For nearly 25 years, Risking Connection has been at the forefront of the trauma-informed care movement. Over the past decade, the Risking Connection foundational trauma training has evolved into the Risking Connection Change Model, a multi-stage intervention that supports trauma-informed, organizational culture change. In recent years, our hearts and minds have grown to embrace a more socially just view of the world. Now, we are pleased to announce the Risking Connection Change Model advances the beliefs that racism and trauma are inseparable and that healing racial trauma is an integral part of being trauma-informed.
This year marks a new era in the history of the Risking Connection (RC) training model. The Traumatic Stress Institute (TSI) completed the most comprehensive revision of the training model since its inception in 2000. The revisions over the course of RC’s 24-year history have aspired to remain faithful to the principles of the original curriculum while reflecting advancements in the always-evolving trauma field, as well as ensuring the training is relevant to a wide variety of sectors serving trauma survivors.
Phew, this is a hard one for me: It is with profound appreciation, sadness, and good wishes that we announce the retirement of Mary Jo Harwood, LSW, DNCCM from the Traumatic Stress Institute (TSI). Her last day will be June 10th.
A safety-related blog post to promote awareness: Fidget toys made with water beads have become popular, but they pose significant dangers. We are spreading the word amongst our Risking Connection® organizations participating in the Traumatic Stress Institute Whole System Change Model with the hope they can share and help protect their staff, the clients and families they serve, as well as their wider communities.
My name is Jesse Padilla-Goryl. I am a BCBA (Board Certified Behavioral Analyst) working in adult services in rural, Western Colorado with Ariel Clinical Services, an agency that provides therapeutic foster care to youth, and residential, vocational, and therapeutic services to adults with IDD.
In December 2022, three Connecticut-based Arc organizations embarked on a journey together to implement trauma-informed care (TIC) – not just with clinicians, not just a one-time training – but each as a whole organization aspiring to embed TIC into the fabric of their culture.
In my new role as a Program Coordinator with the Traumatic Stress Institute of Klingberg Family Centers, I facilitated a workshop entitled A Treater’s Approach to Building Healthy Attachment with Trauma Survivors that focused on how our attachment styles influence treaters when working with trauma survivors.
As ABA and IDD providers recognize the centrality of trauma in the lives of those they support, the natural next question is, “So what do we do about it?”
Early Head Start/Head Start American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act grant recipients are facing challenges regarding how to spend down ARP funding by March 31, 2023. While initial funds were a critical lifeline to child care programs during the worst of the pandemic, there's still plenty that can be done to create stability in programs for the long-term; grant recipients know the importance of building workplace environments that are safe, equitable, trustworthy, and that support healing.
My experience with Office of Head Start programs began in 2015 as an Early Childhood Mental Health consultant. I learned in that role just how vital it is for Early Childhood programs to provide quality early childhood services that promote school readiness, encourage family and community engagement, and – most importantly – build resilience in families, children, and staff.