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square bulletImplementation, Training & Education Updates May/June 2018

June 11, 2018

From Ana Hristić, MA, MSW, CSWA, Training and Education Coordinator, Trauma Informed Oregon

Once again, I get the honor of elevating the work and commitment of a Foundations of Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Train the Trainer cohort of April 2018!

Eighteen individuals from around the state, with a variety of lived and professional experience, came together for a two-and-a-half-day journey of learning, sharing, and encouraging. I was excited to work with representatives from rural Oregon, the housing community, doula services, and culturally specific programs, to name a few. As facilitator, the most inspiring part was having a difficult time bringing people back from small group activities due to the connections and collaborations that were in the making. :) During this cohort, I especially enjoyed the depth of conversation and exploration that occurred with regard to considering implementation of TIC and the importance of moving from individual practice to organizational policy and procedure. The underlying question for the trainers rested on how to communicate both hope and inspiration of the process, but also honor the resistance and difficulty that comes with system transformation.

The Train the Trainer was concluded by an optional Advance Train the Trainer workshop on the third day—this time focusing on systemic and historical oppression. Alise Sanchez masterfully took us on a journey of brutality, grief, and resilience, culminating in a challenge to each of us to examine the many aspects of transactional versus relational ways of service delivery. We found ourselves considering how often our services are reduced to forms, 15-minute appointments, and overall impersonal transactions. Yet, the healing and resilience resides in the depth of time and connection grounded in relationship with each other—service users and service providers alike. This dynamic feels especially alive for the Native community when interacting with non-culturally specific systems and providers, thus perpetuating retraumatization.

We are pleased to announce that our next Train the Trainer cohort will take place in October 2018! The specific dates are October 24, 25, and 26, 2018. As we seek to reduce barriers to Foundations of Trauma Informed Care training across the State, we invite applications and commitment from diverse cultural, geographic, lived, and professional experience. Please contact me with any questions you might have, and if you’re interested in applying, please complete an application by September 1, 2018.