This is one of our first episodes that i have identified as a FOCUSED episode. Focused in this case means the topic is one that covers something universal, and doesn't necessarily fit into the topic series at that point, but is one that is really important to.
This week I got the opportunity to chat with Dr Sian Phillips.
Sian is a psychologist that works with children who have experienced abuse and neglect and the adults that care for these children. She is a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist, consultant and trainer. Sian trains and supervises internationally and has a private practice in Kingston Ontario where she specializes in the assessment and treatment of developmental trauma. She works with schools to integrate DDP as the framework for trauma-informed education. Sian and I further chatted about the connection of trauma and ADHD/ADD
You know by trade I am a teacher, and as Sian works with children and educators, we talked a lot about behaviours and examples that shows up within a classroom setting. However, I think the parameters and understandings of what we discussed has a universal application, and i think is so so important for us to understand the effects of trauma as a collective. Yes, these are our students, our children, but they are also our neighbours, and or our neighbours’s children, our friends our cousins, groups of friends we play soccer with, we play with at parks and community bbq’s and fundraisers. And as we slowly emerge from almost 2 years of isolation, understanding the impacts and depths that trauma has on a person- not just immediately, but over the course of a life time, is vital to being able to connect with each other with less judgement and hopefully more empathy. Sian’s work is incredibly prevalent in our system, and I truly hope that the topic of trauma informed approaches continues from here
Check it Out:
Website: https://www.traumainformededucation.ca/about
Dr Sian Phillip's book Belonging: A Relationship Based Approach to for Trauma Informed Approaches
https://www.amazon.ca/Belonging-Relationship-Based-Approach-Trauma-Informed-Education/dp/153813599X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sian+phillips&qid=1636865071&sr=8-1
Sian's Book Recommendations:
Resmaa Menakem- My Grandmother’s Hands
Madeleine Thien- Do Not Say We Have Nothing
