Coming Together to Learn More About Trauma and Recovery

From Fairfax County:

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA - Childhood is characterized as a time of innocence for many; family traditions and supportive, loving care of the people who surround us. But for others, it is not an easy time. Mental illness, substance use disorder and discord in the family can produce staggering trauma and painful experiences that can impact a lifetime.

Trauma is a near-universal experience of people with behavioral health issues. The good news, however, is that trauma is treatable, and awareness of the issue is the first step to addressing the problem. By acknowledging the trauma, connecting with others, learning about coping strategies, and knowing how and when to speak with a professional about these issues, people can and do heal.

On October 21, 160 people came together for the annual "Together on the Pathway to Wellness" conference, sponsored by the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, the Northern Virginia Mental Health Foundation, Inc., Pathway Homes, Inc. and PRS, Inc., to learn more about trauma and recovery. The conference, held at the Annandale Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, provided an open, comfortable environment for mutual support and discovery. "Our healing begins with our connectedness," said keynote speaker, Leah Harris, a national expert from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Center for Trauma-Informed Care. Harris talked about her experience of a traumatic, difficult and extremely painful childhood. Mental illness and a spiraling of substance use and addiction haunted her for many years. She, however, addressed the group with hope, describing how she began her own journey to recovery, through service to others.

Identifying fears, addressing how our fears are barriers to moving forward, and creating statements of freedom were part of the building blocks of learning for attendees.

"The gifts of struggle teach all of us the values of our lives; we must embrace our struggles; because, in the end, our ‘mess’ become our message," Harris shared. "Moving from a victim to a survivor by telling my story was a key to my recovery; not to be ashamed of what you’ve been through but to use it to help others."
Creativity and expression are also part of recovery and wellness. Music, song, and dance breaks were woven into the event. An especially joyful session ended with the Bill Withers classic, "Lean on Me."

To learn more about trauma informed care and how adverse childhood experiences impact health, attend the free, upcoming screening of “Resilience: the Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope” on November 7 at the Fairfax County Government Center. RESILIENCE is a one-hour documentary that delves into the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the birth of a new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress. Now understood to be one of the leading causes of everything from heart disease and cancer to substance abuse and depression, extremely stressful experiences in childhood can alter brain development and have lifelong effects on health and behavior. However, as experts and practitioners profiled in RESILIENCE are proving, what's predictable is preventable. These physicians, educators, social workers and communities are daring to talk about the effects of divorce, abuse and neglect; and they're using cutting edge science to help the next generation break the cycles of adversity and disease. Panel discussion to follow. Join the CSB and partners in the Fairfax County Trauma-Informed Community Network on Monday, November 7 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center Board Auditorium. Register to attend the screening or download a printable flier.

Image via Fairfax County.