Neuroscience Foundations
Participants gain insights into how the brain functions in relation to behavior, emotions, and trauma responses. Understanding the science behind neural pathways allows individuals to recognize and rewire detrimental habits, fostering healthier thought and behavior patterns.
Spiritual Wisdom
Drawing on principles from various spiritual traditions, the program emphasizes mindfulness, compassion, and inner strength. Participants engage in practices that promote self-awareness and emotional healing, creating a supportive environment for personal exploration and growth.
Cultural Context
The program incorporates discussions on cultural influences and systemic factors that shape behaviors and experiences. By exploring these dynamics, participants develop a deeper understanding of how their identities and societal contexts impact their actions and relationships.
Trauma-Informed Approach
With a strong foundation in trauma-informed care, the program prioritizes safety and support. Participants explore their trauma histories in a compassionate setting, learning techniques for healing and resilience that blend scientific understanding with spiritual insight.
Personal Responsibility and Compassionate Accountability
A core aspect of Breaking The Cycle is fostering a sense of personal responsibility. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their choices and their impacts on themselves and others. The program emphasizes compassionate accountability, promoting an environment where individuals can take ownership of their actions while also practicing kindness and understanding toward themselves and others.
The journey ahead
In Breaking the Cycle, you will embark on a personal exploration to understand how your past experiences and interactions have shaped your identity and influence your current choices. This journey invites you to reflect on your life as it uniquely unfolds, alongside others who are on the same path.
Gary Zajc joined Alma Center in 2023 and is currently Statewide Program Director of the Breaking The Cycle program. Gary is also an accomplished HR/Non-Profit professional and strategic leader with over 25 years of experience in organizational development, employee engagement, and operations management. As the sole proprietor of Common Grounds Consulting LLC since 2020, Gary provides expert HR consulting, training, and support to purpose-driven organizations, with a focus on employee development, succession planning, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Prior to launching their consulting business, Gary served as Associate Director at Hunger Task Force, a leading anti-hunger organization in Wisconsin, where they co-led a team of 75 employees, advanced strategic goals, and created a growth-oriented workplace culture.
About the Alma Center
Our Mission
The Alma Center is dedicated to healing, transforming, and evolving the unresolved pain of trauma that perpetuates cycles of violence, abuse, and dysfunction in families and communities. We work primarily with individuals at risk of or involved in the criminal justice system, with a particular focus on those who have a history of domestic violence.
Our vision is for healing-focused care to become a leading approach in reimagining the criminal justice system, particularly regarding the intervention and prevention of family violence, guiding the system toward more restorative and effective models.
Our Core Values
At the Alma Center, we are committed to cultivating a healing, peaceful, and supportive environment focused on preventing and ending violence in all its forms. We actively work to transform oppression—such as misogyny, sexism, racism, and homophobia—while prioritizing healing and the rediscovery of individual life purpose through an intersectional and culturally responsive lens.
We empower each person on their journey toward becoming their best self, promoting honesty, courage, and openness. By acknowledging and addressing personal challenges and triggers, we create a compassionate and sincere atmosphere that respects diverse backgrounds and experiences in all our interactions. Together, we mentor and inspire individuals within our community, fostering a culture of understanding, respect, and healing that stands firmly against violence and honors the unique identities of everyone we serve.
A Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention
At Alma Center BTC, we ground our violence prevention efforts in the public health approach, a methodology that prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of entire communities. This approach, driven by the scientific method, strives to provide the greatest benefit for the largest number of people. Public health draws upon a multi-disciplinary science base, incorporating knowledge from fields like medicine, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, criminology, education, and economics, and emphasizes collaboration across sectors including health, education, social services, justice, policy, and the private sector. This effective strategy involves a four-step process: defining and monitoring the problem, identifying risk and protective factors, developing and testing prevention strategies, and assuring widespread adoption of effective interventions. For CDC information regarding this approach: About The Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention.
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