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17Dec
Christine Gerchow presents about juvenile re-entry at UC Berkeley conference
Christine Gerchow was among the featured presenters at UC Berkeley’s 49th Annual School Psychology Conference. Dr. Gerchow spoke to approximately 100 educators about youth incarceration and how to support re-entry, with emphasis on reintegration into schools. As part of her presentation, Gerchow created and shared template letters for school leaders to use when welcoming back students to their schools…
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17Dec
Dr. Christine Gerchow presents at the 2020 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference
In October 2020, Dr. Christine Gerchow presented at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 2020 Annual Conference and Expo. The IACP Annual Conference and Expo is the largest law enforcement event of the year with more than 16,000 public safety professionals convening to learn new techniques, advance their knowledge and careers, and equip their department for…
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04Aug
Christine Gerchow provides training, “Quarantined and Confined: Supporting Incarcerated Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
On May 6, 2020, Frontline PS&W director and licensed psychologist Christine Gerchow, facilitated a virtual training for the Coalition on Juvenile Justice (CJJ). The training was entitled, “Quarantined and Confined: Supporting Incarcerated Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Christine discussed practices youth and staff can apply in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and really, anytime. Her presentation drew…
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15Apr
Called to Rise: America’s Frontline During the COVID-19 Crisis
The coronavirus pandemic has altered virtually every aspect of American life. To get through this unprecedented crisis, we look to our nation’s helpers. During this pandemic, first responders continue to provide life-saving support in emergencies. As always and perhaps now more than ever, these professionals are foundational to a functional society. Corrections professionals continue to provide safety and…
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14Feb
Frontline PS&W Director Christine Gerchow Completes Yoga Teacher Certification!
In fall 2019, Christine Gerchow, licensed psychologist and Frontline PS&W’s Director, completed Core Power Yoga’s 200-hour Teacher Training (TT) program. TT is a hands-on yoga immersion program that blends practice, lecture, group and self-study. A devotee of yoga, Christine signed up for TT to deepen her practice and accrue skills and qualifications necessary to teach yoga safely and…
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12Feb
Christine Gerchow Facilitates Workshop at the Wright Institute’s Healing Justice: Ending Mass Incarceration Conference
In November 2019, Dr. Christine Gerchow facilitated a workshop at the Healing Justice: Ending Mass Incarceration conference at the Wright Institute (Berkeley, CA). Sponsored by Psychologists for Social Responsibility, the intention of the conference was to create a “space of learning, strengthen existing social connections and build a broader community toward social transformation around mass incarceration.” Dr. Gerchow facilitated…
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22Jan
Reflections on Dr. Gerchow’s Mindfulness, Mindlessness & Meditation group
Reflections on Dr. Gerchow’s Mindfulness, Mindlessness & Meditation group In 2019, Dr. Christine Gerchow facilitated a Mindfulness, Mindlessness & Meditation group for youth affected by trauma and in custody at Contra Costa County’s John A. Davis Juvenile Hall (San Francisco Bay Area). In June 2019, she delivered an address about the group at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice…
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22Jan
Christine Gerchow, Ph.D., delivers address at Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
Christine Gerchow, Ph.D., delivers address at Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. In June 2019, Christine Gerchow, Ph.D., presented at the Annual Conference for the Coalition on Juvenile Justice (CJJ) in Washington, D.C. Dr. Gerchow presented about the psychophysiologic interventions she provided for youth incarcerated at John A. Davis Juvenile Hall (Contra Costa County). She organized…
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29Sep
From the Counselor: Reflection on Failure
In his book, “Failing Forward,” John Maxwell argues that successful people take a specific approach to failure. They tend to take responsibility, learn from mistakes, understand that failure is part of the learning process, and continue to take risks and persevere. Maxwell calls this approach “failing forward.” At ATDP, students who fail forward might return to take another writing class despite earning a “No Pass” in the previous summer’s writing class. These students may have reflected on the reasons for earning a “No Pass” and considered how the experience made them better writers.
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29Sep
Your Turn: Middle schoolers offer suggestions
For the past two weeks, we the seventh graders in Valley View Middle School’s communication class have been working on a public speaking and advocacy unit. We have learned about homelessness, harassment, drugs and alcohol and about the effects of budget cuts and the loss of after-school programming.
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29Sep
A salute to juvenile institutional officers
I salute members of Contra Costa County’s Probation Department, particularly those serving as juvenile institutional officers (JIOs) at John A. Davis Juvenile Hall. Every day and every night, JIOs counsel, mentor and hold space for youth. The work is difficult. Indeed, JIOs serve on the frontlines of the battle against poverty, oppression, community violence, the proverbial school-to-prison pipeline and traumatic stress.
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29Sep
“If I can hear you, I can find you”
“Boom, boom, boom,” Elana Bolds called out.
The bangs froze the small group of children playing on the new jungle gym on this sunny northern California afternoon last week. The kids stopped swinging and playing tag and ran full speed to hide behind buildings and the garbage cans. They sat silent for a few moments before Bolds called them out of their hiding places.
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30Mar
Sense to Sooth – Aromatherapy
Sense to Soothe (aromatherapy) This is the second article in our blog series, Sense to Soothe. As we shared, the Sense to Soothe blog series is aimed at helping you identify your sensory preferences and create a corresponding sensory kit. For this article, we are pleased to introduce aromatherapy. “Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across…
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29Mar
Sense to Soothe | Tea
This is the first post in our blog series, Sense to Soothe. As we shared, the Sense to Soothe blog series is aimed at helping you identify your sensory preferences and create a corresponding sensory kit.
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27Mar
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12Mar
You must take care of your troops if you want to carry out your mission.
You must take care of your troops if you want to carry out your mission. In Mindful Policing—A New Approach to Officer Wellness and Safety Training and Education, Jennifer Tejada, Chief of Police, Emeryille PD, California, and Lieutenant Richard Goerling, Hillsboro PD, Oregon, issue a call to action regarding officer wellness: “Headlines calling for reform in police training…
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15Jan
Respond to the invitation of winter
Respond to the invitation of winter Winter is a very special time. We can settle in and pull into ourselves–and the weather around us supports this. Winter is a time when the whole family can belong to themselves and each other. Winter is a time when breaks for warm, spiced cider, hot chocolate, or popcorn seem like necessities….
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17Dec
I’m bored: The making of a better Holiday break
I’m bored: The making of a better Holiday break Perhaps it hits a week before New Year’s Eve. You’ve caught up on sleep and the mornings blend into evenings thanks to Netflix marathons and leftover binges. Days remain of your Holiday break and you’re …bored. Now what? Ta-da! Look no further than the “I’m-bored-on-break” list. The list includes…
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03Dec
Neutralize holiday season pressure!
Neutralize holiday season pressure! After Thanksgiving, students and parents alike enter into a flurry of rehearsals and concerts, winter sports seasons, added social responsibilities, mid-terms/finals and pressures to eat, drink, buy, bake, decorate, socialize, and be merry. These pressures may fuel expectations that predispose us to disappointment and even depression. Here’s a list of common holiday pressures and…
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18Nov
National gratitude month and Giving for giving’s sake
November: National gratitude month and Giving for giving’s sake It’s National Gratitude Month. So, what of this Mysterious Power of Giving? Giving in a variety of ways—volunteering formally (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, St. Vincent de Paul) or helping neighbors or friends—gets us out of self. As volunteers, we are women, men, and children for others. We glean from…
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11Nov
Happy Veteran’s Day!
Happy Veteran’s Day! Never was so much owed by so many to so few –Winston Churchill Thanksgiving isn’t the only holiday that makes November special. Veteran’s Day falls today and every November 11. Veteran’s Day is a special day to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism and sacrifice for the common good. It’s fitting that Veteran’s Day comes…
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