Resiliency Within

Karen LeSage empowers children and families. Her work was recently recognized for her outstanding contributions with the ChildCareBC Awards of Excellence Childcare Leadership Award in May 2023. In this episode, we will delve into Karen LeSage's early life, marked by significant adversity that ultimately led to a diagnosis of PTSD. We'll explore how she discovered inner strength and resilience through her mission of empowering others. Karen's journey will shed light on her experiences supporting families and children as a Supported Child Development Consultant in Vancouver's downtown east side. These experiences revealed to her that despite societal marginalization, individuals possess a wealth of wisdom, knowledge, and unique perspectives from which we can all benefit. Since 2020, Karen has been a certified Community Resiliency Model (CRM) teacher and has trained numerous Early Childhood Educators in British Columbia. She will share how she applies this model not only for self-healing during moments of PTSD symptoms but also in her roles as a children's yoga teacher and behavior interventionist. She aims to ensure that children and youth understand they are not alone in their struggles. Through her story, she aims to provide hope and support to those facing similar challenges.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, social workers Martha Parra and Elaine Miller-Karas will discuss how their heritage infused their work with advocacy and service. Martha's family came to California from Mexico, and Elaine's mother and grandmother came to California from El Salvador. They will share the values they learned from their families and how their rich heritage has inspired their personal and professional journeys as social workers. They will also share their families' challenges as they immigrate to a new country. They will discuss the Community Resiliency Model and the Trauma Resiliency Model and how both models have been accessible to the LatinX community. Martha pioneered the first Community Resiliency Model Teacher Training in Spanish in the pilot study through California's Mental Health Services Act and the County of San Bernardino's Department of Behavioral Health. Martha will share her work as an Immigration Evaluations Evaluator and her work with Asylum, Hardship, the Violence Against Women Act, and victims of human trafficking.

WorldBeing (formerly CorStone) is an internationally recognized nonprofit organization that conducts innovative in-school wellbeing programs to empower vulnerable and marginalized youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These programs help youth to re-frame their identities, unleash their potential, and transform their life trajectories. Their programming particularly focuses on gender equality and building the skills of marginalized youth, especially girls, to advocate for their rights, stay in school, and resist early marriage. Kate Sachs Leventhal and Steve Leventhal will share their experiences with WorldBeing and how WorldBeing's vision and inspired programs are changing the lives of youth. WorldBeing helps us understand that mental health concerns among LMIC youth are fueled by systems of entrenched inequities, discrimination, and resource scarcity, exacerbated by a lack of access to services. To improve mental health, WorldBeing believes it is crucial to target improving these systemic injustices and social determinants of poor mental health. WorldBeing's Youth First and Girls First programs represent one of the first human-centered approaches to youth mental health promotion and prevention, taking injustices and social determinants seriously. The program takes a gender equity lens towards improving mental health and promoting wellbeing. Working from 'the inside out,' WorldBeing's evidence-based wellbeing programs support youth to access their inner wellbeing and resilience, know their rights, and cultivate their power as change agents within their families, schools, and communities. Since 2009, WorldBeing has developed, researched, and conducted wellbeing programs for over 350,000 youth across India, Kenya, and Rwanda. Effectiveness trials of WorldBeing's programs have provided some of the first evidence demonstrating that fostering wellbeing and resilience amongst vulnerable and marginalized youth significantly improves adolescent mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing; gender equality; and education-related outcomes. Additional impacts include improved school engagement, classroom behaviors, and relationships with teachers, and delayed marriage.

The age-old debate on whether entrepreneurs are born or made has ignited discussions and research across academic, entrepreneurial, and parenting spheres. Rajesh Nair's extensive work in underserved communities offers illuminating insights into this question. It suggests that the fundamental traits of innovators and entrepreneurs are cultivable in children and youth nationwide, a discussion of profound importance to educators, administrators, and parents. Innovators and entrepreneurs, catalysts of problem-solving and wealth creation, are pivotal in transforming communities and nations. However, the current education system, focused on producing uniform graduates, is ill-equipped to nurture future change-makers. Educators wield immense influence in shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs. They possess the power to craft environments that foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The integration of entrepreneurial education into the curriculum holds transformative potential. Concurrently, school and district administrators can bolster entrepreneurial endeavors by allocating resources, fostering local business partnerships, and endorsing extracurricular programs championing innovation. Parents, too, play a pivotal role in instilling entrepreneurial qualities in their children. By nurturing their interests, offering opportunities for exploration, and providing emotional support, parents can set their children on a path toward careers in innovation and entrepreneurship. In summary, Rajesh Nair's research and outreach underscore that while some may naturally exhibit entrepreneurial traits, these qualities can be developed and nurtured in children and youth. Recognizing and implementing strategies to cultivate these essential traits empowers the next generation of creative and innovative thinkers and doers. Educators, administrators, and parents all have crucial roles to play in this transformative journey.

Rev. Chrissy Ruehl and Rev. John Ruehl are dedicated ministers in Savannah, Georgia, They have a passionate commitment to serve their community. They will share their perspectives as a married couple from different faith traditions who share common goals about the possibilities of community change. They will share how they use and integrate the Community Resiliency Model and Asset-Based Community Development. Join us as we discover how you can change your community using what's already there. Listen in and learn how one community used what they had to change the landscape for children, families, and school systems during and after the pandemic and how you can do it too!

What do resilience and leadership look like for women of color? Women of color comprise about 18 percent of the U.S. population, yet only 4 percent of C-Level positions in 2018, falling far below white men (68 percent) and white women (19 percent). Why? Rising to power is a gendered and racist journey. Women of color don't face a glass ceiling. They face a concrete ceiling. Unlike a glass ceiling, it's impossible to see through a concrete ceiling or envision how to get past it. Elaine and Analiza discuss what women of color face, how to bust through myths, and how to rise so we can get a seat at the table and help create a more just world.

New Hanover County faces many natural crises due to their location on the coast of North Carolina and the numerous hurricanes that have occurred over the last few years. New Hanover County adopted biologically-based resilience practices from the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) with the goal to create a trauma-informed and resiliency-focused practice toward each person in public service, sharing a common understanding of the impact of trauma and chronic stress on the nervous system. The implementation is integrated as core measures for professional development and as a means to permeate the county’s culture.  This is not only imperative in the aftermath of community disasters but also for prevention. Bo Dean and Mebane Boyd will discuss how resiliency strategies were implemented through community partnerships and in conjunction with the New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force.  They will discuss how their resiliency programs emerged throughout the county and discuss their challenges and successes.

Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a recognized authority in the realm of climate change's physiological and psychological impacts, will enlighten us about her advocacy efforts. She aims to provide insight into these incidents' cumulative effects on children and adults. Dr. Van Susteren will delve into the concept of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the context of climate change, elucidating pathways for the recovery and healing of individuals. Moreover, she will share her perspectives on how we can all contribute to preventive solutions, fostering the betterment of our communities. Climate events are happening with more frequency throughout the globe. In August of 2023, children and adults witnessed a series of climate-related occurrences. These include the heatwaves along the Midwest and East Coast, a hurricane impacting the Southwest of North America, and devastating firestorms in Lahaina, Hawai'i, and Washington State. The aftermath of these events has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of children and adults. Dr. Susteren's wisdom and experience will help us all learn how to become more involved in advocacy and healing.

As a nation, we are heartbroken about the destruction of Lahaina and all the lives lost. The community of Butte County, California, experienced similar destruction and loss in 2018 as a result of the Campfire. The community mobilized and is recovering. Members of their community wanted to share what they learned and the wisdom that was gained. They hope that their discussion on Resiliency Within can help the Lahaina community's recovery process. Erin Kennedy and Scott Dinits, who were deeply embedded in the communities affected by the Camp and other fires, will share what they learned personally and professionally. They were direct responders after the 2018 Campfire that devastated Butte County Communities and the town of Paradise, California. As Boys and Girls Club employees, they will share what is important to help children and adults heal. Both Erin and Scott are trained in the Community Resiliency Model and will share how this model and other interventions helped their community. They will also address what was not helpful even though it was extended with good intentions. They will discuss the challenges, hope, and healing as they journey through the aftermath of this tragedy and destruction. Resiliency Within's intention is to highlight their insights and lessons learned that could help the community in Lahaina, Hawai'i.

Resiliency Within celebrates in this episode the bonds of sisterhood during this National Sister Month. Today's show is dedicated to the concept of sister-friends—those special individuals who support us through life's ups and downs. Whether they share our DNA or are sisters of our choosing, these connections are invaluable. Sister-friends love us unconditionally, standing by us even when we're not at our best, and offer judgment-free support whenever we need to confide in them. These foundational relationships have the power to illuminate our lives, providing light in times of darkness. Many adults reflect on their past and may recall negative childhood experiences, often referred to as adverse childhood experiences or ACEs. Such experiences encompass physical and emotional abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and exposure to substance abuse or violence in the home. Research conducted by Dr. Christina Bethell from John Hopkins reveals that individuals who report more ACEs are more likely to face various physical, mental, and social challenges. However, there is hope, as positive childhood experiences can act as buffers against the impact of adverse events. Dr. Bethell's research identifies seven positive childhood experiences that can make a difference: 1. The ability to openly communicate feelings with their family. 2. The feeling of unwavering support from their families during difficult times. 3. Having at least two non-parent adults who genuinely care about them. 4. Feeling safe and protected by an adult at home. 5. Being supported by friends. 6. A sense of belonging in high school. 7. Active participation in their community. Positive reports of any of these experiences correlate with lower rates of mental health problems and higher rates of having supportive adult relationships. In this episode of Resiliency Within, we delve into a personal story shared by our host, Elaine Miller-Karas. Despite growing up in a family with high ACEs, she was fortunate to have several positive childhood experiences. Among the key factors that buffered the impact of her ACES were her sister-friends. On this journey, she will be joined by her childhood friends, Mary Ann Tummillo Koue and Katie O'Neill Arken, who have been friends for over 50 years. Together, they explore the profound and caring relationships that helped mitigate the adverse childhood experiences, remaining steadfast through life's joys and challenges. The friendships forged during difficult times are examples of our adversities not defining our destiny.