Spring 2023 Learning Institute Info!

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Leiden is a historic town, famous for its canals, quaint alleyways and national museums. The city life is greatly influenced by the large number of its students living and studying here. 

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When walking through Leiden, its rich history still seems very much alive. Rembrandt was born and developed his painting skills here. Carolus Clusius brought the first Dutch tulips to bloom. Leiden has more than 12 museums, all worth a visit. The priceless and unique collections on show enjoy international fame.

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Day 1: Dr. Dareen Basma,

Healing From the Hidden Wounds of Historical Trauma

May 30th 1 Day Live Virtual Event from Netherlands: 

$40 for 6 CEs

Time 9 am -  CST

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Historical trauma refers to the cumulative emotional and psychological wounding over the lifespan and across generations resulting from massive group trauma. This trauma is passed down through generations as a result of sustained violence, loss of land, forced migration, and other forms of oppression. The trauma experienced by one generation may be passed down to subsequent generations through various means, such as family dynamics, cultural practices, and social institutions. This type of trauma can have a significant impact on the mental and physical health of individuals, communities, and entire populations. Examples of historical trauma include, but are not limited to: 

● The trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples as a result of colonization, forced removal from their lands, and the destruction of their cultures and communities. This includes the forced boarding school system in the United States and Canada, where Indigenous children were taken from their families and forced to assimilate into European-American culture. 

● The trauma experienced by African Americans as a result of slavery and the legacy of racial discrimination, violence, and economic exploitation that has persisted since slavery was abolished. 

● The trauma experienced by Jewish people as a result of the Holocaust, where six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II. 

● The trauma experienced by refugees and immigrants as a result of forced displacement from their home countries, often due to war or political persecution. ​

Historical trauma has been evidenced to have lasting impact on individuals, families, and communities, influencing mental and physical health, social cohesion, and intergenerational relationships. This session is designed to provide a foundational understanding of racial and historical trauma, its modern day implications, and interventions for humanistic healing that can be utilized by clinicians. This training will be both a psychoeducation and a process group that will cover the following learning objectives: 

● Defining, understanding and unpacking the intersection between racism, historical trauma, and structural oppression. 

● Examining the mental and physical implications of historical trauma, as evidenced by countless research studies across communities and regions. 

● Deepening understanding of the concept of invisible wounds, with a focus on rage, devaluation, assaulted sense of self and voicelessness. 

● Bridging the relationship between invisible wounds and internalized oppression, and its sustained amplification of historical trauma. 

● Reviewing the concept of armoring as an intervention and mechanism of healing.

● Understanding the impact of community in fostering healing and resilience

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Day 2: Jay Thompson (Espoo, Finland)

Meeting the Increased Demands on both Students and Staff in Schools Today:

A Well-Being Perspective

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Student guidance counselors are a required part of middle and high school staff teams in Finnish public schools, and a growing portion of work these counselors practice touches on ethical issues and working with delicate situations. Just as many other countries have experienced in recent years, and especially since the Covid pandemic, student mental health needs are on the rise in Finland (Knaappila, Noora, et al., 2021; Newlove‐Delgado, Tamsin, et al., 2022).  The knock-on effect of phenomena such as extended remote learning and quarantines (i.e. increased student isolation) is now manifesting itself through increased demands for students to maintain their well-being upon returning to a traditional school environment (YLE News, 2021).  In turn, these increased demands have and are likely to continue to multiply sensitive and ethical issues within student counseling. These factors may lead to:

● More student support needs, including bolstering social skills.
● Expanded cooperation with parents and guardians.
● Complex situations that require increased student confidentiality, and

greater demand for cultural awareness/cultural sensitivity and its implications.

 

Student wellness in the Finnish school system involves several members of a community well-being team: an on-site school social worker, psychologist, nurse, special education teacher(s), guidance counselor(s) and the school principal.  While the tasks of this group are preventative in nature, reacting to individual or communal student well-being concerns is also a reality, often requiring the creation of multi-professional teams consisting of two or more of these staff.  Such teams work directly with the student, perhaps their homeroom or class teacher and often one or more guardian. If, for example, parents/guardians are a significant source of the student’s wellness issue, this creates a challenging environment.

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This session will give participants the opportunity to learn more about, to discuss and to troubleshoot solutions for these present-day issues.  As a large group, we will explore current trends and issues related to ethical, cultural and sensitive factors in student well-being. Small groups will have the opportunity for more discussion around the topic, as well as learning practical solutions when working with students in such situations. Preventative measures will also be presented, along with the opportunity for participants to share their own best practices in their unique settings or experiences.  The desired outcomes are to provide participants with an increased knowledge base, interactive discussion as well as proposals/suggestions for helping school counselors succeed, thereby helping their clients, as well.

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