Wellness Matters for Direct Support

Olivia Kaplan is a life success coach at Carey Services in Indiana. In this episode of Wellness Matters for Direct Support, she talks about how they implemented trauma-informed care in her organization, what it took to train staff, and how trauma-informed care is used to support both DSPs and the people they're supporting.--Frontline InitiativeInstitute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota

Jenny Breen has been a professional chef and advocate for sustainable food systems and food justice, and has worked directly with farmers and producers in the Twin Cities area, since the mid-1980s. Jenny’s philosophy about food is food does more than provide us with nutrients. It has memories. Cultural ties. We use it to celebrate. She recognizes that people have limited time, skills, and resources. It doesn't have to be expensive to eat more nutritious food. She believes in “cook once and eat two or three times.” Join us to learn about how to eat nutritious food on a tight budget.About Jenny BreenCooking Up the Good Life: Creative Recipes for the Family Table by Jenny Breen and Susan Thurston-Frontline InitiativeInstitute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota

Susan O’Nell, Aja Owens, and Stan Schmidt talk about mental health and the benefits of having a wellness recovery action plan. Below are links to some helpful resources and sources cited during this podcast. Thank you for listening. Please share on your social media pages.Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery: The Way WRAP WorksCopeland Center for Wellness and Recover: The History of WRAPAdvocating for Human Potential, Inc.: Wellness Recovery Action Plan -Frontline InitiativeLearn more about the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota

Samantha Hedden (Sam), MSc Ed discusses how direct support professionals (DSPs) can become more resilient and why this is important. Direct support professionals (DSPs) continue to face increased stress in their roles serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). While DSPs are always committed to helping people, they often neglect their own physical and mental health.Resources:Cleveland Clinic: Dialectical Behavior TherapyDBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy The Gifts of Imperfection: Your Guide to a Wholehearted Live by Brené BrownMental Health Minnesota: Samantha's Story

Lynda Lahti Anderson, a researcher from the University of Minnesota, talks about wellness and flourishing and the importance of a holistic approach to self-care.ResourcesPromoting Wellness for Better Behavioral and Physical Health by Mel Kobrin Seven Ways to Have a Healthier Relationship With Stress by Jill SuttieFrontline Initiative–Learn more about the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota

Work stress and burnout can impact the quality of support that DSPs provide. Hosts Mark Olson and Chet Tschetter talk about their own work experiences as DSPs and how they approach wellness from a personal perspective. They also provide an overview of what the podcast is and what they hope to cover in future episodes of the podcast.