Last week I told you camp felt like an empathy utopia. This week, I want to show you what it actually takes to build one, from the perspective of the mental health team. At UKANDU, there are actually a lot of teams, but I’m part of a special kind of magic – the Rainbow Team.  […]

I just got home from a week at Camp UKANDU, and I’m going to be honest with you – I don’t think I’ve fully integrated everything yet. Some experiences are too big to summarize in a single breath. This is one of them. Here’s what I keep coming back to: What if the world worked the […]

We will soon be opening registration for our fall, virtual Cards for Connection Conference. So, I wanted to introduce you to my friend, and colleague, Georgia. She offered the following testimonial about her journey with our program. This has been created with her permission. Some people take Cards for Connection once, get their certificate, and move […]

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with hundreds of professionals in the early childhood space. I’ve spoken with leaders from the National Head Start Association, Oregon’s Child Care Resource & Referral statewide conference, Oregon’s ECHO program, and new partners at First Five in Siskiyou and Shasta Counties. While I always appreciate the opportunity to teach, what stays […]

Over the past year, we’ve been collecting data from professionals who have experienced the CLARITY Model in workshops, consultations, and organizational settings. The results have been powerful. The CLARITY Model helps professionals understand complex behaviors through a trauma-responsive, strength-based lens. Rather than asking, “What’s wrong?” it helps teams ask, “What happened?” and “What does this […]

It’s graduation season. Whether your child is graduating from kinder or college, it’s time to celebrate. Having just completed my first year as an empty-nester, I can say with confidence, watching your children graduate at ALL the stages, is beautiful. Here’s what I want to encourage you to do: Say the Things. Saying “the things” […]

I was listening to my friend and colleague, Elliott Hinkle with Unicorn Solutions present last week. Elliott is a beautiful soul with lived experience and has dedicated their life to educating others about youth impacted by systems, especially foster care systems and systems that hurt or oppress LGBTQ+ youth. Every time you feel like you know about […]

There are a few hard and fast ways to build connection with kids. One of them is showing up. When our children are little, it seems their requests are endless. The ways we are asked to show up are constant and may seem small or menial. “Mom, watch this,” as he splashed into the pool. […]

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how many leaders are carrying impossible expectations right now. You’re being asked to support overwhelmed teams while still maintaining accountability. You’re being asked to hold boundaries without damaging relationships. You try to navigate burnout, conflict, staffing shortages, emotional exhaustion, and increasing complexity… while somehow staying calm, compassionate, and steady through […]

Let’s zoom out. Because this work?  It’s bigger than a workshop.Bigger than a strategy.Bigger than one classroom or clinic.  This is about how we build systems that actually support children.  Right now, we are asking individuals to carry systemic problems.  ·       Teachers managing mental health crises  ·       Pediatricians addressing trauma in 15 minutes  ·       Parents navigating overwhelm without […]