Malkah Bird, EdS, NCSP

 

Malkah Bird (she/her), EdS, NCSP, is an Indianapolis-based educator and workshop facilitator. She has extensive experience leading trainings in schools and within the community on topics including De-Escalation, Bystander Intervention and Behavior Interventions. She is certified by the National Council on Behavioral Health as an Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Malkah has considerable experience working with individuals with mental health concerns, as well as, children and families experiencing crisis.

Watch Malkah’s talk on Curiosity for Creative Mornings.

 
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Erin Polley, E-RYT 500

 

Erin Polley (she/her) is an organizer and facilitator with over 20 years of experience working with communities to address issues of racism, islamophobia, income inequality and militarism. She has coordinated national tours and programs, training thousands of volunteers in Community Organizing, Bystander Intervention, De-Escalation and Peacebuilding. Erin is also a E-RYT 500 and specializes in working with individuals to care for themselves through yoga, meditation and breathwork so that they are better equipped to be agents of change in the world. She hosts the podcast, Self Care Level 1000, and speaks regularly on the importance of self care for service workers and change makers.

 
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Our Team

  • Lindsay Littrell, Lead Trainer

    Lindsay (they/them) is a PhD Candidate at the University of Kentucky, a macro social work educator, a community organizer, and an artist. Mx. Littrell’s transnational feminist research focuses on the work of solidarity building, supporting the well-being of frontline direct action activists, and pedagogies and practices that strengthen and sustain social movements. Lindsay is a 2018 curriculum fellowship recipient from the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC). Lindsay’s transdisciplinary work has been placed on multiple panels for the National Women's Studies Association annual conferences, International Congresses on Qualitative Inquiry, and the Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meetings.

  • Dr. Susan Birndorf, Trainer

    Susan (she/her) PhD, HSPP is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist doing individual and family psychotherapy, and supervision of Limited License mental health professionals. Susan has a specialty in Child and Adolescent Development and Psychotherapy, and for many years worked primarily with children and their families. More recently, she has expanded her practice to include the older adult and those affected by physical illness. Susan has an extensive history of teaching social work and psychology at the college and graduate levels. She is certified as an Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor. Susan has a special interest in the role of mindfulness, both in therapy and in everyday living.

  • Dominique Starling, Trainer

    Dominique (she/her), Ed.S., is a dedicated licensed school psychologist. She has diverse experience working with individuals who have unique learning, behavioral, and emotional needs. Her client-centered approach allows her to provide direct and consultative services for behavior management, emotional well-being, and academic achievement. Her passions include working with children and serving her community.

  • Karisa Cole, Trainer

    Karisa (she/they), EdS, NCSP, is an educator and workshop facilitator. Karisa's professional pursuits extend to serving as a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor and offering guidance within the Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network. As a licensed school psychologist certified in PREPaRE Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training, Karisa stands prepared to deliver vital crisis intervention and recovery services, embodying a commitment to fostering safe and supportive educational environments.

  • elle roberts, Trainer

    elle roberts (she/her) is a community writer, artist, and facilitator exploring how people collide and connect in the spaces we share. She is the founder of shehive, a grassroots project creating safe spaces to deconstruct gender inequity. Her work in the community has served women, children and families across Indiana through organizations like Girls, Inc., The Milk Bank, House Life Project and IARCA, Indiana's child and family welfare association.

“Erin and Malkah have exceeded all expectations. We initially hired them to deliver their de-escalation training and it went so well that we asked them to customize an Upstander Training for us. They listened to our request and ran with it – instantly understanding what we were asking and needing. They were incredibly effective at delivering this sensitive material to 12 different multidisciplinary health center teams in a hybrid virtual/in-person setting. They were authentic and honest and role-modeled exceptionally well how to “lean-in” to these difficult and emotional conversations. The feedback from the staff has been overwhelmingly positive. I would hire them again in a second.”

-Dr. Dawn Haut, Eskenazi Health

“I have attended multiple trainings taught by Ms. Bird and Ms. Polley over the course of several years.  Their training style evolves to stay relevant to the changing landscape.  They have a unique ability to capture the participants’ attention while making them both work hard and feel comfortable.  Many people feel the subject areas are sensitive topics and Ms. Bird and Ms. Polley create a space where people are comfortable growing and asking questions.  They both have many years of activism experience which allows them to connect with all levels of learners.  As a physician, these trainings have helped me take better care of my patients and I would recommend them to everyone.”

-Maria Robles, M.D.

“The foundational skills provided by Malkah and Erin during their Bystander Intervention Training helped us reframe and rethink a number of problems we regularly encounter in the patient care setting. We’ve found that we’ve used the tools we learned to reevaluate how we manage crises and handle microaggressions witnessed by colleagues.”

-Amalia Lehmann and Eric Raynal, IU Pediatric Chief Residents

“I have had the honor and privilege of working with Erin and Malkah for years and facilitate alongside them. It's not just their incredible ability to lead hard discussions; it's the work behind the scenes that I am the most in awe of. They live and breathe this work and it shows. I have no doubt that the Rising Collective will be one of the greatest resources we have because Malkah and Erin are one of the only people I trust to do the work, personally and professionally.”

-Tatjana Rebelle , Resilient Schools Coordinator for Earth Charter Indiana

Our Trainings

Rising Collective is grounded in the long-standing grassroots tradition of safety through solidarity. We believe that, with the right skills and tools, anyone can feel confident to rise to the occasion in moments of conflict or crises when care and safety is needed most.

We offer De-Escalation, Mental Health First Aid, Bystander Intervention and Direct Action training for healthcare workers, educators, service industry & retail workers and any other human who wants to show up in the world fully, ready to assist others.

 
 

Connect with Malkah + Erin.

Our trainings are customized to address the unique needs of our clients and their teams. Schedule a time to meet with us and learn about our offerings and pricing.

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