Essential Conversations

This time, our guests are Neal Long, Director of Learning at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Anne Manning, Deputy Director for Learning and Engagement at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. In this captivating conversation, we explore the role of art in healing and resilience, ways to be more innovative in providing support for groups of people, the importance of practicing humility when you know that you don’t know, striking a balance between beauty, comfort, and truth-telling, and curating experiences that foster choice, develop empathy, and provide care. You don’t have to be an artist to get something good out of this episode! 

Join us for a fascinating conversation with our guests, Leslie Carto, External Media Communications Manager at University Health, and Eryn Realmuto, Internal Communications Manager at University Health, about the challenges of being trauma-sensitive in an industry designed to thrive by activating fear, opportunities to provide care for those who communicate stressful information as part of their jobs, and key tips for trauma-informed communication in any organization. Bonus: In this episode, one of our guests unexpectedly “turns the mic around” and asks the hosts to share how they each became involved in the field of Trauma Informed Care. 

Episode 2, with Chief Judge of the 31st Judicial District in Kansas, Honorable Daniel D. Creitz, and Director of Community Corrections & Kansas Department of Corrections Juvenile Services, Troy Smith

If you’ve ever wondered what works better than punishment to reduce criminal activity, you will want to listen to this episode! Our guests, Chief Judge of the 31st Judicial District in Kansas, the Honorable Daniel D. Creitz, and Director of Community Corrections and Kansas Department of Corrections Juvenile Services, Troy Smith, share their work supporting persons with substance use disorders as they experience recovery, rekindle hope, and take their lives back. You’ll be inspired as they discuss what works, what doesn’t, what it takes to stay well yourself when working in a field with this much trauma exposure, and why it’s so important to continually celebrate successes, both large and small.

In this episode, we talk with Lisa Charlson, Human Resources Organizational Development Educator, and Jackie Griffin, Senior Director of Guest Services, both with University Health, a Level-One Trauma Center located in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri and serving as both the urban-core, safety-net hospital and the teaching hospital for the University of Missouri-Kansas City. This conversation is filled with extremely practical advice for leaders, from leaders, including ways Trauma Informed Caring transforms conflict, how to have truly collaborative conversations even around difficult topics, and how to create compassionate culture that supports and includes absolutely every person your organization touches.

Join us for Trauma Informed Care in Unexpected Places (TICUP) our next topic on the Trauma Informed Caring Podcast, brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this introductory episode, Andrea and Roxanne discuss themes from the upcoming season as well as how they each came to work in the field of Trauma Informed Care and what has surprised them along the way.

Warning: Listening to this series may cause you to feel good and experience more vicarious joy in your life!

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

Lisa got sober at fifteen, and now, at 34 people often discount her experience.  Lisa has many labels: a person in recovery, a queer lesbian, multi-religious, and a single mom who created her family through international adoption. She continues to work on her recovery daily and is grateful to be sober.

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

Norma is an 88-year-old woman who entered recovery in her 50’s. As an older lady friends and family have a hard time believing she ever had a drinking problem. She educates her doctors and friends about what alcoholism is.

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

Jazie is a non-binary person who is coming up on their 2nd sober anniversary.  Jazie recognizes the older version of themselves taught them many things and acknowledges that they would not be the best version of themselves without that former self.

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

Casey explained that recovery does not have to be abstinence only.  She discusses her thoughts on why she practices abstinence only now, but she may not always be. She discusses why she may use substances in spiritual practices or rituals that her culture has used for centuries, and that does not contradict being in recovery. Casey uses her voice to stand up for who she stands on. 

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

Hector looked at his family and chose not to repeat those patterns.  Hector practiced abstinence into his young adulthood.  When he did start using, he practiced harm reduction.  As a queer, first-generation Hispanic immigrant, he has been able to put a voice to what so many in his culture could not do.

Each person who enters recovery is as unique as their story. And this month, in honor of recovery month, we are bringing you recovery stories from people in diverse populations. Hear what people in these communities want providers to know.

This series is a special edition of the Essential Conversations podcast. Stream new episodes every Friday in September!

• Episode 1: Laura celebrates her recovery and the person she has become as a result. When her daughter was battling her own addiction, this veteran, divorced, gay mom had to advocate to get her daughter's other mom to be recognized in the healthcare setting.  Laura and her ex-partner were the first parents in MO to have a same-sex partner adoption, but even that legal distinction did not stop the discrimination this queer family faced when seeking medical care for their daughter.

In this episode, we connected with two women uniquely supporting health and well-being in their communities. Raquel Garcia is University Health’s Community Health Education Nurse working in Kansas City, Missouri, and Stacy Jones is a Body Image Coach and Weight Stigma Educator working in California. Both grounded firmly in the principles of trauma informed caring and passionately advocating for equity in healthcare, our guests shared key strategies for combatting stigma and shame, ensuring information and support reaches people most effectively, and utilizing practices of self-awareness in order to embrace your uniqueness and
protect your well-being. Get inspired by the wisdom, expertise, and compassion of Raquel and Stacy in this deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation!

Episode 8, with Russell Anderson and Jake Pitts Russell Anderson and Jake Pitts lead the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts at University Health in Kansas City, MO. In this deeply self-reflective conversation, they talked with us about
their experiences in weaving in the practices of trauma informed caring with educating others on counteracting bias, having difficult conversations, and improving equity and access. Listen in for powerful tips on understanding and managing yourself, engaging authentically with yourself and
others, and navigating the intricacies of intent and impact in what we say and do.

In this episode, our guests Dr. Alli Morton and Dr. Hanna Grandgenett, both from the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute share a variety of insights they have gained, and are still gaining, as they work to integrate Trauma Informed Caring in flexible, individualized ways that honor the inherent dignity, strengths, and life experiences of those they serve. Filled with practical, applicable tips to enhance communication and center humility, this conversation will both challenge and inspire you.

In this episode, we speak with two women who both have used their own experiences to forge new paths and address inequities for people in their respective communities. Dr. Anitra Warrior, Ph.D., LP, is an American Indian Psychologist from the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma, who has dedicated her career to underserved populations throughout the state of Nebraska. Doty Shepard is the Executive Director of Resilient Colorado | Cultivate Resilience, originally founded to serve the southwest Colorado region where she makes her home, and which has now achieved international reach. They shared their wisdom in recognizing and counteracting our biases, gave us insights into trauma-informed communication, and revealed how they are responding to moral injury, each leaving us at the end with one word to consider for our individual practice of trauma informed caring. 

Chandra Green, Director of Alive and Thrive in Wyandotte County, KS, and Clara Sainte, Kansas City social worker, therapist, and adjunct faculty at the University of Kansas joined us for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation that centered on community, relationships, and allyship. Our guests grounded us in the questions we need to first ask of ourselves as we work to counteract bias and engage in the work of addressing inequity and trauma. This episode gives us all much to consider as well as motivation to stretch ourselves in our collective humanity.

Episode 4, with Erika Holliday and Lauren Ragan Wilkerson 

This episode features Erika Holliday, Substance Use Coordinator for the Unified Government (Kansas City, KS) Public Health Department, and Lauren Ragan Wilkerson, Board-Certified Music Therapist at the University of California-San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. In this conversation, we challenged ourselves with questions that rarely have clear answers, and our guests offered both macro- and micro-level strategies for effecting change and maintaining well-being through it.  

Our guests for this episode are Jesse Kohler, Executive Director of the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP) in Washington, DC, and Whitney Marris, CTIPP’s Director for Trauma-Informed Practice and System Transformation. Whitney and Jesse remind us that belonging is not automatically experienced, no matter how lofty our goals or mission, and that creating true inclusion for everyone, at every level, IS the work of transformation. What follows is a thought-provoking discussion of mindset shifts and practical actions we all can use to transform our distress over the world-as-it-is into courage and agency to co-create the world as we dream it can be. 

Episode 2, with Eva Santiago and Bernadette Spooner Thompson

You won’t want to miss a minute of this bold, broad, bravely-honest, bias-busting conversation.
Eva Santiago is a former police officer turned certified Bikram Yoga Instructor, community activist, personal nutritionist, and self-described “healthy life fanatic” who currently serves as Program Coordinator for Plaza Comunitaria in Kansas City Public Schools where she advocates for the needs of the Latinx community, Dreamers, DACA recipients, and our undocumented sisters and brothers. Bernadette Spooner Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and certified K-12 school counselor who works in urban school settings where she regularly facilitates uncomfortable yet important conversations, especially across racial lines, and shares on the YouTube channel, Woman to Woman: Conversations in Black and White. Both Bernadette and Eva remind us that trauma-informed practices are not currently synonymous with creating diverse, equitable, inclusive environments, and they share practical, powerful ways we can do better, from fostering mental health in ALL our students, to responding to bias in ourselves and others, to engaging in truly trauma-informed self-care.

In this episode, we share an inspiring discussion with Akeem Curns, Vice President of Camp Fire Heartland, and Dr. Marvia Jones, Director of the Kansas City Missouri Health Department, that highlights the far-reaching impact of seeing and responding to everyone with a trauma-informed lens (no exceptions), communicating with understanding, consistently offering grace, and the transformative power of a strengths-based approach. Our guests offer us a variety of practical, proven, powerful practices that open doors to healing, connection, and hope. You won’t want to miss a minute of this conversation!

Join us for Culturally Responsive Trauma Informed Care (CRTIC), our next topic on the Trauma Informed Caring Podcast, a member of the family of “Essential Conversations” podcasts brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this introductory episode, Roxanne and Andrea highlight several themes from the upcoming season, and they discuss the vital importance of ongoing, authentic connection with others when working to transform systems at the intersection of trauma-informed caring and diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, access, and belonging initiatives.

Open your mind and your heart for this candid discussion with our guest, Mindy Davidson, as we explore the power of one caring adult to mitigate the impact of adverse childhood experiences, trauma-sensitive ways foster parents can empower biological parents and support family reunification, the magic that can happen when you simply do the next right thing, how to fuel your giving with gratitude, and what compassion satisfaction, gritty hope, and vicarious resilience look like in real life.

Join us for a heart-felt, wide-ranging discussion with our guest, Kim Shaw-Ellis, and get inspired by the power of being seen, valued, and connected, the power of intentional focus on goodness and ways we get that which we seek, and the power of collaborating to solve problems that impact our communities and each other in ways that transform pain into joy and healing.

In this engaging conversation with our guest, Imam Jamal Shakur, we discuss the importance of knowing and understanding what is happening to you in order to find paths for healing, being relational and intentional about supporting resilience in the face of vicarious trauma, and the power of providing positive childhood and community experiences to sustain hope and well-being both now and for future generations.

This vulnerable and authentic conversation with our guest, Tom Young, explores several powerful external and internal resources that foster resilience in the midst of the pains of life, from the joy of a purple house to community engagement to tears and forgiveness.

Join us for our next topic on the Trauma Informed Caring Podcast, a member of the family of “Essential Conversations” podcasts brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this introductory episode, Roxanne and Andrea discuss goals and hopes for upcoming episodes, as well as some personal insights as they reflect on the theme for this season, Ways We Cultivate Resilience.

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Leaders Vladimir Sainte, Clinical Director of Counseling and Family Support Services at The Children’s Place, and Andy Campbell, Principal at Summit Ridge Academy, have surprising insights to share in this discussion that explores the power and effectiveness of leading collaboratively, caring for people before tasks, coaching for compassion versus compliance, communicating the why, seeing challenging individuals as kind teachers, and taking time to celebrate along the way.

This engaging conversation with Tiffany Sturdivant of University Health Behavioral Health and Lisa Charlson of University Health Human Resources naturally coalesced around leadership practices that help organizations retain a dedicated, healthy workforce. Listen in as they talk about strengths-focused, collaborative leadership based in the wisdom of lived experience, establishing a culture of safety and caring long before any crisis hits, modeling vulnerability alongside grace with a goal of always learning and improving, and infusing trauma-informed practices into leadership training and coaching.

Listen in to our fascinating and inspiring conversation with Cathy Harding and Randy Lopez of Wyandotte Health Foundation in Kansas City, Kansas, a mission-driven organization that has sought to improve the health of Wyandotte County residents for the past quarter of a century. Over the past few years, the Foundation has shifted the way they fund and support their mission, demonstrating innovation in trauma informed caring in leadership as a philanthropic organization. Deeply trusting and collaborating alongside their community partners, both mindsets and practices are changing, and the resulting outcomes -though at times surprising -are positively impacting the health and well-being of individuals and the larger community, both now and in ways that promise to benefit future generations.

Episode 5, with guests Susan Woodford and Marsha Morgan

Grab your favorite beverage, pen, and paper, and settle in; you won’t want to miss a minute of this impassioned, enlightening discussion with two seasoned leaders who are changing systems at the intersection of trauma informed caring and diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion. Marsha Morgan, Founder of Resilience Builders and early adopter of leading with Trauma Informed Care in healthcare, and Susan Woodford, Executive Director of First Resources Corporation, pull no punches as they share experiences (both successes and failures) and thoughts about the most important practices to implement (hint: it’s not screening for ACEs) in order to transform organizational culture and truly support all the people you impact.

Julianna Stuart of Preservation of Affordable Housing and Dena Sneed of the Center for Trauma Informed Innovation lead through relationship, transparency, vulnerability, shared power, and emotional intelligence to nudge cultures in the direction of trauma informed caring. In this episode, they discussed impactful strategies and mindsets that have transformed not only their team cultures, but themselves personally.

Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Mirna Herrera and Shalise Williams, both with University Health Behavioral Health, who are forging new pathways in the trauma-informed practice of peer support in community health. In light of their personal experiences of trauma, recovery, and ongoing commitment to being well, they share leadership practices that foster resilience and offer concrete examples and outcomes of trauma-informed supervision.

Join us for a new and timely topic on the Trauma Informed Caring Podcast, a member of the family of “Essential Conversations” podcasts brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this introductory episode, Roxanne and Andrea discuss goals and hopes for upcoming episodes, as well as some personal insights as they reflect on the theme for this season, Trauma Informed Caring in Leadership.

Join us for yet another engaging discussion featuring more of our previous guests from Season 3 of Essential Conversations! In this second roundtable, we continue to dive even deeper into the practices of trauma informed caring in the real world. Listen once more as we talk with Jennifer Manuleleua, Kreasha Williams, and Aaron Knipmeyer, and consider their tips and insights for all of us who are implementing trauma informed caring.

oin us for an engaging discussion with some of our previous guests from Season 3 of Essential Conversations! In this roundtable, we dive even deeper into the practices of trauma informed caring in real life. Listen in as we talk with Keithia Roberts, Jessica Welch, Sarah Corlett, and Starla Brennan to hear their tips and insights for all of us who are implementing trauma informed caring.

Episode 7, featuring Kelvin Owens and James Stout

Kelvin Owens and James Stout, both in the Public Safety department at University Health, join us for a conversation about preparing your mindset for the ongoing journey of trauma informed caring. We talked about seeing humanity, checking in with each other, and showing appreciation and celebrating the successes along the way.

Episode 6, featuring Jessica Welch and Kim Colegrove

In this episode, we are joined by Kim Colegrove, who teaches meditation and mindfulness for first responders, and Jessica Welch of Phoenix Family. This sometimes-emotional and inspiring conversation centered around how the biggest obstacles to overcome in implementing trauma informed practices are often within ourselves: resistance to seeking help, shame, and overwhelm.

Episode 5, featuring Sean Hess and Aaron Knipmeyer

Our guests, Sean Hess of the Kansas City Police Department and Aaron Knipmeyer of the Lafayette County C-1 School District, discuss their experiences navigating various obstacles in implementing trauma informed caring in their settings, from managing crises and resistance to change, challenging long-held cultural beliefs, and overcoming reluctance to seek help.

Episode 4, featuring Jennifer Manuleleua and Merideth Rose

We had so much great conversation with Jennifer and Merideth that we let the recording run to capture more of their insights into the journey of building trauma informed communities. We went deeper into how we roll with resistance and bring others into the work, while also tending to yourself with self-compassion as you, yourself, are transformed.

Episode 3, featuring Jennifer Manuleleua and Merideth Rose

Jennifer Manuleleua and Merideth Rose, both of Community Services League, share with us how trauma informed caring has transformed not only their work, but their lives and their community through genuine connection with other people.

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Join us for an introduction to the Trauma Informed Caring Podcast, a member of the family of “Essential Conversations” podcasts brought to you by the Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center and funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In this episode, you will meet the hosts and learn about our vision for the podcast, how this will be different from other Trauma Informed Care information, and how each episode will flow. Together, as we explore varied perspectives, let us nurture knowledge and inspire courage for practical, transformative action that is “trauma-informed caring” in real life!

This is season 2, episode 4 of Essential Conversations, a podcast for behavioral health providers in region 7. The experts from the series will recap important highlights from season 2 and provide resources for the listeners. 

This project is brought to you by the Mid-America Technology transfer centers and is funded by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The content on this podcast does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA.

This is season 2, episode 3 of Essential Conversations, a podcast for behavioral health providers in region 7. This episode will discuss common misconceptions of substance use.

This project is brought to you by the Mid-America Technology transfer centers and is funded by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The content on this podcast does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA.

This is season 2, episode 2 of Essential Conversations, a podcast for behavioral health providers in region 7. This episode will discuss the different stages of substance use and identify if and when someone should reach out to support or offer support to loved ones who may be struggling with substance use. 

This project is brought to you by the Mid-America Technology transfer centers and is funded by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The content on this podcast does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA.

This is season 2 of Essential Conversations, a podcast for behavioral health providers in region 7. This episode will define and address stigma  and highlight appropriate language and ways you can decrease the impact of substance use disorder. 

This project is brought to you by the Mid-America Technology transfer centers and is funded by SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The content on this podcast does not necessarily reflect the views of SAMHSA.