by Kristin Souers
Well team, its that time of year when the honeymoon phase is starting to wear off and you are starting to get a good idea of how your year may go. It is easy to get swayed into the “what isn’t working” place and start to wonder how you are really going to manage your “tough nuggets” of the year.
I wanted to give a friendly reminder to be thankful. As some of you know, my mom passed away this August and it has been rough to not have her to talk to. She was one of the strongest women I knew, and I miss her every day. I am thankful to the many schools and districts and conference attendees who showed me grace during my return to work. It wasn’t easy and I wasn’t always my best self. It was so amazing how many people shared kind words, condolences and even hugs—a true tribute to the camaraderie we have built for ourselves in our quest to do what is right for our students and each other. A colleague I have provided training for sent me this shirt and card (see picture below)—a woman who knows me and knew what I needed to smile. Thank you Taunya! I have been humbled by the sweet gifts, kind words and offerings of advice. I have received so much kindness and grace and I am so very truly grateful for the work I get to do with all of you!
I am grateful for Pete and his ongoing support and belief in this work. I am grateful for our amazing associates who support us in providing this information and doing such an incredible job on our behalf. I am grateful for our families and partners who support our travel and faith in this work. Most especially, I am grateful for our amazing students, education professionals and families who do their best every day to be their best selves.
Trauma invested practice is a journey (a marathon not a sprint), and true change takes time. You will have bumps in the road and setbacks—stay strong and don’t give up. We can’t quit on our students and we have to support each other—we are in this together. Help each other to find the awesome in all you work with—trust me, it’s there! Remember we are on this path together and we are here to do right by our students, giving them every opportunity to find, empower and embrace their best selves!
So, remember to be thankful. The next time you are challenged by colleagues or students, thank them. Thank them for challenging you, for pushing you to try harder and do better. Thank them for helping you to keep your “systems of meaning” in check and other obstacles that can get in the way of progress. Thank them for forcing you to move outside of your comfort zone and to find new ways to repair and re-engage with them. Be thankful you get to do this work every day—we can’t do this without you!
Kristin Souers, LMHC is co-author (with Pete Hall) of two trauma-related resources: Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for creating a trauma-sensitive classroom (ASCD, 2016) and Relationship, Responsibility, and Regulation: Trauma-invested strategies for fostering resilient learners (ASCD, 2018). You can email her at KristinSouers@gmail.com