A few months ago, a 17-year-old high school senior and her nine-year-old brother came home from their Lancaster County school and their mom wasn’t there. Kira (not her real name) and Michael had faced this circumstance before, so they went on with their day—snacks, homework, bedtime and getting up for school the following day. Another…
Our Family Services Advocate, Lindsey Ober, participated in the event’s featured panel; Women in the Justice System. The Maze of Injustice showcased in Ronks, PA was held by the Vera Institute of Justice. The maze was created on a 3-acre cornfield to symbolize the challenges that individuals face while navigating our criminal justice system. Displayed within…
Compass Mark’s mission is to prevent addiction through education, skill-building, and community mobilization. On Monday, October 7th, Compass Mark hosted two of the original Freedom Writers, Tony Becerra, and Cynthia Ray, to share their stories with our community. The night was filled with messages of inspiration, empowerment, and resiliency. We celebrated both the 20th…
Most people know that traumatic experiences can have severe impacts on children, but they don’t always know how to help. After witnessing or experiencing trauma—which could take the form of anything from natural disasters to the incarceration of a parent—many children experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as anxiety and depression, behavioral…
Childhood trauma can stem from many sources within our homes and in the community, and children can experience it in many forms, including physical or sexual abuse; neglect within the family; or scary events in the community such as school shootings, natural disasters or violence. When a child’s developing brain is under constant stress, the…
Over 200 people interested in trauma-informed communities packed our October 3rd Positive Change Conference to learn about: How school districts can lead a community-wide effort to become trauma-informed; How professional boundaries can weaken when vicarious trauma occurs; The most effective counseling interventions for trauma and PTSD; The experience of trauma-informed mindfulness practices; How communities across…