Blog

On March 17, 2022, PACEs Connection hosted our fifth event in our Historical Trauma in America series . The event was facilitated by PACEs Connection staff members Dana Brown (organizational liaison), Donielle Prince (director of state initiatives), John Dovales Flores (community arts consultant), and Natalie Audage (family and community resources lead). The event featured guest speaker Gabriel Nuñez-Soria, an educator, PhD Student, and Director of the Trauma-Resilient Educational...

Development of Memory Caregivers may have noticed their baby’s developing memory – like crying when they see the doctor or remembering hand movements to their favorite song or game. In your visits, you can build on this by asking the baby to follow simple directions, like touching their toes, giving a high five, or making an animal sound. When they do it (if they do it), offer praise for the connections they are making! “You remembered that from last time – way to go. Your brain is working...

The massive bipartisan $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill for FY ’22 signed by President Biden on March 15 contains funding that demonstrates a growing awareness and support in Congress for programs and policies to address trauma. The incremental nature of the legislative process makes it difficult to see progress readily but there are bright spots in this legislation to celebrate.

These are ace scores. I was wondering about adverse childhood experiences and people who have or had narcissistic partners, so I asked them the following question. "If you are in or were in a relationship with a narcissist what is your ACE score?" Two respondents had an ACE score of 1. Two respondents had an ACE score of 2. One respondent had an ACE score of 3. Three respondents had an ACE score of 4. Etc.

By Jennifer Rubin, Photo: Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press, The Washington Post, March 17, 2022 It should come as no surprise that the highest rates for covid-19 deaths and murders are found mainly in red states. A political mind-set that prioritizes racial resentment, anti-science zealotry and manufactured cultural wedge issues is not likely to be conducive to long, healthy lives. Indeed, antagonism toward “elites” (e.g., experts) often impedes common-sense measures that save lives.

By Madeline Holcombe, Photo: Shutterstock, CNN Health, March 21, 2022 There is more we can do to make our kids feel seen, accepted and secure -- and it starts with adding more terms for gender identity and sexual orientation to the official forms we give them, according to a new study. Researchers in Minnesota analyzed data from students across the state in grades eight, nine and 11, finding that a significant portion of the youth population identified with terms including lesbian, gay,...

By Sara Robinson, Adriane Apicelli, and Kerry Nolte, Photo: Leigh Prather, Psychiatric Times, March 21, 2022 The experience of trauma is common for US adults and even more pervasive for patients presenting in psychiatric settings. Estimates of previous experience of traumatic events is 51% to 84% in the general adult population and 76% to 91% in those seen in psychiatric settings. The most prevalent comorbid disorders among adults with serious mental illness (SMI) are substance use disorders...

By Damon Young, Illustration: Damon Young, The Washington Post, March 21, 2022 I think that maybe what scares me about Kanye West — what maybe compels me to attempt to make sense of what appears to be a hyper-public manic episode — is what scares me about me. “I don’t want to be thrown away,” said Bassey Ikpi, author of “I’m Telling the Truth but I’m Lying,” a memoir about her bipolar disorder, during a conversation last month. “I see Kanye and realize how easily that could be me.” And I...

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, we hear from our guest Prashant Goel. Prashant works in service of healthy cultures and systems. He specializes in leadership development, drawing on both scientific research and global wisdom traditions to advance renewed practices of attention, execution, collaboration, and innovation. Prashant began exploring NARM while taking the Level 1 Online NARM Basics Training. Having studied and practiced with world-renowned teachers, Prashant brings over a...

During Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month the Office of Child Abuse Prevention encourages counties to participate in events to increase awareness of child abuse and neglect statewide. One such event is Children’s Memorial Flag Day on April 22, 2022. The OCAP’s vision is for each county to host a Children’s Memorial Flag Day event and to conduct a flag raising ceremony to honor the young lives lost due to senseless violence in the past year. In addition to a statewide raising of the...

Three relatively recent studies from different parts of the U.S. show that only a tiny percentage of physicians, medical school faculty and other healthcare providers are integrating practices and policies based on the science of positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACEs). Why it matters: For people in the PACEs community, the following is news that’s 20 years old: Adverse childhood experiences are common, preventable and linked to six out of the top ten leading causes of death in...

Thirteen years ago, I was hired as a trauma specialist at a domestic violence/sexual assault coalition. The primary objective of my job was to assist domestic violence programs in enhancing services to women and children who had been impacted by substance abuse and mental health issues. I had been working for domestic violence and mental health programs for several years and felt prepared to jump into the work and help others provide support to survivors of trauma. What I did not know,...