January 2021

Healing the Heart Through the Creative Arts, Education & Advocacy Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health “ Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars”. Kahlil Gibran The Surviving Spirit Newsletter January 2021 “ May 2021 bring everyone Joy - Peace - Hope - Love - Good Health - Renewed Faith - Inclusiveness - Empathy - Understanding - Kindness - Acceptance - in a Safer World. May we spend more time &...

By Alia E. Dastagir and Alia Wong, USA Today, December 22, 2020 It has been almost a year of pandemic parenting, an all-consuming, ever-changing chaos that has tested American families in unprecedented ways. Schools closed, then opened, then closed again. Playdates were fewer and fraught with new rules. Working parents often did their jobs without child care, while parents of teens did their best to buffer against a litany of losses – friends, sports, proms, graduations. For many low-income...

Worried that your child may be secretly cyberbullied? There are signs and changes in your child’s life that can serve as a telltale. This may include subtle or not-so-subtle behavioral changes in your child’s school and social life, how they handle the use of technology, and changes in their emotions and behaviors. You’re a parent, right? You know your child like the back of your hand. Their daily behavior and routine. And even if you find it hard to keep abreast with the latest toys (read:...

By Beata Mostafavi, Michigan Health, January 18, 2021 An estimated one in five teenagers has symptoms of a mental health disorder such as depression or anxiety, and suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens. But the first person a teen confides in may not always be an adult – they may prefer to talk to another teen. And three-quarters of parents in a new national poll think peers better understand teen challenges, compared to teachers or counselors in the school. The majority...

Fussiness and Colic Between 3-8 weeks of life, many babies become more fussy, with peak fussiness at 6 weeks. All babies need help calming their bodies during this time. However, some babies cry more than others and are more difficult to soothe. We refer to this as colic if a healthy, well-fed infant cries for more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks in a row. Typically colic begins around 3 weeks of life and the crying is more common in the evening hours. The...

Dear parents: Good news! In February, Echo will be offering virtual support groups for current and past participants of our trauma-informed, nonviolent parenting course . The support group will be led by Andi Fetzner who was our facilitator for in-person Seeking Safety groups before the pandemic hit. She has deep empathy for the struggles of parents, plus a comprehensive knowledge of trauma. We think you will be in good hands. For more information and to see our available dates, please go to...

Together, we can do better. All students, school districts, families and communities have equitable access to rich resources to improve student learning, strengthen families and create healthier communities. School and community partnerships are empowered and connected in meaningful ways, problems are solved and resources are used effectively. To view the 12-page digital well-being resource from Community Schools, please click here.

Q: What information can I give parents about head banging? What can they do about it? At what point does it become a concern of safety or need for further intervention? A: As is true for many aspects of behavior and development, any parental concern needs to be taken in context for how the child is doing overall with any other concerns you may have. However, in general, head banging is a common childhood behavior. Typically, this occurs when children are frustrated or overwhelmed. You can...

Dr. Robert Sege, 1/12/20, positiveexperience.org/blog Last Wednesday, we woke up in the morning to learn that Georgia had elected a Jewish filmmaker and a Black pastor as its new US Senators; each represented a milestone and a rejection of the racist and anti-Semitic ads funded and released by their opponents. Later in the day, we saw a White supremacist insurrection, and our congressional representatives, senators, and their staffs faced immediate danger as the Capitol building was invaded.

Suffering is an expected part of this journey because resilience is a muscle that we strengthen over time and experiences. However, developing this muscle is most effective when encouraged by warm, loving, and responsive caregiving.

By Thursday morning, there were guides from the education nonprofit Facing History and Ourselves , PBS NewsHour Extra and the New York City Department of Education. The Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, at the University of Michigan, shared a guide for discussing difficult or high-stakes topics . Michigan State University education professor Alyssa Dunn collected social justice and trauma-informed tips for teachers. As NPR has reported , there's evidence that talking about...

Sound Discipline is offering two upcoming options for Reimagining Resilience 1: Using a Trauma Lens . This online workshop helps adults build positive relationships with children who have experienced trauma. We will explore the impact of adverse experiences and the effect they have on developing brains and student behavior. The course gives teachers, parents, and other adults working closely with kids the skills they need to make sure that every child knows that they matter. An online course...