Our 16-week Trauma Talks curriculum and our Trauma-to-Transformation workshops are transforming lives.
In just three years, we’ve made significant strides, reaching 22 California prisons, 13 prisons across the US, and even expanding internationally to New Zealand, Northern Ireland, and Colombia.
By addressing the root causes of trauma and providing tools for healing, we’re not just transforming individual lives—we’re reshaping entire prison environments.
Help us help people by making a donation today.
Testimonials from participants
“I feel valued, loved and I feel at home with you all.”
Building Community
“I learned that I am in love with life.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I experienced a true sense of growth in myself.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I came to know that the other guys in prison with me are struggling just like I am and that we are all on the same journey.”
Building Community
“What I’ve experienced today was a profound connection with the men that make up the community on my prison yard.”
Building Community
“Hearing strangers share no longer made them strangers.”
Building Community
“I forgave my mom for abandoning me.”
Forgiveness
“It’s been nice getting 2 know me.”
Restoring Self Worth
“We see each other differently now.”
Building Community
“Grateful to have a space where I can be safe.”
Building Community
“I learned that I can be more compassionate with myself.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I learned I am enough.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I learned to have empathy for a complete stranger.”
Building Empathy
“I share this class with my older son and his kids. I’ve told him the importance of healing from his trauma to help him with my grandsons.”
Ending the Trauma Cycle
I am a member of the first Trauma Talks in San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and I just wanted to send you a letter of appreciation as well as a thank you. Thank you for developing and making something like this available to us because it allowed me to see and get in touch with things that I wasn’t aware of. I am definitely a better person with a better understanding of who I am and how I got here. I had (AND STILL DO) a lot of issues with self-confidence and trust being big ones for me. I was one of the guys in your 64 Days of Non-Violence and if you remember, I had a very hard time looking into the camera or even making eye contact because my self esteem was so low. My prompt was Gratitude and I am even more grateful today and since doing Trauma Talks I have gotten way out of my comfort zone. I put in an application to become a Peer Mentor and I got hired so now I help facilitate groups here as well as guide others in their recovery. If there is anything I’ve learned that I can pass on to someone that can help them get where they want to go, it’s a pretty good feeling. Even more so when someone comes up and says thank you. I believe it was mentioned in Episode 16 but it was along the lines of prison being a lab and we are the scientists experimenting and creating new formulas that allow us to change and to overcome the traumas to become more like the person that I was born to be. I am in no way close to the same person that I was when I started Trauma Talks and even though I’ve already said so, I wanted to send a quick note to you and personally thank you for taking the time to show up and introduce me to this. I am a better person for it!
Gratitude
Thank you all for your kind and gentle heart towards all of us who live behind bars (prison). The workshop at CCI/TEHACHAPI (C Yard) was truly inspiring and necessary, at least for me as a 55 yr old man who is “LWOP” on paper only confirms that freedom is a state of mind. As a former veteran and non-gang member, my incarceration experience is a bit of a eye opening journey to say the least, yet the humanistic words and actions of folks like you all keep me hopeful of a brighter future, many, many times have I lost sight of that “hope” but on Sat, Sun, 9/28/24 + 9/29/24 at CCI left my spirit renewed and full. Thank you again and please put me on your mailing list to receive the magazine & ALL uplifting pamphlets or letters!
Gratitude
Trauma talks has played a vital role in helping us understand our childhood trauma and learning how to cope with it now. I believe that with learning this information and practicing the exercises given to us, we build a better mindset and create a more healthy environment. The Compassion Prison Project has encouraged us to give back to our community and to play a positive role amongst each other. We are truly glad to have this type of support system nearby and with us.
Healing
CPP brought knowledge, kindness, compassion, & hope to us men here at VSP, and I began to learn about my trauma, & how my ACE’s were an indicator of probable challenges for me. Fast forward to today, my awareness of how my trauma affected me back then, and still today is a hundred times more than it was, and I am learning ways to heal it through Trauma Talks. I am eternally thankful to all who made Trauma Talks available.
Healing
First of all, thank you! I watched three of the first videos of your Compassion Prison Project and I was deeply moved, to tears in fact. I would have never thought or associated myself with having any trauma, but it was self-revealing and evident how very ignorant of my own circumstances and its effects. Today, my thinking is entirely different from the past and I’m highly motivated to make the change I want to see in the world myself and others.
Healing
I think that every person in the world should have to take the Trauma Talks curriculum classes in high school. These classes will save lives and inspire others to get involved.
Healing
I just want to thank everyone that was involved in putting this curriculum together. Both non-incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. It has been a blessing to have been able to participate in such an incredible program. Through CPP, I have had experiences that I would have never thought that I would have. I am grateful, humbled and blessed because of it.
Gratitude
“I’ve shared everything I’ve learned with everyone I know. The work is bigger than me, so I’m not doing it just for me. I’m a compassion ambassador.”
Building Community
“As a lifer, I feel that this is the group that has changed my way of thinking. So I feel that we should be able to get into this class a lot sooner… It took me years before I could get involved into the Compassion Prison Project circle, and I love myself for never giving up.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I do [feel] more diplomatically and open-minded. I will walk into issues with confidence.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I would just like to thank the Compassion Prison Project from the bottom of my heart and soul, and also thank Fritzi for the love and blessing inside you have shown and gave us all in the LAC.”
Gratitude
“Well, I just want to say thank you to any one that’s involved in the Compassion Prison Project. You are changing the lives of prisoners, which in turn is going to create a ripple effect throughout California and the world.”
Gratitude
“Educationally informative and inspiring. The healing of injuries and trauma through the power of unconditional love.”
Healing
“I truly thank Compassion Prison Project, they have truly [given] me a new outlook on life. I fully understand my part in change and how I can help others. Thank you.”
Healing
“The subject of brain science and how trauma affects our emotional responses was particularly valuable. It helped me understand the root causes of my own behaviors and reactions.”
Healing
“This program helped me get to the root cause of my problems, which was trauma.
Healing
“Now I don’t look at individuals and say ‘what’s wrong with them?’, but I look at them and ask ‘what happened to them?’. This allows me to deal with them with compassion.”
Building Community
“It has helped me in my relationships inside, in that I have gained a support network of individuals who I can identify with, of all ethnicities.”
Building Community
“I have had my eyes opened by this program. I realize now the subtle difference between the question “what’s wrong with you” and “what happened to you.” I have learned another way to view my past, and I am learning how to cope in my future.”
Healing
“This program is helping me become a better person.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I am learning how to combat stress, low self-esteem and anxiety.”
Healing
“I feel that every prison yard should have this circle / class 'cause most of us in prison are broken emotionally and physically… we have so many traumatic moments that we need help in how to fix ourselves.”
Healing
“I learned what trauma truly is and how deep it affects others. Before this class I had a whole different understanding of what trauma is. This class has put me on the path of true healing.”
Healing
“I wanted to reach out and touch base with you and give you an update from Coyote Ridge Correction Center in Connell, Washington. Since your visit a few months ago there has been a ripple effect that has gone on. A positive one. One that gives me hope. Thanks to your enthusiasm and energy lighting the spark the Trauma Talks 16-week workshop has, in its first iteration, been a success thus-far. We are about halfway through the series and WOW! There have been some extremely healing and vulnerable moments in group, for me personally, as well as the other participants! Part of the ripple effect is that I have seen camaraderie and compassion and understanding from the participants as they move about the compound. I have seen others in the group have epiphany after epiphany as the light bulb of understanding goes off. I have had several conversations with many of the participants in and out of the group and been witness to significant moments in their life story. You did this! I said in group a couple weeks ago to the assembled participants "Does anyone else see the irony in that we had to come to prison to heal and become better people?" Head nods all around. Thank you Fritzi!!”
Healing
“I now have an understanding of my behavior – not many people know why they act the way they are. Realization and how to deal with trauma. Very good course – Highly recommend it!”
Restoring Self Worth
“I am a person who can heal and become the person I want to be.”
Restoring Self Worth
“A person learns to not view themselves as ‘bad’ or a ‘waste of time.’”
Restoring Self Worth
“[Trauma Talks] was more helpful to my own relationship with myself.”
Restoring Self Worth
“I now know we are deserving of love and capable of being loving people.”
Restoring Self Worth
“Understanding the effects of trauma allows us to address our behavior, outlook on life and emotional state and in turn our offending.”
Healing
“This program has helped me delve into my past and dissect the root of the problem.”
Healing
“The trauma talks program helped me to gain insight into my feelings of low self-worth. My low self-worth had always made my behaviour very self-sabotaging. I often kept bad people around me, I even thought I knew they did not have anything good to bring to my life, I would often seek their approval that led to me being used in the way of my house being a party house, driving as if I were a taxi, lending money I never got back etc. I learnt that the anger I had from past memories had manifested itself in my body causing me sleepless nights from a bad stomach to which I always believed was physically bad but I established it was my mental health causing this. This caused me to feel very tired and ill most of my life until now, before I realised this my weight and mood was up and down, before now I could never articulate how I was made to feel growing up I thought it was wrong to think about abuse as I was never beat or sexually abused. However when I spoke in detail to how I was treated mentally by my step mum I was made aware that mental abuse is just as bad to a persons mental health and my key worker helped me understand that the psychological abuse I went through was not ok and did have a big impact on my mental health. This has led to my journey of self healing”.
Healing
“I want to take this time to thank everyone that has put energy, time and effort into making my experience with Compassion Prison Project a pleasant one. I’ve learned so many things and one is, for many years my behavior is an expression of a bigger issue within me. Now being trauma-informed, I have found pathways to heal and pathways to share with others how trauma affected my brain, body and spirit. Thank you again for your dedication.”
Healing
“This gave me an understanding of what happened to me as a child and how my brain developed because of trauma.”
Healing
“The program [Trauma Talks] was incredibly insightful and eye opening. It provided a deep understanding of how childhood trauma can impact our lives and lead to incarceration.”
Healing
“I now see the trauma suffered by us in our past, can result in bad behavior later in life that causes us to do harm to ourselves and those around us.”
Healing
“I have found pathways to heal and pathways to share with others how trauma effected my brain, body and spirit.”
Healing
“I no longer suffer panic and/or anxiety attacks! Literally life-changing for me.”
Healing
“80% of the class didn’t know what trauma was. They’ve learned about Trauma, ACES, Attachment Theory, TBIs, Addiction, Violence and so much more. This is what the Board (of Parole) looks for in regards to insight. The workbooks have a lot of information and it equips us to experience transformation."
Healing
“We are gaining so much value from your material. New arrivals are really intrigued by this program and material. They are seeing that there is a road map to a positive future. I will be Trauma Talks promoter forever. This was the most significant program I have taken inside CDCR. Not a day goes by that your program does not help me deal with my incarceration and isolation. People are picking up these books and reading them with more intensity.”
Healing
“This program really helped me open up, be vulnerable and deal with my traumas.”
Embracing Vulnerability
“Before I started Trauma Talks I was very nervous about what it might involve. On reflection it has been very insightful and it made me look at explore many aspects of my life and particularly my offence for which I was sentenced, I also found even though at times it was very hard I thoroughly enjoyed participating it is something I would strongly recommend to other prisoners. Even though I found the entire course very relevant, the following topics I found very relevant to my own circumstances ACES, traumatic brain injury, accountability verses shame, restorative justice and forgiveness”.
Healing
“Thank you for all your help and educating me about childhood trauma. I realised that all the cracks I have in my life are good, because that is how the light will get in, so thank you for everything. IMPERFECT becomes I’MPERFECT – with 1 line I change the narrative”
Healing
“I appreciate what the programme entailed. There was very emotional and psychological healing that was required. I’m more able to understand my impulsive behaviour and I am more equipped to deal with situations like this in the future. When I’m eventually released, I fully intend to continue the work the CPP applies”
Healing
“I found this course to be challenging and intense at the start, but as it went on I liberated myself from my past. I am so pleased that I dug deep and had my one-to-ones to help me get through and without these I think I would have struggled. I am just sorry I didn’t get to do this course earlier in my life”
Healing
“I had basically given up on ever getting out of prison, but when I heard about the Trauma Talks course I thought I would give it a go. Once I got into the course, going through the sessions I didn’t realise the impact the content would have on my mind and in my body. I didn’t realise my negative thinking was having such an effect on me. I have already completed three years of therapy and for me trauma was an avenue for me to explore. The sections that really stood out for me were Part X. This got me understanding my ruminating and learning about the different sections of the brain and their functions. For me, this is the best thing I could have ever done. I feel very honoured and privileged to have participated in the program. I want to thank my key worker for the one-to-one sessions for listening and the hard work we put in to our sessions and for pushing me to get me onto the straight and narrow”.
Healing
“Taking part and completing Trauma talks has had a massive impact on me both mentally and internally. From learning what Trauma was, I was able to open myself up to change and more important start to heal. My life had been filled with chaos for most of my life but thanks to the one to ones I have been able to release the demons of my past. Not only have I face them head on I have disposed of most of them. The weight lifted has been transformational. I know that life can be worthwhile after prison with the tools I have now, I fully intend to be stoic and calm in the future, I would recommend anyone who has ever asked the question “why did I do that” to complete this course and let it change their life as it has mine”.
Healing
“I want to thank you all for the support and for creating this wonderful program. Honestly it has helped me open up to deal with traumas that for more than 20 years I have buried deep down inside me. I have felt a huge burden off my shoulder & I just wanted to personally thank you all.”
Healing
“This circle has helped me to think before I react, and to breathe and let calmness set in before I act.”
Ability to regulate oneself
“The breathing exercises taught in the program [Trauma Talks] were incredibly helpful in calming my mind and regulating my emotions. I found the box breathing technique especially effective.”
Ability to regulate oneself
“Compassion Prison Project has given me the tools to understand people, to know that behind someone’s attributes there’s a story.”
Gaining Insight and Understanding
“I would like to take this opportunity to write about my experience throughout my journey whilst doing Trauma talks. My experience of doing trauma talks was the most challenging difficult course I have done, although it definitely was the most rewarding and life changing, I learnt so much about myself and a better understanding of trauma, how it affects you and techniques to deal with trauma, what I have gained out of the course I have not had in over 20 years, the power of self-forgiveness and forgiveness is amazing and inner peace id life changing and to be given the chance to participate in trauma talks I will be forever grateful. It has made me a lot more focused and determined to succeed in life going forward. I would also like to thank my case worker she was a constant throughout my time in trauma talks and was an amazing support mechanism.”
Forgiveness
“I want to thank everyone that has made CPP possible to all of us incarcerated people. This really helped me open up, be vulnerable and deal with my traumas. Today I feel more at peace with myself. I’ve been able to accept, forgive and deal with everyone and everything that came from my traumas. I’ve been able to talk about these things with my family and ask for their forgiveness. Most importantly I’ve been able to forgive myself.”
Embracing Vulnerability
“The information in the Trauma Talks program has definitely helped me improve my relationships both inside and outside of prison. It has provided me with tools to better understand and communicate my emotions, leading to healthier connections with others.”
Improving Relationships
“Yes, a thousand times yes, this has helped me reconnect / rebuild my family.”
Improving Relationships
“This information has helped create and solidify bonds with people inside and outside. We all have trauma, but we can all heal from trauma if we come together.”
Building Community
“I have no doubts about the life-changing effects of this program, not just on ourselves, but also our families, friends, and wider communities.”
Building Community
“It was helpful, knowing I’m not alone.”
Building Community
“Trauma Talks is the best class on the yard for a number of reasons. The biggest difference is the community it has created. It’s more than a class, it’s a culture. Participants become trauma-informed and are empowered to be ambassadors of compassion. The material is impactful, it was amazing to see Week 1.”
Building Community
“My ability to deal with conflict has improved beyond what I thought I was capable of.”
Conflict Resolution
“I have seen the men attending this program getting their minds blown every time we go. Every week there are animated discussions while walking back to our unit after class about how relevant and powerful it is. Every time we go we are excited to attend and look forward to what we will learn that day. My ability to deal with conflict has improved beyond what I thought I was capable of, and I no longer suffer panic and/or anxiety attacks! Literally life-changing for me.”
