During Unprecedented Times: Weaving Wellness Skills into Clinical Practice | A Webinar with Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW

Description:

In this session, Elaine Miller-Karas will elucidate the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) core principles and introduce the six essential wellness skills it encompasses.

The central focus of the Community Resiliency Model revolves around educating individuals about the intricate biology and neurophysiology associated with trauma, stress, and resilience. Within this framework, individuals are equipped with simple yet biologically grounded wellness techniques that can be shared with clients undergoing stressful situations, ultimately aiding in the resetting and stabilizing of their nervous systems.

Through CRM, individuals are guided to develop an acute awareness of bodily sensations linked to their overall well-being, referred to as the "Resilient Zone." The ultimate objective of CRM is to cultivate individuals who are both "trauma-informed" and "resiliency-informed and -focused." They share a collective understanding of the profound impact of trauma and chronic stress on the nervous system while recognizing the potential for restoring or enhancing resilience through a skills-based approach.
CRM has demonstrated its effectiveness across various scenarios, including responding to active crises like the situation in Ukraine. Furthermore, it serves as a valuable post-crisis intervention, empowering community members to learn and subsequently teach CRM within their communities. In all evaluated populations and intervention contexts (excluding Ukraine, which is not under evaluation), CRM consistently demonstrates its ability to reduce symptoms related to post-traumatic stress (PTS/STS), depression, and anxiety. This underscores CRM's adaptability, usability, and cultural relevance as an intervention approach.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to identify:

1. One or more key Community Resiliency Model (CRM) concepts.
2. Three or more skills of CRM.
3. One or more clinical applications of CRM.

Presenter Information:

Elaine Miller-Karas is co-founder and Executive Director Emeriti at the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI), a nonprofit promoting resilience and trauma-informed care. Under her guidance, TRI has pioneered groundbreaking initiatives such as the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) and the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), both widely acknowledged interventions for addressing and preventing traumatic stress. She has spearheaded projects helping communities in the recovery process after mass shootings.

Miller-Karas is the author of "Building Resilience to Trauma: the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, Second Edition," a work commended by the United Nations and Taylor and Francis for its alignment with the U.N.'s sustainable development goals. Her contributions extend to regular insights in writing for Psychology Today on trauma-related subjects and hosting the weekly radio show "Resiliency Within" on VoiceAmerica.

Notably, she leads the Ukraine Humanitarian Resiliency Program, supporting teachers and children. Miller-Karas' expertise and dedication to trauma and resilience have garnered international recognition, showcased through her speaking engagements at prestigious institutions, including the Centers for Disease Control, the United Nations, Psychotherapy Networker, the Global Fund, Catalyst 2030, and the Skoll World Forum.

This is a District Meeting coordinated by the Greater LA District