OH, The Possibilities and Opportunities

Alright folks, its time to get personal. I am going to talk to you about being a Positive Approach to Care Certified Trainer and Consultant.

Way back in the beginning of 2014, I started hearing the buzz of this "Dementia Whisperer" named Teepa Snow. I had a coworker that had seen her speak at a talk and her feedback was, "this woman is amazing, she just gets it, she knows what she is talking about, you have to go see her speak!"

Well what does one do in a world filled with technology?

I googled "Teepa Snow".

This occupied my interests for quite some time, I found video links on YouTube.com, I searched her website www.teepasnow.com and watched everything I could get my hands on.

Then, something on her website peeked my interest, there were opportunities for education and training.

Being in the role of a nurse who works with a program in Ontario, Canada, called Behavioural Support Ontario (BSO), I am always looking for areas to improve my understanding of what is really happening with people living with brain change. I must have visited this site and looked at this "PAC Trainer" information innumerable times. Somehow, someway, I would, one day go and get this education and invest in my knowledge to help people living with brain change.

The fall of 2014, a miracle happened. I was presented with a funding opportunity through my job to use some of these funds and fly to Florida to take this course in January of 2015.

Now I know what you are all thinking, "Why would a girl from Ontario, Canada, ever want to go to Florida in January?" RIGHT!? Two miracles I guess?

I sucked it up and took off my winter coat and hat, and mits and sweater and,... well you get the idea, and put on my nice fashionable leather jacket, sundress and sandals and flew to Florida for 2 FULL days of learning and amazement.

Now anyone who has taken this training knows that these 2 days are exhausting! So no site seeing or going to the beach for this little Canuck. Nope it was pure learning bliss.

The use of the Adult Experiencial Learning Cycle (AELC) and the Proactive Consultant Cycle have been game changers for my training, education and even my personal interactions. Not to forget the use of Positive Physical Approach (PPA) and Hand-under-Hand (HUH).

Knowing someone's dominant side is that important and how our vision changes with normal aging and with brain change, how we loose language and why we hear the words that we don't always like to hear, the primitive areas of the brain and how they control our THRIVE TO SURVIVE, the Prefrontal Cortex and how this helps us make decisions, have a rational thought, control impulses, have self awareness, see something from someone else's point of view and so many, many other amazing enlightenments that Teepa has shared with us.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Teepa, my team mates, and all those I have had the privilege to work along side to mentor, learn and grow with. This training has expanded me and made me a different person.

I love what I do and all the opportunities that have opened up because of this training and education. I have had struggles, as I am learning each and every day, the more I know or think I know, the more I know I don't know. Does that make sense?

Let me just tell you, I have never regretted this decision! This has been a whirl wind of opportunities and possibilities. I have met so many wonderful people within the Positive Approach to Care (PAC) family, people attending my workshops, people coming to see Teepa speak, and being a mentor for PAC. This has been a blessing of learning and growing with others and being able to work along side more people with the same passion to help others living with brain change, people living with people living with brain change and people working or engaging with people with brain change.

So "Until there is a Cure, there is CARE", keep doing what you are doing with passion, grace and love and spread the word of the Tsunami that is coming and will hit the earth. Please lets do our best to get as many as we can to safety, by becoming PAC Certified and spreading the word.