Chief’s Post

Staff and case managers at The Sophia Way use the six guiding principles of trauma-informed approach to help and support women. The approach focuses on a woman’s lived experiences: “What may have happened to her?” instead of an assumption: “What is wrong with her?” It reduces further trauma and retraumatization, emphasizes healing and encourages women to develop stronger coping skills. Learn more at sophiaway.org/about.

February EMERGE is closed 🥹 🦋 💛 ...if you're curious to join a small intimate group of women for a transformative healing journey, jump on the April wait list NOW. 😘 _________________________ 🦋 EMERGE is an 8 week course for women healing after trauma, abuse, and burnout. Together, we journey through 8 live online modules to know our worth, understand our boundaries, reclaim our identity, and take our power back. Each week we explore nervous system regulation, self-expression, and different themes, such as: •Resilience •Values •Boundaries •Self-worth •Self-compassion •Belonging & Connection •Identity •Dreams ...as well as a personal workbook and a safe private group where friendships are established. We'd love you to join us!

Curious about how the DBH could shape your future? Dr. Liliane Rocha, DBH, BCBA, reflects on her experience as a student in our Doctor of Behavioral Health program. Learn more about Dr. Rocha and her DBH journey: https://ow.ly/Wxww50SWql3

March marks Self-Injury Awareness month, offering a crucial opportunity to address the complexities surrounding self-harm and how to extend support to those struggling. Self-injury encompasses deliberate, non-suicidal acts causing physical harm, often rooted in challenges regulating emotions or coping with stressors. It's essential to recognize that self-harm knows no boundaries—it affects individuals across demographics, irrespective of age, gender, race, or religion. While self-harming behaviors may temporarily alleviate emotional distress, they frequently lead to subsequent feelings of shame and guilt, perpetuating a distressing cycle. For those navigating relationships with individuals engaging in self-harming behaviors, it's normal to encounter challenges in offering effective support initially. Acknowledging one's own emotional responses and learning to self-soothe are essential steps in fostering a calming environment conducive to healing. By guiding individuals towards healthier coping mechanisms and fostering supportive connections, we can empower them to find solace and emotional regulation outside of self-harm practices. To dive deeper into understanding self-harming behavior and cultivating a compassionate approach to support, visit our blog for insightful resources and guidance. https://ow.ly/zTMg50QHB2L

Discover how #ageism, often unrecognized, can detrimentally affect physical and mental health and overall lifespans. Kris Geerken will delve into implications within #healthcare and highlight the importance of age advocacy. Empower yourself with practical steps for self-advocacy, encouraging you to challenge ageist assumptions. https://ed.gr/ehcnf

Julie Seibert, MA, MPH, PhD, #NCQA's AVP for Behavioral Health, recently co-authored an article published in the JAMA Health Forum titled "Advancing Health Policy and Outcomes for People with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities." We're so proud to share this work and look forward to making more contributions to the Institute for Exceptional Care (IEC)'s IIDDEAL efforts toward setting health priorities for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) and creating ways to measure and improve the well-being of the IDD population. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3yujhUL

A test of human rights in mental health systems is if it becomes part of culture 🛑🧠 To achieve this, we must push for both human rights prevention and enforcement in our mental health system. Prevention is key: integrating human rights into the governance, design, and operation of mental health systems ensures these rights are upheld consistently, not as mere afterthoughts, but as fundamental principles. But prevention alone isn't enough. We need enforcement. 🛡 In environments where time is scarce and accountability is lacking, human rights can easily fall by the wayside. Enforcement ensures accountability and prioritises human rights within a system that often defaults to paternalism. It puts rights and prevention on the agenda. Want some 💡resources💡 to learn about human rights prevention: ⚖ The Queensland Human Rights Commission has resources on how to review decisions or policies from a human rights perspective: https://lnkd.in/gZgZUb-z 📽 A video on how Human Rights can be embedded in the mental health system: https://lnkd.in/gGczp2De Want some 💡resources💡 on enforcement and its challenges: 📔 The Essence of Responsive Regulation from John Braithwaite: https://lnkd.in/gsWNhkVz 🎙️ The podcast episode from "Rules to Reality" between Prof Braithwaite and I: https://lnkd.in/gnv8rv-X 🎙️The podcast episode from "Rules to Reality between Prof Fiona Haines and myself (this was my fave ep): https://lnkd.in/gurkKXHj 🎙️The podcast episode from "Rules to Reality" between former Ombudsman Deborah Glass and myself: https://lnkd.in/g4Wt5QF9

As young people grapple with both the legacies of past sociopolitical challenges and new, unprecedented issues, it raises a crucial question: How do we foster intergenerational support and create inclusive spaces when crafting youth well-being initiatives? This panel brings together a diverse group of leaders and experts, ranging from federal policy levels to community-based approaches, to discuss their leadership and ongoing efforts in improving youth well-being. The goal is to offer intergenerational perspectives on youth well-being issues and policies, and to highlight various efforts in the field. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/guJMsNh2 Join José Caballero, Mary Giliberti, Sophie Szew, Bill Smith, and Rick Yang in making youth voices unignorable in behavioral health policy!

In the latest issue of Private Client Magazine from Thought Leaders 4, Sean Knight at Payne Hicks Beach LLP examines some of the practical and pre-emptive steps that can be taken to reduce the risks and issues that affect trust when a power-holder loses mental capacity. "In the climate of ever-rising life expectancy and increasing rates of dementia diagnoses, capacity issues are becoming more common in the context of trusts", Sean comments.   ThoughtLeaders4 Private Client | TL4PC|, Chris Leese, Paul Barford, Danushka De Alwis James Baldwin-Webb, Maddi Briggs and Anne-Sophie Hofmann.