Episodes

What happens when we teach resilience as a pathway to healing for incarcerated youth? In this compelling episode of Resiliency Within, Dr. Ingrid Duva and Dr. Linda Grabbe share the findings from their research on the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice. Conducted in partnership with the Georgia Preparatory Academy and the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, this study explored how an innovative program introducing body-based resilience skills hel...

On an unremarkable summer night at the age of fifteen, Mary Keating got into a 1965 Mustang convertible driven by a boy she barely knew. She never walked again. In her memoir-in-verse, Recalibrating Gravity, Keating explores life before, during, and after her spinal cord injury, bringing readers into the lived experience of navigating ill-fitting wheelchairs, poorly designed buildings, well-intentioned loved ones, the medical-industrial complex, and our ableist society. It’s not a story of trag...

What happens when we step away from the noise of everyday life and allow our feet to carry us toward something greater than ourselves? In this episode of Resiliency Within, I am joined by my colleague, K. Thomas, as we explore the profound physical, emotional, and spiritual transformations that unfolded during two remarkable pilgrimages. I share my experience walking the Camino de Santiago in my seventies, while K reflects on her journey to Machu Picchu in her thirties. Though our paths led us a...

Crisis Recovery for Kids, Parents, and Teachers Children worldwide are living during very difficult times within the United States and globally. Current policies are impacting our schools - our children, teachers, and school staff. Inez Tiger and Elaine Miller-Karas will discuss how educational systems worldwide are increasingly confronted with the impact of natural and human-made crises - war, genocide, wildfires, ICE raids, and community violence. These events disrupt the stability of whole...

In this episode of Resiliency Within, Elaine Miller-Karas, interviews Dr. Adam Barsouk about a sobering reality: cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in many developed nations. Yet there is hope—up to half of cancer deaths may be preventable through lifestyle changes, environmental awareness, and thoughtful public policy. Dr. Barsouk shares important information from his recently published book, Outsmarting Cancer, which reframes one of the most pressing medical cha...

We must not forget that the greatness of America has been shaped by the immigrants who have come for that hopeful opportunity of a better future. People have immigrated to the United States from many places around the globe. They have often escaped the horrors of war and oppression to come to a country hoping for a future where their families could thrive in a Democratic Republic. The host of Resiliency Within will share aspects of her first-generation view with her colleague, Martha Parra, LC...

Essential funds are being cut for important programs helping youth. Where common sense laws are lacking to protect children, violence prevention professionals and credible messengers are working on the frontlines to mediate conflict, interrupt violence, and restore peace. Jordan R. Murphy, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist who specializes in behavioral health and trauma and resiliency-informed care. In this encore episode, Dr. Murphy will share her work in Gun Violence Prevention, supporting prof...

On this episode of Resiliency Within, host Elaine Miller-Karas welcomes Heather Lilly, co-founder and past Executive Director of Yoga Village in Wilmington, North Carolina, for a thoughtful conversation about the integration of the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) with Trauma-Informed Yoga. Together, Elaine and Heather explore how these complementary, body-based approaches can help individuals and communities strengthen resilience, regulate the nervous system, and support healing in the face of ...

On this special episode of Resiliency Within, host Elaine Miller-Karas sits down with Michael Sapp, Executive Director of the Trauma Resource Institute, for a heartfelt conversation reflecting on the remarkable global journey of the Trauma Resource Institute. What began as a small idea rooted in compassion and neuroscience has grown into an international movement of healing, hope, and human connection, reaching communities across cultures, languages, and lived experiences worldwide. They will s...

The Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® contains powerful skills for nervous system regulation that can be used anywhere and anytime. CRM in Schools is a strengths-based, compassionate approach that is helping school staff and students re-connect to their bodies and understand new ways to support their well-being through nervous system regulation. Since 2019, the Community Resiliency Model has been shared with thousands of educators and students, world-wide. Pro-active and preventative skills li...

In this episode of Resiliency Within, Elaine Miller-Karas interviews Cathy Salser about a deceptively simple proposition: that time and connection — not paint or canvas — can be one of the most powerful art supplies we have. Cathy is the founder of A Window Between Worlds (AWBW), a non-profit dedicated to nurturing art-based journeys of transforming trauma. Since 1991, AWBW has grown into a national circle of co-creation reaching nearly 150,000 participants annually across 44 states and 8 count...

During Mental Health Awareness Month, join host Elaine Miller-Karas for a heartfelt and deeply personal hour-long conversation about why mental health must be viewed as a public health issue. Drawing from her Psychology Today article, “Why Mental Health Is a Public Health Issue,” and her decades of work developing the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) and Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), Elaine speaks directly to listeners about the biological impact of stress, trauma, disasters, loss, and uncerta...

In this episode of Resiliency Within, Elaine Miller-Karas, interviews Dr. Adam Barsouk about a sobering reality: cancer has surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in many developed nations. Yet there is hope—up to half of cancer deaths may be preventable through lifestyle changes, environmental awareness, and thoughtful public policy. Dr. Barsouk shares important information from his recently published book, Outsmarting Cancer, which reframes one of the most pressing medical cha...

In this powerful episode, we honor the legacy of Jane Stevens, founder of PACEs Connection, and explore how her vision is evolving into a bold national and global trauma recovery movement—one grounded in the belief that healing-centered care is a right, not a privilege. Through an intentional collaboration of organizations guided by Alliance Practice | Strategic Consulting for the Trauma Sector, this conversation highlights a growing movement that weaves together grassroots to systems-level cha...

Special Guest Louise Godbold

In this episode of Resiliency Within, I am joined by Jenn Turner of the Center for Trauma and Embodiment for a thoughtful and energizing conversation about what it means to be women leaders in the fields of mind-body health and trauma healing. Together, we explore the evolving landscape of therapeutic relationships—moving away from traditional hierarchies toward models of shared power, collaboration, and mutual respect. Jenn brings deep insight into embodied trauma healing, helping us understan...

In this episode of Resiliency Within, our host, Elaine Miller-Karas, will interview Bo Dean about his reflections of how the first 2,000 days of life—from pregnancy through early childhood—lay the foundation for resilience across the lifespan. Together, we discuss how these early experiences shape the developing brain, nervous system, and sense of self. Our conversation explores how love and stress can coexist within families, and how unspoken trauma can quietly influence a child’s development....

In times of global upheaval and community suffering, many of us feel shaken—mentally, emotionally, and physically. The brutality and uncertainty we witness can disrupt our sense of well-being, leaving us confused, anxious, or overwhelmed. Yet even in the midst of collective stress, it is possible to cultivate inner harmony. Inner harmony is the quiet meeting place of our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. It is a living balance that emerges when we understand the rhythms of our nervous ...

Crisis Recovery for Kids, Parents, and Teachers Children worldwide are living during very difficult times within the United States and globally. Current policies are impacting our schools - our children, teachers, and school staff. Inez Tiger and Elaine Miller-Karas will discuss how educational systems worldwide are increasingly confronted with the impact of natural and human-made crises - war, genocide, wildfires, ICE raids, and community violence. These events disrupt the stability of whole...

On this episode of Resiliency Within, Elaine Miller-Karas welcomes Bev Weise, MBA, ACC—leadership coach, social entrepreneur, and co-founder of Refugee Jumpstart Coaching. Bev shares the inspiring story behind the organization she co-founded in 2021 with Syrian refugee Hussein Alzribi to help educated and highly skilled refugees rebuild their professional lives. Refugee Jumpstart Coaching connects refugees around the world with a global network of pro bono leadership, wellness, and career coach...

Resiliency Within welcomes back Dr. Phillip Allen. Dr. Allen is a theologian and ethicist whose research and writings include the intersections of social structure, race, culture, and theology and ethics of justice. He has authored two books: Open Wounds: A Story of Racial Tragedy, Trauma, and Redemption and The Prophetic Lens: The Camera and Black Moral Agency From MLK to Darnella Frazier. He is an affiliate assistant professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he completed his PhD in Theo...

In a time of deep division, uncertainty, and crisis, Finding Light in the Darkness will explore how we can maintain our well-being, integrity, and hope. Hosted by Elaine Miller-Karas, an internationally recognized trauma expert and resiliency advocate, she will illuminate practical strategies for navigating today’s complex social and political landscape. Elaine hopes this episode will provide a beacon of light—insights on staying grounded, fostering compassion, and building resilience in the f...