Case Study Question: A 35-year-old woman who had a successful business and strong professional identity before relocating to another country, but since then she has tried several professions without finding a sense of stability or belonging. She often says, “Everything…
A Place No One Can Take Away A Relaxation Practice for Helping Professionals This relaxation practice was offered by Dr. Marina Livshits during a VELA Well-being meeting to support helping professionals coping with stress and circumstances beyond their control. Sometimes…
Pause. Observe. Choose. A Practical Exercise for Helping Professionals and Caregivers Helping professionals and caregivers spend much of their time responding to the needs of others. In the process, it can become difficult to pause long enough to notice what…
The Journey We Cannot Fully Control: Trauma, Choice, and Narrative Awareness® When we work with trauma, we often encounter a difficult reality: not everything can be changed. Some circumstances are outside a person’s control. A loss cannot be undone. The…
When There Is Almost Nothing Left What happens when we are so overwhelmed, exhausted, or depleted that we feel there is almost nothing left to give? For caregivers, educators, mental health professionals, parents, and others who regularly support people around…
Not everything we carry started with us. During a recent VELA Well-being case study and peer-support conversation, our discussion turned to identity, memory, family history, and the experiences we inherit from those who came before us. One metaphor from the…
Sometimes Surviving Is Enough During times of trauma and acute stress, we often expect ourselves to keep going. We tell ourselves we should continue working, caring for others, staying productive, making decisions, and doing all the things we normally do.…
During a recent conversation with our colleagues, Dr. Sal Terrassi shared a thought that stayed with us: “Some people in the world focus on the power of love, while others focus on the love of power.” This simple distinction opened…
Those who spend their days caring for, supporting, and helping others need care and support, too. It is so important to have moments when we can find peace within ourselves, feel supported, feel connected, and simply feel loved. Sometimes those…
Another meeting with our Ukrainian colleagues. Another reminder that when people live through prolonged trauma, coping does not always mean doing something. One participant shared: “Nothing works anymore. What worked before doesn’t work.” Another said: “I want to sleep. I…