Thankful this Thanksgiving

I guess I could follow the theme of the weekend by listing some of the work-related things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:

1.       My book- I’m so happy and proud of this accomplishment and thankful for all the people that helped me realize it.

2.       All the smart, interesting, thoughtful caring people I have met through my training and consulting.

3.       The people I have come to know who really think about this work, develop new ideas, and strive to change the world. These include Steve Brown, Laurie Pearlman, Sandy Bloom, Kay Saakvitne, Martha Holden, Sarah Yanosi, and many others. It’s great to bounce ideas off of each other and thus come up with even better thoughts.

4.       The concept of vicarious transformation.

5.       My new friend at the UConn School of Social Work Megan Berthold whose courageous work with torture survivors has taught her a lot about surviving with dignity.

6.       The opportunity to teach at the School of Social Work- I’m going to teach a real credit course this semester!

7.       My wonderful supportive workplace, Klingberg Family Centers, with all its good humored and hard working people. We are developing new ways to provide excellence in trauma informed care.

8.       Our relationship with the publisher/owner of Risking Connection, Sidran Institute, Esther Giller and Elizabeth Power.

9.       Our work with our Risking Connection trainers. I am very proud of what we do to improve treatment excellence through our consultation groups. Our Day of Learning and Sharing with Ruta Mazelis looks to be another excellent event.

10.   Our new webinars offering training and consultation to our distant trainers.

11.   The fact that both Risking Connection and the Restorative Approach have just been accepted for inclusion on an Evidence Based List, the California Evidence Based Clearing House for Child Welfare.

12.   A new research project we have just been commissioned to do in the Yukon Territory in Canada.

13.   Our working on adapting Risking Connection to native Hawaiian values with Child and Family Service and Partners in Development in Hawaii.

14.    The marvelous people who are directly responsible for the Traumatic Stress Institute of Klingberg Family Centers: Steve Brown, Marci Marciniec, and our newly hired associate, Michelle Kenefick.

Happy Thanksgiving!