Societal Impact & Trauma - Gen Z has experienced unprecedented disasters, impacting their identity and worldview [10][11] - Political violence and polarization have increased, exacerbated by the 24-hour news cycle [5] - Over half of Gen Z peers experienced cyberbullying, and two in five were diagnosed with a mental health condition [6] Environmental Disasters & Climate Change - The Eaton fire stole 19 lives and over 9,000 homes and businesses [6] - The Palisades fire scorched 23,000 acres, destroying 7,000 structures and killing 12 people [7] - Multiple unprecedented disasters, including the Campfire, Paradise Fire, Lahina Fire, Texas flooding, and severe hurricanes, have occurred [9] Gen Z's Response & Action - Gen Z is tired of the status quo and feels excluded from decision-making processes [10] - Gen Z is advocating for change, prioritizing mental health, and challenging existing norms [12] - The Altadena Recovery Team (ART), formed by four Gen Z women, raised almost $250,000 for their community [13][14][15] - ART's goal is to amplify community needs, restore hope and structures, and transform traditional solutions [15][16] - Gen Z is taking action and sticking around to see it through, inviting the community to heal and rage with them [18]

Core Argument - The counseling industry recognizes codependency as an emotional addiction with detrimental effects, comparable to substance abuse, impacting self-worth and identity [3][4][5] - The counseling field acknowledges that past traumas, such as bullying during childhood (e g, at age 8), can lead to hypervigilance and insecure attachments, influencing adult relationships and overall well-being [8][9][11][13] - The counseling sector emphasizes the importance of inner healing and addressing past traumas to improve current relationships and future generations [16] Supporting Evidence & Statistics - Research in psychology indicates that bullied children are three times more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem [8] - Studies suggest that girls with incarcerated parents are three times more likely to experience low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression [10] - EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a therapy used for individuals with deep trauma and PTSD [7] Therapeutic Approach - The counseling profession advocates for identifying and addressing unhealthy relationship patterns rooted in fear rather than love [14][15] - The counseling industry promotes self-awareness and ending unhealthy relationships to achieve emotional sobriety and overall well-being [14]

When I was 12, I took a 10-day vacation with my mom and sister, leaving Europe for the first time. It has been over a decade, and I have yet to return home. I was born and raised in St.Petersburg, Russia. 12 years ago, I fled to Canada as a refugee because of racial attacks, ongoing discrimination, and the fear of persecution. My mother is Russian Jewish and my father is Afghan.Over the years, we have lived through endless abuse from white supremacist groups, the police, and the mafia. My parents tried to s ...

Core Argument - The first responder culture, particularly within fire departments, fosters a "macho" or "suck it up" mentality that discourages emotional expression and help-seeking, leading to a higher suicide rate among firefighters than deaths in the line of duty [8][9][12] - The origins of this culture can be traced back to industrial stoicism and institutionalized in police and fire departments, promoting a code of silence that exacerbates mental health issues [13][14][15] - Chronic suppression of emotion can lead to various health problems, including depression, PTSD, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease [16] - The code of silence can also enable bullying, shaming, and humiliation within the ranks, further contributing to the mental health crisis [17][18][19] Supporting Evidence & Statistics - Firefighters are three times more likely to die by suicide than to be killed in the line of duty [9] - The speaker lost three friends to suicide during their time in the fire department [9] - More first responders die by suicide than are killed in the line of duty every year [8] Proposed Solutions & Call to Action - The industry needs to acknowledge the humanity of first responders and create a culture that supports emotional expression and mental health [25] - The industry should consider adding a promise to serve and protect each other into the oath of office for police and fire departments [24] - The "warrior's grip" could be a symbol of renewed commitment to brotherhood and mutual support within the first responder community [24][25][26]

Everyone has past lives. Even if you don't believe in past lives, you've led many of them. Those past versions of yourself.In my current life, I'm a business strategist and a healer. But in a past life, I was a classical professional musician. I started playing obo at age 11 and by 23 I was subbing with the New York Philarmonic.But tonight I'm going to talk to you about what music taught me about people, about community, and the unconventional path that brought me here to a stage in Overtown without an inst ...

[music] Do you want to know what the most significant piece of advice I ever received was. One that changed the entire trajectory of my life. And it came from a cashier in a health food store.I was standing there on my one good leg. I'll get to that. Clutching these two herbal supplements that my research had told me would quell the buzzing anxiety that I was feeling in my chest.Now, I didn't want anyone to know I was suffering for fear of what they would say or how they would judge me. But this woman at th ...

[Applause] Think back to when you were 14 years old. Who was the person that you looked up to the most. Who did you want to be like, the role model in your life.Take a moment and picture them. Was it your dad, your mom, someone famous. maybe a sports coach.That role model shaped who you wanted to become. And whether you knew it or not, they shaped part of who you are today. So, here's the question I asked myself.Would the boy I once was look up to the man I am today. Let me be very clear. This isn't a messa ...

Manjula Sularia explores a difficult truth: for many survivors, the stigma that follows their trauma hurts more than the incident itself. She highlights how judgment, silence, and social bias imprison victims long after the event. Her talk calls for a cultural shift from scrutiny to safe spaces, from shame to support. Through insight and empathy, she reveals how collective compassion can help survivors reclaim dignity, voice, and healing. Life Skills trainer, Social Entrepreneur, POCSO & POSH Trainer. She i ...

Core Argument - The presentation addresses preverbal trauma, specifically childhood abandonment, and its lasting impact on individuals [2][4][5] - It emphasizes that trauma experienced before language development is stored in the body and manifests in various emotional and physiological responses [5] - Healing preverbal trauma requires listening to the body's signals and addressing the underlying emotional wounds [5] Psychological and Emotional Effects - The presentation highlights fear of rejection, unworthiness, low self-esteem, insecurity, self-doubt, guilt, and shame as common consequences of childhood abandonment [6][7] - Shame, unlike guilt, is described as a deeply damaging emotion that can be overcome through exposure and self-acceptance [7][8] Biological and Neurological Aspects - The presentation discusses the impact of broken mother-baby bonds on the autonomic nervous system, which regulates heart rate, body temperature, digestion, and stress responses [9] - Polyvagal Theory is introduced, explaining how the nervous system responds to perceived safety or threat through three states: ventral vagal (safety), sympathetic (fight/flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown) [9][10][11] - Co-regulation, the process of finding balance through connection with others' nervous systems, is crucial for self-regulation and is disrupted by early separation from the mother [14][15] Recovery and Healing - The speaker shares their personal experience of using drugs to self-regulate and their subsequent journey to recovery, highlighting the discovery of abandonment as a core issue [16][17] - Witnessing the bond between mothers and infants in a recovery setting provided validation and insight into the speaker's own preverbal trauma [18][19] - Healing involves rewriting the story, creating safe spaces for connection, and acknowledging the body's memory of trauma, even when it cannot be consciously recalled [20][21]

Core Narrative - The speaker recounts a childhood marked by trauma, including poverty, neglect, and abuse, highlighting the lasting impact on identity and well-being [1][2][3][4][5][6] - The narrative shifts to the speaker's journey of seeking help and the challenges faced in foster care and mental health institutions, emphasizing the limitations of changing circumstances alone in overcoming trauma [5][11][12] - The story culminates in the speaker's creation of Mind the Gap Ireland, an online platform for survivors of sexual violence, driven by the desire to amplify silenced voices and address the underreporting of sexual violence statistics [13][14][15] Key Themes - Trauma's pervasive impact extends beyond physical scars, shaping identities, building defense mechanisms, and creating internal struggles [6][7] - Healing from trauma is a complex and individualized process, requiring patience, compassion, and an understanding of the diverse ways trauma manifests [17][18] - The importance of providing safe spaces and platforms for survivors to share their stories anonymously, breaking the cycle of shame and silence surrounding sexual violence [14][15][16] Social Impact - Mind the Gap Ireland serves as a platform for survivors of sexual violence to share their stories anonymously, addressing the shame and silence associated with these experiences [14][15] - The platform revealed that many individuals, including those who experienced sexual violence as children, waited decades before sharing their stories, highlighting the long-lasting impact of trauma and the need for accessible support [15] - The speaker advocates for increased awareness and understanding of trauma's effects, urging listeners to be compassionate and patient with those who are healing [17]