"Only when diverse perspectives are included, respected, and valued can we start to get a full picture of the world: who we serve, what they need, and how to successfully meet people where they are. Daring leaders fight for the inclusion of all people, opinions, and perspectives because that makes us all better and stronger. That means having the courage to acknowledge our own privilege and staying open to learning about our biases and blind spots. It is also listening, centering, and honoring stories that reflect experiences that are different than our own. Courage is listening, learning, unlearning, knowing when to lead, and knowing when to let others lead." Brenee Brown, Instagram Post, June 2020.
The Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery and Education, LLC stands with our black and brown community in solidarity and support for positive change. We also commit to anti-racist actions as we advocate and provide mental health services to our diverse community. We are allies in support of equity, social justice reform, peaceful protests, and safe and just police response. BLACK LIVES MATTER to us and we will be part of the solutions and changes, not part of the problem. We will stand and be counted as we dismantle institutional racism and begin to meet the promises made throughout history, outstanding promises, not yet realized. As an organization whose primary purpose is to ameliorate childhood trauma and it's impact, we recognize that racist actions and words can be traumatizing and cause black and brown people to feel oppressed, marginalized, and helpless. We stand as rebel allies.
We continue to provide telehealth services until future notice regarding gradual reopening of physical offices, which will be posted here once final plans for safety are in place.
One of the distinguishing features of our clinical private practice is our willingness to be truly integrative of evidence-based approaches as well as promising trends that maximize our potential to be helpful to our clients.
To be truly integrative is challenging in that clinicians require ongoing exposure to continuing education in the literature, workshops, conferences, and specialized trainings. You will see that commitment reflected in the brief biographical information related to our therapists, as well as the incorporation of programs such as Theraplay, Circle of Security Parenting Groups, and HEARTS.
Gil Institute advocates for developmentally-appropriate services to young children, youth, and adults and utilize the expressive therapies (art, play, sand) to provide alternate forms of communication and expression.
Our therapists highly value opportunities for clients to reflect on their work and to achieve shifts in perception which are well facilitated through the expressive arts within an anchored therapy relationship.
Expressive therapies invite, allow, and
encourage externalizing of concerns through images and symbols, which can then be explored, felt, given voice, and eventually integrated. Through this process, traumatic memories can be acknowledged, managed in more adaptive ways, and transformed.
The end result is that pain subsides, control is restored, and hope is activated
for the future.