Resiliency Within

Civil Rights icon Medgar Evers, was assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi on June 12, 1963. His dynamic, committed and compassionate daughter, Reena Evers-Everette, will share how the vision of her father and mother continues through the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute in Jackson, Mississippi. She will share her personal experience of suffering and resiliency. She will detail living the mission of the institute: cultivating positive social change, intergenerational civic engagement, through research on social equity and justice worldwide.

Phil Allen discusses the enduring impact of racial tragedy through the lens of the extreme injustice his family experienced in 1953 when his grandfather, Nathanial Allen, was murdered. He will discuss the themes in his documentary and book, entitled Open Wounds. His works illuminate a transformative experience of listening and learning as he looks, laments, and ultimately leads his family and society forward toward a just and reconciled future. It is an essential part of our national reckoning with racism and injustice. The racial tragedy of the murder of his grandfather is not just something an individual, family, or community gets over and forgets. He states, "The tragic racial injustice that my family experienced in 1953 will forever be etched in our collective hearts and minds." Phil Allen will discuss the hope and the resiliency also passed on from generation to generation. He believes healing and redemption is only available through truth.

How can we support and help our cherished healthcare workers battling the pandemic on the frontlines of their communities? In this episode, two distinguished healthcare leaders will share the anguish COVID has confronted to their professions. More importantly, they will share the resiliency practices that are helping their colleagues and themselves. Dr. Deborah Small, a board-certified Family Medicine Physician, is a founding member of the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI), a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing resiliency practices to our world community. Dr. Lindy Grabbe, a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, is a leader of bringing the Community Resiliency Model (the modality created by the Trauma Resource Institute) to nurses nationwide and to the state of Georgia. Both guests will share their stories and immense wisdom.

Jane Ellen Stevens, founder and publisher of ACES Connection will discuss Positive and Adverse Experiences of Childhood (PACES) and how these experiences have not only shaped our thinking but our biology. She states, "The path our lives take depends mostly on the positive and adverse childhood experiences we have between conception and about age 18." She will help us understand how PACES are crucial to humans, because they are at the root of disease, violence, being a victim of violence, mental illness, substance abuse, cruelty, anger, depression, anxiety, a belief in a dangerous world, mob violence and rage. The good news is people can heal and do remarkable things: Schools that integrate practices based on ACEs science are able to eliminate suspensions and expulsions. Suicide attempts by youth drop 98%. Recidivism rates by graduates of batterer intervention courses drop from 60% to 1%. A year after families participate in Safe Babies Courts, 99% of children suffer no further abuse.

Our guest, Jen Housholder, a veteran of the Iraq War and Army Reserve Pilot, suffered depression and suicidal ideation after her deployments. Listen to her compelling journey from despair to hope. She will introduce her new program the Science of Active Resilience (SOAR), a physiological based holistic resilience model. The National Institute of Mental Health states that suicide is a major public health concern. Suicide is often preventable. And although the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on suicide rates is still unknown, it is concerning that there are increased rates of symptoms of depression and anxiety. There is help available through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.

Elaine Miller-Karas, the host of Resiliency Within, launches her new show with Dr. Bryan Robinson. Dr. Robinson, a well-known author and psychotherapist, will be her first guest. He recently co-hosted an international conference, Resilience 2020, where thousands of individuals participated from a worldwide audience. Ms. Miller-Karas will explore with Dr. Robinson how cultivating individual and community resiliency is essential and possible during these unprecedented times. Ms. Miller-Karas will also share with the audience how her International work after human made and natural disasters inspired her work about resiliency, hope and healing.