Building
Trauma Informed
Workplaces

CREATING RESILIENCE

FOR THE FUTURE

Carolyn Coker Ross, MD, MPH, CEDS is an African American author, speaker, expert the treatment of eating disorders, trauma and addictions. Dr. Ross is a graduate of The University of Michigan Medical School. She completed a residency in Preventive Medicine and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) at Loma Linda University and a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. She is board certified in Preventive Medicine and in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Ross has been an international speaker and consultant on issues of mental health, trauma and workplace productivity. Dr. Ross presented a TEDxPleasantGrove talk on “Historical and Intergenerational Trauma in January 2020. She is co-founder of the Institute for Antiracism and Equity (antiracismandequity.com), a consulting group that offers trainings to organizations on diversity and equity in the workplace.

 

Dr. Carolyn Ross changed my life. She put words to what I experienced growing up in America as a person of color. She helped me understand racial trauma, epigenetics and how it impacted my family and myself. For the first time in my life, I felt seen and understood.

As an Executive Director of a substance abuse treatment center I wanted to drive culture change and hired Dr. Ross and the team of professionals she works with to do trainings at my facility on diversity, equity and belonging.This kind of work is essential as we address health equity issues and it has changed our perspectives, our way of thinking and being. I am a different person, a better human because of this work and am eternally grateful for the work they’ve done and hope everyone can take the journey that we’ve taken!

— Christina Simos, Executive Director, Friendly House

Dr. Carolyn Ross is a pioneer in the use of Integrative medicine for the treatment of mental health issues, addictions and eating disorders. Her compassion and understanding bring hope to patients and family members whose lives are affected by these difficult problems by showing us that transformation and healing at the deepest level are possible.”

— Andrew Weil, MD Physician and Best Selling Author Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being

…To say your presentation with Project Thrive was mind-blowing would be an understatement. All of the facts and data was insightful but where I think it hit home for many was how you were able to personalize why we should care. By telling the story of Jane and others we could see that no one is immune and we need to find ways to make space for compassion and further conversations about mental health. The part about not being able to tell who is bringing their trauma is something everyone needs to hear.
You’ve left us with a lot to think about, your slides were eye-opening as were your talking points and I’m thrilled to be able to send this recording out to the CEO’s that have expressed interest. Love the presentation!”

— Leslie Metcalf, B2B & Group Event Specialist

This is probably the most timely and educational/psych-educational presentation I have attended at any workshop ever. Please tell Carolyn Coker Ross I appreciate her work and life.”

— Attendee at The Renfrew Center Foundation Conference

Carolyn Coker Ross was fantastic. I appreciated the way in which she placed intergenerational and historical trauma in context and used a lot of examples, statistics, and evidence to demonstrate what intergenerational and historical trauma is and how it impacts individuals, communities, and society. I also appreciated how she explained the relevance of epigenetics with a caution for recognizing that genes can be turned on to impact experiences of trauma and can be turned off to impact our ability to grow resilient.”

— Attendee at The Renfrew Center Foundation Conference

Very helpful information. I especially appreciate Dr. Ross’s willingness to share her personal story about her brother.”

— Attendee at The Renfrew Center Foundation Conference

WOW! What energy you brought to our Women’s Health Symposium through your exhilarating and informative presentation. Your ability to present medical information in a way that is understandable to the layperson is truly a gift. You were loved by your audience and rated off the scale…a 10+.”

— Beverly Weurding MBA, Former Director, Community Education & Special Events, Sharp HealthCare

Our Indigenous conference is scheduled for today and I sat in on your entire two hour presentation. The content of your presentation was excellent and extremely thought provoking and will be beneficial to clinicians and other mental health professionals.

I can’t thank you enough for the extra effort you devoted to incorporate Canadian historical events and statistics. You are a superb teacher and your courses are always top notch! Thank you for giving up the opportunity to promote your trainings.”

— Jack Hirose, Jack Hirose and Associates, North Vancouver BC, Canada

As Founder and Co-Director of US Journal Training, Inc., I have had the opportunity to retain Dr Ross as a Keynote and Workshop Speaker on numerous occasions over the past 20 years.

Dr Ross’ expertise on a number of topics, including Eating Disorders, Intergenerational Trauma and Racial Injustice, render her a valuable asset to any professional conference related to medical or behavioral health, mental health or addictive disorders.

I highly recommend Dr Carolyn Ross.”

— Gary Seidler, Founder, US Journal Training, Inc.

Videos

Sizzle Reel

How to Maximize the Gifts of Intergenerational Trauma, TEDxPleasantGrove

Trauma, Food and Body

The Trauma Informed Workplace

Speeches

The Trauma Informed Workplace:

Building Resilience to Manage Change

One in five Americans have been diagnosed with some mental health disorder in 2019. However, five in five Americans have experienced emotional distress that affects their well-being. There is strong evidence for a link between trauma and mental health issues. This connection has been magnified by the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine and the social unrest related to long-standing racial disparities. Two-thirds of Americans also report a history of childhood adversity and research shows that traumas experienced by individuals in their childhood become part of who they are as adults. Wherever we go, we take our trauma with us and given the amount of time we spend at work what has “happened to us” can influence our relationships, our ability to manage money and our productivity at work.

Ending Self-Sabotage:

Overcoming our Crutches

During times of stress, it’s easy to fall into relentless coping cycles of binge eating, drinking too much or working long hours. Self-sabotage is common and happens to people from all walks of life -celebrities as well as us “regular folks.” Self-sabotage occurs when we undermine ourselves whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally or deliberately hinder our own success and wellbeing by undermining our personal values and goals. A history of trauma or adversity can lead to feelings of being unsafe, making you feel you don’t deserve to succeed or to have good things in life. Sometimes behaviors, especially around food, may have developed as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions or situations when you were younger.

Intergenerational Trauma

Stories of Our Ancestors

Have you inherited the stories of your ancestors? Research dating back generations has explored the impact of the trauma of war, genocide, class struggles and racial or ethnic discrimination on families and offspring. Studies which began in offspring of Holocaust survivors have demonstrated significant trauma effects lasting over 2 or more generations. Statistics show that traumatic events can have an impact on brain development and that these effects can define and limit a person from childhood through adulthood – affecting their performance in school, work and having an impact on their mental and physical health.

Book Dr. Ross As Your Speaker

To connect with Dr. Ross, please submit the form below. You can also call 520.440.0079 or email crossmd@mac.com. Typically you can expect a response within 24 hours.

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