 of TIC Curriculum We are excited to announce the completion of Module 2 of the Trauma-Informed Care Curriculum! The module, Understanding the Impact of Trauma & Enhancing Caregiver Resiliency , is available for download on the Bridge Program's TIC Training & Coaching Curriculum page . As mentioned in prior e-newsletters , the Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Curriculum Module One as well...
Blog Post
TIC Training & Coaching E-News: November 2018
Contents Network Updates Trauma-Informed Care Trainer Cohort Dashboard Conferences & Trainings California Bridge Program Convening, 11/27 TIC Teach & Share, 12/4-5 Webinars & Calls Bridge Program's Navigator Learning Community Call, 12/7 Bridge Program's TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 12/11 CDSS Bridge Program TA Call canceled Nov & Dec Bridge Program's TIC Training & Coaching Certification Webinar Series Recordings Resources ACEsConnection Monthly...
Blog Post
Trauma Informed Principles through a Culturally Specific Lens (pdf)
This document attempts to define the core principles of trauma informed work through a culturally specific analysis. The content of this resource is primarily intended for culturally specific, communitybased organizations and seeks to provide practitioners with accessible language to describe the trauma informed/culturally specific overlap of their work. In our experience at Casa de Esperanza, as a national technical assistance provider, we come in contact with many culturally specific...
Blog Post
Trauma-Informed Training & Coaching E-Newsletter July 2018
Contents Updates Welcome, Charlotte Williams! Conferences & Trainings Save the Date! Trauma-Informed Care Training Moving Toward Neuroscience-Based Social Work Conference, 9/21 Webinars & Calls Bridge Program TA Call, 7/31 TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 8/14 Resources TIC Training & Coaching Tracking Tools Staff Recruitment Resources Technical Assistance Contact Information ACEsConnection Monthly Highlights Updates Welcome, Charlotte Williams!
Blog Post
Trauma-Informed Training & Coaching E-Newsletter June 2018
Contents Updates 2018-19 Emergency Foster Care Bridge Program All County Letter (ACL) Conferences & Trainings Strategies 2.0 Bay Area Learning Community, 6/26 Moving Toward Neuroscience-Based Social Work Conference, 9/21 Webinars & Calls CDSS Bridge Program TA Call, 6/26 Network TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 7/11 Resources Join your local ACEs Connection community! Highlights from the Bridge Program ACEs Connection Community Staff Recruitment Resources...
Blog Post
Trauma-Informed Training & Coaching E-Newsletter May 2018
Contents Updates Welcome to our new Bridge Program team members, Elgin Webb & Gemma DiMatteo! Webinars & Calls Bridge Program TA Call, 5/29 Bridge Program Webinar 6/11 TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 6/12 Resources Bridge Program Primary R&R Contact List Continuum of Care Reform and the Intersection with Child Care and Development presentation Tips by Text Call for Stories & Resources Staff Recruitment Resources Technical Assistance Contact Information...
Blog Post
Trauma-Informed Training & Coaching E-Newsletter October 2018
Contents Conferences & Trainings Save the Date: TIC Trainer Certification Cohort Train-Back, 12/4-5 Webinars & Calls Trauma-Informed Care in ECE: Key Strategies for Healing and Behavioral Change CDSS Bridge Program TA Call, 10/30 TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 11/13 Resources ACEsConnection Monthly Highlights Staff Recruitment Resources Technical Assistance Contact Info Conferences & Trainings Save the Date Trauma-Informed Care Trainer Certification Cohort...
Blog Post
Trauma-Informed Training & Coaching E-Newsletter September 2018
Contents Network Updates Welcome to our new Program Assistant, Salaine McCullough! Conferences & Trainings 2018 Network/CAPPA Joint Annual Conference TIC Sessions Warrior Spirit Conference & Ceremony, 10/8-10 Webinars & Calls CDSS Bridge Program TA Call, 9/25 TIC Training & Coaching Learning Community Call, 10/9 How Boosting Emotional Intelligence Improves Your Ability to Effectively Lead Your ECE Program, 10/3 Resources ACEsConnection Monthly Highlights Staff Recruitment...
Blog Post
Welcome to the CA Bridge Program community!
January 1, 2018 was not only the start of a new calendar year, but the launch of the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children in California! We welcome this program into our communities with open hearts and enthusiasm as we build new partnerships and strengthen our capacity to support access to quality care for some of our most vulnerable children in California. As we embark on this journey, the CA Child Care Resource & Referral Network (Network), in partnership with...
Blog Post
What Exactly is a Toddler Tantrum?
Several years ago NPR had a story about temper tantrums, describing a study showing that the sounds children make during a tantrum indicate that they are primarily sad rather than angry. The written version of the story opens with description of tantrums as " the cause of profound helplessness among parents." I thought this was an interesting choice of words, as I have always thought of tantrums as representing a sense of helplessness in children. In fact, in my over 20 years of practicing...
Blog Post
Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: One-Pager
Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic: One-Pager
Blog Post
New Resource: Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One-Pager (English & Spanish!)
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...
Blog Post
Understanding the role of cultural stigma on seeking mental health services
By Dr. Sheila Modir , pediatric psychologist; Baleska Alfaro, licensed marriage and family therapist; and Dr. Ava Casados and Dr. Sarah Ruiz, post-doctoral fellows at CHOC For some people, making an appointment with a mental health provider may be a personal and independent decision. For others, the decision to seek therapy services may be influenced by their culture or community, as each culture has its own understanding, interpretation and beliefs around mental health symptoms. Our own...
Blog Post
The Mental Health Care Crisis Continues One Year Later...Maintaining Emotional Wellness during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Join Dr. Monique Collier Nickles on 4/13/21 for a live discussion related to this post by registering for ChildWIN's free Zoom event at https://us02web.zoom.us/meetin...FcfKOVI9rg9X5Xh8EHBY The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been stressful and traumatic for many people, particularly our children and adolescents. As we approach the pandemic’s one year anniversary, unfortunately, many of us are continuing to grapple with its distressing effects both physically and...
Blog Post
Thirty Ways to Self-Care!
Hello community! Did you know that April is National Stress Awareness Month? Along with ushering in warmer weather, this new season marks a time for us to take inventory of our stressors and readjust as needed. We know how compassionate and dedicated our Bridge community continues to be, your consistent advocacy is an inspiration to us all! I want to honor your hard work by providing a few tips to help lighten your load this next month. Please feel free to participate in a fun 30 day...
Blog Post
Policing in schools: Redefining public safety to be supportive & healing, instead of punitive & criminalizing
A recent video , shared on the national news, shows a 16-year-old Florida student being slammed to the ground by a police officer working at her school. It’s one of many such incidents of school-based police violence against students captured in videos around the country. Some of the victims are as young as five years old. About 47% of U.S. schools employ armed police officers , known as school resource officers, who are there to keep students safe. But students who attend these schools...
Blog Post
[Repost] Impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) inspires launch of Number Story national public awareness campaign
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their lasting impacts are the focus of a large-scale national public awareness campaign launching today, May 13th, 2021. ACEs are difficult, potentially highly stressful events or circumstances that occur during childhood or adolescence and include experiences like abuse, neglect, and having a family member with a mental illness or substance use issue. An ACE score, ranging from zero to ten, measures these experiences in ten categories. The higher...