Caring Is Essential

The Commons

Explore the Commons

Welcome

The Commons is a place to pause, explore, and return to — a shared space that brings together learning, conversation, advocacy, and community rooted in trauma-informed care and our shared humanity. There is no right way to move through what you’ll find here. You’re invited to wander, notice what draws you, and spend time where it feels nourishing.

The Spirit of the Commons

The Commons is not a program to complete or a path to follow from beginning to end.

It’s a living collection of offerings, ideas, and gatherings that have grown over time — shaped by science, care, relationship, and lived experience. Some visitors arrive looking for learning. Some come seeking connection. Some simply need a place to stand for a moment and breathe. All of that belongs here.

Learn & Deepen

If you feel drawn to deepen your understanding or practice, you’ll find opportunities here that support learning at a pace that honors both curiosity and capacity.

The Caring AcademyAn evolving collection of free and guided resources designed to support learning in Trauma-Informed Developmental Care.

TIP 2.0A guided, cohort-based learning experience supporting reflection, embodiment, and leadership in trauma-informed care.

CEC YouTube ChannelReimagining the Future, One Heartbeat at a Time

Gather & Belong

If you feel drawn to deepen your understanding or practice, you’ll find opportunities here that support learning at a pace that honors both curiosity and capacity.

The Weaving CircleA quiet, relational space for presence, listening, and shared meaning-making — without expectation or performance.

The Family-Centered Care TaskforceA global collaboration advancing family-centered care.

The TIP ForumRelational leadership conversations for members of the TIP community.

Listen & Reflect

For those who learn through listening and reflection, the Commons also holds ongoing conversations.

Care OUTLOUDA podcast exploring care, courage, and humanity through lived experience.

Timeless Topics in the NICUUnscripted conversations about what it means to remain human within complex systems of care.

NICU Dad PodcastConversations centered on the voices and experiences of NICU fathers

Witness to HistoryAn anthology podcast exploring pivotal moments in Black history and how they continue to shape our shared present.

NICUnity PodcastA collaborative podcast exploring connection, community, and care across the NICU experience

The Incubator PodcastA weekly discussion about new evidence in neonatal care and the fascinating individuals who make this progress possible.

The DignityLab PodcastReclaiming dignity after harm

NANNcastA professional podcast addressing neonatal nursing practice, advocacy, leadership, and education—grounded in evidence and evolving standards of care.

From Root to BoneA story-rich podcast that explores belonging, embodiment, and what it means to be human—rooted deep and carried in the bones.

The Incubator PodcastA weekly discussion about new evidence in neonatal care and the fascinating individuals who make this progress possible.

The NOCTURNISTS podcastStorytelling from clinicians about medicine’s human side—grief, meaning, moral distress, and connection—told with humility and deep respect for lived experience.

Code ShiftNPR’s award-winning podcast on race, culture, and identity—offering nuance, history, and perspective that help listeners stay present in complex conversations without fragmenting connection.

Aligned Advocacy & Family-Centered Initiatives

The Commons highlights organizations whose work reflects shared commitments to dignity, equity, family partnership, and trauma-informed care across the perinatal and neonatal continuum. These initiatives represent different approaches, perspectives, and communities — united by a belief that care is strongest when families are centered, voices are honored, and systems are held accountable.

Neonatal Justice CollaborativeAn interdisciplinary collaboration advancing equity, dignity, and accountability across the neonatal continuum through trauma-informed, justice-centered care.

Family-Centered Care Taskforce (FCC Taskforce)A global collaborative working to strengthen family-centered care in the NICU through shared learning, partnership, and quality improvement.

March of DimesAdvancing maternal and infant health through research, advocacy, and community engagement, with a growing focus on equity, prevention, and prematurity.

Graham’s FoundationA parent-founded organization supporting families of premature babies through peer support, education, and advocacy grounded in lived experience.

Hand to HoldProviding peer support and resources for NICU families, fostering connection, understanding, and emotional resilience during and beyond hospitalization.

NICU Parent NetworkA collaborative network amplifying NICU parent voices and advancing family-centered care through partnership, advocacy, and shared learning.

Postpartum Support International (PSI)Advancing perinatal mental health through education, support, and advocacy for parents and families worldwide.

Sidelines National Support NetworkOffering peer support to families experiencing high-risk pregnancies and extended hospital care, centering connection and compassion.

Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA)A coalition advancing maternal mental health through education, advocacy, and systems-level collaboration, centering equity, prevention, and the wellbeing of families across the perinatal continuum.

Institute for Perinatal Quality Improvement (PQI)Advancing perinatal care through quality improvement, data-informed practice, and collaborative learning to support safer, more equitable outcomes for mothers and infants.

GFCNI — Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn InfantsA global advocacy organization working to improve newborn health and family-centered care through research, policy, and international collaboration.

Love for LilyA family-founded organization supporting NICU families through peer connection, advocacy, and compassionate resources grounded in lived experience and love.

Collective Experiences

From time to time, the Commons includes retreats, webinars, conferences, and speaking engagements.

Current opportunities are listed here for those who wish to learn more — without pressure or expectation.

Attuned in Practice 6th Annual ConferenceJoin Mary in Cork Ireland March 5th, 2026

2026 ONE ConferenceSuper excited to be part of this amazing event! Join Mary in Las Vegas May 4-6, 2026

The Coming Home RetreatThis September, we’ll gather in Ireland for something spacious and intentional. Learn More

Reimagining Civic Care & Collective Action

The REIMAGINE Movement recognizes that trauma-informed care does not stop at the bedside, the classroom, or the community circle. The conditions that shape health, safety, belonging, and dignity are civic conditions — created, upheld, or challenged by the systems we live within.

This section of The Commons brings together resources for civic learning, ethical advocacy, and collective action, grounded not in partisanship, but in human dignity, equity, freedom, accountability, and care. These offerings are shared as places to learn, to orient, and to connect — not as directives, but as invitations.

You’re welcome to wander here at your own pace, returning as questions arise or capacity allows.

Civic Learning & Ethical Advocacy

These organizations offer research, analysis, and tools that support informed, responsible engagement with democracy and governance — with an emphasis on accountability, transparency, and the protection of civil liberties.

Brennan Center for JusticeIndependent, research-driven analysis on democracy, constitutional law, voting rights, and institutional accountability.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)A nonpartisan watchdog organization focused on ethics, transparency, and accountability in government.

Black Voters MatterA Black woman–led organization focused on civic engagement, voter education, and community empowerment. Their work centers dignity, access, and local leadership as essential conditions for a healthy democracy.

IndivisibleTools and local groups supporting collective action, community organizing, and the protection of democratic norms.

Red Wine & BlueA community-based organization helping people stay informed, connected, and engaged in civic life without burning out.

Protect DemocracyA nonpartisan organization focused on defending the rule of law, constraining abuses of power, and strengthening democratic institutions through research, advocacy, and legal action.

Learning, Truth-Telling & Context

These voices and platforms help make sense of current events through history, media literacy, and moral clarity — supporting discernment rather than reactivity.

Letters from an American — Heather Cox RichardsonHistorical and civic context that grounds today’s events in constitutional principles and the long arc of American democracy.

Truth Matters - Martin McSweeneyValues-driven analysis centering facts, context, and moral clarity without sensationalism.

Civil Discourse - Joyce VanceFormer U.S. Attorney offering clear, measured legal analysis on democracy, accountability, and the rule of law.

People Powered UnitedA community-based organization helping people stay informed, connected, and engaged in civic life without burning out.

Xplisset / XVOAMedia literacy and narrative analysis that exposes misinformation and helps readers distinguish spin from substance using history and receipts.

PropublicA nonpartisan organization focused on defending the rule of law, constraining abuses of power, and strengthening democratic institutions through research, advocacy, and legal action.

Reading & Reflection Shelf

These are a few of the books currently on my reading table.

Separation of Church and Hate — John FugelsangA clear-eyed examination of how religious language is distorted to justify exclusion and harm. Fugelsang reclaims the constitutional principle of church–state separation as a safeguard for freedom of belief, human dignity, and democratic pluralism.

My Grandmother’s Hands — Resmaa MenakemExplores racialized trauma and embodied healing in ways that connect personal regulation to collective repair.

To Bless the Space Between Us — John O’DonohuePoetic blessings and reflections that offer language for transition, grief, courage, and belonging. O’Donohue’s writing creates space for breath, reverence, and reconnection in times of uncertainty.

The Anxious GenerationExplores how social media and digital culture are reshaping childhood, mental health, and nervous system development—and what’s at stake for the next generation.

Decolonizing Therapy — Jennifer Mullan, PsyDA powerful invitation to examine how colonialism, white supremacy, and systemic harm shape mental health practices. Mullan challenges readers to rethink healing through the lenses of justice, liberation, and cultural humility, centering care that restores dignity and collective well-being.

Democracy Awakening — Heather Cox RichardsonA clear, historically grounded examination of democratic erosion and renewal in the United States. Richardson traces how power, identity, and myth have shaped our civic life — and invites readers to reclaim democracy through truth, accountability, and shared responsibility.

Sacred Instructions — Sherri Mitchell (Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset)An invitation to live in right relationship with self, community, and the Earth, drawing on Indigenous wisdom and spirit-based teachings. Mitchell offers guidance for cultural repair, ethical action, and collective change rooted in responsibility, reciprocity, and respect.

From Rollercoasters to CarouselsA compassionate, parent-centered guide that helps NICU, bereaved, and special-needs families move from the chaos of trauma toward steadier, more intentional healing—one emotion at a time.

An open clearing

The Commons is meant to be revisited.

As questions shift. As seasons change. As your work, your life, and your capacity evolve.

You’re welcome to explore what’s here today. You’re welcome to leave and return later.

This space will still be here.

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