Elaine Miller-Karas, the host of Resiliency Within, welcomes back Dr. Michael Sapp, the Executive Director of the Trauma Resource Institute.

Dr. Sapp and Elaine will acknowledge the profound challenges many people in our worldwide community have been navigating during 2025.

The weight of witnessing so much uncertainty, fear, and suffering can feel overwhelming, especially for those who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting vulnerable individuals and families.

The need for healing is urgent — not someday, but right now.

Taking time to care for our hearts, bodies, and minds is a necessity if we are to continue the vital work of healing with compassion and sustainability.

They will highlight their recent trip to the United Kingdom and the work they are doing internationally to promote the healing of our planet.

They will share the compassion, dedication, and resilience they are honored to witness every day. Skills that nourish our mind and body will be shared to help those who are suffering.

Helping Survivors of Natural Disasters: Lessons From Hurricane Florence

In the wake of the recent flood in Texas, our hearts are heavy with sorrow for all who have suffered unimaginable losses. To those grieving the death of children, family members, friends, and neighbors, we extend our deepest condolences.

As the full magnitude of this tragedy continues to unfold, we are reminded of the profound challenges ahead.

Extreme weather events are closely tied to a range of adverse mental health outcomes.

Common mental health conditions that arise in the wake of such disasters include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance abuse disorders (Cianconi et al., 2020).

While emergency mental health workers and first responders provide initial support, the lasting impacts on the mental health of a disaster-stricken community often persist for weeks, months, or even years.

Mental health systems can face severe strain as the demand for services frequently exceeds local capacity, compounding the challenges survivors must overcome.

Bo Dean and Jvanete Skiba of Wilmington, North Carolina, join Michael Sapp, CEO of the Trauma Resource Institute, and Elaine Miller-Karas, host of Resiliency Within, to discuss valuable lessons learned to enhance the well-being of survivors from Hurricane Florence and other disasters.

Their reflections and the interventions they have adopted offer crucial insights for the people of Kerr County, Texas.

As the current administration takes away funding for school-based mental health interventions, now is the time to amplify the good works done by school districts around the country, including Cleveland County Schools in North Carolina.

In this encore episode, Ryan Etheridge will describe how his school district prepared the staff and teachers for helping children during the transition from home to school after COVID-19 school closures.

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 face of adversity.

Elaine is dedicated to empowering listeners to cultivate inner strength and create ripples of change for themselves, their families and their communities.

Join Resiliency Within as Elaine uncovers pathways to healing, unity, and action—because light can be found even in the darkest times.

*This encore episode was first broadcast February 4, 2025.

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About Elaine

Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW, is a social worker, trauma therapist, author, lecturer, consultant, VoiceAmerica podcast host, Psychology Today blogger, and social entrepreneur.

She has been called an "ambassador of hope" in the fields of trauma therapy and community resiliency.

As a co-founder of the Trauma Resource Institute, Elaine serves as the Director of Innovation. She has led the development of the Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, which have left an indelible global footprint, impacting over 75 countries.

Her book, "Building Resiliency to Trauma: The Trauma and Community Resiliency Model, Second Edition (2023)," has been recognized by the United Nations and Taylor and Francis. She is a regular contributor to Psychology Today.

She has presented internationally at Oxford University's Skoll World Forum, the United Nations, Resiliency 2024, Medscape, Psychotherapy Networker, the Global Fund, the Carter Center, and the Centers for Disease Control.

Elaine believes in a world where every person is treated with dignity and our differences are acknowledged and respected.

Resiliency Within’s host, Elaine Miller-Karas, co-founded the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI). She resigned as Executive Director in 2020 when she welcomed Dr. Michael Sapp as the CEO of TRI.

They will discuss the international organization's past, present, and future. The Trauma Resource Institute (TRI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cultivates trauma-informed and resiliency-focused individuals and communities worldwide.

TRI is known internationally for its innovative perspectives promoting individual and community well-being.

Two types of training, the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)® and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)® have been developed by Elaine Miller-Karas. Both models are biologically based and teach wellness skills, cultivating well-being in mind, body, and spirit.

While TRM is oriented toward mental health professionals, CRM focuses on public health and has been taught to professionals and natural leaders of communities.

TRI has brought its healing modalities to more than 70 countries. Dr. Sapp and Elaine have traveled to many places worldwide, including China, the Philippines, Germany, Turkey, Northern Ireland, India, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Nepal.

TRI has built meaningful collaborations with diverse organizations such as the Center for Contemplative Science at Emory University, EdCamp Ukraine, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Fighting Back Santa Maria, and the Christopher Wolf Crusade.

Dr. Sapp and Elaine will elaborate upon TRI’s values and its mission.

TRI’s mission is:

• To take people from despair to hope through simple skills-based interventions based on cutting-edge research about the brain.
• To expand access to biologically based treatments by training frontline service providers, community leaders, and clinicians to build local capacity in diverse communities nationally and internationally.

TRI’s values include:

• Every individual, child, and adult has a natural-born ability to cultivate well-being and can learn an array of self-help skills.
• When a traumatic event has resulted in symptoms, individuals are entitled to treatment that is gentle, effective, and culturally sensitive.
• Education and intervention about the common reactions to traumatic experiences must be available to diverse populations and cultures.
• Treatment of individuals suffering from traumatic stress reactions must be accessible and affordable to all members of society.

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About Dr. Michael Sapp

Michael Sapp serves as the Executive Director of the Trauma Resource Institute (TRI), where he has been actively involved since 2010, initially as Senior Faculty for both TRM and CRM.

His educational background includes an M.A. in General Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, both earned at The New School in New York, NY. Dr. Sapp is deeply committed to disseminating TRI's innovative healing approaches to a global audience.

In 2016, he assumed the role of Associate Executive Director, and his exceptional leadership skills led to his appointment as CEO in 2020.

A notable aspect of Dr. Sapp's work lies in his keen interest in neuroscientific approaches to trauma healing. This interest culminated in his co-authorship of the chapter "The Nervous System, Memory, and Trauma" in Ms. Miller-Karas' book, Building Resilience to Trauma: The Trauma and Community Resiliency Models, first published in 2015 and subsequently in its second edition in 2023.

In collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, Dr. Sapp played a crucial role in establishing a CRM Teacher Training program for Angola in 2023. This program aims to educate 180 Young Adult Social Mobilizers (YASM), impacting up to 6,000 Angolan Youth

His humanitarian work was further shaped by experiences in Istanbul, Turkey, supporting Syrian refugees and assisting survivors of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. He was instrumental in launching TRI's training programs in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month because it was first established in 1949 by Mental Health America to raise awareness about mental health and well-being.

The month aims to educate the public, reduce stigma, promote open conversations, and celebrate recovery from mental illness.

At a time when major cutbacks are being made by the current administration, it is essential that we focus on providing mental healthcare for our citizens and continue to support programs providing care to the most vulnerable members of society.

Dr. Michael Sapp will discuss the importance of looking at mental health as a public health emergency with our host, Elaine Miller-Karas, a world-reknown trauma therapist.

The impact of traumatic experiences on individual and community health is widespread. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), “Traumatic events and loss are common in people’s lives.”

There is a need to quickly establish programs that provide timely psychological counseling and intervention to alleviate anxiety and improve general mental health.

Health and community care systems led by a cadre of psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, chaplains, social workers, marriage and family therapists, nurses, peer counselors and physicians have brought the community resiliency model concepts and skills into medical clinics, community mental health and resiliency programs, shelters for the unhoused, and hospitals.

Dr. Sapp will discuss how models like the Community Resiliency need to be scaled to meet the public health emergency of mental health conditions faced by children, teens and adults.

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 professionals and survivors.

Gun violence is a major public health and social justice issue, and yet it is preventable. For the last three years, gun violence was the #1 cause of death for children and adolescents 1-17 years of age, surpassing motor vehicle accidents and cancer.

A greater understanding of the issues involved and the development of innovative programs are critical to the well-being of our Nation.

During these challenging times as mental health funding is being cut in many parts of the world, hearing again from Chris Underhill in this encore show.

Chris has been a champion for mental health globally.

Chris Underhill MBE works as a mentor and is a social entrepreneur in the field of quality of life, and mental health in the community.

Elaine Miller-Karas first met Chris in Oxford, England at the Skoll World Forum where she was struck by his depth of understanding of the suffering of individuals with mental health challenges. He also shared an abundance of hope of how to bring innovations to meet the challenges of those who suffer in developing countries.

Chris Underhill draws on his lived experience as a child and his many years hands-on in the field to discuss resiliency and trauma in very poor communities in developing countries and at home.

During his career, Chris has created several organizations in mental health, wellbeing and resilience, bringing hope to thousands. This has included Thrive, Action on Disability and Development, Basic Needs, Cities Rise and the Elders Council of Social Entrepreneurs.

“Hope” is his topic on this episode of Resiliency Within. There is an important inspiring parallel between Chris’ early struggles as a child, his own growth, and the growth of his mission in the support of many traumatized people around the world.

Chris Underhill will share his humble journey and his wisdom with our listeners.