Loredana Marinescu, SHIM Lead Family Development Specialist
In my fifteen years working at SHIM, I’ve learned a lot about people. As a family development specialist, I meet families from all over the world who have settled in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Each family brings unique experiences, and I enjoy working with them to help their children thrive.
As an immigrant myself, I understand the challenges that people face in starting life in a new country. I moved to Pittsburgh from Romania and immediately started looking for work. I used the World Education Services to find the equivalent of my degrees from Romania- a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and sociology and a master’s degree in communications- and I brought with me recommendations from professors and previous employers. Still, it was hard to find employment, so I started volunteering to make personal connections.
At first, I volunteered with Jewish Family and Community Services at a program helping immigrants. I also volunteered for Literacy Pittsburgh (at the time called Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council). During a training I attended to become an English teacher for beginners, I met a social worker that connected me to SHIM. She encouraged me to apply for their family development specialist opening, and the rest is history!
Along with visiting families to help children under five years old, I teach parenting classes, I am involved with the Hello Baby program and assist SHIM’s other family development specialists. I love working at SHIM because it allows me to use my knowledge of human behavior to help my neighbors. I understand firsthand the challenges families face assimilating into a new country, and I work to empower them to thrive.
I’ve taken advantage of SHIM’s encouragement of professional development, taking courses on trauma informed care. At first, I accessed free resources to learn more about trauma awareness. As I delved deeper, I decided to get licensed from Lakeside Global Institute so I could train fellow staff members.
Trauma sensitivity can lead to positive changes in relational dynamics. I’ve learned to be more aware of my personal perspective and to consider the different perspectives others have in various situations. By observing body language, word choices, and overall mood (such as nervousness or anger), I can tailor my actions to support the person I’m working with. All of us hold preconceived notions and personal opinions, but when we change our thinking from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you”, we respond differently to someone exhibiting challenging behavior.
Another interesting fact about trauma is that the same experience doesn’t necessarily lead to the same reaction. For example, two people who are in a car accident together may react differently. One passenger may feel ready to drive again within days and another passenger may be too fearful to drive again for years. 
“Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better.” -Maya Angelou
Our brains are malleable, ready to learn and change. This awareness has helped me adapt my teaching. In parenting classes, we talk about trauma- what it means, different brain states, and how it impacts our ability to learn and interact. Many times, I emphasize self-care for parents to help them bring their best selves to their children. My students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, so I adjust how I talk about trauma sensitivity to relate in meaningful ways. I use real examples to present information so that it is digestible and familiar to my students. As I’ve introduced this topic to parents in my classes, I’ve been impressed with how quickly some of my students understand and relate to the information.
I would like to attend more workshops on trauma informed care that focus on helping people heal from trauma. Even though trauma negatively impacts the brain, it is capable of being retrained to a healthier state. My goal is to help people become the best versions of themselves, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to help local families.
“Healing consists of alternating states of readiness for moving ahead, times for digesting what has been done, and shifting focus temporarily away when necessary. There is no right or wrong way to heal. What is important is that you do it your way, respecting your own personal pace, feelings, and needs.” -Life After Trauma: A Workbook for Healing by Dena Rosenbloom and Mary Beth Williams
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