Category: People
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Convince Your Supervisor that You Should Attend our Supporting All Brains Conference
Would you like to attend our upcoming Supporting All Brains conference but need to convince your supervisor? We’ve got you covered! Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint volunteer Trisha Thompson drafted a letter to help you convince whoever might need convincing.
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The Overflowing Cup: Sensory Processing and Kids
We humans are a sensory species. Every single hour, minute, and second of our lives are made up of sensory input and integration. What we see, taste, smell, hear, touch, feel, and the lack of, are all important parts of sensory experience. These different forms of sensory input not only affect our senses themselves but…
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Like A Dog: From Child Abuse to Involuntary Hospitalization
When I push deeper, however, as to why I would have had this positive association with restraint and institutional abuse, I realize it’s because I was abused as a child. I’m reminded of my favorite Franz Kafka quotation from The Trial: “‘Like a dog!’ he said, it was as if the shame of it should…
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Singing with Stingrays: Reflecting on Disability Pride Month
As July draws to a close, I am reflecting on Disability Pride Month. Yesterday, I was drawn into a discussion about trauma-informed practices in education at a social gathering. As usual, I found myself passionately defending the rights of disabled students in the United States and despaired over the lack of resources to support them…
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My Journey from a Parent to a Family and Child Advocate
I am honored that Guy has asked me to share my story; his work is an inspiration. I am not a therapist or clinical worker, but I am a parent who shares the experience of raising kids with challenges who are misunderstood and struggle in our current systems. I am passionate about making my community…
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How Being a Musician Made Me a Better Advocate
Growing up as a musician, I learned the importance of listening to others. As an adult, I’ve realized that listening is not just a skill but a cornerstone of effective advocacy. It’s through listening that we understand others’ needs, empathize with their struggles, and work toward meaningful change.
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Supporting Someone Who Has Survived Seclusion or Restraint
I first started experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder around a month after being restrained for the first time. I was at a long-term residential treatment center (i.e., a “troubled teen” facility) in Utah at the time. I noticed feeling anxious around the staff who had restrained me. I started avoiding the places where a restraint…
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Volunteers Lead the Way to Change
What does volunteering mean to you? Giving your time to something that’s important to you can have tangible benefits – both for you and for the organization you serve. Over the last couple of years, AASR has seen an increase in the number of volunteers who get in touch with us and say they are ready to help. We feel that this…
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Meet Disability Advocate and AASR Volunteer Christopher Ripke
Christopher Ripke is an advocate for people with Developmental Disabilities in Nevada. Christopher is also against the use of restraints and seclusion. Christopher is a survivor of restraints and seclusion. As a person with a disability and an advocate, Christopher for the “Keeping All Students Safe Act.” Currently, Christopher works with a non-profit “People first…
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Making a Change: Getting Involved in Public Office to Improve Special Education and Stop the Abuse in our Schools
Getting involved in public office is scary, but it can also be a powerful way to drive positive change in the community. It can also be empowering as a parent or caregiver in your own recovery from the trauma your child may have experienced.