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Self-Care & Sign Language Interpreters: 8 Ways to Ease Trauma

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--Audre Lorde
In moments of grief, crisis, or trauma, and in the time before and after, we need each other to survive and thrive. We are obliged to lift up, honor, and hold space for our self-determination, to fight for our lives, and to remind each other of our worth and that none of us are disposable. In a time and place where we LGBTSTGNC POC are hurt, isolated, silenced, murdered, imprisoned, disappeared, and deported, it is a radical act of self and community love to name our trauma and needs, and to love each other fiercely to meet those needs. We have been taught and conditioned to turn to the state in moments of crisis and trauma, to turn out and away from the communities and relationships that hold us. In this moment of community grief, let us find each other, and radically turn in to each other with love, consensually present each other with our hurts and needs, and strategize as community to get those needs and desires met. We must remember, share, and practice strategies for grounding, support, resilience, transformation, and accountability.

We must support each other's wellness. One way to do this is to create a wellness plan for yourself, and encourage folks in your community to create a wellness plan for themselves. Strategize with your community about your wellness plan and meeting your needs.

Here's a template for wellness planning:

Your wellness plan can look however you want it to, but the point is to name your current or anticipated needs, and who can support you in getting your needs met. Be sure to communicate your needs to the people who will support you. If your community is a web-based one, maybe create a private online shareable spreadsheet that folks can contribute to and edit. If your community isn't online, maybe set up an in-person group meeting, a conference call, or make individual calls or meetings.

When folks ask you for support, remember to listen and follow their lead in lifting up their own self-determination. This is about the person requesting support, so don't make it about you. If you feel you aren't able to meet a need, be clear and honest about that, and help strategize another way to meet that need. Folks experiencing or dealing with their own triggers, crisis, or trauma may or may not be able to support. Ask. Don't assume anyone is or isn't able to provide support. If you do commit to supporting the needs of community, you may also need support in meeting those needs, so consider creating a wellness plan for yourself.

We are enough, and we are all we need to survive. We always have been. We're all we've got. Be good to each other. Take care of each other.

No comrade left behind!

Rest in power, Taueret Davis.
Resources:

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Breaking Isolation: Self Care and Community Care Tools for our People

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Audre Lorde In moments of grief, crisis, or trauma, and in the time before and after, we need each other to survive and thrive. We are obliged to lift up, honor, and hold space for our self-determination, to fight for our lives, and to remind each other of our worth and that none of us are disposable.

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When my battery is low I use my wireless charger (cuddle with my cat). There is research out there saying that a cat's purring has physical health benefits for humans; whether that is true or not, I certainly feel better after a charging session! -Quinn

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You can get CEUs for a bunch of different workshops related to self care for interpreters. Some sample titles include "Applying a Growth Mindset," "Trauma & Vicarious Trauma," "Burnout Assessment for Interpreters," and more. This is a different approach to self care that isn't just spa days and meditation.

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This collection is projects that earn 0.2 - 1.0 CEUs and focus on self-care for interpreters: both in our physical bodies and professional spirits. The current options are:
BOOK WORK PROJECTS: “The Body Keeps The Score” by: Bessel van Der Kolk: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95 Deepen your understanding of trauma, focusing on how it impacts our work as interpreters and with our own vicarious trauma that bleeds into our personal lives. “Extreme Self Care: 12 Practical & Inspiring Ways to Love Yourself More” by: Cheryl Richardson: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95: Examine your values and be able to identify if you honor them in your professional behaviors: when to say no, when to take a risk, when to let go, when to redraw boundaries with someone, which direction to go in next, and how to feel confident in making these changes. Activities and reflections that complement the book chapters to offer insights and support the courage to change. Note: this book with the subtitle: “Transform your life One Month at a Time” is the same text - both will work for this project. The Power of Ethics, by: Susan Liautaud: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95: The book provides a framework to help you define you own ethical principles & ask the right questions when facing professional or personal dilemmas, using your core values. “Sign Safetly, Interpret Intelligently” by: Dr Diane Gross: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95: This is a book that participants purchase independently (available at any online bookseller). Written by a former interpreter, now a Dr of Oriental Medicine (DOM) and specialist in interpreter-related injuries, Dr. Gross takes you through exercises and mindfulness around your physical posture, signing style and physical habits that can extend your career and ensure you are pain free until retirement! “Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well” by: Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95 The gift is in the receiving. Learn why it is so challenging to receive, yet crucial to success as a professional. With insights from neuroscience & psychology, learn practical methods to be a better interpreter and mentor. “What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience & Healing” by: Bruce D Perry & Oprah Winfrey: 1.0 PS CEUs, $95 Examine how childhood traumas impact and manifest as misaligned adult behavior and apply this to the historical experience of Deaf clients. Understand the cycles & faces of trauma, our responsibility to ourselves and our community in knowing our own triggers and compassionately navigating others. VIDEOS & FILMS: Self Care for Interpreters: 0.5 PS CEUs, $55: Watch videos from iCEU Central’s library collection (link provided) about a variety of self care, burn out, mental health and personal growth topics. You will take notes and write reflections on what you learned. No book purchases required. All videos are free, on-line. You can register for more than one of this project to cover different videos in this library for different learning objectives. They will be posted to your transcript as Part 1, 2, etc with this project title. Documentary: “HEAL”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 This documentary film explores alternative medicine and approaches to healing that are key to understand as a modern medical interpreter and professional. Available for rental on Amazon Video. NEW: Documentary: “Burn Out: The Truth About Work”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 This documentary film discusses the history and trajectory of human work behaviors that have lead to our current state of exhaustion and burn out. Themes explored are alternative living options, benefits of work and rest, and steps to prevent and divert burn out. Available free on YouTube. NEW: OTHER PROJECTS: NEW: Burn Out Assessment for Interpreters: 0.2 PS CEUs, $25 After taking Psychology Today’s burn out quiz, you will dive into your unique score and explore expert advice that addresses risk factors, symptoms, and techniques for improving and preventing burn out. NEW: Core Values Assessment for Interpreters: 0.2 PS CEUs, $25 Understanding your core values will make you a better professional, guide the jobs you chose to better align with RID CPC and your own moral compass. In this project, you identify your Top 10 values and Top 5 Core Values and reflect on how you put these into practice into your daily life and work through a series of written responses to guided questions. There is no book or materials. All work is done via the on-line platform and submitted on line. NEW: Discovering What Matters in Your Career for Working Interpreters: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 Take a journey through a series of guided questions around your career/work goals as an interpreter: what you value, or wish would change about your work, how have you changed over your career span, and what goals do you want to set to achieve your 5-yr or 10-yr vision? You will reflect, in writing, on questions that enlightens your goals as a professional. There is no book or materials. All work is done via the on-line platform and submitted on line. NEW: Drama & Difficult People: 0.2 PS CEUs, $25 Learn skills through four specially selected TedX Talks on how to avoid drama, work with difficult people, and learn skills to navigate and communicate colleagues better. There is no book or materials. All work is done via the on-line platform and submitted on line. NEW: Lectures & Conversation Series: “The Mental Health Doctor”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32. Lectures & Conversations is a new series that explores expert conversations around professional growth topics. Listen/Watch a given podcast conversation and answer a series of questions for comprehension and self analysis. No book or materials needed. This conversation is from the podcast “Diary of a CEO” entitled “The Mental Health Doctor: Your Phone Screen & Sitting are Destroying Your Brain.” with Dr. Aditi Nerurkar. It explores stress responses, burn out, and resilience in your work and life. NEW: Lectures & Conversation Series: “Applying A Growth Mindset”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 Lectures & Conversations is a new series that explores expert conversations around professional growth topics. Listen/Watch a given podcast conversation and answer a series of questions for comprehension and self analysis. No book or materials needed. This lecture is from the podcast “Huberman Lab” entitled “How to Enhance Performance & Learning by Applying a Growth Mindset”. It examines professional identity, feedback & praise, stress, and professional performance. NEW: Lectures & Conversation Series: “Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 Lectures & Conversations is a new series that explores expert conversations around professional growth topics. Listen/Watch a given podcast conversation and answer a series of questions for comprehension and self analysis. No book or materials needed. This lecture is from the podcast “Huberman Lab’s Master Emotion series entitled, “Tools for Managing Stress”. It explain the biological complexity of stress responses and offers calming technique to self-modulate your autonomic nervous system. NEW: Lectures & Conversation Series: “Trauma & Vicarious Trauma”: 0.25 PS CEUs, $32 Lectures & Conversations is a new series that explores expert conversations around professional growth topics. Listen/Watch a given podcast conversation and answer a series of questions for comprehension and self analysis. No book or materials needed. This workshop, presented by the Adirondack Health Institute, describes trauma and vicarious trauma: types and symptoms with tools to assist professionals in understand and preventing harm and promoting resilience. All project curriculum is copyrighted by iCEU Central, LLC. Books and films that accompany projects must be rented or purchased by the participant, unless specified, due to copyright laws. All RID CEUs are overseen & administered by RID CMP Sponsor: Ginevra Deianni. A Note about CEU calculations: CEUs are calculated at a passive-learning 2:1 time-to-CEU ratio, per RID rules for CMP Activities of this genre. If you have any questions about the time calculations or pre-approved CEU amounts, please contact us.

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the little things that make life worth while

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Swimming is life-giving!

The coolness and softness of the water is a sensory change from whatever I was experiencing before swimming. The water resistance builds my muscles. The water pressure helps my circulation and keeps my balance while I stretch. The rhythmic breathing while I do laps calms my nervous system.

Get in the water and move in a way that feels good to you! It could be water-walking, swimming laps, doing physical therapy stretches, or just treading water for an hour. I do a combination of these and any physical or emotional tension washes away.

-Erin, swimming since the 1980s