Centerstone to co-host free training series with former NFL player Gaelin Elmore
Centerstone will co-host, along with Illinois First Judicial Circuit, Heritage Behavioral Health and Kane County System of Care, the no-cost “The Belonging Need” training series in early 2024 featuring advocate, speaker and former NFL player Gaelin Elmore. CEUs will be available.
“The Belonging Need” series stresses that belonging is a vital component of human flourishing. However, those who have experienced traumatic and adverse situations often lack a sense of belonging, which can hinder their relationships, development, and their future.
The series includes:
- “The Belonging Need: Part 1” – from 9 to 11 a.m. CT via Zoom on Jan. 24, 2024
- “The Belonging Need: Part 2” – from 9 to 11 a.m. CT via Zoom on Feb. 21, 2024
- In-person “A Trauma-Informed Courts and Community Symposium: Creating a Culture of Belonging” – from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mar. 21, 2024, at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center featuring Gaelin Elmore as the keynote speaker; presented by Illinois First Judicial Circuit Chief Judge William J. Thurston, Access to Justice Improvement Grant, Williamson County Presiding Judge Stephen R. Green, and Centerstone
- “The Belonging Need and Deficit for Youth Navigating Trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)” – from 5:30 to 7 p.m. CT via Zoom on Mar. 26, 2024
Elmore believes that the only thing that was more powerful and long lasting than the trauma that he experienced was the belonging that he encountered. After a childhood filled with trauma, abuse, neglect, and homelessness, Elmore believed that his issues would be solved if he became successful. From college football to signing an NFL contract, he was driven, even comforted, by this assumption.
It wasn’t until he achieved what he thought was “success” (making it to the NFL), that he finally realized he had been wrong all along. And so, Elmore retired as a rookie to begin his journey of self-love, self-discovery, and belonging.
That journey has led Elmore here today, and to stages all across the country, aiming to inspire, encourage, and equip others, to erase the belonging gap plaguing youth with adverse childhood experiences. Elmore lives in Eden Prairie, Minn., where he gets to experience the purest form of belonging, as a husband to his wife, Micaela, and a dad to their two daughters, Laniah and Tatum.
“The Belonging Need” webinars Parts 1 and 2 are geared toward youth-serving professionals, while “The Belonging Need and Deficit for Youth Navigating Trauma and ACEs” is aimed at professional and personal caregivers of youth. “Creating a Culture of Belonging” symposium is designed for court personnel and other professional communities. However, everyone is welcome to attend all “Belonging” events.
For the webinar series, CEUs are being applied for through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR – counseling / social work) and the Illinois Certification Board. The symposium plans to offer various types of continuing education credits.
To register or for more information, visit bit.ly/012424belonging. You may also reach out to the event organizer by calling (618) 457-6703, ext. 7977.
