January 2020 – Unicorn Shadows

The Healing Place Podcast – Lara Kain: Creating and Supporting Resilient and Trauma-Informed Schools and Communities

I could have talked for another few hours with Lara Kain about her roles as an educator, consultant and national speaker, helping support schools in creating trauma-informed environments. As a trauma survivor and member of the ACEs Connection staff, Lara is making a huge impact in the lives of children by guiding the education system along the road of resiliency. Join us as we discuss:

her role as an educator, speaker, advocate of trauma-informed approaches
her personal journey as an at-risk youth and trauma survivor
defining resilience
self-care importance
her role as an adoptive mother
and more!

Welcome to The Healing Place Podcast! I am your host, Teri Wellbrock. You can listen in on Pandora, iTunes, Blubrry, Spotify, Deezer, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and more, or directly on my website at www.teriwellbrock.com/podcasts/. You can also watch our insightful interview on YouTube.

Bio:

“As the Southern California community facilitator for ACEs Connection and independent consultant, Lara brings her deep understanding of the importance of schools as community drivers for change. Lara is an experienced educator and consultant who speaks nationally on implementing trauma-informed practices in schools and building holistic, trauma-responsive systems. Lara brings over two decades of experience at the local, state and national level, including developing programs for integrating trauma-informed practices into community schools in Los Angeles. She worked for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as the state homeless coordinator, and practiced her first love, teaching ‘at-risk’ youth. Lara has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MPA from The Evergreen State College. As an example of her understanding of the micro and the macro, Lara’s experience ranges from supporting individual teachers to designing a trauma-informed schools pilot implemented in 20 schools across the country. Lara has worked both as a teacher and administrator putting the science of building resilience into practice. For Lara, who is a trauma survivor and was herself an ‘at-risk’ youth, this work is deeply personal. She understands what schools can and should look like to benefit ALL children. As the mother of two adopted sons, she understands the effects of developmental trauma and what it takes to overcome it. Born in the Midwest, she lived for over a decade in the Pacific Northwest, and is now a transplant to Southern California, where she lives with her husband and two boys. The beach is her happy place.”

Learn more about Lara and her mission at:

https://www.larakain.org/

Peace to you all!

Teri

Hope for Healing Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/741bdf08d718/hope-for-healing-newsletter-may-2019

Book Launch Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unicornshadows/

The Healing Place Podcast – Diane Petrella, MSW: Food Addiction & Sexual Abuse; Ho’oponopono Hawaiian Healing; & Meditation

Super excited to celebrate the 100th episode of The Healing Place Podcast with Diane Petrella, a licensed therapist who works with sexual abuse survivors who struggle with emotional eating, weight, and body image concerns. Thank you, Diane, for joining me to discuss:

her role as a licensed therapist helping clients with sexual abuse history
food addiction as a result of childhood trauma
adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and hypervigilance
self-protective mechanisms
Ho’oponopono Hawaiian healing technique
meditation
and more!

Bio:

“Diane Petrella, MSW is a licensed psychotherapist and life coach specializing in mind-body-spirit approaches to self-growth, healing, and weight loss. Early in her career she co-founded the first child sexual abuse treatment program in Rhode Island and for many years routinely testified in court as an expert witness in the area of child and adult sexual assault and post-traumatic stress. She has 30 years experience working with sexual abuse survivors to help them overcome trauma and reclaim a loving and respectful connection with their bodies.”

Learn more about Diane and her mission at:

dianepetrella.com

On that page there’s a sign-up on the upper right to download Diane’s free eBook, Shed Your Pounds of Protection, but here’s another link just for that sign-up: https://dianepetrella.com/shed-your-pounds-of-protection-2/

Use discount/promo code for Diane’s two audio programs: Heal

Peace to you all!

Teri

Hope for Healing Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/741bdf08d718/hope-for-healing-newsletter-may-2019

Book Launch Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unicornshadows/

When Grandma Celebrates Sobriety

As many of you know, I host the internationally downloaded Healing Place Podcast. I do my own editing using a fairly easy software, Wondershare Filmora, and can usually work through any hiccups found in the recordings. However, I ran into a snag last week when my own audio feed was scrambled. I had no idea during the recording process and only discovered the problem when I started editing. Needless to say, I discovered I am not a sound engineer.

That left me scrambling for a solution for the upcoming Friday podcast release. I could bump up the remaining recorded interviews, but one of them was a celebration of podcast episode number 100! That nixed that idea. I happened to be running around with my eighty-four year old mother the day after discovering my recording dilemma when the idea hit me to record an impromptu Facebook Live interview with her.

A little history might help.

I have described my mom as that cute little Gizmo character from the movie, Gremlins. She is sweet and cute and an angel on earth.

When sober.

But add vodka . . . and just like those Mogwai in the movie, Gremlins, if they eat after midnight, all hell breaks loose. My mom would transform into a cruel, at-times violent and suicidal addict. I experienced flashbacks during EMDR Therapy of waking as a child to find my blank-eyed mother standing over me with a butcher knife in her hand. She denies such acts to this day.

I was the “good girl” in our family. Living a life of co-dependency, searching for my mother’s love and approval most often when she was drinking, and always there to clean up the mess alongside my younger sister. That is until July, 2019. I answered my sister’s phone call as I stood atop a mountain resort in Estes Park, Colorado. Hundreds of miles from home. In that moment, as I was informed of another hospitalization of my mom, brought on by a drinking binge carried out with the intent to die, that I reached my tipping point.

Hit a wall.

Broke the poor camel’s back with that last straw.

Said to the universe with zero hesitation . . .

DONE.

I walked away from my elderly mother in that moment. And did not speak to her for the next three months. And it hurt my soul to do so. I cried. I shook off Catholic guilt. Yet I stayed firm. And as each day passed, I became more determined in my resolve to give her the space she needed to save herself. It was time for her to clean up her own mess and face those long-avoided demons of her own childhood.

She called me in October. I answered. And I’m not sure why I took the call that time. Something compelled me to do so. She was sober. Happy. And looking for resolution in our relationship. I was more than willing to honor her needs and give her a chance, yet again.

This past Christmas she asked if she could skip our traditional family gathering. I asked her if she was afraid she’d be triggered to crave alcohol and she admitted, yes. I, again, honored her needs and we changed our family plans. Instead we surprised her with a quick ten minute visit to her place which left her smiling and grateful.

Now here we are . . . six months in. She continues to celebrate her sobriety. As do I.

When grandma, or in our case GJ, celebrates sobriety, we share it with the world!

The Healing Place Podcast – Dr. Erica Holmes: The Impact of Psychological Trauma , Dating with Purpose, & Post-Traumatic Growth

I thoroughly enjoyed this insightful conversation with Dr. Erica Holmes on her role as Director of the Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization at Antioch University Los Angeles, covering the topics of:

her role as a trainer of soon-to-be therapists on the global impact of trauma
her role as a licensed psychologist
philosophies on the impact of psychological trauma
her book Dating with Purpose: A Single Woman’s Guide to Escaping No Man’s Land
the myth that “time heals all wounds”
post-traumatic growth
and more!

Welcome to The Healing Place Podcast! I am your host, Teri Wellbrock. You can listen in on iTunes, Blubrry, Spotify, Deezer, Google Podcasts, Podbean, and more, or directly on my website at www.teriwellbrock.com/podcasts/. You can also watch our insightful interview on YouTube.

Bio:

“Erica Holmes, PsyD is Core Faculty and the Director of the Psychological Trauma Studies Specialization in the Master’s in Psychology program at Antioch University Los Angeles, Executive Director of Champion Counseling Center at Faithful Central Bible Church and the founder of HOMMs Consulting. Dr. Holmes has provided psychotherapy and counseling, training and consultation, education and research services to individuals and organizations for over 20 years.

Dr. Holmes is a frequent invited speaker at local, national and international conferences and media events. Her areas of inquiry and more than 150 presentations focus on psychological trauma, relationships and coupling, insight and empowerment, psychotherapy with African American clients and the integration of Christianity and Psychology.

Her recently released book, Dating with Purpose (DWP): A Single Woman’s Guide to Escaping No Man’s Land has been met with great enthusiasm and positive review. DWP guides women of all ages through a journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-empowerment on the path to finding the love they desire. The first workbook of its kind, Dating with Purpose includes a series of easy-to-follow reflective exercises designed to bring awareness to the patterns and behaviors that set up roadblocks to happiness in intimate relationships. It is now available on Amazon.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology with a minor in Behavioral Science from California State University Dominguez Hills, as well as, a Master’s degree and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Further, Dr. Holmes holds post graduate certifications in the Psychology of Trauma from Antioch University and Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She is an American Psychological Association Minority Fellow and past board member for the Los Angeles chapter of the Association of Black Psychologist.”

Learn more about Doc Erica and her mission at:

https://www.docerica.com/

Peace to you all!

Teri

Hope for Healing Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/741bdf08d718/hope-for-healing-newsletter-may-2019

Book Launch Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unicornshadows/

Unicorn Shadows Book Launch Team Update

Just checking in with an update . . .
One of my newfound friends, whom I connected with on The Healing Place Podcast, is now going to be my kick-in-the-ass book-writing guru! She has written 2 amazing books on trauma-recovery, is currently writing a 3rd, has recently joined the board of directors for a trauma agency, is an in-demand speaker, and is just an all around trauma-recovery rock star. Thank you, Janyne McConnaughey, Author (see bio below).

The podcast continues to blossom. It is amazing on so many levels. Please come join us on the Facebook page for inspiration and hope-infused posts!

It’s now been downloaded in 51 countries (just added one today)
2,160 followers on the podcast Facebook page
I have another fabulous line-up of guests already booked into spring of 2020
The YouTube channel numbers are growing
The audio formats are expanding: Deezer, Listen Notes, Podbay, Chartable, MyTuner, and Google Podcasts as well as original outlets of iTunes, Spotify, and Blubrry

I’ve been invited for a return speaking engagement at Tristate Trauma Network fall conference for 2020. I’ll have to fly back in to Cincy from our new home in South Carolina, but I’m honored to do so!
I continue to write my monthly Hope for Healing Newsletter. You can subscribe or read past issues at https://mailchi.mp/e1b9b19ffba2/hope-for-healing-newsletter-november-2019
I also continue to write my Unicorn Shadows blog and blog pieces on ACEsConnection! https://www.acesconnection.com/member/teri.wellbrock

Finally . . . Sammie’s back is still injured, but she is improving every day. We have started a new therapy with her and it seems to be helping. We’ve also started weening her off of her pain meds and reducing the steroids. I am hoping she will be back to her therapy dog volunteer work at Terrace Park Elementary School next week. Sweetest dog ever!

Janyne’s bio:

Janyne McConnaughey, Ph.D., retired from a forty-year career in education while healing from the attachment wounding and trauma she experienced as a child. During therapy, she wrote her way to healing and now is redeeming her story by helping others to understand the lifelong effects of childhood trauma and insecure attachment.

Along with Brave: A Personal Story of Healing Childhood Trauma, and the companion book, Jeannie’s Brave Childhood: Behavior and Healing through the Lens of Attachment and Trauma; her next book (working title), A BRAVE Life: A Personal Story of Survival, Resilience, Hope and Faith after Childhood Trauma is scheduled for publication in 2019. Janyne is also working on several future books dealing with specific trauma and attachment-related topics.Janyne serves on the Board of Directors for the Attachment and Trauma Network (ATN) and is a frequent guest blogger for the organization. She also blogs at her own website (Janyne.org), and for other organizations addressing trauma and attachment. Janyne shares her story to help others understand trauma and give hope for healing at conferences, as a participant on mental health panels, at universities, and through podcasts and interviews.

Janyne enjoys living in and exploring the Seattle area with her husband, Scott, children, and grandchildren. Her favorite activity is to follow her GPS to “green spaces” along the coast of Puget Sound.

The Healing Place Podcast – Andrea Winkler: Gender Responsive Substance Use Disorder Treatment & Trauma Informed Care

Thank you, Andrea Winkler, practice-based trainer and Duke Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic mental health assessment and psychotherapy provider, for joining me on the podcast to discuss:

her work with women in addiction recovery
trauma-informed philosophies
training and consultation services
trauma responses in the medical field
her personal journey into trauma-recovery work
and more!

Bio:

“Andrea Winkler, MSW, LCSW, LCAS has emerged as an engaging and informative practice-based trainer. She maintains a full-time caseload at the Duke Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic where she provides mental health assessment and psychotherapy. Her passion for trauma and gender related issues began early in her academic experience at James Madison University, and continued throughout her MSW program at UNC Chapel Hill. Completion of UNC’s Certificate in Substance Abuse Studies provided additional specialization in a population for whom trauma is a primary co-occurring feature. Andrea has developed training and consultation services that support the practical application of gender responsive substance use disorder treatment and trauma-informed care into medical, educational, intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental health, and substance use treatment fields.”