When Dr. Darold Treffert passed away in 2020, Dr. Matthew Doll, director of the Care for the Caregiver Program at SSM Health, recalled, "His kindness, genuine compassion, and lifelong curiosity were evident in all he did."
At the SSM Health Treffert Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Dr. Treffert’s legacy is honored, and compassion is encouraged and practiced every day. Jennifer Thompson, supervisor of the Treffert Academy, notes:
"We have been working on teaching and role modeling compassion. Compassion for self and others is one of our ‘big three’ (self-regulation and social/emotional skills being the other two), because these three skills are the best predictors of life success."
"With an increasing amount of violence reported in the news, it is important for children to not only feel safe, but to continue to grow in compassion for themselves and for others. Children are always watching and learning from adults around them, so if they see us act with compassion, they are more likely to as well. "
"It’s up to all of us to work together to create a safe, compassionate, and peaceful community,” adds Dr. Sarah Arnold, a psychologist who works closely with Treffert Academy teachers and children. “This work starts with the youngest ages and is why we value teaching compassion, self-regulation, and social/emotional development at the Treffert Center. "
Dr. Doll recommends that children under the age of six refrain from watching and listening to the news. Children can pick up on the stress of situations but cannot understand the “why” it is happening. Feeling the stress and not understanding the "why" can increase anxiety and make children feel unsafe in the world around them.
This is just one of the many reasons we teach compassion at the Treffert Center. We want children to have the tools needed to see that if a friend, family member, or someone else is feeling pain, they know to stop and ask, "How can I help?"
This simple question can make someone feel heard. Having conversations with children about ways they can show compassion and how we show compassion to others is important. A good end-of-day practice is to ask children how they helped a friend.
Dr. Treffert believed that we could make a positive difference in creating places that were more compassionate, "gentler, softer, and less harsh."
Even amid frightening news and in a world that seems full of uncertainty, staff and children at the Treffert Center seek to show compassion to themselves and to each other.
How can we help? Learn more about the SSM Health Treffert Center.
