Elephants in the Forest: A Nature-Based Prisoner Re-Entry Program

Transcription

1 Elephants in the Forest: A Nature-Based Prisoner Re-Entry Program Tina Bloom PhD, LPC (PA), NCC, Licensed Psychologist (NY) G.A. Bradshaw PhD, PhD The Kerulos Center

2 Background

3 How it all started

4 Elephant Families

5 Facial Expression of Emotion in Dogs Ekman and Friesan, 1971; Bloom 2011; Bloom and Friedman 2013

6 Unprecedented Elephant Intraand Inter-specific Violence

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8 Prisoners identified with captive animals Prisoners identified with captive-held animals

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10 Peer Assistants (PAs) Long Term Offender 15 to 30 year sentence for Criminal Attempt at 1 st Degree Murder. He was a carpenter who came home from a double shift and shook a baby. Identified with the Blackfish story of Tilikum. Step Down Unit (SDU)#1 Life sentence for 1 st Degree Murder. Alleged to have shot someone in the head 17 times after two tours in Afghanistan. Step Down Unit (SDU) #2 30 to 60 year sentence for Criminal Attempt at 1 st Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault of a Law Enforcement Officer. The officer s Kevlar vest prevented death.

11 Felons R Fathers 2 A curriculum for the love and bond of father and child to transcend even the razor wire enchained fences. LTO

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13 Motivation for Nature-Based Re-Entry Program

14 Transition is challenging

15 Three Phases of Re-Entry Stabilization Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Outside Prison Home plan CC Independent Transition Physical food, housing, work, benefits Preparation Education-Vocational training Treatment Inside prison

16 Three Phases of Re-Entry Stabilization Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Outside Prison Home plan CC Independent Transition Physical food, housing, work, benefits Preparation Education-Vocational training Treatment/ Psychosocial skills Inside prison

17 Three Phases of Re-Entry Stabilization Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Outside Prison Home plan CC Independent Transition Physical food, housing, work, benefits Preparation Education-Vocational training Treatment/ Psychosocial skills Inside prison

18 Three Phases of Re-Entry Stabilization Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Outside Prison Home plan CC Independent Transition Physical food, housing, work, benefits Preparation Education-Vocational training Treatment/ Psychosocial skills Inside prison

19 I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again.

20 I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, but nice people don t want to hang out with me.

21 I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways.

22 I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings.

23 I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people.

24 Psychosocial skills and support needed Inside and Outside I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people.

25 Psychosocial skills and support needed Inside and Outside I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, Self-Confidence but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people.

26 Psychosocial skills and support needed Inside and Outside I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, Self-Confidence but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Mindfulness Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people.

27 Psychosocial skills and support needed Inside and Outside I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, Self-Confidence but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Mindfulness Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, Emotional Intelligence so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people.

28 Psychosocial skills and support needed Inside and Outside I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, Self-Confidence but nice people don t want to hang out with me. What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Mindfulness Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, Emotional Intelligence so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people. Trauma recovery

29 But human relationships can be destabilizing

30 Boss: Why didn t you show up to work?

31 Spouse: Where s my check? Boss: Why didn t you show up to work?

32 Parole Officer: Why didn t you show up? Boss: Why didn t you show up to work? Spouse: Where s my check?

33 Parole Officer: Why didn t you show up? Boss: Why didn t you show up to work? Spouse: Where s my check? Landlord: Where s your rent?

34 Stabilization Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Transition Physical food, housing, work, benefits Preparation Psychosocial

35 Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Physical food, housing, work, benefits Psychosocial Need Grounding

36 Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Physical food, housing, work, benefits Psychosocial Nature

37 Nature-Based Therapies

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39 >100 research studies show nature therapy reduces stress. 71% decreased their depression 50% reduced their tension 90% increase in self-esteem Overall improved conflict resolution skills and cooperation

40 decreases stress I m afraid that if I m stressed out, I ll start using drugs again. Stress Regulation builds confidence I d like to hang out with nice people when I go home, Self-Confidence but nice people don t want to hang out with me. increases mindfulness Nature-Based Therapy What if I am as good as I can be, but because I am a felon, I get passed over. I might give up and go back to my old ways. Mindfulness improves emotional health Inside, you learn to hide what you re feeling, Emotional Intelligence so I m used to not showing my feelings and not seeing others feelings. cultivate sense of belonging I ve seen so many stabbings, that I m afraid to be around people. Trauma recovery

41 The Animal Allies Prisoner Re-Entry Project

42 The Animal Allies Prisoner Re-Entry Project Nature-based psychosocial education

43 The Animal Allies Prisoner Re-Entry Project Nature-based vocational training Surveying Forest restoration Animal rescue, care, and sanctuary Nature-based psychosocial education

44 The Animal Allies Prisoner Re-Entry Project Nature-based prosocial community Nature-based vocational training Surveying Forest restoration Animal rescue, care, and sanctuary Nature-based psychosocial education

45 The Animal Allies Prisoner Re-Entry Project Outside Nature-based prosocial community Social prosocial relationships Physical food, housing, work, benefits Psychosocial Nature-based vocational training Surveying Forest restoration Animal rescue, care, and sanctuary Nature-based psychosocial education Inside

46 Concept and curriculum build on Animal stories

47 The Elephant Story

48 Elephant Culture

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57 Teenage Male Elephants N >100 Rhinoceroses Killed

58 Teenage Male Elephants N >100 Rhinoceroses Killed

59 Elephant Minds

60 What we know about human minds can be applied to Elephants, and vice versa.

61 Humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Cambridge Declaration of Consciousness 2012

62 All animals described by a common, unitary model of brain, behavior, mind, and consciousness

63 Trans-species Psychology Bradshaw 2005 Bradshaw & Sapolsky 2006 Bradshaw & Schore 2006

64 Elephant minds develop like humans

65 Mind and brain develop in relationship

66 Mind and brain develop in relationship Attachment

67 Attachment interactions tune the infant s brain to the environment

68 Stress regulation

69 What an infant experiences

70 shapes his brain, mind, and emotions.

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72 What happens on the outside.

73 What happens on the outside happens on the inside..

74 Young male Elephants suffered multiple traumas

75 Shock Trauma Witnessed mother and family killed witnessed family killed

76 Orphaned and prematurely weaned

77 Captured and translocated

78 Had to survive alone with no family

79 No older male mentoring

80 Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder C- PTSD

81 Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder C- PTSD Early relational trauma Multiple traumas/chronic stress

82 Symptoms

83 Neuroendocrinal dysregulation Premature musth Intraspecific violence Interspecific violence

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85 Elephant-Human Parallels

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91 No mature males

92 80% of young men in prison grew up in fatherless homes. 85% of children that exhibit behavioral disorders come from fatherless homes. 75% of adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers come from fatherless homes. 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.

93 Cycle of violence

94 The Stanford experiments Philip Zimbardo

95 Is it possible to stop the cycle of violence?

96 Trauma Recovery

97 Stop the cycle of violence by addressing the cause, not the symptom Relational repair

98 Stop the cycle of violence by addressing the cause, not the symptom Psychosocial learning

99 Stop the cycle of violence by addressing the cause, not the symptom Felons R Fathers 2 Felons R Fathers 2

100 Social Prosocial prosocial relationships Physical food, housing, work, benefits Psychosocial Nature

101 Animal Allies Curriculum

102 Each module teaches specific psychosocial skills illustrated with a wildlife species

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104 Example: Crocodile Emotional Intelligence

105 Emotional Intelligence Self-awareness Stop the cycle of violence by addressing the cause, not the symptom Daniel Goleman 1995

106 Emotional Intelligence Self-awareness Empathy Daniel Goleman 1995

107 Emotional Intelligence Self-awareness Empathy Affect/stress regulation Daniel Goleman 1995

108 Emotional Intelligence Self-awareness Empathy Affect/stress regulation Management Daniel Goleman 1995

109 Example: Wild Turkey Accompaniment

110 Antonio s Story

111 Psychosocial education linked with naturebased vocational training

112 We are partnering with community law enforcement officers and nonprofit animal rescue, sanctuary, and forestry organizations for vocational training

113 Conclusions

114 This is what I have heard.

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117 The thing I notice about prisoners is:

118 I am Human

119 The Kerulos Center