Nonprofit Stories: Trauma & Recovery Conference

Sometimes you need to strike out on your own in order to get the work that you want done, done. That’s just what we did in October 2020 when we hosted the inaugural Trauma & Recovery Conference. Recognizing a gap in conversation about the varying definitions of trauma and the vast number of pathways to recovery, we sought to bolster understanding and encourage experts from across the country to coalesce around these concepts. In other words, we wanted to fill that gap. 

For two days we invited guest speakers, hundreds of attendees, and our own staff to join in conversation on community and individual resilience. While we had initially planned to meet in person at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, the online format forced upon us by the Coronavirus created a unique opportunity for us to connect with people who may not have been able to attend otherwise. This conference presented many challenges as we struggled to market, fundraise, and prepare to moderate our solo debut. Despite these early troubles, it was a sparkling success.

As a small non-profit, preparing for and moderating an event of this size proved to be a perfect storm for our team. In those months, we worked more closely than ever — despite being physically distanced. In hindsight, the rare combination of obstacles made one thing certain: our team is ready to face the next challenge.