June CAC News: 5K/10K family-friendly run, 35th Birthday Party and more

We're looking for runners and walkers but also race volunteers (various tasks available). Use the buttons below to register to run or sign up to volunteer. Hope to see you soon!

Volunteer at the Race

On May 16, CAC held its first-ever symposium for social service colleagues on vicarious trauma and the toll it takes on frontline staff. Over 130 people attended the all-day event that featured leading practitioners who provided inspired teaching, as well as affirmation that this work is hard and self-care is necessary.

Kate Schultz, Director of Mental Health Services, shared a few of her favorite participant quotes that showed the positive impact of the event:

It is important to listen to our bodies and notice the signs of stress before it affects all aspects of our lives.
It reminded me of the importance of slowing down and creating space for myself among all the craziness. It also reminded me that we all have stuff, and we can be great social workers, counselors, therapists, helpers, and people in general even with stuff. I'm currently in school, and it was really wonderful to be around all these inspiring helpers.
Self-care is important and there are many ways of doing that.
The validation, normalization, encouragement were unparalleled.

"Those responses really cemented this idea that I've been carrying around with me for years," Schultz went on to explain, "that we need to do better at offering targeted support to our teams/social service agencies who are in the nitty gritty day after day, trying their best to stay afloat while we work to show up well for others. It's not an easy task...

Staff Trainings

On May 13, 2024, Forensic Interviewers Wendy Diaz and Taylor Edmunds attended Prepare and Predict Method: Presenting Evidence in the Forensic Interview.

This training explained the prepare and predict method and how to utilize it when presenting evidence to children in forensic interviews. Just as the name describes, the idea is to prepare the child and inform them at the beginning of the interview that the interviewer has evidence directly involving them (this is typically images, still shots of videos or text conversations), and then the child has time to prepare for what evidence they will be shown.

Also in May, Advocate Sara Castillo and Trauma Therapists Cristina Fausto and Valerie Cifuentes attended the 40-hour domestic violence training.

CAC Intern Updates

In May, CAC welcomed new Forensic and Advocacy Services Intern Paola Malagon, who is in the Master of Social Work program at Aurora University. Paola starts with CAC just as FAS Intern Sammi Krakow finishes her year with us. Thank you to Sammi for her service to CAC this past year and best wishes for future success after her graduation from DePaul University!

In May, Bilingual Trauma Therapists Yesenia Hernandez and Romelia Rodriguez facilitated activities based on Theraplay principles for individuals in Mount Prospect's Community Connections' Play and Learn Group. The materials pictured above were used to engage young children and their caregivers in activities such as "Bubble Pop," "Balloon Tennis," "Caring for Hurts" (using the lotion) and "Cotton Ball Blow." As simple as these items look, they have a purpose and are based on Theraplay's four dimensions of Structure, Engagement, Nurture and Challenge which ultimately focus on facilitating a healthy attachment between caregiver/child. The families had a great time and were able to take materials home and understand how to apply these in their everyday life.

On May 10, longtime CAC board member and Village of Northbrook, Illinois Community Commission member Bob Tucker worked our info table at Northbrook's Flamingo Friday kick off with Grants Coordinator Rachel Gilmore (not pictured). We had a great night meeting Northbrook neighbors and sharing about CAC's work in the community. Thanks to fellow Commission and CAC board member Jennifer Saperstein for the invitation.

On May 21, Director of Development Taylor Kanara and Director of Mental Health Services Kate Schultz spoke about CAC's work in the community with the Northwest Suburban Women's Club.

Mental Health Resources

Bilingual Trauma Therapist Valerie Cifuentes created a Self-Care Wellness Wheel for social service colleagues attending CAC's Hope Restored Symposium.

Trauma Therapist Valerie Katz has also shared a DV Wheel resource that she uses with her clients.

"I use it as an educational tool to not only show parents how their children have been affected by DV (domestic violence) but to also use with children to see where they are at clinically. Sometimes children don't have the verbiage to say how things are affecting them or they don't even realize the symptoms they may have are from trauma. They may think it's normal to feel or think this way," Katz explained.

Self-Care Wheel Printable PDF

DV Wheel Printable PDF