Trauma Informed and The Power of Words
by: Melissa Sadin The idea that our words have the power to wound might be as old as time itself. In the Bible it is said, “For in many things we offend in word….” Many of us grew up with the sayings, “Loose lips sink ships” and “If you don’t have anything nice to say, […]
Perseverance & Endurance – Qualities of a Champion Runner … and His Adoptive Dad
by: Julie Beem If you read one story about adoption today – this is the one. Your social media feed may be full of news about attachment & trauma, Fetal Alcohol, and PTSD, but don’t miss this article. I can tell you now this article’s not going to be what you expect. But then again, […]
Self Compassion for the Trauma Momma
We are delighted to bring you this guest blog from Robyn Gobbel, LCSW, who is a therapist specializing in adoption, attachment, and trauma and a founder of the Central Texas Attachment & Trauma Center. Robyn earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah and holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Therapy with Foster […]
Changing Rehoming Laws Isn’t the Answer
by: Julie Beem What do the stories of Arkansas Rep. Harris and his wife, Torry Hansen (who returned her son to Russia in 2010), and the families in last year’s Reuters report on rehoming have in common? All were adoptive parents who found they could no longer safely parent their children in their homes. While […]
Tuesday Toolbox: “Touching” the Heart of Trauma
by: Jennie Murdock
Mother and DaughterI opened my email andwas reminded of the title for the ATN blog: “Touching the Heart of Trauma”. It struck me that quite literally what we need to do IS “touch” the heart of trauma by touching the body.
Hugging A Stranger on the Plane
by: Julie Beem
No, this isn’t a blog about indiscriminate affection. And no, this is not a mom you will read about in a sensationalized report on “underground adoptive/foster families”. But it happens much more often than most people know.
Lessons Learned: Letting Down My Guard TOO Soon
December 12, 2015 by: Craig Peterson Everyone at the elementary school was ready for my two newest sons. The principal had the facts. She “got” it. After several lengthy meetings, the teachers also understood and prepared for a smooth mid-year transition. Most likely, they felt sorry. Who wouldn’t after reading the one-page summary I provided? […]
What ATN Means to Me
December 2, 2014 by: Julie Beem A long time ago in what feels like a galaxy far away, I was a sleep-deprived mom of a raging toddler whose behaviors made absolutely no sense. I was an experienced “good enough” mom — so what was I doing wrong? My introduction to ATN came via a group […]
Wearing a Mask
October 30, 2014 by: Kelly Killian As Halloween approaches and children begin to pick out costumes, they pick out a new “personality” to try on for a day. It makes me think of our kids. So often what you see is a mask that they are wearing for the occasion. It is not the true […]
Resilience – Inborn or Learned – Part 2
By: Julie Beem
The listing of factors that make children resilient from Resilience Theory: A Literature Review by Adrian DePlessis VanBreda made total sense to me. But the paragraph of conclusion supposedly based on these factors did not: