Compassion In Action

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. Richard Schwartz began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed Internal Family Systems (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He focused on the relationships among these parts and noticed that there were systemic patterns to the way they were organized across clients. He also found that when the clients’ parts felt safe and were allowed to relax, the clients would experience spontaneously the qualities of confidence, openness, and compassion that Dr. Schwartz came to call the Self. He found that when in that state of Self, clients would know how to heal their parts. A featured speaker for national professional organizations, Dr. Schwartz has published many books and over fifty articles about IFS. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. Philip Folsom is an anthropologist, culture development expert, veteran, and CEO of Wolf Tribe. He is also the founder of Human Kind—a holistic consulting agency, as well as SPARTA, a critically acclaimed PTSD and suicide prevention program for warriors. He has been a key provider in numerous warrior healing programs including; Raven Drum, Project Odyssey, Wounded Warrior Program & Save A Warrior. Philip is known for his unique Tribework program that focuses on the primary culture components of building healthy and high performing teams. His clients include organizations such as Microsoft, Apple and Space X and major universities worldwide where he conducts innovative adventure programming such as vision quests, caving, high ropes challenge courses, Zen archery, and interactive workshops with horses and wolves. Philip has sat on numerous boards including Red Bull’s High Performance Department. His work is regularly featured on television and podcasts. The time of the lone wolf is over. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/Sts2dVx6-N0 My conversation with Dr. Michael Gurian explores the neuroscience of a the brain of a male, the importance of having a male figure in the life of a growing boy, and other things to consider when guiding our sons through their youth. Dr. Michael Gurian is a marriage and family counselor in private practice and the New York Times bestselling author of thirty two books published in twenty three languages. As a social philosopher, he has pioneered efforts to bring neuro-biology and brain research into homes, schools, corporations, and public policy. The Gurian Institute, which he co-founded, conducts research internationally, launches pilot programs, and trains professionals. One of the world’s foremost gender experts, Michael travels extensively to provide keynotes and consulting. His engaging and dynamic presentation style, along with the use of case studies, visual aids such as PET and SPECT scans, and interactive demonstrations will help you better understand and assess the needs of both sexes and all genders, and most effectively intervene and work with children and adults from birth through adulthood. Michael has spoken for the United Nations on violence against women; provided information on boys’ and girls’ educational needs to the White House; and briefed Members of the 114th Congress on the boy crisis in America. A number of Michael’s books have sparked national debate, including THE WONDER OF BOYS, THE WONDER OF GIRLS, BOYS AND GIRLS LEARN DIFFERENTLY!, and LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/XL3NpMeIG9s Phil Stutz shares his wisdom and “lessons for living.” Phil Stutz is the creator of The Tools®. “He is the author of the incredible book: “Lessons for Living.” With his coauthor, Barry Michels, he wrote the New York Times bestseller “The Tools”, and its sequel, Coming Alive. Phil graduated from City College in New York, received his MD from New York University, and did his psychiatric training at Metropolitan Hospital. He then worked as a prison psychiatrist on Rikers Island before going into private practice in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles In 1982, where he practiced until his recent retirement. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/dD5tTuQ85CE Devika Bhushan, MD, is a pediatrician and public health leader on a mission to drive health innovation, resilience, and equity. As California’s Acting Surgeon General (2022) and its inaugural Chief Health Officer (2019-2022), Dr. Bhushan was a key public health advisor to the California Governor. In these roles, she led policy and practice innovation at a statewide level by co-leading the launch and implementation of the ACEs Aware initiative, focused on healing from childhood trauma. Her expertise spans trauma-informed systems, stress and resilience, mental health, and gender and health equity — with work and perspectives featured in The Lancet, Pediatrics, JAMA, Slate, NPR, The Los Angeles Times, and Forbes Health. Dr. Bhushan trained at Harvard and Johns Hopkins. Dr. Bhushan serves on Stanford’s adjunct faculty and as a senior advisor to entities that aim to advance health, innovation, and equity, ranging from non-profits to a venture capital firm, as well as on the Board of Directors of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the California Partners Project, co-founded by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Dr. Bhushan is also an award-winning mental health spokesperson. Having publicly shared her own journey with bipolar disorder in 2022 to destigmatize mental illness and spread hope, she now leads a newsletter community and YouTube channel/podcast to share evidence-based insights for well-being. Dr. Bhushan is a parent, an immigrant, and a first-generation Indian-American. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/5c9ENKpK1Fk Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., is the President of the Trauma Research Foundation, Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School and author of NYTimes Bestseller “The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma. www.besselvanderkolk.com Donate to our Non-Profit Feature photo credit: Sam Levitan for findingmastery.net

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/q6v9L321WIk Dr. Perry is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network, Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy and a Professor (Adjunct) in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago and the School of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences holding a variety of academic positions. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Dr. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered. Dr. Perry’s most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey was released in 2021. In this interview we discuss: What is Dr. Perry’s definition of Trauma? Same trauma effects people differently 3 E’s of Trauma: Event, Experience and Effect Significance of Childhood Trauma and Developmental Trauma Regulation vs. Dysregulation Self Soothing Reactivity 3 R’s: Regulate / Relate / Reason People living in their brain stem… Addicts , people living and working in prison How do we heal in prison? Living in the brain stem Functional IQ Getting to the cortex Healing in community Donate to our Non-Profit Feature photo credit: therapistuncensored.com

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/oQrWcOLF27M Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He served as president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. The theory is leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, (Norton, 2017) and co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018). He is the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol ™ , which currently is used by more than 1400 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, to improve language processing and state regulation. Donate to our Non-Profit Image Credit: findingmastery.net

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-VAUnGV1Vs&t=4s Dr. Vincent J Felitti, MD from Kaiser Permanente is the co-principal investigator, along with Robert F. Anda MD from the CDC, of the Adverse Childhood Experiences research study. The ACE study changed the way we understand the impact and predisposing influence childhood trauma has on adult health issues. It helped bring to the forefront the realization that we aren’t bad people but, rather, bad things have happened to us which have subsequently impacted our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Dr. Felitti graduated from John Hopkins Medical School, starting his medical career as an infectious disease physician in 1968. Dr. Felitti founded the Department of Preventive Medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Diego and held the position of Chief of Preventive Medicine in 2001. He is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at University of California and a Fellow at the American College of Physicians. 2:05 – Origins of the ACE survey 3:23 – Obesity program uncovers hidden childhood trauma and sexual abuse 4:35 – Major study of 26,000 adults CDC and Kaiser Permanente 5:00 – 10 most common ACES selected that kept coming up with obese patients in weight loss program 5:50 – Initial sample was biased (74% white, middle class) 6:09 – 5% of people in initial study had family member go to prison 7:09 – Of 1000-person sample of those enrolled in obesity program, 55% experienced childhood sexual abuse 8:20 – Female prison population, nearly 100% experienced past sexual abuse 8:41 – ACE survey includes “often or very often” meaning repetitive emotional abuse 9:25 – Parents telling children to keep quiet about abuse, or not believing them, equates to parental neglect (adds another ACE) 10:15 – Unpredictable abuse leads to hypervigilance 11:04 – Domestic violence 12:38 – 440,000 patients over several years were surveyed by integrating ACE questions into medical history questionnaires 13:30 – Mathematician analyzed whether or not the ACE study had any effect on subsequent healthcare of patients 14:00 — ACE survey results in amazing reductions in medical visits within following 12 months 14:25 – Vermont legislature invited Dr. Felitti to present, including ACE information in their state-run programs. Now 22 more states have passed similar legislation. 16:26 – Example of high cholesterol – is it genetics? ACEs? 17:24 – ACEs affect health in three categories including coping (crystal meth is street version of meth antidepressant from 1940s) 19:19 – One of Dr. Felitti’s more memorable patients – obese, heavy smoker, history of childhood molestation 22:46 – Neurochemical depression – life experiences cause chemical changes 23:37 – Prevalence of anxiety in society and 64% of Americans with at least 1 ACE 25:50 – Should we do ACE with the census? 26:55 – Patients appreciated medical staff acknowledging their “dark secrets” and still making them feel accepted 28:39 – Cities have published ACE survey in their newspapers 29:28 – School play idea – address abuse via fictional character development 31:45 – Awareness is key, rage is not who we are 32:37 – ACE awareness in prisons 32:55 – Why doesn’t the media address the childhoods of murderers? Wesley Purkey had an ACE score of 10. We executed him. 35:23 – 2000 ACE surveys have gone out to prisons 36:27 – 4 or more ACEs, seven times more likely to go to prison 36:54 – 3 pathways ACEs lead to disease: Coping mechanisms, toxic stress (brain chemistry) and epigenetics (influences on gene function) 41:58 – autoimmune issues associated with ACEs 42:24 – toxic stress and brain releases pro-inflammatory chemicals 44:45 – Need to improve parenting across the nation 45:57 – COVID and suppressed immune system 47:24 – lifelong fight or flight following child abuse 49:36 – ACEs can take years off of a person’s life 50:15 – Addiction behavior; short term benefits versus future health problems 51:30 – What helps people to heal? 55:15 – Universal understanding, lifting of shame 56:10 – Trauma-informed programs for prisons 58:56 – Role of autobiographical writing in healing of ACEs 1:01:29 – How to create a trauma-informed society 1:03:14 – Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, pediatrician who became California’s Surgeon General after integrating ACEs into her practice 1:05:58 – 27 more states needed to integrate ACE information into their operations 1:08:05 – 2.2 million people in prison 1:09:29 – Physicians need to have ability to see full picture of patient’s health, including past childhood trauma 1:11:47 – Benefits of hypnotherapy – American Society of Clinical Hypnosis 1:20:05 – Solutions (alcohol, workaholic, smoking etc.) all to mask real feelings 1:21:35 – 2021 will be the year America becomes trauma-informed. 1:21:58 – For more information, Google or YouTube Adverse Childhood Experiences Study

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/2AmdypsJr94 Our mission at Compassion Prison Project is to create trauma-informed prisons and communities. Our guest today is Jarvis Jay Masters, our first interview with someone on Death Row. Jarvis Jay Masters was born in Long Beach, California, in 1962. He is a widely published African American Buddhist writer and the author of That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row which is the latest pick for Oprah’s Book Club. His poem “Recipe for Prison Pruno” won the PEN Award in 1992. He has kept an active correspondence with teachers and students across the country for two decades, and his work continues to be studied in classrooms in both grade schools and colleges. Since taking formal refuge vows with H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche in 1991, Jarvis has also been guided by Ven. Pema Chödrön, with whom he shares an enduring friendship. In 2020, he became the subject of a podcast series Dear Governor as well as a new biography, The Buddhist on Death Row: How One Man Found Light in the Darkest Place, by David Sheff. Originally sent to San Quentin State Prison in 1981 for armed robbery, Jarvis was convicted of conspiracy to murder a prison guard in 1985 and sentenced to death in 1990. He was placed in solitary confinement and endured there for twenty-one years, from 1985 to 2007. Jarvis exhausted his state appeals in 2019, and his case is currently in the federal courts. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/59fKdmiB4MU Originally filmed to be included in our Trauma Talks program, this conversation includes a discussion about resilience and solitary confinement. It is our goal that we break the cycle of violence that exists in our prisons, our communities and our families. Our Returning Citizen Roundtable Part 2 features Jason Bryant, Eldra Jackson III and Robert Mosqueda. Jason Bryant is the Program Director for CROP (Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs), holds a BA from Adams State University with an MA in Philosophy from California State University and an MS in Psychology from California Coast University. He has 20 years of lived experience within the CDCR. Jason dedicated his term of incarceration to higher education and serving other people through thoughtful conversations and coaching about new possibilities for people’s lives. In 2020, Jason’s sentence was commuted by Governor Newsom who ordered his immediate release from prison due to his remarkable contributions in transformative and rehabilitative work while incarcerated. Eldra Jackson III is the Co-Executive Director of Inside Circle. A writer and sought after public speaker on the topics of at-risk youth advocacy, effective criminal justice rehabilitation and turning around ‘toxic’ masculinity, Eldra brings clarity of purpose, mission focus, and inspiration to his role at Inside Circle. He was living at New Folsom Prison when he found Inside Circle and began the inner personal journey that eventually led to his release in 2014 and his current leadership role. A living example of successful rehabilitation and re-entry, Eldra has dedicated his free time on the outside to serving at-risk youth, acting as a facilitator, trainer, and mentor for organizations like Youth Empowerment and Goals Association, Shoulder to Shoulder, and the Alternatives to Violence Project. Robert Mosqueda is the Program Manager with the Women Center Youth and Family Services located in Stockton, CA. He is passionate about criminal justice; having grown up in the Department of Corrections with a father who was an Associate Warden and was incarcerated in California Department of Corrections. He speaks from personal experience how those in correction play a vital role in the rehabilitation process. Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/gLG-Lb_PoxI We recently interviewed Chris Wilson, author of “The Master Plan.” Chris is a visual artist, author, film producer and social justice advocate, and was serving a life sentence when he started writing “The Master Plan.” In his memoir, Chris writes about his journey from being incarcerated to becoming the successful entrepreneur he is today. Chris Wilson is a living example of how discipline, self-determination and knowing your self worth can change everything: including getting yourself out of prison. Chris splits his time between Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City. Through his work, he investigates societal injustices, human relationships, and public policies. His book, “The Master Plan,” continues to inspire people from all walks of life. His artwork is collected and displayed internationally and his production company, Cuttlefish, has produced several successful films, including The Box, which was recently featured in the Tribeca Film Festival. He is also the founder of the Chris Wilson Foundation, which supports social entrepreneurs and prison education, including re-entry and financial literacy for returning citizens, as well as art-related programs. Feature image from chriswilson.biz Learn more about Chris and his work Buy Chris’s book, “the master plan” Donate to our non-profit Compassion Prison Project

Join CPP Founder Fritzi Horstman and guests as they discuss the objectives and approaches involved in bringing trauma awareness and compassionate healing to the forefront of public conversation. https://youtu.be/LSCxaNSKfxk Dr. Jay Faber is a clinical and forensic psychiatrist, child psychiatrist, and adult psychiatrist at Amen Clinics. He has more than two decades of experience in Child Psychiatry, Adolescent Psychiatry, and Adult Psychiatry and Pharmacological Management, treating patients in clinical private practices in Colorado, California and Georgia. In addition to his work at Amen Clinics, Dr. Faber is President of BrainSource, a corporation founded to teach adolescents how to build successful lives. Since working at the clinic, Dr. Faber has also written a book; Escape: Rehab Your Brain To Stay Out of The Legal System. The book focuses on five areas to help individuals work on implementing disciplines to never return to that system again. Dr. Faber received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and an MD from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Faber completed his Residency in Adult Psychiatry, and went on to receive a Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Harbor UCLA Medical Center in 1991 as well as a Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at USC Institute of Psychiatry and Law in 1995. Donate to CPP Feature image from Dr. Jay Faber's website.