Resiliency Within

In this episode of Resiliency Within, Elaine Miller-Karas sits down with Edith Boyle, LCSW—President & CEO of LifeBridge Community Services—for a meaningful conversation about the power of balancing the narrative and why the stories we tell about our communities shape their future. Bridgeport, Connecticut is often described through statistics of hardship—high poverty rates, community violence, limited access to mental health care, and chronic school absenteeism. These realities are significant and deserve attention. But when a place is defined only by its struggles, something vital is lost. Research calls this deficit framing or spatial stigma—a lens that can lower expectations, reinforce bias, and quietly erode hope, dignity, and well-being. So the question becomes: What else is true? Bridgeport is also home to deep cultural pride, resilient families, committed faith and neighborhood leaders, strong nonprofit partnerships, and generations of community strength. Edith shares how LifeBridge embraces both truths—acknowledging adversity while actively cultivating possibility. Through trauma-informed school and community mental health services, integrated pediatric behavioral health, community resiliency training, and arts-based healing initiatives, LifeBridge helps individuals and neighborhoods expand their narrative beyond survival toward empowerment. This conversation explores how a balanced narrative doesn't deny pain—it widens the lens. It reduces shame, restores dignity, supports nervous system regulation, and strengthens resilience not just in individuals, but across entire communities. Join us for an inspiring dialogue about reframing stories, reclaiming identity, and rediscovering what is possible.   About Our Guest: Edith Boyle, LCSW President & CEO, LifeBridge Community Services Edith Boyle, LCSW is President & CEO of LifeBridge Community Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and a licensed clinical social worker committed to advancing healing and resilience in communities impacted by stress and adversity. A first-generation college graduate, she holds an MSW from Western NewMexico University and a BA in Psychology from Arizona State University. Since 2022, Edith has led LifeBridge's expansion of accessible, trauma-informed outpatient mental health care for children, adults, and families—integrating talk therapy and clinical art therapy to support both mind and body. She also champions practical, neuroscience-informed resiliency skills in everyday settings through Community Resiliency Model (CRM) trainings for frontline professionals and community members, helping people feel calmer, more focused, and more connected during challenging times. Edith is advancing community-based models that bring care closer to where families live and learn, including embedding clinicians in schools and pediatric practices across Fairfield County. Under her leadership, LifeBridge joined the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, strengthening the organization's capacity to serve children and families impacted by trauma. She also founded Connecticut's first Trauma-Informed Community of Practice (TI-CoP), convening cross-sector providers to deepen shared learning and strengthen trauma-responsive care throughout the region.