The world feels chaotic. We are seeing policies shift overnight, communities struggling, and feeling the weight of uncertainty at work and with the people we serve. It’s easy to feel powerless. Some of us are going through the motions—just trying to get through the day. Others are shutting down, overwhelmed by the enormity of what’s happening around them. (That’s okay! That means you need time to rest). And then there are those of us who ask: “What can I do?” The answer? You can lead. In...

One of the biggest questions that Andi and I get whenever we talk about a trauma-informed approach is something along the lines of “Ok I get ACEs and toxic stress, but what can I do about it in my organization?” We get it–this approach can seem overwhelming because it is literally a lens through which you see everything. We often say that a trauma-informed approach is less about what you do and more about how you do it. So how in the world do we even begin the work of operationalizing our unders

Eisner Health's Journey Through Implementing Trauma Informed Care Since July 2020, ACEs Aware has awarded 185 grants totaling $45.1 million to organizations statewide to augment the state of California’s work on the ACEs Aware initiative. Origins Training & Consulting received one of these grants to tell the story of Eisner Health's journey in implementing a trauma-informed approach. I was grateful to be on both sides of this project and am so proud of both teams. Lori Chelius provided...

Funded by ACES Aware, this webinar from Origins Training & Consulting is designed to help organizations across sectors and locations learn from Eisner Health’s experience. Register today to hear their story and walk away with practical tips you can use in your organization or community.

"The Resilience Champion Certificate was great! I liked the background info provided in The Basics and the "assignments" were great because it was all things we need to think about and should be doing anyway."

Changemakers unite! Now is the time for a trauma-informed approach to healing and personal growth. The reinvention of the new normal starts with you!

Do you remember the moment that ACEs Science clicked for you? Was it at a training? In a conversation with a peer or friend? Did you read an article? Each one of us has had the Aha! moment: we became aware, started shifting towards understanding and away from judgment. This approach to our fellow humans, the one that not only improves longevity but also the quality of life, is an unraveling of traumatized responses at the individual, relational, and systemic levels. That can be overwhelming...

Costco is out of toilet paper and CVS is out of cough syrup. Your group fitness class and your favorite restaurant are closed. Your cousin keeps posting memes on instagram about some conspiracy theory and your co-worker brags on about how she hasn’t been sick in years so she’s not worried about germs. This is not a nightmare. This is real life in 2020 thanks to COVID-19, aka the coronavirus.

Looking for tools to help your organization or community integrate a trauma-informed and resilience-building approach? At Origins, we offer training courses to support you from your aha moment to your action plan. It all starts with The Basics, a 90-minute online training that will provide you with an overview of the key concepts behind a trauma-informed approach. When you’re ready to move from aha to action, sign up for The Resilience Champion Certificate, a self-paced 6-week online training...

By: Andi Fetzner PsyD The recent appointment of Nadine Burke Harris as California’s first Surgeon General represents exciting opportunities for increased leadership and momentum around issues related to ACEs and toxic stress. But you don’t have to be a surgeon general to be a Resilience Champion. Anyone who is using (or who wants to use) a trauma-informed and resilience-building approach to lead change can make a difference! But what does it mean to be a Resilience Champion? I’m often asked...

As one year comes to an end, the tradition of creating resolutions for ourselves in the next begins. How do you decide on what goal to work towards? This year, my 2019 resolution is going to come from looking back on 2018. I used the passion planner this year, a combined journal and organizer, so the highs and lows were easy to identify. The highlights include completing my coursework at school, setting clear boundaries with my time, exercising, and cutting back on some not helpful habits...

You know an issue has momentum when Oprah is talking about it. In a 60 Minutes segment aired in March 2018, Oprah talks about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and a trauma-informed approach. She described the story as one that had “more impact on me than practically anything I’ve ever done.” That’s a lot coming from Oprah! As we pass the 20-year anniversary of the publication of the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study, the landmark study that demonstrated the...

On 60 minutes this week, Oprah discussed the need to take action in the Trauma-Informed Care movement. For governmental agencies, service providers, and even community members, just asking the questions on Adverse Childhood Experiences is not enough. While it shifts the conversation towards understanding, it does not shift the underlying assumptions about health and behavioral outcomes for clients including homelessness, academic, and mental and physical health. She has become a Resilience...

Do you remember the moment that ACEs Science clicked for you? Was it at a training? In a conversation with a peer or friend? Did you read an article? Each one of us has had the Aha! moment: we became aware, started shifting towards understanding and away from judgment. This approach to our fellow humans, the one that not only improves longevity but also the quality of life, is an unraveling of traumatized responses at the individual, relational, and systemic levels. That can be overwhelming...