Conversation Starter: Unit on Trauma & Post-Traumatic Growth

This video is actually an extension of a ILT conducted with female inmates at a county jail. The idea was to introduce them to the concepts of trauma and healing from it. The ILT used a white board and the inspired script and illustrations for the storyboard come from an impromptu effort in class to expand on a dysfunctional family system unit. The unit did not include anything about A.C.E.S. (adverse childhood experiences), or how trauma impacts development. The students needed more grit than the curriculum offered, so I stepped in. The goal was to create a simple illustration of how what we are exposed to stays with us until we consciously decide and then do the work necessary to overcome it.

The dialogue was so impactful for students that the employer requested I create a video version so other trainers can initiate a similar conversation with their learners. Video script, storyboard and draft of the final product can be found below. The final was kept by the institution that hired me as proprietary. I was asked not to include it in my portfolio.

Below: Storyboard & Rough Draft Animation