In this video, Andi talks about how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are not the only source of toxic stress (insert pandemic here). Understanding our origins (see what we did there) can help us understand what we’re going through can make all of us feel less alone (and less weird).
At Origins, we encourage self-reflection as we navigate advocacy during this social justice revolution. While we are all in this storm together, we recognize the reality that we are not all in the same boat. In scrolling through social media this last week, I came upon a poem that speaks to this truth. The author is unknown.
In this last video, “A Trauma-Informed Approach For All!” we will wrap it all up and talk about how all of these concepts can be translated into practice in both organizations and communities. We will introduce established concepts from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration aka SAMHSA. We will discuss the 4 R’s of a trauma-informed approach- Realize, Recognize, Respond, and Resist Re-traumatization. We will also discuss the 6 principles including Safety, Trustworthiness & Transparency, Peer Support, Collaboration & Mutuality, and Cultural, Historic, & Gender Issues.
In this third video, “What Can We Do About It?” Andi will offer some concrete practices that you can do to build that resilience muscle and keep yourself in that resilience zone.
In this second video, “What About Resilience?” Andi will offer some hope and talk about resilience–what it is and what impacts it.
In this first video of this four-part series, Andi talks about what we are all feeling and why during this COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) pandemic. Using the foundational concepts to a trauma-informed approach that are outlined in The Basics, she explains the impact of the collective stress we are experiencing. Adapting an analogy used by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Andi talks about the tigers that are lurking around in all our lives right now. She discusses how we adapt and how each of us may respond differently to them. Some of us may react with a fight or flight response; others with a freeze or fawn response–all normal responses to an abnormal situation. She also talks about some of the common ways we might be adapting to these challenging times. (Over-consuming media anyone?)
My wife works for an educational company and her past few weeks have been busy working with schools and districts across California as they face the herculean task of adapting to distance learning for the remainder of the school year.
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.
My middle child loves all things games. Board games, card games, video games…we play a LOT of games together. She even loves game shows. One of our favorite things to do together is to watch some of the classic game shows from the 1980s (thank you, Amazon Prime video).
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.
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!