Trauma-Informed Lens

Trauma-Informed Lens

By Matthew BennettBusinessEducationNon-Profit
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Trauma-Informed Lens episodes

  • Episode 56: The Trauma-Informed Life. Are you ready for some football!

    Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

    In Episode 56 we introduce to a new theme to our podcast, how the trauma-informed paradigm translates into how we view things outside our professional work. In this episode, three big football fans discuss how our understanding of trauma and neurobiology effects how we view the game we all love. As this episode demonstrates, like-minded people often come to different conclusions. The important thing, from a trauma-informed perspective, is to use our knowledge to examine how our actions impact the health and well-being of others and our community.

    Discussion questions:

    1. How has your understanding of trauma impacted your thinking about things outside your professional life?
    2. What benefits do you see in taking the trauma-informed lens and placing it on larger societal topics?
    3. With so much trauma in the news, how can you use the trauma-informed lens to help others understand other’s actions in a deeper way?
    4. Boston Globe Article on Stages of CTE

      6 min
    5. Episode 55: Talking Trauma Across the Atlantic with Jay Levy & Robin Johnson

      Podcasters: Jay Levy, Robin Johnson, Matthew Bennett, & Dr. Jerry Yager

      Jay Levy and Robin Johnson join Matt, Curt, and Jerry to discuss their recent book Cross-Cultural Dialogues on Homelessness: From Pretreatment Strategies to Psychologically Informed Environments which was inspired by conversations surrounding homelessness between providers in the United States and the United Kingdom. In their book, Levy and Johnson present a range of best practices for those experiencing homelessness and trauma. In this episode, we explore the insights gained from their important dialogue and how innovation emerges from learning outside our normal focus areas.

      Discussion questions:

      1. What lessons did you learn from the experience and conversations of Levy and Johnson?
      2. How could the concepts of pre-treatment or psychologically informed environment help you think about your work?
      3. Did you see any opportunities to step outside your normal focus areas to learn from those with different experiences and unique expertise?
      4. http://www.jayslevy.com/

        http://pielink.net/cross-cultural-dialogues-on-homelessness/

        http://pielink.net/questions/pre-treatment/

        Matt’s Review of Cross-Cultural Dialogues on Homelessness


        1 hr 4 min
      5. Episode 54: Finding the Center: Personal Values & Post-Traumatic Growth

        Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

        Personal values speak to the core of who we are as people. Defining and focusing on values increases resiliency, moral courage, and helps us gain inspiration and strength to face life’s challenges. In this episode, Matt, Curt, & Jerry explore the power of personal values and their role they play in the post-traumatic growth process of overcoming the psychological impact of trauma.

        Discussion questions:

        1. Have you identified your personal values?
        2. What role have values played in your life?
        3. How could you integrate values centered conversations into your work?
        4. Start of Matt’s Blog Posts on Values

          1 hr 13 min
        5. Episode 53: From Corn-dogs to Diplomacy!

          Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

          Matt has been busy working on another analogy! On this episode he tests drives it with Jerry and Curt to discover if it can help guide our thinking about wellness in the recovery and treatment process. Check out this episode and see what it can teach us about how some of our traditional approaches might be improved by focusing on wellness first.

          Discussion questions:

          1. How do you or your program currently assess wellness?
          2. Are there lessons from your efforts to improve your own wellness that you can use in your work?
          3. How might improving wellness help your clients on their healing journey?
          4. Learn more about the 4th Annual Colorado Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Conference where we’ll be doing a keynote and workshop!

            1 hr 6 min
          5. Episode 52: The Trauma-Informed Lens Podcast Turns 1-year Old!

            Podcasters: Matt  Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

            Matt, Curt, and Jerry reflect back on the last year of podcasting. What did we learn? What do we hope you learned? We take this milestone to take a deeper look at the trauma-informed paradigm and our own work. Thanks for listening and supporting us!

            Discussion Questions:

            1. What are some things you’ve learned from past episodes that challenged your thinking and peaked your curiosity?
            2. How does thinking about trauma change the way you see your work, those you serve, and yourself?
            3. What do you wish Matt, Curt, and Jerry would talk about next and why? – Send us your answers too!
            4. 1 hr 4 min
            5. Episode 51: Trauma, Post-Traumatic Growth, & Spirituality with Dr. Olga Vera

              Podcasters: Dr. Olga Vera, Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

              Reconnecting to spirit, God, faith or a higher power is central to many people’s post-traumatic growth experience. While crucial, spirituality is sometimes difficult to define and even more challenging for helpers to discuss in a way that promotes healing. Psychologist Olga Vera joins Matt, Curt, and Jerry to address this important and exciting topic helping all of us integrate spiritual discussion into our work of helping people heal and thrive.

              Information on Dr. Olga Vera

              Discussion questions:

              1. What role have you seen spirituality play in the lives of those you serve?
              2. How have you integrated spiritual discussions into your work in the past?
              3. Could you adjust programming in a way that addresses the spiritual health of those you serve?
              4. 59 min
              5. Episode 50: Trauma & Hope

                Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

                Trauma makes everything about surviving the situation and resulting pain and suffering. While some recover from trauma quickly, others struggle for years and even decades with hopelessness and depression. For most people finding hope is a crucial part of their journey to post-traumatic growth. In this episode, Matt, Curt, and Jerry explore the importance of helping people find hope and the science behind the power of hope to transform lives.

                Discussion questions:

                1. When have you seen the power of hope manifest in your work or your own life?
                2. How have you helped people find hope for a better future after experiencing trauma?
                3. Does anything in the podcast help you identify how you, or your program, can help people find hope in their lives?
                4. 48 min
                5. Episode 48: A Future without Traumatic Memories. A Thought Experiment

                  Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

                  A wide range of technologies are evolving that will make it possible to remove traumatic memories. At first glance, these advancements hold great promise for those suffering from PTSD and other difficulties associated with trauma. However, the possible elimination does bring up several ethical dilemmas, therapeutic questions, and challenges what it means to be human!

                  Discussion Questions:

                  1. What are some benefits you could see for those you work with if we could eliminate their traumatic memories?
                  2. What potential negative consequences do you see for those you work with if we could just eliminate their traumatic memories?
                  3. What does this discussion teach us about trauma treatments, resiliency, and the historical role of trauma in human learning?
                  4. 21 min
                  5. Episode 48: Serve and Return Communication

                    Podcasters: Matt Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Jerry Yager

                    In earlier episodes, we introduced the concept of serve and return communication. This week Matt, Curt, and Jerry take a deeper dive into this concept from a scientific and practical standpoint. Serve and return communication strengthens neural connections that support emotional regulations and social engagement. Many people growing up in chaotic home environment did not get the opportunity to engage with their parents in this critical developmental activity. We explore the concept and how integrating serve and return communication is an important aspect of trauma-informed services.

                    Discussion questions:

                    1. How do you currently use serve and return in our communication with those you work with?
                    2. Are there structural changes you could implement to increase opportunity for serve and return interactions?
                    3. How could you use the concepts presented in this podcast to improve your communication style?
                    4. 1 hr 4 min
                    5. Episode 47: Talking Trauma & Resiliency with Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson

                      Podcasters: Matthew Bennett, Curt Mower, & Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson

                      We are excited to welcome Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson to the show! In past episodes, we discussed the complex relationship between trauma, resiliency, and post-traumatic growth. We’ll continue this exploration with Dr. Sampson-Jackson and find out what her expertise and personal experience taught her about trauma and the role of resiliency in individuals and communities.

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      Discussion Questions:

                      1. How do you help those you work with build resiliency in the face of past/current hardships?
                      2. When thinking about your program/service structure, can the research on resiliency help you identify any areas for improvement?
                      3. How can our discussion about supervision inform your program design?
                      4. Personally, what events or people in your life helped you become more resilient?
                      5. Information on Matt’s Training with the Human Services Network of Colorado

                        Learn more about Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson’s work at Integration Solutions

                        7 min

                      About Trauma-Informed Lens

                      From the publisher's feed

                      The trauma-informed paradigm is challenging traditional views and approach in a wide variety of areas in education, social work, psychology, and public health. Each week the Trauma-Informed Lens…