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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) was created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children’s Health Act to “raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events.” This unique network of frontline providers, family members, researchers, and national partners is committed to changing the course of children’s lives by improving their care and moving scientific gains quickly into practice across the U.S.

In response to my question, "An entirely new kind of parenting education that reaches everyone, everywhere could be an extraordinarily powerful kind of prevention. Should public health authorities be developing this new kind of parenting education?" Dr. Perry responded, "You're spot on, David."

While infants and toddlers are often left out of the policy discussion, a breadth of developmental research highlights that these early years may have the largest impact on long-term health, well-being, academic, and economic outcomes. Early investments in social programs that reduce disparities and improve family security across a range of social determinants of health will have great benefits in reducing childhood adversity.

When I look back, I am amazed at how differently I dealt with adversity during the first few decades of my life. Growing up in a stressful home primed me to experience life with caution. Whether it was being afraid of physical harm, loneliness, or failure, I’ve lived my life with an exaggerated fight-flight response to everything. Adversity seemed around every corner, and no one was ever there to save me. I developed maladaptive mechanisms to minimize, avoid, or go around the things I was...

By Miranda Spencer Mad in America December 6, 2022 “Interview” features Q&As with both professionals and users of the mental health system on topics of special interest to parents and families. They are designed to provide a closer look at new research, trends, and people. We often hear that there is a youth mental health crisis and about the roles U.S. schools are playing to ease students’ struggles so they can learn and thrive. (Or not: Our “Editor’s Corner” covered this issue here and...

This online interactive workshop is for all therapists since most people have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault by the time they are adults. Groundbreaking for a workshop about sexual healing, this workshop is led by a therapist, Reena Bernards, LCMFT , as well as a leader and author in the survivor movement, Donna Jenson, MA, each bringing their own unique perspective. The workshop will cover the stages of healing from an attachment lens, as well as techniques of...

ACEs—Adverse Childhood Experiences—can impact our unconscious eating habits without us even realizing it.

PACEs Connection Cooperative of Communities is proud to present the “Intersection of Faith, Healing, and PACEs Science” webinar January 19, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM CST ! This webinar will explore how the application of PACEs science can invoke healing and mitigate harm in faith-based communities. This is a free event, but donations for participation are being accepted. Mathew Portell, PACEs Connection director of communities, will lead a panel of experts to discuss how traditional...

In the trauma-informed care space, we often reference trauma-informed values. While we can refer to values within the TIC space broadly, there are specific models that we teach our clients, including SAMSHA’s 6 Guiding Principles and the Sanctuary 7 Commitments. The values outlined in these guides provide structure for organizations new to trauma-informed care, and they’re an essential piece of the work for any trauma-informed leader. So, we’re going to explore these values in-depth today.

America's culture of child abuse and neglect negatively impacts every aspect of American life. During April 2022, co-hosts Ingrid Cockhren and Mathew Portell examined America's history of child abuse and neglect and outlined how this history connects to our current child abuse crisis. Please join our hosts for an encore of part one of this series. This episode is dedicated to illuminating the systemic nature of child abuse and neglect in America. Cockhren and Portell discussed the different...

Here are some of today’s requests to be put on the waiting list for our parenting norms bumper stickers. There are now almost nine hundred schools and organizations on the waiting list and no hope of ever printing and shipping them. When you realize that just one bumper sticker would be read thousands of times it becomes apparent that this is a colossal and tragic lost opportunity to prevent the aces associated with unsupportive and harmful parenting. Visit www.advancingparenting.org. Ideas...

Strengthening the wounded soul can improve psychological and physical wellbeing and help to complete the recovery process. Although ACEs, understandably, can numb feelings, including spiritual feelings, once healing has progressed, spiritual feelings can often be successfully cultivated.