We are social creatures. We grow inside another individual and hear the intonation and accents of the people around us before we are even born. We bring our socially-dependent selves into the world where our social world continues to exert a powerful impact on every aspect of our development. The potency of social relationships […]
What is Health Literacy and Why Do We Need to Know About It?
The term “health literacy” attracted my attention a couple of years ago when I was reading some work by the World Health Organization (WHO). The definition they were using for this concept of health literacy included not only having information about health and ways to access services but also having skills. Whenever I see “skills” […]
Correction Officer Wellness: A Critical Challenge
I am recently back from giving a presentation on “Stress, Trauma, and Suicide” for the National Symposium on Correctional Worker Health in Saint Louis. The topic is a grim one and the statistics on correction officer suicide are daunting. Some studies show that corrections staff have rates of PTSD several times higher than combat veterans. […]
Operation Ceasefire Detroit
It is a sad but true fact that many youth in our largest cities do not expect to live beyond their early twenties. These are youth who are caught up in gang-related dynamics in which even a perceived slight or semblance of disrespect can set in place a process of violent retribution. In one community […]
2017 Individual and Institutional Resilience: Start the New Year Right
At Threshold GlobalWorks we are excited about the work that lies ahead in 2017 and are dedicated to making a difference in the United States and globally. In today’s highly networked and demanding, often under-resourced environments, increasing rates of burn-out, secondary traumatization, demoralization, and staff attrition, as well as depletion of physical well-being, often characterize […]
Neuroscience Sheds New Light on Juvenile Crime
It is encouraging and exciting to see neuroscience research being used in the criminal justice system. If you haven’t read Lawrence Steinberg’s book, Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence, I highly recommend it. It describes the confluence of sex hormones and an abundance of dopamine receptors and the resulting teenage drive for intensity […]
The Joys of Collaboration!
This has been a busy time for us at TGW. It is exciting to see how many organizations and communities are expanding their lens to recognize the strengths of individuals and not just their vulnerabilities and are including our SRM skills-based approach to amplify resilience. It is not enough to be “trauma-informed.” There have to […]
Rwanda: Communities That Heal
The photo shows the President of Rwanda, Paul Kigame, speaking at the Twelfth National Dialogue (called the 2014 Umushyikirano) on 11/11/15. In his remarks he highlighted the country’s intention to “tackle trauma cases related to the Genocide Against Tutsis.” Our Peacebuilder Project is a contribution to this goal and is now embarking on the data […]
Posting From Nepal: Building Resilience Through Play and Skills
July 5, 2015 Flying into Kathmandu it is hard at first to see the effect of the earthquake. The city was not at the epicenter of the quake and, although there is damage it does not appear to be widespread. Once you leave the city, however, the impact of the disaster is clear…damaged roads, collapsed […]