Historical and Intergenerational Trauma and Resilience

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Even when our history is forgotten, our genes tell the story creating intergenerational patterns of disease, addiction, and vulnerability in our descendants. While the legacy of historical trauma creates a complex array of social, emotional, and behavioral survival skills that are passed on intergenerationally, what is often missed is the resilience present in those skills. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how history impacts the functioning of those living in the present and how our survival embodies resilience. We will explore current research demonstrating how trauma changes our genetic code and how resilience can change our gene expression.

Relational neuroscience demonstrates that all growth occurs in relationships, and all relationships are embedded in culture. Listening and honoring survivors’ stories not only gives us a glimpse into the workings of their survival skills, it also introduces us to their cultural context and strengths. Research has shown that the act of storytelling allows people to release and rise above their trauma by identifying what they have done to survive. Learn how to identify the strengths from within a story that can feel like an explosion of emotions and words, then help those you serve, and support re-engage their survival skills as resilience skills supporting growth beyond intergenerational cycles born of historical trauma.  

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this training participants will be able to identify and address:

1. The hidden epidemic of historical trauma’s impact on family relationships, development, and culture resulting in intergenerational trauma.
2. Moving from uniformed through trauma informed to trauma responsive by exploring how toxic stress interacts with cultural context and the skills survivors develop to help meet their needs. 
3. The epigenetics of trauma, resilience, and the healing power of storytelling.
4. Identify and address the hidden gems of resilience beneath the survival skills.

Presenters: 

Mary Vicario, LPCC-S, CTS; Marian Stucky, LISW-S, MBA; Chelsey Getz, LISW, TRCC II, MSW; Jane Larson

Mary Vicario is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor (LPCC-S) and a Certified Trauma Specialist who holds a Certificate in Traumatic Studies The Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute. In 2007, she founded Finding Hope Consulting to address the gap in training available to communities by translating cutting edge relational neuroscience into everyday activities that anyone can use to promote healing, resilience and hope. Through interactive and entertaining presentations, Finding Hope brings the neurobiology of hope to life with a focus on supporting underserved populations and creating trauma-responsive communities. Ms. Vicario’s 35 years experience includes being an educator, counselor, People to People American Counseling Association delegate to China and Mongolia; guest lecturing and participating in a conference on human trafficking in Germany, co-authoring the Foster Parents' Survival Guide, a journal article on Relational-Cultural Play Therapy, trauma responsive curricula for individuals with Intellectual and Development Disabilities (IDD) and a textbook chapter in S. Smith-Adcock and C. Tucker Eds. (2016), Counseling Children and Adolescents: Connecting Theory, Development and Diversity for Sage Publishing.  Each day, Mary’s father asked her, “What did you do today, to make the world a better place?” She hopes her audiences leave knowing one more way they can do just that.  

Marian Stuckey is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with Supervisory status with over 10 years of experience working in the mental health and public health fields. Additionally, Marian has a Master of Business Administration. Marian is passionate about working with diverse groups of people and has served many years in underserved communities working alongside and in partnership to support positive change. Marian’s career has focused on uplifting opportunities for healing and wellness with a special focus on Persons of Color including working on issues of racialized trauma, organizational and leadership development, grief, and general mental health support and coping. Marian has served in government, as a therapist, and a university lecturer. Most recently Marian opened a private practice therapy business called MindShift Counseling and Consulting, LLC. Marian enjoys reading and spending time with her son. 

Chelsey Getz (she/her) is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and serves as a Training Coordinator at The Center for Family Safety and Healing (TCFSH), an organization within Nationwide Children’s Hospital. With over 10 years of experience working and volunteering with domestic violence agencies in Ohio, Chelsey incorporates her work with survivors to provide engaging and interactive presentations. She currently serves on the leadership committee of the Columbus CARE Coalition, an initiative to build a trauma responsive community. Additionally, Chelsey is certified in Trauma Responsive Care- Level II through the Tri-State Trauma Network and is an Adjunct Instructor with Columbus State Community College. Collaborating with community partners at local, state, and national levels, Chelsey utilizes trauma responsive care practices and a passion for building resilience through meaningful connection, to help break the cycle of family violence.