At Understood.org we believe that we make the greatest impact when we’re aligned as one team. At our Day of Understanding event, held twice a year, our whole team gathers to hear from experts on topics tied to our mission.

On July 20, the theme was intervention across the lifespan. We focused on how the needs of people with learning and thinking differences change as they enter new stages of life. And we learned about interventions that promote thriving. 

We split the day into four parts: learn from experts, learn from self, dig deeper, and hear from leaders.

Learn from experts

Laura Key, Understood.org’s executive director of editorial, moderated a panel conversation featuring four of our Understood.org experts. Bob Cunningham, Dr. Monica Johnson, Dr. Claudia Rinaldi, and Dr. Karen Wilson spoke on learning and thinking differences through the lifespan. Each answered questions about the biggest challenges and supports they’ve seen throughout their careers. 

Learn from self 

Next, Sarah Greenberg, Understood.org’s executive director of behavior change and expertise, led us in a presentation and activity to better understand confidence. We discussed what confidence is and how it’s built. And we reflected on what had helped us through challenging moments in our own lives.

Dig deeper

Understood.org expert Dr. Renee Schneider took us into the use of validation. She shared three ways to validate: active listening and reflection, acknowledging the unspoken, and normalizing behavior in a broader context.

Hear from leaders

Understood.org leaders Nathan Friedman, Rahul Rao, Deb Wilson, and Jenny Wu put themselves on the spot in an “Ask Me Anything” session. They answered team members’ questions on topics ranging from our company culture to this year’s biggest challenges and successes.

We closed the day with the opportunity to share takeaways. Team members shared that they had a better understanding of what it means to experience a behavioral health intervention — and even greater empathy and understanding for our audience. 

“This Day of Understanding gave me a deeper appreciation for the many shapes thriving can take,” said Ruhi Shah, manager of internal communications at Understood.org. “My work doesn’t always directly touch our audience, so I value these opportunities to understand the why behind the work we’re doing, and how we can show up better for the people we’re trying to support, both in our work and in our lives outside of the 9 to 5.”

To learn more about working at Understood.org, visit https://www.understood.org/join-our-team. To lend your expertise and to partner with us for future Understood.org events, visit https://www.understood.org/our-partners.