Conversation 32 - I Want to be the Disney of Neuroscience

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Mary Vicario, LPCC-S and Certified Trauma Specialist, established Finding Hope Consulting in 2007. Recognizing a critical need within community training, she pioneered the translation of complex relational neuroscience into accessible, practical tools for fostering healing, resilience, and hope. Her global influence extends beyond her Cincinnati-based practice, encompassing international lectures and training. Mary continues to refine her expertise through affiliations with leading institutions such as The Trauma Research Foundation and Harvard Medical School. Her distinguished 30-year career includes serving as a People to People counseling delegate to China and Mongolia, and as a lecturer at universities and a conference on human trafficking in Germany.

Drawing from her family history that led to her being ‘born into trauma work,” Mary's insights highlighted the crucial distinction between power-over and power-with dynamics in abuse, emphasizing the need to foster genuine connection rather than transactional affection. Understanding the neuroscience of trauma, particularly the brain stem's fear response, helps caregivers cultivate empathy by contextualizing behavior, shifting the focus from "I am a mistake" to "I made a mistake." The conversation underscored the importance of naming emotions to manage them effectively, as well as the value of tools like the Trauma Informed Biographical Timeline (TIBT) for a holistic understanding of individuals with complex histories. Ultimately, the discussion resonates with the core principle of relational cultural therapy that connection is our deepest need, illustrating how fostering supportive relationships is paramount in healing and addressing the profound fear of disconnection.

Resources:

• https://www.findinghopeconsulting.com/ 
• Finding Hope Resources 
• Vagus Nerve 
• Foster Parent Survival Guide Workbook
• Wired to Connect by Amy Banks
• How Connections Heal: Stories from Relational-Cultural Therapy by Maureen Walker
• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey
• PDFs from Guest 
  •  TIBT; 3-Finger Grounding Exercise; Regulate, Relate, Create Manual 

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Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee: Marisa Cargill,  Kendra Thornton, Leah Wood, Victoria Frazier, and Linda Marcel-Rene