Tagged With "Christine "Cissy" White"
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The implicit bias of, “Mental Illness” and “mentally ill”, a lexicon of hurt.
How can we heal from the implicit bias of “ Mental Illness ” and “ mentally ill ”? I hear these words and it sounds like fingernails scraping down the chalkboard. “ The stain of dehumanization colors the mind, body and spirit and it is not so easily washed away.” - Michael Skinner Recently I read a blog post at the ACEsConnection website, “Erasing My ACES” by Sirena Wheeler. It was posted on April, 19, 2020. It struck a chord with me, many in fact and it put me on a spiral down memory lane.
Blog Post
The implicit bias of, “Mental Illness” and “mentally ill”, a lexicon of hurt.
How can we heal from the implicit bias of “ Mental Illness ” and “ mentally ill ”? I hear these words and it sounds like fingernails scraping down the chalkboard. “ The stain of dehumanization colors the mind, body and spirit and it is not so easily washed away.” - Michael Skinner Recently I read a blog post at the ACEsConnection website, “Erasing My ACES” by Sirena Wheeler. It was posted on April, 19, 2020. It struck a chord with me, many in fact and it put me on a spiral down memory lane.
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The Relentless School Nurse: Healing Our Ghosts Podcast Has Launched
Healing our Ghosts is a new podcast by Ana Joanes, filmmaker and creative spirit who brought us Wrestling Ghosts, a groundbreaking documentary about parenting with ACEs. This new podcast has a unique vision: The premiere episode of Healing Our Ghosts is with one of my all time favorite people, Cissy White. She is a brilliant writer, who speaks nationally about the impact of trauma and her healing journey. Cissy believes that trauma survivors must be leading this work and that it is not...
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Triggered by the Holidays? [attachmenttraumanetwork.org]
From the blog manager [of the Attachment & Trauma Network blog] Many of us raising children affected by early trauma and attachment disorders know holiday stress all too well. Even the most well-meaning relatives can inflict additional pain, sometimes because they simply do not understand, other times because they cannot help but judge. Our decisions, our families, our lives, may look very different from what they dreamed, hoped, or expected. Old hurts get triggered and we find ourselves...
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Why It Pays to Fully Heal from Childhood Trauma [pro.psychcentral.com/exhausted-woman]
Janet reflected on the events of the past several days and instead of being embarrassed by her behavior, she was proud. She had purchased a new computer from a large retailer based on the specs and appearance. But when she began to use it, she discovered the store had done a bait and switch. They told her one thing about the product and sold her something completely different. After doing several rounds with their customer service and management department, she was told that the computer she...
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ACEs Connection's Inclusion Tool makes sure nobody's left out
We developed ACEs Connection's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Tool — called the Inclusion Tool, for short — to ensure that ACEs initiatives across the world focus on being inclusive when forming a steering committee, recruiting leaders, providing education about ACEs science, recruiting members, or providing resources and services within their communities. The more inclusive your ACEs initiative is, the more diverse it will be, giving your initiative a real shot at achieving equity and...
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Ancestral Trauma Meets Yoga in a Hospital Setting
I heard a story this week that sent sensation to my heart. It was the story of a woman of color and her child. They were at a hospital, I'm unsure the specifics of where or why. One of the nurses, a white woman, had an interaction with the child and then complimented the child on their appearance, strength and intelligence. The mother proceeded to hide her child behind her back and said, "oh no my child is none of that." On the surface, as a white woman, I thought, "Ahh, that is kind of the...
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Are You Re-Traumatizing Yourself? 16 Things We Do That Can Set Us Back with Childhood PTSD
Part of the damage from abuse and neglect in childhood is what actually happened when we were kids. But a significant part of the problem today comes from what I call "Inside Traumas." These are self-defeating behaviors that are common to people who are frequently in a state of dysregulation. They start as an innocent attempt to feel calm and stable, but they can grow into significant traumas that cause real problems for us and others. If you'd like to learn about my online course, Healing...
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"Breaking the Silence" Warriors of HOPE Series Concludes This Sunday with a 2-Hour LIVE Worldwide Webcast Event!
The “Breaking the Silence with Dr. Gregory Williams” radio program will be featuring a SPECIAL LIVE 2-HOUR WORLDWIDE WEBCAST this Sunday evening, May 10 th from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM Central Time. This event will be a special conclusion to their WARRIORS OF HOPE series featuring all the guest from the entire series together for one life-changing webcast. The guests are some of the most sought after authors, experts and speakers on the various topics of trauma, abuse, and resilience in the...
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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.
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How do we make America happy again? We start by studying well-being [latimes.com]
By Carol Graham, Los Angeles Times, June 17, 2019. To make America happy again, society has to figure out how to make our country whole. Understanding what divides Americans – and what gives them hope — could be critical to improving their well-being and the nation’s. By tracking patterns in well-being, and creating programs based on the results, we can take steps toward tackling the malaise that afflicts many of us, including the physically and mentally stressed, the jobless, the aging and...
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How do we make America happy again? We start by studying well-being [latimes.com]
By Carol Graham, Los Angeles Times, June 17, 2019. To make America happy again, society has to figure out how to make our country whole. Understanding what divides Americans – and what gives them hope — could be critical to improving their well-being and the nation’s. By tracking patterns in well-being, and creating programs based on the results, we can take steps toward tackling the malaise that afflicts many of us, including the physically and mentally stressed, the jobless, the aging and...
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I’m Sick of Asking Children to Be Resilient [nytimes.com]
FLINT, Mich. — A baby born in Flint, Mich., where I am a pediatrician, is likely to live almost 20 fewer years than a child born elsewhere in the same county. She’s a baby like any other, with wide eyes, a growing brain and a vast, bottomless innocence — too innocent to understand the injustices that without her knowing or choosing have put her at risk. Some of the babies I care for have the bad luck to be born into neighborhoods where life expectancy is just over 64 years. Only a few miles...
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Passing the Baton
Hello, Everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that I’ve decided to step away from my volunteer position as co-manager of the Practicing Resilience for Self-Care & Healing community. In the nearly two and a half years since I’ve held this post, I’ve learned so much and gotten to know (virtually) so many great folks who’ve contributed their wisdom, experience, compassion, and knowledge. I am in awe of you all, your willingness to share and give of yourselves, your strength and courage...
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Reminder Regarding Resources/Practices Here
Hi Everyone: I just want to remind everyone that I'm adding stuff to the Practicing Resilience calendar and especially interested in things we can practice and that are free. Please check it out and update it with events you know about. Also, the Practicing Resilience during Social Distancing list, as well as the Parenting during a Pandemic and ACEs in Educaiton & COVID-19 resource collections (links below) are all being regularly updated so check them out often. ACEs in Education &...
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Resources 4 Resilience (www.r4r.support) & Commentary
We have the best community. And it feels like a community even more right now when things are scary, threatening, and uncertain. Yesterday, Jondi Whitis shared an amazing resource yesterday, by way of a comment, that's great for parents, survivors, providers, and families (all of us). I am making it a blog post in case others missed it or are overwhelmed, as I have been, by sifting through the information coming at us. The home page lets you easily find practices for calming. Here's one...
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Rethinking 'Resilience' and Grit: www.economichardship.org
This article was written by Alissa Quart and co-published by the Economic hardship Project and the Boston Globe . To read the rest of this essay by Alissa Quart, go here.
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Seven Strategies I Use To Reregulate As Anxiety Symptoms Surface
So, how does Teri Wellbrock bring herself back into a state of calm once the anticipatory anxiety has been triggered? Here is Teri's personal go-to list. Please keep in mind she created this plan on a trial and error basis. She loaded her coping skills toolbox with exercises, fidgets, courses, books, therapy suggestions, and techniques discovered through personal research. Following is her top seven strategies, however, please note that she has a much larger bag-o-tricks to pull from if needed.
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Yoga Transformed Me After Trauma and Sexual Assault [yogajournal.com]
Laura's note: This story of sheer determination of transformation of self and community in the face of personal trauma AND systemic racism is breathtaking. Be warned: it may blow you away, as it did me. As a child, Ebony Smith survived sexual assault but didn’t have the tools to cope with the trauma until years later, when she found yoga. Now, she’s bringing the practice to her community, and others in crisis. Exactly 247 people came to practice yoga with me today. Why is that such a big...
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Re: Rethinking 'Resilience' and Grit: www.economichardship.org
Cissy, I saw this article elsewhere a couple of weeks ago and have been thinking of asking you if you minded if I shared it here. Thank you for a view on resilience and grit that doesn't get a lot of press in these parts. Still formulating my thoughts on it ....
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Re: Passing the Baton
Laura: What a beautiful photo! You and Morgan have made this community so wonderful. It's warm, inviting, and a great place to learn and share. THANK YOU for nurturing and growing it and sharing YOU here. I know you are busy, and an extremely talented writer with lots pulling on your time. We have been lucky to have your volunteer work for YEARS! Thank you! You will be missed and I am SO glad you are still staying connected with ACEs Connection and a community initiative! And I'm glad we'll...
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Re: How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus [pbs.org]
"Too much, too fast." YES! Simple and clear but not easy to adjust that internal motor/setting/way of responding. Thanks for encouragement, reminder, explanation, and this comment, Jondi! It's just what I needed! Cissy
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Re: Inside the ACE Score Strengths Limitations and Misapplications with Dr. Robert Anda (www.YouTube.com) & Note
Thanks, Cissy, for this post.
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Re: Why Trauma Survivors Can't Just "Let It Go" [themighty.com]
Laura: Thanks for the share. I appreciate the reminder as well! Cissy
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Re: Why It Pays to Fully Heal from Childhood Trauma [pro.psychcentral.com/exhausted-woman]
This is great. Thanks for sharing, Laura. I love how the article lists specific behaviors/responses for therapy clients to gauge how they're healing and growing. I'll share this with my clients and on my private Facebook page for sexual abuse survivors. Thanks again.
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Re: Why It Pays to Fully Heal from Childhood Trauma [pro.psychcentral.com/exhausted-woman]
I like it because for those who may be skeptical about how childhood trauma has impacted them (downplaying one's experiences is so common among ACEs survivors) or how therapy might improve their entire lives, this demonstrates (accurately, I might add), how childhood trauma and/or PTSD affects one's daily, mundane experiences, around the clock -- not only the big, overarching stuff like relationships and careers, but also simply going to the grocery store or navigating rush-hour traffic. It...
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Re: Why It Pays to Fully Heal from Childhood Trauma [pro.psychcentral.com/exhausted-woman]
"When you look at your life and feel at peace because of changes you've made, that's recovery." I saw this on facebook a few months ago and felt so warm knowing that those feelings of inner peace and contentment are brilliant signs of my recovery. They're not there all the time, but am so grateful for having lived long enough to live with the benefits of this new explosion of trauma recovery knowledge. Thanks for the lovely post.
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Re: Opening Up by Writing It Down: How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain
Jill: I love this. I think this is a new version of an older work, is it not? I know his first version of Opening Up is from the 80's and I have that copy. I have written a white paper on this topic as well, how expressive writing eases symptoms of traumatic stress, which includes an overview of Pennebaker's work. I love free-writing, and sometimes do it alone, sometimes in community. When the community is safe, it's a BEAUTIFUL process because all are invited to share and are often prompted...
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Re: The House of Mourning (www.themoth.org)
Hi Veronique: Our bodies as our friends. Heck yes. Just today I was discussing this. In my youth, I could and often did "dig deep" and draw from what I thought was a bottomless well. Now, if I don't keep up with my own routines and caring for myself practices, I get really worn out and don't have the same ability to just keep going on fumes. Some of my old habits are still with me. And sometimes I feel like I'm just worn out by age or years. But other times I think I'm more sensitive and...
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Re: Donna Jackson Nakazawa: “The Angel And The Assassin” on WYPR www.wypr.org/ & Commentary
Been hearing so much about this new book, and looking forward to reading it soon. Jackson Nakazawa's book "Childhood Disrupted" is how I found out about ACEsConnection.com and AcesTooHigh.com. Thanks, Cissy.
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Re: Coping Skills for Quarantines
Michael: Thank you for sharing this! I love lists and visuals and reminders and this is ALL of that! Cissy
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Re: The Relentless School Nurse: Healing Our Ghosts Podcast Has Launched
Wait -- a new podcast about healing from trauma AND the first guest is Cissy White? I seriously cannot wait to listen. Thanks so much for sharing this here, Robin!
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Re: Cancer as a survivor
Dear Cissy, Kind of stunned right now and not sure what to say...but you are in my thoughts and prayers....and your fighting spirit will help you through this...keep questioning and challenging the 'experts', and REST to allow for healing. The connection of trauma and abuse to cancer is huge...it saddens and sickens me that most of the medical world still does not address this simple fact. Take care, Michael
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Re: Cancer as a survivor
Cissy, your experience sounds truly harrowing, thanks in part to apparently incompetent "healthcare" providers. I keep thinking back to when Gilda Radner was finally diagnosed with ovarian cancer, there was a terrible uproar because despite her unrelenting symptoms it had taken an inordinate amount of time to get that diagnosis. That was 30 years ago, and yet doctors are still scratching their heads for months when middle-aged women report pelvic pain? This is maddening. And unconscionable.
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Re: Resilience: A Conversation
I'm so impressed that you two took this conversation to Zoom and agreed to post it here. I learned a lot from listening to you both and I hope you'll post more episodes of what I hear has been dubbed the "Cissy and Rebecca Show". Maybe you'll start an ACN trend! When you posted the original "We Can Do It!" meme, I saw it on social media and ever since have been meaning to stop by and say I love it. It struck a nerve with me. Sometimes suggesting that people with a history of trauma simply...
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Systems Transformation for the Better Normal: Follow-up Slides and Call Recording
Find in this post the slides from the Systems Transformation Better Normal call, featuring RYSE Youth Center's Associate Director Kanwarpal Dhaliwal. A link to the call recording is also provided.
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David Treleaven: Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness Podcasts
Comments from Gail: My colleague Alison Cebulla shared the work of David Treleaven and his work with trauma-sensitive mindfulness, including his new book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness . I love their mission: Making Mindfulness Safe and Effective for People Who've Experienced Trauma. I include an excerpt from a recent email from him and the group below: Our commitment inside of Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness (TSM) is to provide you with resources that equip you—and by extension anyone you’re...
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A Better Normal Friday, June 19th at Noon PDT: LGBTQ+ Identity and Race in the US: An Intersectional Discussion On Historical and Generational Trauma
Please join us for the ongoing community discussion of A Better Normal, our ongoing series in which we envision the future as trauma-informed. LGBTQ+ Identity and Race in the US: An Intersectional Discussion On Historical and Generational Trauma With Panelists Rev. Dr. D. Mark Wilson and Alexander Cho, Ph.D., Moderated by ACEs Connection staff members Jenna Quinn and Alison Cebulla Friday, June 19th, 2020 Noon to 1pm, PT (3pm to 4pm ET) >>Click here to register<< Please join us...
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ACEs Connection Anti-Racism Resources
Hi everyone! We'd like to introduce our new ACEs Connection Anti-Racism Resources List c ulled from resources shared by Learn4Life, Prevention Institute., Rise Magazine , V A TICN , Vital Village , 10% Happier . and our own ACEs Connection members and staff . You can access them from this widget on the top right side of our home page or by clicking here. The list has the following categories of resources: Racial Trauma, Historical Trauma, & Healing Police Brutality & Reform...
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The Neurobiology of Trauma: Somatic Strategies for Resilience
The Neurobiology of Trauma: Somatic Approaches to Resilience By Jennifer Walsh As we have all come to experience over the past several months, trauma is simply a component of the human condition. While it affects both individuals and communities in a variety of ways, we have all experienced difficult, stressful, or even traumatic events over the course of our lifetime. Although social workers have traditionally worked with these vulnerable populations, there are numerous professionals...
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Why We're All Suffering from Racial Trauma (Even White People) -- and How to Handle It | Resmaa Menakem (www.www.tenpercent.com)
I listened to this great conversation between Dan Harris and Resmaa Menakem last night. Here's more information about this conversation from the 10% Happier podcast notes:
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Shame Resilience: A Critical Component to Anti-Racist Work
In a recent episode of the podcast Unlocking Us, Brené Brown discusses the power of shame and how it is not an effective tool for social justice. She goes on to explain that shame is in fact real pain that is defined as the “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection.” It is in fact so powerful that when we experience shame, it triggers a fight, flight or freeze response. She identifies shame as a tool of...
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Rebecca Lewis Pankratz: Breaking Generational Poverty, Poverty Circles, & Poverty Programs
"A CEs Connection is the curator of incredible hope, healing and possibility. Parents are not the bad guys. Most of us are just kids with ACEs who grew up..." Rebecca Lewis-Pankratz Last Friday, @Rebecca Lewis-Pankratz joined our A Better Normal series to discuss poverty circles and programs. Rebecca is the Director of Learning Centers as Essdack, as well as a poverty consultant, and we met online, via Twitter (her handle is @pOVERty’s Edge. Rebecca is a brilliant speaker, gifted writer, and...
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Safety, Health, and Back-to-School Plans in a Pandemic with School Nurse, Robin Cogan: A Better Normal Discussion on August 4th, 12 p.m. PST (3p.m. EST)
Please join ACEs Connection member and school nurse, writer, and public speaker, Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN for a discussion about the pandemic as it relates to family planning around back-to-school (or not) plans. The conversation with be hosted by Parenting with ACEs Community Manager, @Cissy White (ACEs Connection Staff) and facilitated by @Alison Cebulla (ACEs Connection Staff) , the Northeast Region Community Facilitator. Many of us are still not sure if our schools will open this fall...
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Christine (Cissy) White Returns. Hear My Story (www.thetraumatherapistproject.com)
Yesterday, Guy McPherson of the Trauma-Therapist Podcast shared the interview we did a few months ago. It was just after my last round of chemo and though I was tired and pale and my wig kept slipping - and also - I was super excited to be on one of my favorite podcasts and engaged in conversation. Here's an excerpt and the link to the video and audio. I appreciate how often Guy McPherson shares the perspective of trauma survivors with his podcast audience. Here's the link to the Trauma...
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Why the dean of early childhood experts wants to get beyond the brain [centerforhealthjournalism.org]
By Ryan White, Center for Health Journalism, July 23, 2020 Harvard’s Jack Shonkoff, a luminary in the field of early childhood, has spent years showing that events in the earliest years of life have profound implications for how budding brains develop, and in turn, shape a child’s later potential at school and work. Now, Shonkoff says it’s time to connect the brain to the rest of the body. “The message now is to say that there is a revolution going on in molecular biology and genomics and in...
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A Better Normal: Healing Trauma Through Music with Nick Larson - Friday, Aug 14th at Noon PT
Please join us for the ongoing community discussion of A Better Normal, our series in which we envision the future as trauma-informed. Friday, August 14th, 2020 12pm PT // 1pm MT // 2pm CT // 3pm ET Hosted by Alison Cebulla and facilitated by Cissy White of ACEs Connection with Guest Nick Larson, lead singer of band Próxima Parada. >>Click here to register<< "Before any of us had the vocabulary to define ACEs [ACEs = adverse childhood experiences], we were using music as the...
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Special Guests Graham Bodie & Erahm Christopher 8/27/20 12 p.m. PST for A Better Normal/Education Upended
"I have toured the country for the past 10 years to talk to our young people. I’ve learned that the biggest threat to our humanity is not guns, mental illness or our government. It is that everyone is talking and no one is listening. ” Erahm Christopher, The Washington Post Please join us on Thursday, August 27th as we host special guests Erahm Christopher and Graham Bodie to discuss the power of listening as part of our A Better Normal / Education Upended community conversation series.