I'M BACK
Hello friends and welcome back to TheTraumaTeacher! It has been a longtime since I last wrote and I am only just getting back into the writing process again, however I am very eager to begin making posts again. I would like to go ahead and note now that you will find linked buttons for everything I mention in this post at the bottom of the post if you would like to check out all of the new additions to TheTraumaTeacher resources!
Even though I have not been writing here, TheTraumaTeacher has still been busily expanding in other forms. As of June 2022, TheTraumaTeacher has gone live on TeachersPayTeachers selling and distributing advocacy, prevention, and trauma-healing resources as digital downloads. There are a lot of products posted to the storefront that I am incredibly proud of and thrilled to share with the world, most notably of course being my entire Coping With Character Support Group Curriculum. The curriculum can currently be bought in its complete form as a bundle, broken up into lesson-only, game-only, or craft-only, and also purchased as individual complete lessons (topic guide+all corresponding activity guides). As time goes on, I also intend to have as many individual activity products available a la carte in the shop as well however that will take some time as I want to ensure each activity has enough worksheets, variations, and content included to feel they are worth being bought independently. Also included in TheTraumaTeacher TPT shop which I am thrilled to share with the world, are my Children’s Family and IPV Safety Plan Coloring Books. This coloring book is 100% FREE to download as I feel it is an incredibly helpful resource for children living in potentially dangerous households both to teach them safety measures for protecting themselves as well to support their emotional well-being emphasizing that nothing happening around them is at all their fault. TheTraumaTeacher TPT shop has loads more resources currently available and I assure you I have a never ending list of product and resource ideas just waiting to be created and shared with the world. I am extremely close to hitting my very first big milestone with the shop as I am only five products away from my first 50 live products and I already know in my bones that this is only the beginning. If you get the chance and are seeking out downloadable trauma-informed resources for your own child, adolescent, or teen programs, definitely keep an eye on the shop for more.
Along with the online storefront, I have also created TheTraumaTeacher’s Help Desk through Google Forms as a way to connect with other advocates and social work professionals seeking more targeted help. Through this form, anyone working in a program serving children affected by trauma can reach out to me with product ideas, suggested variations or alterations to existing products, ideas for targeted products for specific programs/services, or even just advocacy support and (questionable) advice. The fact is that I have been doing advocacy in some way, shape, or form for going on seven years now and have predominantly taught myself most of the skills and information I have now. I have had some mentorship, attended a few trainings, and was thankfully trained for the role I am in currently, however starting out I just figured it out. I would have loved (and did try to seek out) a bit more guidance starting out but it wasn’t super readily available. I want to now make myself available for others starting out or even just be a sounding board for others already emerged in it. There are absolutely more experienced advocates out there and perhaps eventually we can build a community with all of us included. However for now, it must start somewhere and I think that the Help Desk can be that point.
Another way that I have started showcasing the resources offered through TheTraumaTeacher is through creating a social media presence. You can now find profiles and posts on Instagram and Pinterest with information, demonstrations, links, and ideas for using TTT resources. Occasionally you may even get peeks behind the curtain of what projects are happening before they are ever made available to the public! Eventually as more advocates, teachers, and other professionals begin downloading and using these resources in their own programs, I also fully intend to interact with and even share the photos and stories sent in to me from you!
Finally, looking a bit more into the less near (but still near) future I have very real plans to get in front of the camera myself for TheTraumaTeacher Youtube Channel. I have went back and forth as to whether I wanted to explore video formats as well as what platform I wanted to do so with. I still may eventually explore Tiktok as another format as there are several creators there that unknowingly inspired me to create this platform thus far, but for now I think that Youtube is a better fit for my plans. When that time comes, the channel will be a resource both for advocates and professionals as well as for children. It is still very much in the preliminary planning stages but so far I have plans for virtual support lessons based on my CWC curriculum, game and craft video tutorials that can be followed along with, possibly trauma-informed book storytimes (if I can figure out the legalities that go along with it), and maybe even LIVE Q&As with me if there is enough of a following and desire to see it! Again, this is in very preliminary planning stages and so I don’t have an exact timeframe but it is very much in the works.
Of course through all of these projects and updates, I fully intend on being more active here on the blog as well. Now that I am settling into the other platforms, the writing bug is quickly creeping back up onto me so stay tuned for more posts in the near future! The thought has crossed my mind a few times to upgrade to my own website, however with all of the other projects happening currently and still being in a fairly beginning stage business-wise, we will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, you will be able to find me here on Blogger as well as all of the other platforms above (and below!) Thank you so very much if you have followed along this far. You are very much appreciated and I look forward to finding out together where TheTraumaTeacher will go from here! Stay Tuned!
Good Luck and Keep Fighting,
♥️Jess
