November 2022

“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...

Staying Sane During The Holidays 11/14/2022 Staying Sane During The Holidays EmpowerSurvivors is a 501(C)(3). All Rights Reserved. © 2022 www.EmpowerSurvivors.net ****Trigger Warning ***** Holidays can be a hard time for survivors of childhood sexual trauma and abuse. For many, it may mean reminders of past childhood abuse or knowing that the person that perpetrated them will be gathered alongside family members. This may leave you feeling a sense of loss and thoughts of why, why would my...

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 –...

A wonderful guide has been published recently which explains on how to establish contacts which really nourishes the deep need for connection. https://honest-sharing-local-groups-gopal.org/Happy-Relationships-through-Honest-Sharing-Guide.pdf This guide brings the Polyvagal Theory and the results of the ACEs study into real practice. You can also check out the following blog to get a connection to people allover the world practicing Honest Sharing already:...

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...

By Tori DeAngelis, American Psychological Association, October 1, 2022 At least 204,000 U.S. children and teens have lost parents and other in-home caregivers to COVID -19—more than 1 in every 360 youth, according to COVID Collaborative , an interdisciplinary group of experts that is raising awareness and support for COVID -bereaved children. The growing number of children facing these tragedies highlights the pressing need for clinicians to become versed in helping them cope and ultimately...

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...

The Connections Matter Academy is a set of engaging videos designed to educate young people about trauma and how it impacts their life. We created it to inspire teens to begin their healing process, break the cycle of intergenerational trauma, and reach their highest potential through healthy connections with others. What exactly is The Connections Matter Academy? An educational, inclusive, and entertaining animated series to help teens and young adults cope with trauma Co-created by Beth...

By Jessica J. Lee, Illustration: Ana Yael, The Guardian, October 30, 2022 S ix weeks after my daughter was born, I found myself on the packed dirt path that runs along the River Cam in Grantchester Meadows . It was seven in the morning and cold. Frost lined every blade of grass, and my breath made clouds in front of me. But it was a bright, sunny day. After weeks of settling into motherhood indoors – unceasing night feeds, tears, and exhaustion – a walk in the sun seemed like the best...