If you’re following along, you know that I’ve been sharing the dedication and acknowledgement sections of my book with you. Last week, I reviewed my dedication. Today, I’m diving into the first part of my acknowledgment section – big names and unsung heroes. Here is the first part of my acknowledgement section: 

I want to thank the countless professionals who have given me inspiration & vision for this work, the MOST important medicine. Especially, I want to thank Dr. Dean Moshofsky and colleagues at The Children’s Health Alliance. Thank you for inviting me into your spaces of healing and support and believing that, together, we could create a world where children and families are seen, heard, and supported in pediatrics. Also, thank you to Dr. David Willis & Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris who have been ombudsmen of my work and trailblazers for children and families.

This is a fun story! A story of collaboration, friendship, and the origin story of my curriculum, Cards for Connection. In 2014-2015, I began working with The Children’s Health Alliance in Portland, Oregon. A dedicated group of professionals and pediatricians approached me and asked if I would consult with them about childhood trauma. They had seen Nadine Burke-Harris’ Ted Talk about childhood adversity and they were determined to respond with compassion and intentionality. They knew that children experiencing trauma created adversity and wanted to know how to respond. We agreed that building resilience was the antidote to adversity. My friend and colleague, Dr. Dean Moshofsky, said, “I’d love it if you could create a curriculum so that we could respond to stress and adversity at every well-child check.” I set out to do just that. Over the course of a year, I proposed brief interventions that would build resilience through relational health and support caregiver guidance at pediatric visits. These incredible pediatricians provided thoughtful feedback, ideas, and let me know what they needed more or less of to feel successful implementing these new tools. Their confidence increased, burnout decreased, and their work felt purposeful. They felt like they were doing something transformational in medicine. At one point, during a retreat, one physician said, “This is the MOST important medicine we should be practicing.” I agree. Thank you CHA! Now, almost 10 years later, my work continues and hundreds of professionals who work with children and families are touched by the work we did early on. 

Two other champions are acknowledged in this section: Drs. David Willis and Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris. You may not have heard of Dr. Willis, he’s certainly an unsung hero in the world of early childhood and relational health. He is a champion for children and families! You can learn more about him through his organization Nurture Connect where he’s a lead consultant and advisory. His support for my work and what’s needed in this world has been unmatched. At every turn, he has said, “YES, more of this in the world!” He is the reason my co-author and I have encouraged every provider to take a thorough Relational Health History to understand the people supporting caregivers and children in their lives. Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris, mentioned above, has been a “shero” in my life. Her work has made mine possible by popularizing the ACEs study. It’s as simple as that. 

I hope you take some time to check out these amazing organizations. They have truly shaped the work I do today and I continue to partner with them. I am so fortunate to do so!

Tell me, did you watch the Ted Talk? Do you have a favorite Ted Talk that has inspired your work? Let me know!