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ATTENDANCE POLICY

We expect participants in the Academy's cohort-based courses to attend all course sessions. These are interactive courses where sessions build on each other. Attending and contributing consistently will improve your experience and that of your peers.

Participants who attend all sessions will receive a certificate of completion. Those who miss no more than one session may receive a certificate of completion, at the Academy's discretion

DESCRIPTION

This course explores the healing methods that have allowed communities to survive and thrive in the midst of intergenerational, complex, and mass trauma. Beginning with an exploration of how we ourselves can cultivate healing practices, we then tap into how our communities and lineages have cultivated wellness throughout time. Together, we share healing modalities and practices that have allowed our families and communities to thrive and overcome adversity.

We will practice nervous system-centering tools to process strong emotions, including grounding, cleansing breath, progressive muscle relaxation, and discharging energy. Between sessions, participants will identify ongoing practices to explore to continue cultivating wellness and healing.
Through researching healing tools from one's lineage, participants will build strategies to connect to ongoing learning and practice. We work toward creating a Care Practice Plan of ongoing wellness strategies and will develop one nervous system-centering tool to share with peers and clients.

This virtual course will include grounding exercises, videos, discussions, readings, and reflective writing. and with time for questions throughout. In order to build community, we strongly encourage participants to join from a quiet or private space and stay on camera.

Capacity in this course is limited to 50 learners to promote interaction and engagement among participants and instructors.

Recommended Pre-requisite (not required): Seeding Change: Interconnected Healing for Complex Trauma.

COURSE OUTLINE

Session I: We Thrive Together
Session II: Intergenerational Wellness
Session III: Care Practice Planning
Session IV: The Long Arc of Wellness

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Participants will:

• Learn and share healing modalities from one's own culture
• Understand post-traumatic growth as one's own and one’s community’s ability to thrive
• Practice & model nervous system regulation tools to process trauma reactivity
• Create and demonstrate a self-regulation tool to share with others
• Teach others how multiple forms of trauma factor into complex trauma
• Plan for your own ongoing care and learning with a Care Practice Plan

WHAT TO EXPECT

Each session opens with creating a safe container together to explore the impacts of complex trauma on ourselves and our communities. Each week we will practice grounding tools and nervous system-centering tools together. We will also discuss tools participants have practiced between sessions. Some sessions incorporate multimedia, short readings, and reflective writing.

To fully engage with the course, participants will need to:

• Join the session from a desktop or laptop with recently updated Zoom
• Join from a quiet, private space to be able to participate fully
• Be on camera for the duration of the session
• Bring any needed supplies

Supplies: Participants are asked to bring a journal or notebook for reflective writing, items to write with, and colors if you would like to sketch during the creative reflection practice. For sessions 3 and 4, also bring any natural item that resonates with you (a leaf, stone, crystal, shell, glass of water, etc).

Stewarding Care: Participants are asked to be stewards of their own care by preparing any of the following that are available:

• Bring water. A warm beverage like tea is also welcomed
• Snacks, fruit, or something sweet to nourish yourself
• Any items you need to be comfortable. The body may flush hot or cold when experiencing intense emotions
• Items to tend to strong emotions, such as tissue. Honey, lemon slices, and ice water will be discussed as nervous system-centering tools

ELIGIBILITY

This course is for staff of NYC non-profit community-based organizations or government agencies that deliver social services. It would be of high interest to those committed to their own care and learning about traditions from your own lineage.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please complete this brief application by Friday, May 3, 2024.