Q: How long have you been an Ukeru trainer?

A: I have been an Ukeru trainer for 4 years.

Q: What population do you work with? What inspired you to get into this field? 

A: I work with children ages 2 to 5 with trauma and autism, as well as teens and adults with developmental disabilities.

Q: What part of Ukeru do you enjoy teaching the most and why?  

A: I enjoy teaching Section 3: Trauma and the Brain because it really shows how trauma physically affects the brain. It also lays out the importance of being mindful and the need to calm the amygdala and provide safety for clients. We need to do that first before we can really teach new skills.

Q: What would you say to someone who is unsure about using Ukeru? 

A: I would tell people not to focus so much on the pads. Focus first on the lecture and how trauma physically impacts the brain and how that impacts the process of how clients learn new skills in their own way.

Q: What advice or tip would you give to a new Ukeru trainer? 

A: I would tell them that teaching Ukeru will not be perfect the first time but to reflect and learn how you would like to be as a trainer in general.

Q: How has Ukeru impacted your life? 

A: Ukeru has affected me as a trainer in terms of how I communicate with staff on how we physically approach clients. This says more than what our words do.

Q: What is your favorite quote or a motto that you like to live by? 

A: Asking for help is the hardest thing for people to learn. 

Q: What three words would you use to describe Ukeru?

A: Patience, Trauma-Informed, Observable