PART 1 OF 2: Mitigating the impact of trauma on HS/EHS children, families and staff
In part 1 of this interactive workshop, we explore how experiencing traumatic events can impact the brain, body, and behavior of Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) children, families and staff. We highlight how many current practices of workplaces unintentionally re-traumatize individuals they are meant to help – especially those pushed to the margins of our society – and create vicarious trauma for the staff who work tirelessly to support them. We provide ample time and space for discussions around how trauma-informed principles can be practiced in your workplace to overcome the impact of experiencing trauma, protect against re-traumatization, and promote healing and recovery in your communities.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explore how trauma-informed care shifts our approach to addressing challenging or unusual behaviors in HS/EHS children and adults.
- Examine how trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can impact brain, body and behavior.
- Highlight the role of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) in counteracting and protecting against the impacts of trauma.
- Discuss trauma-informed workplace practices that help protect HS/EHS children, families, and staff from experiencing trauma or being re-traumatized.
PART 2 of 2: Trauma-informed resiliency and de-escalation strategies for HS/EHS staff
Part 2 of this interactive workshop begins with a short refresher on trauma-informed concepts discussed in part 1. Next, attendees will have the opportunity to reflect inwardly, building self-knowledge skills that can enhance their individual self-regulation and resiliency practices, enabling them to better-support HS/EHS families. We will end by exploring de-escalation strategies that can help reduce and address challenging or unusual behavior in HS/EHS children, families and staff. These trauma-informed practices promote felt safety and trust to safeguard our workplaces against the impacts of toxic stress and trauma, ultimately protecting and empowering our HS/EHS communities. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Discuss how personal trauma, triggers and biases affect workplace behavior and relationships to improve work dynamics for supporting HS/EHS children and families.
- Explore self-care strategies to use before, during, and after challenging interactions with children and adults to build resilience and manage stress individually and as a team.
- Practice de-escalation and conflict resolution strategies that address challenging behavior in children, families, and coworkers to foster a cohesive and emotionally healthy work environment.
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As a longtime marketing strategist and leader in the sustainability space, Marissa is passionate about building systems that are strong enough to thrive through change . Marissa is co-founder of the Butcher’s Guild, a national trade organization, author of three cookbooks, and the former president of a processing plant.
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Dr. Jila Malek-Salehi brings over 15 years of experience in teaching and curriculum design to Hanna Institute. She began her career teaching K-8 and coaching volleyball across middle school, high school, and college. Holding a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management, she currently teaches Child and Adolescent Development at De Anza College and SJSU. Jila focuses on evidence-based teaching methods, using Universal Design for Learning and active learning strategies. She is also passionate about experiential learning, equity, diversity, and social justice.
About the Hanna Institute
The Hanna Institute at the Hanna Center focuses on equipping individuals and organizations with trauma-informed tools through resilience training and certifications. Their mission is to use data, scientific research, and best practices to build trauma-informed models with proven positive outcomes. The Institute collaborates with various entities to break the cycle of trauma and promote a healthier future for all.