By: Andi Fetzner, LPC, PsyD In this cartoon by Liz Fosslien, we see two contrasting images that illustrate the impact of conflict. The first shows a tangled ball of yarn between two people—one on the left and one on the right. The individuals’ expressions convey anger and sadness, emotions likely resulting from the stress of […]
Written By: Lori Chelius Since 2021, Andi and I have had the privilege of collaborating with the West Virginia University Health Affairs Institute and the West Virginia Department of Human Services on a project that has been incredibly meaningful to both of us. Together, we’ve been training Direct Service Professionals (DSPs) on Person-Centered Trauma-Informed Care […]
Written by: Andi Fetzner, LPC/PsyD Fred McFeely Rogers (better known as Mr. Rogers) famously offered the advice during times of trouble: “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Many times throughout my life, I have needed that reminder and have found someone to lighten the weight of the stress of […]
In June, we partnered with CommuniCare + OLE Health to deliver a training for Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County to share the experience of integrating Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) into community health. While DEIB focuses on creating inclusive environments, TIC is about understanding the science behind how […]
Written by: Andi Fetzner PsyD You may have heard the phrase “hurt people hurt people” and thought that it’s just some fluffy way for people to avoid accountability for their actions. But what if this is the foundation for doing just that? When I know I have an injury, I can work to heal it […]
Sharing Skills, Shaping Communities Many of you have attended trainings on the ACE Study, trauma-informed principles, and resilience and have been left wanting guidance on how to put these concepts into action. That’s what our Basics, Resilience Champion, and Principles to Action training workshops offer. We often also hear, “How can I spread this approach […]
Defining a trauma-informed approach and figuring out how to put it into action has been a struggle since the inception of the term. At Origins, our answer to this predicament is simple (but not always easy)–a trauma-informed approach is a culture, not a checklist. In other words, this approach is less about what you do […]
The other day I was at the gym and someone asked me what I do for work. I really love what I do, but I have to admit that I sometimes dread this question and often try to avoid it. When I tell people about the work we do at Origins to support leaders implementing […]
Smiles and laughter. When we are hosting a virtual workshop, these are two of our favorite things. When people come back from a breakout room and we can see them smiling and laughing, we know that the people in that breakout room connected in some meaningful way.
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 understanding of the science behind stress, trauma, and resilience?
Getting Started: A Guide from Trauma to ResilienceStill wondering what this all means and what you can do about it? Download our custom PDF now and have your questions answered now!