Resiliency Within

Mike Sapp, CEO of the Trauma Resource Institute, joins host Elaine Miller-Karas to continue their conversation about the challenges—and the remarkable acts of generosity—that have emerged within their global community over recent months. Together, they will reflect on TRI’s international work and conversations they have had with global humanitarian leaders as they respond to the United States’ recent actions in dismantling USAID. Their conversation will continue to highlight the deeply human stories shared with them by survivors—stories not only of loss and hardship but of resilience, kindness, and hope. While they do not turn away from the painful realities of our time and what are international community is experiencing at this time. They will continue to ask the powerful question that lies at the heart of their model: “What else is true?” A reminder that even in the midst of trauma, there are moments of grace, connection, and healing that point the way forward.

Mike Sapp, CEO of the Trauma Resource Institute, joins host Elaine Miller-Karas for a compelling conversation about the challenges—and the remarkable acts of generosity—that have emerged within their global community over recent months. Together, they will reflect on TRI’s work in response to the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires and the organization’s ongoing support of individuals and communities navigating the impact of shifting U.S. governmental funding for humanitarian initiatives. Their conversation will highlight the deeply human stories shared with them by survivors—stories not only of loss and hardship but of resilience, kindness, and hope. From working with teachers and counselors in fire-ravaged schools to supporting front-line staff from Los Angeles County and City Parks and Recreation Departments, Mike and Elaine will illuminate the quiet heroism and collective compassion that continue to inspire their work. In the spirit of enduring wisdom, they will reflect on the words of Abraham Lincoln: “Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” While they do not turn away from the painful realities of our time—fires, wars, aggressive acts, and the persistence of community violence—they will gently guide listeners toward a broader view. They will ask the powerful question that lies at the heart of their model: “What else is true?” A reminder that even in the midst of trauma, there are moments of grace, connection, and healing that point the way forward.

March is Social Work Month. This encore episode highlights Drs. Beverly Buckles and Kimberly Freeman. They are leaders in social work internationally. They will share their international work, demonstrating the impact that social works make worldwide. The Loma Linda University (LLU) International Behavior Health Trauma Team (IBHTT) operated by the LLU School of Behavioral Health (SBH) has been providing international trauma preparatory training and psychological first aid disaster response since 1995. Dr. Bev Buckles and Dr. Kimberly Freeman share their international work as members of the IBHTT. Dr. Buckles is the founder and lead for the IBHTT and first required the team supporting services in the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, to complete initial training in the Community Resiliency Model (CRM). Dr. Freeman, a member of the team and a specialist in child development, has been one of the key members of the IBHTT. Dr. Buckles and Dr. Freeman, both social workers, discuss the impact social workers can make in response to disasters. Since 2010, the IBHTT has used CRM in over 90 international services and trainings around the world, which have included serving as members of TRI’s global response as needed. Beginning in 2012, the IBHTT began collaborative research with TRI to continue evaluating CRM's effectiveness. Under the leadership of Dr. Susanne Montgomery, Associate Dean for Research, a robust CRM research agenda continues to expand to support global outreach and healthcare applications.

Dr. Ravi Chandra returns to Resiliency Within to share his reflections and wisdom about amplifying compassion during the current sociopolitical climate. He will share his thoughts about the importance of compassion. Dr. Chandra's inspired words reflect what is essential for all of us to remember at this time in our history. "The voices of all individuals and communities are profoundly important for the future because our survival and growth as a nation and world depend on empathy and compassion." His wise words are relevant today: "When we see each other, when we see our own vulnerability and create connections out of the disconnections of our past, we can transform our predicament into possibility." _______________ Ravi Chandra, M.D. is a psychiatrist and writer in San Francisco, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. “Facebuddha: Transcendence in the Age of Social Networks” is his full-length nonfiction debut, and is the winner of the 2017 Nautilus Silver Book Award for Religion/Spirituality of Eastern Thought. He is the recipient of the 2025 Kun-Po Soo Award for Achievement in Asian American Psychiatry by the American Psychiatric Association and APA Foundation.

Natalia Rudsynska, formerly Natalia Valevska, is the International Partnership Director of EdCamp Ukraine. Natalia was married in 2024. Our host, Elaine Miller-Karas, has been providing support to Ukrainian teachers, children and community members since before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. This is a time to honor our Ukrainian friends and colleagues and stand with them. During this encore show, Natalia shares her insights from living in her beloved country, Ukraine, during the Russian invasion of February 2022. She will discuss her experiences and work with EdCamp Ukraine, an association of over 40,000 teachers, including her association with the Trauma Resource Institute. She will describe how, out of her despair over the war, she began helping with the resiliency support meetings co-sponsored by EdCamp Ukraine and the Trauma Resource Institute. She expresses her passion for helping her country now and her vision of creating support for her people in the future when the war ends. She is dedicated to the children of Ukraine and how to support their teachers, parents, and community through SEE Learning.

Shelly Sood and Nikhil Torsekar, husband and wife, will share that with an understanding of mental health conditions and receiving support and guidance, and accepting help, health, and life can be transformed. They navigated a harrowing, but ultimately redemptive journey with the growing understanding of Nikhil’s Bipolar condition. Shelly went through a challenging ordeal to get Nikhil to accept what was hiding in plain sight: and that he suffered from undiagnosed bipolar disorder. It nearly destroyed their marriage - and their lives - until he agreed to get a proper diagnosis and seek treatment in 2016. This also inspired the launch of GIOSTAR Chicago - a leading regenerative medicine center. Six years later, they run a successful business, and have developed a robust content platform called The Shelly Story. This encompasses a book, a forthcoming movie, a blog, and a podcast where they speak with guests on a broad array of topics including mental health in the South Asian diaspora, technologies that can assist with managing bipolar disorder, advocacy efforts, and alternative treatment modalities such as Ayurveda and meditation. _______________________________________ Interview with Shelly Sood, Untether Your Life Shelly Sood is the co-founder of Untether Your Life, a wellness platform that empowers individuals to reconnect with their inner peace, cultivate mindfulness, and create a life filled with purpose. Her approach is informed by more than 20 years of entrepreneurial and leadership experience in healthcare and other industries. Shelly’s upcoming book Practicing Mindfulness on the Go offers accessible techniques for staying present in the midst of daily pressures and curveballs. Alongside this, her transformative course Reinvent Your Reality™ provides custom meditations, groundbreaking breathwork practices, and other tools to push clients past their limits to achieve the life they’ve imagined. Learn more at shellysood.com, or follow her on Instagram at @shellysoodofficial.

In a time of deep division, uncertainty, and crisis, Finding Light in the Darkness will explore how we can maintain our well-being, integrity, and hope. Hosted by Elaine Miller-Karas, an internationally recognized trauma expert and resiliency advocate, she will illuminate practical strategies for navigating today’s complex social and political landscape. Elaine hopes this episode will provide a beacon of light—insights on staying grounded, fostering compassion, and building resilience in the face of adversity. Elaine is dedicated to empowering listeners to cultivate inner strength and create ripples of change for themselves, their families and their communities. Join Resiliency Within as Elaine uncovers pathways to healing, unity, and action—because light can be found even in the darkest times. ___________________________________ About Elaine Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW, is a social worker, trauma therapist, author, lecturer, consultant, VoiceAmerica podcast host, Psychology Today blogger, and social entrepreneur. She has been called an "ambassador of hope" in the fields of trauma therapy and community resiliency. As a co-founder of the Trauma Resource Institute, Elaine serves as the Director of Innovation. She has led the development of the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, which have left an indelible global footprint, impacting over 75 countries. Her book, "Building Resiliency to Trauma: The Trauma and Community Resiliency Model, Second Edition (2023)," has been recognized by the United Nations and Taylor and Francis. She is a regular contributor to Psychology Today. She has presented internationally at Oxford University's Skoll World Forum, the United Nations, Resiliency 2024, Medscape, Psychotherapy Networker, the Global Fund, the Carter Center, and the Centers for Disease Control. Elaine believes in a world where every person is treated with dignity and our differences are acknowledged and respected.

Dr. Ilene Naomi Rusk has a trauma-informed science-based approach to brain health and optimal longevity. She’s developed a user-friendly way of using a functional medicine approach to help prevent Alzheimer’s and improve cognitive health. Dr. Rusk focuses mainly on helping her patients build stress resilience, and she focuses on numerous lifestyle pillars of brain health. These lifestyle pillars, like sleep, diet, and movement, and how we engage with them, can directly affect how we think and feel. Learning to tend to our nervous system, healing traumas, and building emotional and behavioral regulation can help expand our capacity to deal with the challenges and hardships we inevitably face. She combines many trauma healing modalities, such as ancestral archaeology, brainspotting, and somatic techniques, into her biological and spiritual model. Feeling greater emotional resilience can help us connect with experiences of greater freedom and joy and improve the health of our relationships regardless of our circumstances. Being a mother has greatly informed her service work as an international humanitarian worker and community health educator.

Erin Kennedy and Scott Dinits are deeply embedded in the communities affected by the wildfires in Northern California. With the recent firestorms on Maui and Southern California, learning how to support children and adults is essential. They were direct responders after the 2018 Campfire that devastated Butte County Communities and the town of Paradise, California. As Boys and Girls Club employees, they share what is essential to help children and adults heal. Both Erin and Scott are trained in the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® and will share how this model and other interventions helped their community as part of their care of their community. This broadcast was first aired after the firestorm on Maui. They address what was not helpful in the recovering process even though it was extended with good intentions. They discuss the challenges, the hope, and healing as they continue to journey through the aftermath of this tragedy and destruction. This dialogue can provide further information and support for those responding to disasters.

Since this show was first aired, climate events have become more frequent. Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a recognized authority in climate change's physiological and psychological impacts, enlightens us about her advocacy efforts. She helps us understand these incidents' cumulative effects on children and adults. Dr. Van Susteren delves into the concept of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the context of climate change, elucidating pathways for the recovery and healing of individuals. Moreover, she will share her perspectives on how we can all contribute to preventive solutions, fostering the betterment of our communities. Climate events are happening more frequently throughout the globe. Children and adults witness climate-related occurrences with greater frequency. These include hurricanes, floods, extreme weather and devastating firestorms in many parts of the United States and the world. The aftermath of these events has taken a toll on the physical and mental health of children and adults. Dr. Susteren's wisdom and experience help us all learn how to become more involved in advocacy and healing.

Shannon Biteng of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is the Trauma Informed Organization Manager. She will share the development and implementation of the ODHS Trauma Aware Program. The program supports over 12,000 human services professionals dedicated to assisting 1.5 million Oregonians in accessing essential resources and enhancing their overall well-being. She will share how the Trauma Aware initiatives foster resilience, promote well-being, and strive to empower individuals affected by trauma and toxic stress. The Trauma Aware Program actively contributes to ODHS's mission of becoming a Trauma-Informed Organization by fostering supportive interactions at both individual and systemic levels, focusing on equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Their approach integrates evidence-based practices with the insights gleaned from the experiences of their workforce and the communities they serve. She will discuss an array of programs, which includes Trauma-Informed Practice, Resilience, Healing and Empowerment, Trauma Response Services, Employee well-being, Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention, and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) program.

Resiliency Within welcomes back John Kania and Laura Calderon de la Barca. Join this conversation with the Collective Change Lab team who are at the leading edge of shifting how organizations, movements, and collective system change efforts are evolving towards more healing-centered ways of working. John Kania is the Founder and Executive Director of Collective Change Lab. Laura Calderon de la Barca is a psychotherapist specializing in individual, intergenerational, and collective trauma, as well as a collective healing researcher. The conversation will include thoughts on how, in the years since the massive disruption and unrest triggered by the pandemic, there is greater openness and receptivity to thinking about trauma more expansively than ever before. Engaging with trauma is increasingly vital as polarization worsens and challenges escalate into a poly-crisis - thankfully, a deeper conversation is taking root on how to mainstream trauma healing.

Dr. Phil Allen, Jr. returns to Resiliency Within to discuss his journey since the release of his documentary and his first book, Open Wounds: A Story of Racial Tragedy, Trauma and Redemption. In this encore episode, he will explore the themes of his second book, The Prophetic Lens: The Camera and Black Moral Agency, from Martin Luther King to Darnella Frazier, which examines the role of the camera in the fight for racial justice. Allen highlights both the prophetic potential of the camera and the context of Blackness as a liminal existence amid a context dominated by whiteness. He states, “Martin Luther King used news cameras to expose anti-Black violence by white mobs in the 1950s and 60s. Darnella Frazier used her phone to record and post the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin in May 2020. These are just two of many people who have captured images of injustice for the world to see. The Prophetic Lens delves into the camera's role as an indispensable prophetic tool for the security of Black lives and the pursuit of racial justice.” Using Walter Brueggemann's Prophetic Imagination as a framework, Allen demonstrates how the camera can be a catalyst for cultural change. He chronicles the use of the camera in film, from J.D. Griffiths' Birth of a Nation to Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, revealing how this technology has effectively achieved the goals of its respective storytellers. Dr. Phil Allen, Jr. will also share the work of the nonprofit organization he founded, the Racial Solidarity Project. This organization aims to promote anti-racist, pro-community activism, and racial solidarity through its four pillars of sustainable activism: justice and equity advocacy, education, wellness, and intentional community-building. The Racial Solidarity Project believes that justice work requires solidarity, and solidarity invites healing. They emphasize the term “solidarity” because it reflects God’s work and is the central witness of God’s relationship with humanity. ______________________________________ 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Phil Allen, Jr. is an ethicist and theologian who integrates Black perspectives on theology and ethics of justice, understanding and healing racial trauma, and fostering racial solidarity. He is an author, speaker, poet, documentary film producer, and the founder and Executive Director of the Racial Solidarity Project (RSP) based in Pasadena, CA. www.philallenjr.com www.thersp.org

Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward and host Elaine Miller-Karas will explore the meaning of friendships, the joys and sorrows that come from loving relationships, and reflect on their nearly two decades of friendship. Recent research indicates that friends can strengthen our immune system, help us recover from illness more quickly, sharpen our memory, and help us live longer. This knowledge reassures us of the healing and life-extending benefits of friendships, filling us with optimism and a sense of security. Dr. Rowe-Ward, Co-Founder of the Lotus Institute, will share the elements of an innovative offering - a soul mentoring program beginning in September 2024 called Anam Cara. Anam is Gaelic for soul, and Cara means friend, so Anam Cara signifies a soul friend. An Anam Cara was a person to whom you could reveal the hidden depths of your life. This friendship embodied recognition and belonging, transcending all conventions and categories. In Buddhist teachings, the Buddha was once asked about the importance of friends on our path. He responded that we benefit from friends who can support and celebrate with us. Ananda, a beloved senior student of the Buddha, knew that having good and encouraging friends was crucial for the path. He even wondered whether having good friends was half the path. “No, Ananda,” the Buddha told him, “Having good friends isn't half the Holy Life. Having good friends is the whole of the Holy Life.” This profound statement underscores the transformative power of good friends in our lives, inspiring us to seek and cherish such relationships. The Bible’s Proverbs also emphasize the value of friendship: A true friend shows love, no matter what; gives heartfelt advice, bringing joy to the heart; rebukes when necessary, but the correction is done with love; enlivens, influences, and sharpens; and forgives, not holding grudges. True friends are loyal and help in times of need. Join us for a lively, heartfelt dialogue as Elaine and Peggy share their friendship journeys.

Resiliency Within’s host, Elaine Miller-Karas, co-founded the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI). She resigned as Executive Director in 2020 when she welcomed Dr. Michael Sapp as the CEO of TRI. They will discuss the international organization's past, present, and future. The Trauma Resource Institute (TRI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cultivates trauma-informed and resiliency-focused individuals and communities worldwide. TRI is known internationally for its innovative perspectives promoting individual and community well-being. Two types of training, the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)® and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® have been developed by Elaine Miller-Karas. Both models are biologically based and teach wellness skills, cultivating well-being in mind, body, and spirit. While TRM is oriented toward mental health professionals, CRM focuses on public health and has been taught to professionals and natural leaders of communities. TRI has brought its healing modalities to more than 70 countries. Dr. Sapp and Elaine have traveled to many places worldwide, including China, the Philippines, Germany, Turkey, Northern Ireland, India, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Nepal. TRI has built meaningful collaborations with diverse organizations such as the Center for Contemplative Science at Emory University, EdCamp Ukraine, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Fighting Back Santa Maria, and the Christopher Wolf Crusade. Dr. Sapp and Elaine will elaborate upon TRI’s values and its mission. TRI’s mission is: To take people from despair to hope through simple skills-based interventions based on cutting-edge research about the brain. To expand access to biologically based treatments by training frontline service providers, community leaders, and clinicians to build local capacity in diverse communities nationally and internationally. TRI’s values include: Every individual, child, and adult has a natural-born ability to cultivate well-being and can learn an array of self-help skills. When a traumatic event has resulted in symptoms, individuals are entitled to treatment that is gentle, effective, and culturally sensitive. Education and intervention about the common reactions to traumatic experiences must be available to diverse populations and cultures. Treatment of individuals suffering from traumatic stress reactions must be accessible and affordable to all members of society. __________________________ About Our Guest: Dr. Michael Sapp Michael Sapp serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI), where he has been actively involved since 2010, initially as Senior Faculty for both TRM and CRM. His educational background includes an M.A. in General Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, both earned at The New School in New York, NY. Dr. Sapp is deeply committed to disseminating TRI's innovative healing approaches to a global audience. In 2016, he assumed the role of Associate Executive Director, and his exceptional leadership skills led to his appointment as CEO in 2020. A notable aspect of Dr. Sapp's work lies in his keen interest in neuroscientific approaches to trauma healing. This interest culminated in his co-authorship of the chapter "The Nervous System, Memory, and Trauma" in Ms. Miller-Karas' book, Building Resilience to Trauma: The Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, first published in 2015 and subsequently in its second edition in 2023. In collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Sapp played a crucial role in establishing a CRM Teacher Training program for Angola in 2023. This program aims to educate 180 Young Adult Social Mobilizers (YASM), impacting up to 6,000 Angolan Youth His humanitarian work was further shaped by experiences in Istanbul, Turkey, supporting Syrian refugees and assisting survivors of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. He was instrumental in launching TRI's training programs in Belfast, Northern...

The holidays often come wrapped in ribbons of joy, but for many, they conceal threads of grief, suicide, and seasonal depression. In this episode, Elaine Karas-Miller invites Dr. Jamie Gamboa and Brian Stefan from Spotlight On Suicide (SOS) to explore these difficult truths, offering compassionate insights into the darkness that can creep in under the glow of holiday lights. They unpack the weight of unspoken sorrow and share their practical Suicide Prevention Toolbox — strategies to help when the season becomes too heavy to bear. If you or someone you know has ever struggled to keep going while the world keeps celebrating, this conversation holds a lifeline of understanding and hope.

Clifford D. Barnett, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Warner Temple A.M.E. Zion Church in Wilmington, NC, where he is a dedicated community organizer and team builder, passionate about connecting individuals in need with essential resources. Elected to Wilmington’s City Council in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, he currently serves as Mayor Pro Tem. Joining Resiliency Within, Pastor Barnett brings his perspective on resilience, drawn from his extensive experience in ministry, government, and community advocacy. He will share insights on navigating challenging times by uncovering what else is true?

RACHEL ZIMMERMAN, an award-winning journalist, is the author of Us, After: A Memoir of Love and Suicide. Her book examines domestic devastation and resurgence, the struggle between public and private selves, life’s shifting perspectives, the work of motherhood, and the secrets we keep. She will share how she confronted the unimaginable and discovered the good in what remains. When a state trooper appeared at Rachel Zimmerman’s door to report that her husband had jumped to his death off a nearby bridge, she fell to her knees, unable to fully absorb the news. How could the man she’d married, a devoted father and robotics professor at MIT with no history of mental illness, have committed such an act? How would she explain this to her young daughters? And could she have stopped him? A longtime journalist, she probed obsessively, believing answers would help her survive. She interviewed doctors and suicide researchers. She spoke with a man who jumped off the same bridge and lived. She got answers, but not the answer—the answer to the question of why her husband killed himself. And so began years of learning to make peace with not knowing.

Join an open-hearted conversation with Psychotherapist Elaine Miller-Karas, host of Resiliency Within with Kevin McLeod, Director of Community Development, and Psychologist Michael Sapp, CEO of the Trauma Resource Institute. Together, they’ll explore practical ways to navigate the emotional landscape following the 2024 election results. As celebrations and grief arise within workplaces, homes, and communities, this dialogue offers tools to foster understanding and resilience across differing political perspectives. Elaine, Kevin and Michael will discuss how to initiate meaningful conversations with coworkers and loved ones who may hold different political views. Discover strategies to find common ground, which can create connection and serve as an antidote to distress. Whether you're wondering how to cope with four more years of President-elect Trump or how to connect with family members who supported Kamala Harris, this session will provide guidance on managing these complex dynamics with empathy and respect. In addition, they will share simple skills to help regulate your autonomic nervous system so that you can maintain inner balance, although the wake of world events is outside of our control.

Resiliency Within's host, Elaine Miller-Karas, and her guest, Martha Parra, share the beauty and values of their Latino culture. Martha's family came to California from Mexico, and Elaine's mother and grandmother came from El Salvador. They will share the values they learned from their families and how their rich heritage has inspired their personal and professional journeys as community leaders. They will also share their families' challenges as they immigrate to a new country. Martha will discuss traditional healing practices learned from her father and how he inspired her work as a social worker. They also share the challenges of racism and colonialism immigrants face. This is a time in US history when it is essential to embrace the richness and value of Latino culture to counter the disparaging comments being made. Martha will share two programs initiated by the Reagan administration that gave her and her family a pathway to legal residency. The Community Resiliency Model and the Trauma Resiliency Model and how they have been accessible to the Latino community. Martha pioneered the first Community Resiliency Model Teacher Training in Spanish in the pilot study through California's Mental Health Services Act and the County of San Bernardino's Department of Behavioral Health. Martha will share her work as an Immigration Evaluations Evaluator and her work with Asylum, Hardship, the Violence Against Women Act, and victims of human trafficking. The diverse Latino culture is rich with traditions. The identities of Latinas and Latinos are shaped by geography, heritage, race, and gender. Latinas and Latinos embrace their heritage and contribute to the culture of the United States. They will share how their families taught them compassion, courage, strength, service, and hard work.