
Begin true healing by asking "What's right with you?"
It is unfortunately common in our culture that when talking to/about those impacted by trauma, there is a harmful focus on the questions: “What’s wrong with you?” or “What happened to you?” For true healing to begin, we can begin by imagining/asking, “What’s right with you?” Healing means to restore our innate and collective sense of who we are. It means remembering that, despite trauma, we are joy, brilliance, and dreams. Young people must be reminded of this, too!

“Mindfulness not only makes it possible to survey our internal landscape with compassion and curiosity but can also actively steer us in the right direction for self-care.”
The Body Keeps the Score

Move toward a healing-centered approach
No one can deny that everyone, regardless of age, geography, or identity, has faced trauma over the last few years.
As youth-supporting professionals, we have a responsibility to create safe, healing spaces for young people. And we, the adults, must also take care of ourselves and heal from our own trauma, so we don’t transpose our wounds on those we teach, guide, and mentor. Being familiar with what trauma is not enough. We must understand what it is born of, who it impacts, and most of all, how we can respond.
We designed a one-day skills-building training (as well as a shorter overview, as a presentation) for youth-supporting professionals who work directly with young people and want to move beyond the basics about trauma to learn how to put trauma-informed and healing-based approaches into practice.
We’ve facilitated this resource at several events:
- #HealthyTeen23, October 2-4, 2023, in Portland, Oregon
- In Solidarity We Rise Conference, May 2-4, 2024, in San Francisco, California
- #HealthyTeen24, November 18-20, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona
Here's what you'll learn
By the end of the one-day training, training participants will be able to…
Use youth-centered language and asset-based framing to describe what trauma is, the different levels of trauma, the impacts of trauma on the developing brain and body, and the societal factors that create persistent traumatic environments.
Apply select elements of trauma-informed frameworks—including SAMSHA’s 6 principles of Trauma-Informed Care, Flourish Agenda’s Healing Centered Engagement (CARMA), and other relevant approaches—to their work.
Utilize strategies for resilience and healing to mitigate secondary traumatic stress experienced by youth-supporting professionals.
“The presenters were well-informed and engaging in their presentation. The session was upbeat, motivating, and allowed the opportunity for collaboration between participants.”
Training participant
Get the training
Schedule your own
Ready to learn more about how you can use a healing-centered approach in your work?
We’re available to train your staff, on-site. If you have at least 12 participants, this may be the option for you!
Please note: There are fees for all training and presentations.
Join one of our events
We regularly host trainings, and when available, we’ll be sure to update this website.
Currently, we have no trainings or presentations scheduled for this resource. Be sure you’re on our email list for updates to our schedule.
Want to chat? Thrivology is here to answer your questions about this training.
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This project is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (1 PHEPA000006-01) totaling $1,063,776.35 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit opa.hhs.gov.