Entries by Andi Fetzner

Sprinkling Resilience: The Power of Small Acts of Connection

“It’s a little thing, but it’s a big thing.”

That was the thank-you message Michelle Livingston received from a friend who had shared a screenshot of her daily joke board with her middle school son, still in Zoom classes during the height of the pandemic. Her son would always reply—sometimes with a “haha,” sometimes with a groan—but always with connection.

Michelle Livingston lives in Davis, CA—where I live, too! One of Davis’s most distinctive features is its extensive network of bike paths and greenbelts. Michelle’s home is right along one of the city’s most heavily trafficked paths, popular with bikers, walkers, and joggers. In early 2020, as anxiety and uncertainty over COVID mounted, Michelle—who runs the farmers markets for a third-generation family farm and was worried about her frontline workers—wanted something concrete to keep her grounded and connected to her community.

Then came a simple idea: 

Resilience Champions Take Action

Have you ever found yourself feeling stuck or unsure of the next step? Feeling powerless during times of rapid change can show up in many ways. Some of us go through the motions at work or home, acting out of habit or obligation but struggling to find a sense of purpose. Others shut down completely, […]

Webinar- A Trauma-Informed Approach: Three Myths Busted

Get back in touch with hope, creativity, and the joy that brought you to be a helper in the first place. No extra supplies needed, just a pen and paper. This workshop will introduce It StARTS With You, a partnership between Origins Training and A Creative Leap focusing on using art to support the cultivation of resilience in helping professionals. Join us for a hands-on 60 minute workshop to discover how this series can bring the joy back into your work and life.

The Power of Community in Rural Health Care: A Reflection on Our Work in West Virginia

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 […]

Combining Trauma-Informed Care with DEIB Boosts Connection and Efficiency

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 […]

Healing and Hope – A Day at Folsom Prison

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 […]

Bringing Out The Trainer In You

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 […]