Today we have the chance to get to know Rick Griffin, CRI's Director of Training and Curriculum. Rick continues to speak to thousands of groups from all over the country and is widely recognized for his work with trauma-informed practices.
What was your "aha" moment that took you into the world of ACEs and Trauma informed care?
My "aha" moment came from two decades of working with struggling teens. I saw young men become frustrated far more easily and more often and communicate their frustration in ways that were more destructive. All the while, the deterrents designed to motivate those young men were having little impact. Desperate to try something new, I began to read the research on trauma-informed care. The research provided me with a new lens through which to view their challenges. As the strategies were implemented based on the new lens, I witnessed caregivers respond to and help these kids in ways that were more compassionate, productive, and effective. From that point, I was hooked for life.
How has your background contributed to your interest and work with CRI?
What are you currently reading?
I am on my 3rd re-read of How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett, along with a host of research papers involving construction theory.
What are you looking forward to in 2020 for CRI?
I am looking forward to sharing with the country this recent research that migrates away from the triune brain model to the theory of the predicting brain. The implications of this emerging science will empower a new standard of care for those with a trauma history.
Favorite hobbies outside of work.
My hobbies are all things sports, specifically going to basketball games with my family and watching my two boys express themselves on the court.
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