VA TICNs eNote July 6 2021 [grscan.com]

"The pandemic has upended the meaning of authenticity in my life and has made me reconsider my own resilience in the face of hardship. ...Every day I wake up and I choose to reimagine and shape what future worlds will look like. I don’t want a new normal; I want a new era."
Read more from disability justice advocate Bri M. and check out Power Not Pity, a podcast that centers and celebrates the lived experiences of disabled people of color.

“People put their heads down and do what they have to do, but suddenly, when there’s an opening, all these feelings come up,” says Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, the founder and director of the Trauma Stewardship Institute.
This article from The Atlantic discusses the importance of continuing to acknowledge and process the grief and trauma of the pandemic, even as many of us become vaccinated and start resuming some pre-pandemic activities.

Preparing for a Trauma-Informed Discussion About Onsite Return
July 13 | 12:00-1:00pm
Register HERE
This session provides a framework for departmental discussions about trauma and self-care and helps supervisors develop a preemptive, trauma-informed approach to burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Trauma (VT). Using a train the facilitator approach, participants will identify protective factors and create individual and organizational prevention strategies. Developed by members of the Loudoun County TICN.

Save the *NEW* Dates! Virginia's 2nd annual Racial Truth and Reconciliation Week will be August 22-28. Join Voices' Racial Truth & Reconciliation Virginia email list to be the first to hear the details! Read about the 2020 event and view the archives.

A Trauma Expert Offers Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During Climate Change-Fueled Natural Disasters
In this Q&A, Reggie Ferreira, an associate professor of social work at Tulane University, discusses the disproportionate burden of climate change and natural disasters and how to build disaster resilience.

Stuck In A Rut? Sometimes Joy Takes A Little Practice
Rather than being inevitable, hard-coded experiences, researchers now think emotions are malleable, and people have more influence over them than previously thought. Learn more and read tips for cultivating positive emotions on NPR.

View and download a flyer for this event (in both English and Spanish) for additional details and register at the links below!

English Workshop: Wednesday, August 18th at 6:00pm

Espanol: Jueves el 19 de Agosto a las 6:00pm

Trainings & Events

July 9, 4:30pm-6:30pm | Protective Factors & ACEs: Meeting Families with Hope and Healing

July 15, 9:00am-12:00pm | Emotional First-Aid Strategies for Everyday Living

July 16-17 | The 4th Annual Philadelphia Trauma Training Conference: Supporting Adaptation, Transformation, and Health in the Wake of Trauma

July 21, 1:30pm-3:00pm | Racial Truth and Reconciliation VA Coalition Meeting

The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453). Serving the U.S. and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources for children and caregivers. All calls are anonymous and confidential.

Mental Health America of Virginia's Warm Line is a peer-run service for individuals, family members, and other concerned parties in Virginia who would like someone to talk to, or who request community mental health resources, or who have specific questions about their recovery journey. Call 1-866-400-6428, Mon-Fri 9am-9pm and Sat-Sun 5pm-9pm.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline provides 24/7 support for survivors and their loved ones. Call 1-800-799-7233, use the website's live chat function, or text LOVEIS to 22522. They also provide services for those who are deaf and hard of hearing.

SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) offers a Disaster Distress Helpline for immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. For services in both English and Spanish, call 1-800-985-5990. To connect with a trained crisis counselor, text TalkWithUs (for English) or Hablanos (for Spanish) to 66746.