Inspiring Change Through Basketball at Starr Commonwealth’s Racial Equity Camp
The roots of this camp can be traced back to 2022, when a group of Kentucky coaches united with a common goal—to create a camp that would fearlessly utilize basketball as a tool for addressing racism, fostering community relations, promoting mental health, building resilience, and instilling accountability. This camp was a testament to the power…
Nurturing Resilience Through Play in Early Childhood
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison Imagine a garden where every child is a budding flower, each needing care and attention to blossom fully. Throughout the early childhood journey, we often find ourselves navigating the delicate task of fostering resilience in…
Essential Strategies for School Safety: Insights from Starr Experts
In June, Starr experts highlighted important concepts through two articles on the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators (MASA) website. In an article titled “Protecting Schools from Violence: What Matters Most?” Dr. Caelan Soma, Starr’s Chief Clinical Officer, outlines how schools need comprehensive safety plans with preventive measures, emergency responses, and recovery strategies that are…
Five Ways to Foster Resilience
As professionals dedicated to working with youth, we are entrusted with a profound responsibility and a unique privilege: to shape and influence the lives of the young people we encounter. The most critical protective factor for increasing a child’s resilience is ensuring they believe they have at least one adult who loves them irrationally and…
How to Decrease Trauma Symptoms and Reactions of Anxiety
Healing from Within We know that trauma is a profound and often distressing experience that can profoundly impact your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The journey from trauma to healing is intricate, involving a complex interplay between the mind and body. Recognizing this connection is vital to fostering effective healing and recovery. Understanding Trauma and…
Understanding the SITCAP® Model: A Guide to Trauma and Resilience
Key Points: Brain science supports the efficacy of Starr’s Clinical Foundations of Trauma and Resilience and SITCAP® model in addressing trauma and fostering resilience. The SITCAP® model is accessible to various professionals, not just licensed mental health practitioners, facilitating wider implementation. Research highlights trauma as a public health crisis but identifies protective factors and interventions…
Starr Commonwealth Hosts Transformative Community Forum on Innovative Approach to Poverty
Starr Commonwealth, a leading organization dedicated to healing trauma and building resilience in children, families, and communities, hosted a community forum titled “An Innovative Approach to Poverty.” The event, held at Starr Commonwealth’s Albion campus on May 22, 2024, featured Dr. Marcella Wilson, Founder & CEO of Transition to Success® (TTS). Dr. Wilson, with over…
Transform Your Clinical Practice: Master Trauma-Informed Care with Starr Commonwealth’s Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist Certification
Are you ready to advance your expertise in trauma-informed care with a Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist certification from Starr Commonwealth? Dr. Caelan Soma answers all your questions about Starr’s new Clinical Foundations for Trauma and Resilience packages below. About Dr. Soma Dr. Caelan Soma, PsyD, LMSW, Chief Clinical Officer, oversees all clinical operations and…
Understanding Stress: Empowering Resilience through Mindfulness
Throughout the beautiful journey of the human experience, stress emerges as a multifaceted phenomenon, weaving its threads through the fabric of our lives in various forms. From the everyday pressures of work and relationships to the deeper, more enduring effects of things like adverse childhood experiences, stress manifests in different ways, each with its own…
Prioritizing Mental Wellness in Education: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Empower Teachers and Students
As we embrace Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s crucial to reflect on the invaluable role educators play in shaping the emotional and social well-being of our communities. Now more than ever, the importance of prioritizing mental wellness in schools cannot be overstated. At Starr Commonwealth, we believe in the power of a trauma-informed approach to…
Cultivating Resilience: A Blueprint for Educators
In the bustling corridors of our schools, amidst the laughter and the learning, there exists a silent yet powerful force: resilience. The inner strength that propels our students forward, even in the face of adversity. As educators, we have the privilege and the responsibility to nurture this resilience, to foster environments where every child can…
Supporting Safe Experiences in Early Childhood Care
Are you passionate about creating a safe and nurturing environment for young children? Well, you’ll love this topic – Supporting a physically and psychologically safe experience in Early Childhood Care. Let’s explore how we can create a warm and welcoming space that supports the growth and development of our little ones! Early childhood educators play…
Cultivating Belonging: Navigating Exclusion with Restorative and Resilience-Focused Approach to Discipline
Hello, fellow educators and guardians of compassionate learning! Today, we embark on a transformative journey towards redefining disciplinary practices through the lens of restorative justice and resilience-focused mindset. Prepare to be inspired as we delve into a realm where exclusion, as a last resort in response to behavior, is reframed as an opportunity for connection,…
School readiness and success: Are you meeting basic needs?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the Circle of Courage model of Resilience Conversations and curriculums to promote school readiness in early childhood programs tend to focus on cognitive development, academics, concentration, and focus. In many cases, the priority must be basic needs. For children to be successful in school, they need to be well-fed, sleep…