In this episode Julie and Ginger interview ATN’s dear friend, Dr. Melissa Sadin. Melissa teaches us about Hope Theory based on the work of Gwinn and Hellman and their book Hope Rising. You can check out Dr. Sadin’s books and work here: http://www.traumasensitive.com/, https://a.co/d/9x4lPtk.

What is the definition of hope? Hope is setting a goal that you desire, creating a pathway toward the goal, and utilizing the willpower necessary to achieve the goal through connection to another person.

Dr. Sadin further states that Hope Builds Resilience and Resilience Builds Hope. She tells us that through the following three-step process we can build hope and resilience in our children at home and students at school:

1. Set an achievable goal

2. Set the pathway -the WAYPOWER

3. Get a cheerleader- the WILLPOWER, who will help revise and check-in

Melissa teaches us that:

- Hope builds executive functioning capacity

- Students with high hope have better attendance than students with low hope

- Students with high hope have better academic outcomes than students with low hope- despite cognitive ability

- Students with hope are more likely to find success in career or college sooner than students with low hope

Listen in and join us in building hope!

In this Episode Julie and Ginger teach about the PolyVagal Theory and introduce us to Our PolyVagal World a new book by Dr. Stephen Porges and his son Seth Porges.

Link to the book: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Polyvagal-World-Safety-Trauma/dp/1324030259

How safe we feel is crucial to our physical and mental health and happiness.

When we feel safe our nervous system and entire body undergo a massive physiological shift that primes us to be healthier, happier, and smarter, to be better learners and problem solvers: to have more fun; to heal fast, and generally to feel more alive. It is in this safe state that we can learn.

When we feel safe we feel a sense of connection to ourselves and others. We are born wired to connect but when trauma enters the picture it rewires us and we feel disconnected from people, society, and our own bodies. The impact of trauma stretches through our brain and nervous system through every part of our body changing our physical and mental health.

Link to the video on our Autonomic Nervous System and how we are impacted by trauma:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdIQRxwT1I0&t=15s

In this Episode Julie and Ginger talk to Dr. Rick Cain. Rick specializes in the neuroscience of stress and well-being. He helps us explore how wellness practices in the biological domain of self-regulation, such as healthy eating, restorative sleep, and regular exercise, aid in our ability to regulate our nervous system and are pivotal for optimizing cognitive function, forming habits, and managing emotions.

Rick teaches us about the concept of the "body budget," as coined by Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD -https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com - and he ends with talking about how we can use mindfulness to help us avoid functioning on autopilot.

Autopilot is a state of mind in which one acts without conscious intention or awareness of present-moment sensory perception. It's common for us to go through our days on autopilot, just trying to get through them. It's a normal part of the human experience, and it's okay sometimes to lose track of the present moment.

It's important to recognize that when we're constantly on autopilot, we risk missing out on the small moments that make up our lives. The choice between operating on autopilot and cultivating a state of awareness is within our control.