Surviving to Thriving


Bridging the Gaps: Working Together to Support Holistic Wellness Throughout Pittsburgh

The primary goal of Surviving to Thriving is to create collaborative conversations regarding the impact of early childhood adversity and trauma on one’s cognitive, emotional and physical development as well as on interpersonal relationships and life choices throughout one’s life span. Through community collaborative learning sessions, we can develop greater awareness of needs that exist for healthy youth, adult, family and community development where all can thrive. Surviving to Thriving is a bridge designed to connect educators, community organizations, families and professionals across generations and the healthcare spectrum.
We have held two professional development workshops for Art in the Garden educators, community partners, staff, and others working with youth. These workshops support adults in developing mindfulness practices, strengthening conflict transformation skills and building skills that foster supportive relationships with youth. Participants have shared they also feel better equipped to support youth in developing resilience and social and emotional intelligence.

Surviving to Thriving training seminars are free and open to the public. Our vision is for Pittsburgh to become a model for best practices in social and emotional learning and in trauma informed care and resilience. In order to support this vision, we at OMA Pittsburgh hold Surviving to Thriving seminars.

Attendees gain an understanding of social, emotional, mental and behavioral health issues and learn necessary skills to support youth. Keynote speakers and workshops teach concrete, actionable holistic skills adults can use to support youth in developing resilience and stronger brain architecture including: developing mindfulness practices, strengthening conflict transformation skills, fostering supportive relationships with youth, and skills that support youth for development of social and emotional intelligence. Using community collaborative learning sessions, we are developing greater awareness about the needs that exist for healthy youth development and holistic and accessible skills that can support the healthy development of mind, body, and spirit beyond our program in all aspects of their lives.

We believe mindfulness practices have the power to help youth as they work to reframe untrue and distorted or limiting beliefs and that this can create space for the positive transformation of self, family, and community.

We believe that all people deserve access to healthy food.

We believe all people have a right to easily access and enjoy green space.

We believe children need nature and we believe in the transformative power and healing potential of nature.