Faith Breisblatt, LICSW

If you are attending the Trauma Research Foundation's Annual Boston International Trauma Conference, be sure to check out Cathy Malchiodi's session, "Lived experiences of trauma and restoration via expressive arts: Using Arts-Based Research (ARB) to evaluate outcomes", today at 3:15 PM! Bringing together initial data from a five-year grant on expressive arts therapy with the US Department of Education, Cathy will explore why multisensory approaches support communication, and why integrative strategies are necessary for re-sensitizing the body and mind to feelings of joy, curiosity, self-agency, and playfulness. By the end of the session, participants will be able to: • Define expressive arts therapy as a sensory-based, implicit form of communication for trauma survivors; • Define why arts-based communications are a form of lived experience; • Define at least three evidence-informed components that contribute to positive change through arts-based strategies.

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Peer support is becoming a fundamental part of mental health services in states like Massachusetts. Young adult peer mentors or certified peer specialists provide young patients a chance to build connections with someone who has shared a similar experience. Whether people are struggling with depression, anxiety, or BPD, it's overwhelming to feel alone. Despite the benefits of clinical work, mental health care settings realize that there is a real benefit to allowing patients to experience non-traditional methods of care. Dr. Ken Duckworth of the National Alliance on Mental Health comments: "There’s no big effort to create more psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. So the opportunity is for peer support to become a material part of the equation for what helps people get better.” #MentalHealth #MentalHealthServices #PeerMentors #BehavioralHealth

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The federal government does not require states to provide services to adults with intellectual disabilities, so not all states do. Those that do are significantly underfunded. There are 4500 individuals in Pennsylvania waiting on an emergency needs list, with many more waiting for services who may not be considered emergencies. The lucky ones who do get grants can keep them for the rest of their lives…which means those who are waiting for help have to wait until the currently funded individuals move out of state or pass away. This is a wait for help that can quite literally take a lifetime. Those 4500 in PA who are considered to be in an emergency situation are often being cared for by parents who may be elderly or medically ill themselves, and they include individuals considered to have high behavioral needs, such as aggression or other dangerous behaviors. Gov Shapiro is proposing a 12% increase in funding devoted to home, residential, and mental health services for adults with intellectual disability. What can we do? Write letters in support to our governor and state congress.

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Are you a #counselor or #socialworker looking for #continuingeducation hours? Join Hillside on Monday, May 6th, for Understanding Levels of Care and the Ethical Implications of Treatment Workshop. As clinicians, it is important to recognize when a client’s clinical presentation or acuity demands more support than what the clinician can offer. While most clinicians know their limitations, many do not know what to do or how to help the client access the most appropriate treatment. Join us for this important workshop and earn CEs! Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the different levels of behavioral and mental healthcare resources available 2. Discuss the clinical criteria and match the clinical presentation to the appropriate level of care 3. Discuss the pros and cons for each level of care 4. Describe the ethical considerations for each level of care 5. Describe the 1013/2013 process and the ethical implications for using a 1013/2013 6. Discuss the ethical considerations and practice for terminating a therapeutic relationship Register here:

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Hello LinkedIn!   I am a current doctoral student at Queens College & The Graduate Center, CUNY. I am surveying BCBAs, other mental health professionals who work with children with ASD (i.e., psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors), and parents of children with ASD on their perceptions of the performance-based IISCA in relation to principles of trauma-informed care.    The survey should take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. Respondents will watch two short background videos on functional analyses and trauma informed care and be shown 1 de-identified assessment video. Following the assessment video, they will complete a rating scale to assess the extent to which they find the assessment to incorporate principles of trauma-informed care. Respondents will also be given an option to watch up to 2 additional videos and complete surveys for each if they wish.   There is no compensation for participation; however, I hope the information gathered here will aid in further development of trauma-informed assessment procedures of problem behavior.   Here is the link: https://lnkd.in/etfZUwvr   Thank you!

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One of my all-time favorite things about working at Hopebridge is just how neurodiversity affirming our entire team is, from bottom to top. Another favorite is our Free CE benefits. Learn more about Hopebridge combining their missions of neurodiversity affirming practices and promoting clinician growth here!

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Trauma-Informed Care represents a significant paradigm shift from what has been called a “deficit perspective” to one that is strengths-based. Learn more in our toolkit about trauma and suicide. https://lnkd.in/g8eWzZTU

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We need to look beyond ACEs. If our trauma-informed care practice stops at an understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and doesn't look beyond it, then it is incomplete. We can deepen our trauma-informed practice when we include an understanding of adverse community environments (Pair of Aces work by Dr. Wendy Ellis), positive childhood experiences, protective factors, and our role as safe, healthy nurturing connectors. On this week's episode of A Trauma-Informed Future, I am in conversation with my colleague Dr. Amy King where we are talking about going beyond ACEs. This episode is a must listen to help us better understand the role of ACEs, the pros and cons of the questionnaire, and tangible ways we can shift to focusing on reconnecting folks back to safety through relational care. Be sure to check out Dr. Amy's new book coming out in June The Trauma-Informed Pediatric Practice: A Resilience-Based Roadmap to Foster Early Relational Health (link in comments) You can tune into this episode here: https://lnkd.in/gHMHmkxB #aces #adversechildhoodexperiences #positivechildhoodexperiences #trauma #adversity #traumainformedcare #traumainformedleadership

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Heal from past traumas and reclaim your life with trauma treatment therapy! 💖🧠 Addressing past abuse or loss is crucial for mental well-being. Through comprehensive therapy, you can process and heal from these experiences, paving the way for a more meaningful and fulfilling life. #TraumaTherapy #MentalHealthAwareness 🌱✨ . . Learn More: https://lnkd.in/exnYJXiu . . #crownadolescenthealth #mentalillness #teenmentalhealth #teenanxiety #anxiety #anxietytherapist #moderntherapist #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #depression

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Building a Safe Space Together: Trauma-Informed Care at PSCP! We know trauma can impact anyone. That's why PSCP is committed to #TraumaInformedCare. Our programs are designed to: ✅ Avoid re-traumatization ✅ Support healing ✅ Empower participants We've developed a short guide with 10 key principles! https://lnkd.in/eEixnfrx Want to learn more? Sign up for our in-depth training by visiting https://lnkd.in/ezPb463p #PeerGriefSupport #BestPractices

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“Early Relational Health: From Theory to Practice” is a course by UMASS that provides deeper understanding of parent-child relationship, possible challenges and interventions. Please let me know if anyone is interested. Here is link for details. https://lnkd.in/dC_ZNvrZ

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War and violence (in any form) are inherently traumatic. Bodies, identities, lived experiences, trauma, healing, health- it's all political. Trauma-informed care is not a passive practice. Trauma-informed care does not debate people’s humanity. Trauma-informed leadership is not neutral. Trauma-informed care IS a choice- even when it may feel uncomfortable. Choose it anyway. #ceasefirenow

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Access New Resources for Providing Trauma-Informed Care 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eX5AgPYa CAPC's Trauma-Informed Care Toolkit provides curated tools and resources to help organizations and health professionals apply trauma-informed principles in the care of people living with a serious illness. Trauma-informed care is based on a framework that recognizes people’s lived experiences can affect how they engage with the health care system. It shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Adopting trauma-informed practices can improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, health outcomes, and provider wellness, as well as help patients develop a more trusting relationship with their provider. Many resources in this toolkit are open to all.

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"Every advocate wants a good quality of life for autistic people, but there are different interpretations of what that means and how it should be achieved. Even the two broad camps of autistic activism and parent advocacy are riven by deep divides and disagreements. Autistic people and parents of autistic children do not make up two cohesive groups: there are autistic people who demand inclusion, autistic people who pathologize autism, parents who support acceptance, parents who want a cure, people caught in between these different goals, and crucially, autistic people who are kept out of these conversations completely." --- #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs 💪🏻 #Autistic #Autism #Autist #AuDHD #AdultAutism #AdultAutistic #adultDx #AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #AutisticRightsAreHumanRights #ADHD #AdultADHD #LateDiagnosed #Neurodiversity #Neurodivergent #Neurodivergence #AutRes #psychNP #pmhnp #aprn #therapy #MentalHealth #BreakTheStigma #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthAdvocate #EndTheStigma #MentalHealthMatters #ItsOkayToNotBeOkay #MentalHealthcare #Masking #Unmasking

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I'm intrigued by the this decision to shutter this program. NH Medicaid rates for psychotherapy services saw an increase of over 45% this year. Community Mental Health Centers have the option to utilize a modifier that grants them an even higher rate, surpassing rates from all private payors like Anthem or Optum. While I acknowledge the challenges related to Medicaid revalidation and individuals losing insurance coverage, the significant reimbursement increase followed by program closure raises questions. Mental Health Centers are supposed to bill an uninsured fund for uncovered services, highlighting the complexity of the situation. It appears that the issues might be linked more to the performance and quality of counseling services rather than solely reimbursement concerns. Understanding factors such as appointment frequency, clinician stability, and client retention across the client base could provide valuable insights, often times the mental health centers don't share this information and just keep their pitch solely on needing more funding. A wiser decision would have been to subcontract the services out to another provider for clients who have health insurance rather than clients losing care. The center then could retain the uninsured and complex SPMI clients, which is their ultimate mission. This would shift fringe cost away from the center, cut cost, and reduce the adminstive burden. Mental Health Centers often don't utilize their ability to subcontract services simply out of pride of not wanting to cede territory to another provider or agency. #Medicaid #Psychotherapy #MentalHealth #Healthcare #CounselingServices

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🌟 Navigating Complex Trauma: A Trauma-Informed Perspective 🌟 In the field of improved relationships, when is reforming relationships potentially not the best avenue? As support workers, coordinators, or therapists, we often grapple with complex questions surrounding trauma recovery. Recently, a pertinent query arose: Should we suggest that individuals rekindle relationships with significant trauma figures to aid in their healing and understanding? The answer, most of the time, unfortunately, is no. While fostering reconciliation and nurturing existing relationships holds value, we must recognize the different dynamics of complex trauma-laden relationships, such as domestic violence, sustained abuse, and neglect. Consider this fundamental truth: "The hands that hurt us are rarely the hands that heal us." This sobering reminder underscores the delicate nature of trauma recovery. Instead, we focus on creating environments conducive to healing, empowerment, and forming new, safe, supportive relationships. By prioritizing these connections, individuals can embark on a journey toward fulfillment and well-being. Let's continue championing trauma-informed care and supporting individuals as they navigate their path to healing and recovery. #TraumaInformedCare #HealingJourney

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