LOS ANGELES, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Compassion Prison Project (CPP), a nonprofit organization, founded in Los Angeles, announced today the worldwide launch of its innovative and transformative program, Trauma Talks. The educational series helps prison residents learn about the effects of childhood trauma and provides them tools to understand and rehabilitate their lives. Trauma Talks was successfully piloted in more than 23 prisons, jails and recovery centers in California, around the US, New Zealand, Northern Ireland and Columbia.
“We’ve had unprecedented success with our pilot program in the past year,” said Fritzi Horstman, founder of CPP. “One of our participants told us that his ability to deal with conflict improved beyond what he thought he was capable of, and no longer suffers from panic or anxiety attacks. He said it was life-changing.”
The Trauma Talks program is a 16-part educational video series created by Fritzi Horstman under the supervision of mental health professionals and based on the principles of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Incarcerated individuals learn about the effects of childhood trauma and are taught tools to take positive action to begin healing. Ultimately, Trauma Talks helps transform those in jail or prison into prosocial members of society.
“Having had the privilege of working alongside Compassion Prison Project previously, I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of their trauma-informed initiatives,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, ACEs pioneer and former California Surgeon General. “Trauma Talks is a groundbreaking program that equips incarcerated individuals with the understanding and tools to begin healing from childhood trauma. This is paving the way for a better path – one that addresses the root causes of pain and violence – not only transforming lives within prison walls but also fostering healthier, more resilient individuals upon discharge of imprisonment.”
The program covers a range of topics, including understanding trauma, ACEs, symptoms of trauma, attachment theory, restorative justice, resilience, and transformation. It features interviews with renowned trauma experts and coaches, roundtable discussions with returning community members, and footage from acclaimed documentaries such as “The Wisdom of Trauma” and CNN’s “The Redemption Project.”
As part of this global launch, CPP has partnered with Edovo, a leading provider of educational and vocational content via tablet to prison residents. Through this collaboration, hundreds of thousands of incarcerated men and women will now have access to Trauma Talks, enabling them to embark on a journey of healing and personal growth. By addressing trauma and the root causes of violence, CPP’s goal is to break the cycle of childhood abuse and neglect that plagues society and fills prisons.
About Compassion Prison Project: The Compassion Prison Project (CPP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse by bringing compassion, childhood trauma awareness and creative inspiration to the incarcerated. Founded by Fritzi Horstman, the organization was created to reduce prison violence; lower the rate of inmate returns; and build healthier mental and emotional prison environments. Horstman worked with a team of mental health experts to create two programs: Trauma-to-Transformation, a one-day workshop, and Trauma Talks, a 16-part educational series. For more information or to donate, visit compassionprisonproject.org.
CONTACT: Melonie McCoy
media@compassionprisonproject.org
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b72c2691-c060-4e56-8576-82423c8010c4
