Cultivating Heart-Centered Connections

Abstract

This chapter introduces the Heart-Centered Connections (HCC) Facilitator Training, which was developed as a non-degree certificate training offered through the LaFetra College of Education at the University of La Verne. In partnership with Peace4Kids, a local nonprofit, 15 adults who experienced ACEs and toxic stress or had lived experience in foster care participated in an intensive 6-month process. They learned to use mind-body awareness practices to explore how their work as helping professionals has been influenced by their own personal history of trauma or toxic stress. Through participating in the training, these trauma-resilient advocates were prepared to return to their communities to support educators and other child-serving professionals to embody heart-centered practices in their work with children from marginalized populations. The author outlines the core components of the training model and uses qualitative data to offer recommendations for offering similar polyvagal-informed training to all adults who work with children whose lives have been impacted by trauma.