When someone experiences a loss, it demands their attention. It is all they can see, hear, and feel. That is why counsellors and helpers need to support others with self-compassion and explore “What has been lost?” “What has changed?” and “What remains?” Helping others reflect on these questions is an important part of learning to sit with grief. Throughout the … Read More

One of the primary goals of trauma counselling is to slow down and notice the difference between emotions, bodily sensations, and thoughts. When heart rate increases (physique) out of fear (emotion), then the thought “I am not safe” (cognition) emerges. This leads to a brain-body-mind connection that is overwhelming and that can push a person outside of their window of … Read More

In 2009, I began working on something I call the colonial box theory (colonial box for short). It was a physical manifestation of my thinking, reflections, and observations first sparked by the knowledge and wisdom of two First Nations individuals: Harold Tookenay (Anishinaabe from Long Lac First Nation, Ontario) and Angie Louie (Crow from Crow Agency, Montana). Harold wowed me … Read More

We are surrounded by judgement. I think in many ways we actually enjoy it. I feel this personally, like a defense mechanism that kicks in to build myself up at the expense of another. And it’s everywhere! It’s in the shows we watch, political discourse, social media, and unfortunately it even sneaks into our interactions with colleagues and those we … Read More

The following information comes from A Little Book about Trauma-Informed Workplaces, written by myself, Randy Grieser, and Vicki Enns. Trauma is prevalent in our world and its effects can ripple out, shaping our interactions and relationships at home and at work. It even affects whole organizations by impacting the ways in which we do our work, serve our clients, and … Read More

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, writing, and speaking about Trauma-informed care lately. It’s a topic near and dear to my heart. In fact, Vicki Enns, Randy Grieser, and I have just finished a new book called A Little Book About Trauma-Informed Workplaces. We hope it will serve as a guide to those wanting to make their workplace more … Read More

Author’s Note: I am Canadian, originally from Winnipeg, and I lived in Toronto for 15 years as an adult. I’ve been living in Chicago since 2011 and I work in the areas of conflict resolution, restorative justice, and diversity and inclusion. I see myself as an ally, and I write this from the perspective of a cisgender person of colour … Read More

Anyone can be affected by post-traumatic stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder is not only for mental or physical health professionals to know about. It is essential that everyone become trauma-informed in order to prevent PTSD, to protect and seek help for themselves or loved ones, and to mitigate the ongoing effects that can build over time from a traumatic experience. Increasing … Read More