Resources for Community Leaders & Educators
For those interested in developing an understanding of how brain development and early experiences are powerful moderators of community and educational outcomes, these resources are for you. Most of the resources found on this page have been created through local cross-sector partnerships, with the hope of “bridging the gap” from our understanding of human health and behavior to practice. Understanding a little better how our brains work, and how our experiences actually change our brain structure and function, offers a fresh perspective on collaborative problem solving.
Developing Brains • The Neuroscience of Early Childhood Experiences • Additional Resources
Developing Brains
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Caregiver Stress & Children's Brain Development
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
S-HC Google Drive • 6 minute videoThis brief video offers an explanation of how caregiver stress, as well as examples for stress management and connection, can have an impact on children and dependents. It also offers a quick introduction into one of the mind-bending ways our experiences can actually change how the cells of our bodies work! And reminds us that when it comes to our bodies, we have so many choices to build our skills and strengths. This video was created in partnership with the Family Justice Center, so while the language at the end of the video suggests talking with an Advocate for ideas of enrichment or stress management, our local library systems are also open to every community member and are full of incredible opportunities!
Created in partnership with the Family Justice Center and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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The Brain
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
S-HC Google Drive • 7 minute videoThe Brain. While many of us don't think too much about our brains, any of us that are human or work with humans can benefit from a deeper understanding of basic functions and expectations of healthy brains (and yes, that's right, brains actually have expectations of their environments and the people around them if they are to grow in a healthy way).
Created in partnership with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Beacon Community Impact and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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The Importance of Play
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
S-HC Google Drive • 10 minute videoIn a culture focused on productivity, how can we all (re)discover the essential nature of play for developing and grown brains?
Created in partnership with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Beacon Community Impact and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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Species Expectant Experiences. Species what now?
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
S-HC Google Drive • 11 minute videoSpecies expectant what now? It’s a mouthful for sure, but this video offers some mind blowing information about the expectations of the human nervous system. That’s right - the human nervous system actually has expectations of its environment for healthy development! Another way of putting it is that if we agree we want the best shot at health for our kids and communities, then we need to pay attention and meet the needs of what the developing nervous system expects along the way. Our ability to do so starts with developing our own understanding of what those expectations are in the first place! This video was created in partnership with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) at Beacon Community Impact, so while some of the language might be WIC specific, the human expectations are universal - we can all take part!
Created in partnership with Women, Infants and Children (WIC) - Beacon Community Impact and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
The Neuroscience of Early Childhood Experiences
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The Neuroscience of Trauma – Created for Staff of A Primary Care Clinic
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
S-HC Google Drive • 20 minute videoTrauma-Informed Care offers a framework for thinking about how to turn all the data of brain development and expectation into actionable strategies. This video offers an introductory description of the connections between brain development, adverse childhood experiences and trauma-informed care. It was created in partnership between the E. Blair Warner Clinic and Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior, so while the language is positioned for a healthcare setting, the information and applications are universal to all human development and experiences.
Created in partnership with the E. Blair Warner Clinic and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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Relationships and Healing Trauma
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
YouTube • 15 minute videoGreat for a deeper dive into the neuroscience of attachment and how positive relationships can become powerful moderators of past adverse experiences. This video was created for Oaklawn, a mental health provider in the Michiana region. As such, the language uses a client/patient framework, but the message is universal - the word "patient" can be replaced by "person", "student" or "community member", really any human we ever interact with. Always remember that much of the language of brain development and function focuses on children… but children grow to become adults. We don't gain skill simply by aging; in order to continue to grow, we need to learn throughout our lifetimes.
Created in partnership with Oaklawn and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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Positive Childhood Experiences & Protective Factors
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
YouTube • 12 minute videoHow Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and Positive Adult Experiences (PAEs) help address the negative effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Created in partnership with Oaklawn and students of the University of Notre Dame Neuroscience and Behavior program.
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Implicit Bias by Nancy Michael
Under One Dome, Nancy Michael
YouTube • 5 minute videoA quick 5 minute introduction to some of the normal brain functions that underlie implicit bias processing.
Created in partnership with the University of Notre Dame.
Additional Resources
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Self-Healing Communities Manual
Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana
PDF • 10 minute skim; Deeper-dive read can take as long as it’s givenCommunication can often be really hard, and when it comes to biology, there are some crazy words that can get thrown into the mix too! To aid in communication, with the hope of establishing a common understanding of terms used in the neuroscience field, Self-Healing Communities of Greater Michiana created this introductory booklet. This booklet will not only introduce frequently used terminology and working definitions of common phrases, it will also offer a framework of the community journey we are all in together.
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BrainU: Neuroscience for Teachers & Their Students
BrainU
Website • Multiple resourcesIf you are interested in learning how to lead interactive neuroscience lessons, this site is for you! For any community leader or educator that wants to engage their audience to support their learning, all of the activities on the BrainU website were developed with learning in mind.
Created and maintained by The University of Minnesota.
