Australian Childhood Foundation’s Post

After losing her son to a rare form of epilepsy called NORSE, or New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus, Nora Wong set out to get answers. When she found little information and more questions, Nora founded the NORSE Institute to raise awareness and fund research into this sudden and devastating form of epilepsy, which often affects healthy, young people with no prior history of seizures. Check out the latest Seizing Life episode for the full story: https://lnkd.in/gizuXCmM

May is Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month, and at Ability to Empower, we embrace strength, bravery, and an undying spirit as we shine a brighter light on the path of people with neurofibromatosis (NF) and their families. As we work together to increase awareness, let's never forget that although NF is a part of their story, it does not define who they are. 🧠 Every person with NF possesses a universe of possibilities, aspirations, and the ability to create change. Their stories are ones of tenacity, innovation, and undeniable bravery. This month, let's give their voices more volume. By removing barriers and building a bridge of empathy and support, let's spread knowledge and understanding about NF not just today but every single day. 💚 Join us this month to spread awareness and foster a supportive environment for individuals with NF and their families. Share your stories, educate your circles, and let's turn up the volume on compassion and understanding. ✅ Let us support the cause and achieve genuine change together! 💪🏻 ________ #NFawareness #AbilityToEmpower #NeurofibromatosisAwarenessMonth

Looking forward to visiting one of my favourite countries (Georgia) next June to attend the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies conference! I've been invited to speak on a panel with my colleagues from the Global Collaboration on Traumatic Stress "Ongoing Armed Conflict, Child Maltreatment, and Global Prevalence of Trauma: the Added Value of Global Collaboration in Addressing Topics of International Importance" https://lnkd.in/gZDUiAHJ

This month, let’s unite to bring awareness to an often misunderstood neurological condition affecting millions worldwide: 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐬𝐲. For those living with epilepsy, the journey goes beyond seizures—it’s one of resilience, courage, and strength. Together, we can make a meaningful impact by: ✓ Educating ourselves about epilepsy and its challenges. Knowledge is power, and understanding fosters empathy. ✓ Sharing valuable information to break down the stigma. Every conversation helps. ✓ Showing compassion for those affected, uplifting their voices and their stories. Let’s create a world that embraces epilepsy with openness, kindness, and support!

🌟 Don't Miss This Transformative Event! 🌟 📅 Date: Tuesday, July 16 🕖 Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM EDT Join us for an enlightening session with TBRI® Practitioner & Licensed Therapist Lindsey Martin, LCSW, as she guides us through the powerful world of TBRI® Principles and the role of attachment in parenting. TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) is an attachment-based, trauma-informed approach designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. This intervention is grounded in extensive research on attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience. 🔹 What You'll Learn: Empowering Principles to address physical needs Connecting Principles to fulfill attachment needs Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors Discover practical tools to support children from "hard places" and learn to: Unlock the secrets of attachment Connect with children's needs Disarm fear-based behaviors TBRI® offers valuable strategies for caregivers and anyone working with children, enabling them to see the "whole child" and help each child reach their highest potential. Don't miss this opportunity to dive into trauma-informed intervention and gain practical insights!

Register here; https://lnkd.in/gspnmSWm We’re excited to invite you to our newest initiative, the Youth Brain Injury Summit, to create positive education pathways for young people with brain injuries. For years, families have been asking why they can’t attend the professional learning courses that clinicians, educators and disability supports do. They also desperately need the knowledge, information and networks, to be able to positively navigate the complex path of raising a family impacted by brain injury. At the same time, our amazing network of volunteers have said that learning from lived experience has been one of the most impactful ways to learn and develop skills. So, we’re closing that gap and bringing everyone’s “Heads Together” so we can learn from each other, build stronger connections, and unite in our shared purpose of making the world a better place for young people with brain injuries. Inclusion must be the foundation for everything which is why we need all voices at this table, only through collaboration will we create pathways that really work, for everyone involved. So be brave and be part of this change by registering for our first ever Youth Brain Injury Summit! Register now for your ticket before they sell out! https://lnkd.in/gspnmSWm

Register here; https://lnkd.in/gspnmSWm We’re excited to invite you to our newest initiative, the Youth Brain Injury Summit, to create positive education pathways for young people with brain injuries. For years, families have been asking why they can’t attend the professional learning courses that clinicians, educators and disability supports do. They also desperately need the knowledge, information and networks, to be able to positively navigate the complex path of raising a family impacted by brain injury. At the same time, our amazing network of volunteers have said that learning from lived experience has been one of the most impactful ways to learn and develop skills. So, we’re closing that gap and bringing everyone’s “Heads Together” so we can learn from each other, build stronger connections, and unite in our shared purpose of making the world a better place for young people with brain injuries. Inclusion must be the foundation for everything which is why we need all voices at this table, only through collaboration will we create pathways that really work, for everyone involved. So be brave and be part of this change by registering for our first ever Youth Brain Injury Summit! Register now for your ticket before they sell out! https://lnkd.in/gspnmSWm

Very belated post, but at the end of April I had the incredible opportunity to present a poster showcasing preliminary results from my dissertation at the 2024 Western Psychological Association Conference! My poster featured themes from the first ten interviews with surviving family members of athletes diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), providing a platform for their stories to be heard.   After losing my dad in 2020, I found myself grappling with grief and uncertainty. Living with a loved one with CTE often means navigating through countless unanswered questions. While my dad’s diagnosis shed light on some aspects of our journey, it also left me wondering what I could do with this information now that I had it.   When we talk about CTE, the focus tends to be on the diagnosed athlete. Yet, we often overlook the enduring impact on the families left behind. After the dust settles and certainty sets in, it is the family members who remain. To cope with my own loss, I immersed myself in research, delving into the family perspective of life before, during, and after CTE. Through conversations with numerous family members over the past few months — spouses, parents, siblings, adult children — I’ve come to realize that our experiences are not isolated. While opinions may differ on whether their loved ones would have continued playing their sport if they knew the risks, there’s unanimous agreement that they should have been informed of those risks.   Many families, like mine, are driven to share their stories and preserve their loved ones’ legacies to find meaning in these senseless losses. This poster is just the beginning, and I am so excited to continue this research. Though I may never find all the answers I’m looking for, I am determined to continue advocating for future families, ensuring their loved ones are well-informed about the risks, and pushing for safer sports practices to prevent needless suffering.

Today, for Veteran's day. I had the pleasure of speaking with therapists about working with suicidal thoughts and the benefits of Critical Memory Integration (CMI). We explored recent advances in neuroscience that challenge some of our assumptions yet affirm the importance of showing up authentically and bridging human connection in moments of struggle. There were many insightful clinical questions that highlighted how deeply these therapists care about the individuals they work with. We discussed navigating dark times, struggles, and those difficult moments as a professional when there are no clear answers or suggestions. In those times, all we can do is hold space and say, "I am here with you, right where you are." CMI provides us with tools to foster human connection, co-regulation, and emotional resonance. Rather than diminishing our own space and presence, it expands them. Learn more at www.arisealliance.org

October is Opioid-Exposed Children Awareness Month. Generation O: The National Organization for Opioid-Exposed Children is sharing research-backed facts about prenatal opioid exposure every day. I invite you to share these posts and bring awareness to the unique needs of these children. "NAS is not simply a complex array of clinical signs expressed by a substance-exposed infant. It also represents complicated social, physical, and psychological stressors for the mother-infant dyad." The Science: https://lnkd.in/e7iJph2f