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THROUGH HEALING

Be inspired by stories of hope and resilience.

SHARE YOUR STORY

Send us your story of trauma healing to ourwordsheal@gmail.com or share a post using #OurWordsHeal.

"Healing takes time, and I feel like you just find what makes your rhythm click over time."

Ahmad Abdullah-Tucker
Mastery Charter School Shoemaker Campus
VIDEO

"If you can't get back to joy in a decent amount of time,
you need help."

Altovise Love Craighead
EMIR Healing Center
VIDEO

"I hope they can be doing more than surviving."

Bradley Stolbach, Ph.D.
Healing Hurt People Chicago
VIDEO

"You must recognize that everybody else isn't coming along on the same ride as you."

Carolotta Stafford
Bethanna
VIDEO

"Healing for me is always changing, but that means I have to pay attention to myself and what's going on with my body and me."

Chantay Love
EMIR Healing Center
VIDEO

"We have to find it within ourselves to know that we have everything that we need to be whole, thrive, and grow."

Charles E. Moore, M.D.
Urban Health Initiative
VIDEO

“The work at Drexel prepares their program participants from a very fundamental perspective of understanding trauma and how to turn that into something that can serve others.”

Dr. Erica Harris
Einstein Medical Center

"Healing takes time, and I feel like you just find what makes your rhythm click over time."

Ahmad Abdullah-Tucker
Mastery Charter School Shoemaker Campus

"If you can't get back to joy in a decent amount of time,
you need help."

Altovise Love Craighead
EMIR Healing Center

"I hope they can be doing more than surviving."

Bradley Stolbach, PhD
Healing Hurt People Chicago

”Trauma is a hole that's burned into the mind, burned into the heart, burned even into the soul...Healing is the light that begins to fill it. "

[headshot]
Khyle Williams

"You must recognize that everybody else isn't coming along on the same ride as you."

Carolotta Stafford
Bethanna

"Healing for me is always changing, but that means I have to pay attention to myself and what's going on with my body and me."

Chantay Love
EMIR Healing Center

"We have to find it within ourselves to know that we have everything that we need to be whole, thrive, and grow."

Charles E. Moore, MD, FAACE
Urban Health Initiative

Latinx Creatives:
The Art of Trauma Healing

Featuring Candy González, Manuela Guillén, Karina Puente and Samuel Rodriguez. Moderated by Jose Ferran.

VIDEO

Latinx Creatives:
The Art of Trauma Healing

Featuring Candy González, Manuela Guillén, Karina Puente and Samuel Rodriguez. Moderated by Jose Ferran.

VIDEO

"Healing itself is a collaborative process."

Fatimah Loren Dreier
Health Alliance for Violence Intervention
VIDEO

"Black joy is something that resonates."

Jacqui Johnson
Sankofa Healing Studio
VIDEO

"The thing about recognizing trauma is there is no aha moment; we live in trauma. That's our world."

Jaya Touma Shoatz
Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus
VIDEO

"I have a story, and it's still going."

Jose Ferran
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"There's a fear that exists, from living in an environment where that is normalized. It's not sustainable to feel that level of fear all the time."

Khalil Taylor
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"Know that there are resources within yourself."

Lisa Nelson
Philly Young Playwrights
VIDEO

“The interns from CNSJ are going to make a change.”

Dr. Mario Cruz
Philly FIGHT
VIDEO

"Healing itself is a collaborative process."

Fatimah Loren Dreier
Health Alliance for Violence Intervention
VIDEO

"Black joy is something that resonates."

Jacqui Johnson
Sankofa Healing Studio
VIDEO

"The thing about recognizing trauma is there is no aha moment; we live in trauma. That's our world."

Jaya Touma Shoatz
Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus
VIDEO

"I have a story, and it's still going."

Jose Ferran
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"There's a fear that exists, from living in an environment where that is normalized. It's not sustainable to feel that level of fear all the time."

Khalil Taylor
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"Know that there are resources within yourself."

Lisa Nelson
Philly Young Playwrights
VIDEO

“The interns from CNSJ are going to make a change.”

Dr. Mario Cruz
Philly FIGHT
VIDEO

“The work at Drexel prepares their program participants from a very fundamental perspective of understanding trauma and how to turn that into something that can serve others.”

Dr. Erica Harris
Einstein Medical Center

"Healing itself is a collaborative process."

Fatimah Loren Dreier, MA
Health Alliance for Violence Intervention

"Black joy is something that resonates."

Jacqui Johnson
Sankofa Healing Studio

“For me, trauma is any emotion attached to the loss of someone or something that transcends our way of thinking. The feelings never really leave...but healing helps us carry it with more ease.”

[headshot]
Xavier Harris
EMIR Healing Center

“For me, trauma is any emotion attached to the loss of someone or something that transcends our way of thinking. The feelings never really leave...but healing helps us carry it with more ease.”

[headshot]
Xavier Harris
EMIR Healing Center

"The thing about recognizing Trauma is there is no aha moment; we live in Trauma. That's our world."

Jaya Touma Shoatz
Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus

"I have a story, and it's still going."

Khalil Taylor
The Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"There's a fear that exists, from living in an environment where that is normalized— It's not sustainable to feel that level of fear all the time."

Khalil Taylor
The Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

Black Social Ventures  Advancing Trauma Healing

Featuring Marvin Toliver, Nicole Kenney, Steven Brice and Jenia Jolley. Moderated by Kenn Bourne.

VIDEO

“I learned to help others heal; kindness is what you need."

Max Lapsley
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

“These young people are helping others in ways that’s not prescriptive.”

Monica Harmon
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"I think the only way to learn is by sharing experiences and hoping that some form of healing can occur through dialogue."

Nathaniel Pineda
Drexel University College of Medicine
VIDEO

"So when it comes to hope, I feel like it's never completely gone. I feel like every day is a new start."

Raqib Robinson
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"It's not just the individuals or the communities who are experiencing the trauma; it inhibits our whole society."

Sharelle Barber, Sc.D.
Urban Health Collaborative
VIDEO

"There's power in speaking your truth."

Tatiana Amaya
Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus
VIDEO

“For my trauma healing journey, it's a privilege to have this community supporting me.”

Te'Corey Anderson
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"Know that there are resources within yourself."

Lisa Nelson
Philly Young Playwrights

“The interns from CNSJ are going to make a change.”

Dr. Mario Cruz
Philly FIGHT

“I learned to help others heal; kindness is what you need."

Max Lapsley
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"You can't address the sliver of individual trauma without looking at the larger picture of how this was all designed...People's spirit and psyche can heal, but we need the right conditions...And when those conditions are met, healing becomes not just possible, but powerful.”

[headshot]
Sharif El Mekki
Center for Black Educator Development

“These young people are helping others in ways that’s not prescriptive.”

Monica Harmon
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"I think the only way to learn is by sharing experiences and hoping that some form of healing can occur through dialogue."

Nathaniel Pineda
Drexel University College of Medicine

"So when it comes to hope, I feel like it's never completely gone. I feel like every day is a new start."

Raqib Robinson
The Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

Asian Women Warriors
on Racism and Misogyny

Featuring Loraine Ballard Morrill, Michelle Freeman, Chi-Ser Tran, Heseung Song, Ed.D., Katie Lu, Quynh-Mai Nguyen and Andrew Huth.

VIDEO

Asian Women Warriors
on Racism and Misogyny

Featuring Loraine Ballard Morrill, Michelle Freeman, Chi-Ser Tran, Heseung Song, Ed.D., Katie Lu, Quynh-Mai Nguyen and Andrew Huth.

VIDEO
William Kozlowski
Philadelphia Police Department

“A lot of people see police officers as robots. Like we shouldn't be affected by trauma...There’s that male bravado. Like there's nothing wrong with you...We ourselves have to be able to take that step and say it's okay to talk about it...Because healing begins the moment we allow ourselves to speak.”

[headshot]
William Kozlowski
Philadelphia Police Department

"Your environment doesn't dictate who you are, but it does affect how you can feel."

Terrill Haigler
Ya Fav Trashman
VIDEO

“I want to help young people from my community and be a staple for my community.”

Thomas Hunter
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"The healing process incorporates trying to fix those things in the past but also taking steps towards the future."

Tony Thompson
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice
VIDEO

"I believe that us healing each other and having the tools to heal can stop violence."

Victoria Greene
EMIR Healing Center
VIDEO

"Trauma healing means taking valid negative experiences and finding ways to push forward to live to the fullest potential."

Zane Sejdiu
Drexel University College of Medicine
VIDEO

"I don't want people to just stop at empowerment. How do you become powerful?"

Zoraida Cordero
Promise Corps
VIDEO

“Racial trauma has damaged our communities...I have hope in Black people—in all people. With that hope, healing becomes possible.”

[headshot]
Kenn Bourne
BOURNE ANEW

"It's not just the individuals or the communities who are experiencing the trauma; it inhibits our whole society."

Sharelle Barber, ScD, MPH
Urban Health Collaborative

"There's power in speaking your truth."

Tatiana Amaya
Mastery Charter School - Shoemaker Campus

“For my trauma healing journey, it's a privilege to have this community supporting me.”

Te'Corey Anderson
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"Your environment doesn't dictate who you are, but it does affect how you can feel."

Terrill Haigler
Ya Fav Trashman

“I want to help young people from my community and be a staple for my community.”

Thomas Hunter
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

"The healing process incorporates trying to fix those things in the past but also taking steps towards the future."

Tony Thompson
Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

SHARE YOUR STORY

Email your story of trauma healing to ourwordsheal@gmail.com or share a post using #OurWordsHeal.

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”Trauma is a hole that's burned into the mind, burned into the heart, burned even into the soul...Healing is the light that begins to fill it. "

[headshot]
Khyle Williams

“For me, trauma is any emotion attached to the loss of someone or something that transcends our way of thinking. The feelings never really leave...but healing helps us carry it with more ease.”

[headshot]
Xavier Harris
EMIR Healing Center

"You can't address the sliver of individual trauma without looking at the larger picture of how this was all designed...People's spirit and psyche can heal, but we need the right conditions...And when those conditions are met, healing becomes not just possible, but powerful.”

[headshot]
Sharif El Mekki
The Center for Black Educator Development

“A lot of people see police officers as robots. Like we shouldn't be affected by trauma...There’s that male bravado. Like there's nothing wrong with you...We ourselves have to be able to take that step and say it's okay to talk about it...Because healing begins the moment we allow ourselves to speak.”

[headshot]
William Kozlowski
Philadelphia Police Department
William Kozlowski
Philadelphia Police Department

“Racial trauma has damaged our communities...I have hope in Black people—in all people. With that hope, healing becomes possible.”

[headshot]
Kenn Bourne
ANEW

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