debor016

I have just returned from Sacramento, California where I did a recertification for the Associate Trainers of Victor Services. It was very moving to reconnect with these skillful practitioners and experience how they had made Risking Connection their own and used it to transform their treatment programs. While I was there I visited a local lake and saw some teenagers practicing crew racing, the sport with those long thin boats and many people rowing together. And it occurred to me that this might provide a useful metaphor for the task of healing the lower brain. Imagine that you have been asked to coach a crew team. Although you have not done so before, you have seen the lovely boats slipping across the water as the coordinated rowers respond to the call of the leader. How hard could it be? So you agree. Alas, when you first meet your team in action you find them to be much different from what you had envisioned. There they are, a bunch of rowers in a lovely boat on the water, with a se...

I have had the honor and privilege of participating in two special events over the last two weeks. The first was the Vermont Foster/Adoptive Family Association 24th Annual Spring Conference: Hope and Healing. At that conference I attended a one day workshop by Dr. Bruce Perry. I was so delighted to finally have a chance to hear Dr. Perry in person, after having read all his work and listened to him on video tape. When I remarked to the conference organizer that he reminded me of Seinfeld she told me I wasn’t the first person to notice that. As I have written in this blog, his ideas are opening new avenues of learning and teaching for me, and I hope to write more about them here in the future. Dr. Perry expanded on the idea that rhythmic, repetitive, rewarding physical activities with another engaged person are necessary to rebuild the brain stem of children hurt in early life. The next day of the conference I delivered a keynote address and then led two workshops. The subject of my key...

1. Administrative buy in: The top administration, including the Board, must understand the change and see compelling reasons to make it. They will need to support the change through their actions, financially, by presenting it to the outside world, and by demonstrating patience and hope through the inevitable roller coaster implementation process. 2. An Implementation Committee: A group of people dedicated to keeping the process moving, deciding next steps, and checking to make sure there is follow through. 3. Trainers and Champions: A group of dedicated trainers and champions who are enthusiastic and eager to see change. 4. A training role out plan. This should include who will do the training, what will the schedule be, who will attend and how many trainings will be done. 5. A new behavioral management approach: a plan for moving away from a consequence based approach to behavioral issues which includes what the agency will do instead. 6. Communication: Mechanisms to communicate to t...