Ross Laird was a perfect choice to tackle discussing the collective trauma we all experienced from the extraordinary events of 2020 and 2021. Of course, for individuals and many groups of people, traumatic experiences can be ongoing, or stretch over longer periods of time. 2020 marked the recognition of an immediate worldwide threat to all of humanity, and a radical shift in every means of being with other people, and profound alterations in knowledge, instruction, and educational experiences were shared. Ross unpacked our universal, human responses to trauma, characterized as the familiar flight, freeze, orient, and fight impulses from detailed definition and ramifications all the way to exploring effective and evidence-based ways to help ourselves and others (e.g., students) come to the healthiest and most beneficial use of the unpleasant triggers. This involves meeting flight with belonging, freeze with trust, orient with safety, and fight with empowerment. In the context of our collective experiences in post-secondary education with lockdown, exposure of large-scale inequalities, and personal separation, Ross delivered a very valuable set of tools for moving forward. Here are some links to information about Ross and to his presentation delivered at the 2022 Better Together Conference: "Tumbled Smooth by the Rapids."
