Attending conferences is a typical part of the experience in the human helping profession, regardless of the hats you wear. There is always a conference theme designed to capitalize on and highlight the work. From that pursuit usually comes a collective identity and feeling of unity amongst conference goers that can be expected, but what if things go beyond that?
While attending the 2025 Annual Division for Youth and Families (DCYF) Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire in April of 2025, something remarkable occurred. The theme of the conference was Growing Together to Support Children, Youth & Families. From the onset, it was obvious that there was a great human investment in this theme.
The conference kicked off without a hitch in the Live Free or Die state. What stood out immediately was the level of enthusiasm and passion that this crowd had for their clients, their mission, and their work overall. There was an aura of positivity, noted by several standing ovations during the awards ceremony, most memorable was the ovation for Aubry; a young lady that traversed the child welfare system in New Hampshire, who now serves as a Youth Advocate for DCYF.
Shortly thereafter, while admiring the dessert station, it dawned on me that what I was seeing was beyond typical, at least in most cases in my experience. I realized that I was witnessing something that doesn’t take a shape or a shell. I was observing human energy in raw form. Resistance to the fact that person-centered transformation was the religion in the room was futile. But how can you see something that is invisible?
In this conference space something was different, as compared to the status quo, almost like the first time you’d experience a post entre peppermint patty, the effervescence was palatable, the positivity was undeniable in parts of the ballroom and sprouting in other parts.
My less than faith-based mind opened to the possibility that perhaps “witnessing” goes beyond seeing. Humans are multi-dimensional creatures with multiple senses for a reason, right? What we see, smell, hear, taste, touch all has a component impact on what we realize, but more importantly on what we feel! The massive momentum around engineering personal change, a staple in my work, allowed me to embrace that witnessing can happen without sight. Even the great American musician, singer, song writer, and composer Stevie Wonder, who is blind, commonly describes what he sees from day to day. That said, I am now of the school of thought that witnessing something which is invisible is not in fact an oxymoron! Instead, it’s the culmination of the things that we experience and feel, very much like those times when there is person beside you stopped at the traffic light, who you can feel looking at you. The result of your “witnessing” in this scenario, is when you look back at them and lock eyes, without being prompted. You felt their presence and responded in kind, which is a very real human phenomenon. I suppose it’s all about energy. What are your thoughts on this? Please comment below.
Brandon D. Howlett, MS Ed.
Senior Policy Analyst
TCOM Learning Academy Lead
Doctoral Student
University of Kentucky
Center for Innovation in Population Health
P.S. Kudos to New Hampshire DCYF on all your great work and your wonderful conference. We look forward to supporting you all in your efforts to support others.