Thread by @OJRCenter

Next up we have attorney Kasia Rutledge who represents capital defendants & is an anti-oppression trainer and Dr. Sarina Saturn, Associate Professor, Psychological Sciences, @UPortland #WIPConf

@UPortland They'll be discussing how trauma shows up in our brains, bodies and behavior. #WIPConf

@UPortland Dr Saturn specializes in the biology of emotions and says they can be completely debilitating or empowering but they have evolved to serve us as teachers. #WIPConf

Fear and the stress response: these are raw, primal and strong and designed to ensure we survive - Dr Saturn #WIPConf

Stress is especially bad if it's unpredictable, uncontrollable, chronic and severe - Dr. Saturn #WIPConf

Trauma has been defined as "a disease of not being able to be present." - Dr. Saturn #WIPConf

Kasia Rutledge: The whole criminal justice system is about reproducing trauma in myriad ways, without actually naming what we're doing. #WIPConf

Kasia Rutledge: For most of my clients, what they're going through in the criminal justice system is not what's most important to them. Their family/home/pets etc are what matters most. #WIPConf

Dr Saturn: Our brains store and recall memories much more strongly when they are of negative events which is an attempt to protect us in future. #WIPConf

Dr Saturn: Significant trauma, especially at a young age, inhibits our ability to correctly assess risk as adults. #WIPConf

Kasia Rutledge: We expect people in the criminal system to make decisions in the moment without good information and to behave as we think we would if we were in their situations. #WIPConf

Dr Saturn: Oxytocin is key for trust, empathy, generosity to strangers, bonding, romantic love and more. #WIPConf

Dr. Saturn: social isolation is one of the most unhealthy things for us. We can see that in the activation of negative genes in our bodies. #WIPConf