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Southern states are embracing harm reduction techniques, including naloxone and needle exchanges, more than ever before. But some conservatives say there’s a limit to their support. As a top agent with North Carolina’s Bureau of Investigation, Donnie Varnell had tried everything to stop people from fatally overdosing on opioids, from arresting more low-level drug users to talking with doctors. Nothing worked. In 2014, he heard a former SWAT commander speak to law enforcement officers about...

The first time Jessica Calise can remember her 9-year-old son Joseph's anxiety spiking was about a year ago, when he had to perform at a school concert. He said his stomach hurt and he might throw up. "We spent the whole performance in the bathroom," she recalls. After that, Joseph struggled whenever he had to do something alone, like showering or sleeping in his bedroom. He would beg his parents to sit outside the bathroom door or let him sleep in their bed. "It's heartbreaking to see your...

Use your words. It seems like such a friendly, gentle reminder. And it would make grown up lives so much easier if kids would just say what they want! Except what if they a) don’t know the right words or b) don’t know what they want? I walked up on an educator (let’s call them G) and a small child in the hallway. I could see the child had been crying, and was now stomping their feet and making sounds with their mouth, something like, “Uh uh uh uh uhhhh!” G, who was kneeling down on the...

While the impact of maltreatment on a child and their family is devastating, child maltreatment also has serious effects far beyond those for the victim. Maltreatment results in ongoing costs to taxpayers, institutions, businesses, and society at large. Local communities bear the brunt of these costs in the form of medical, educational, and judicial costs, though more tragic signs are seen in homelessness, addiction, and teen pregnancy. To create a concrete understanding of the widespread...

I recently delivered a TEDx Talk revealing my high ACEs score of nine and how I found out about the ACEs movement by accident. Last July, I attended a screening of "Resilience" thinking it would be a movie about how a powerful coping mechanism can help children cope with toxic stress. Instead, imagine my shock, as I watched clinicians explain that my ACEs score could result in a shortened lifespan by 20 years! Dazed and afraid, I threw myself into researching the findings of the ACEs...

FREE MASTER CLASS FOR EDUCATORS: "The Top 10 Truths Every Teacher Needs to Know About Trauma" This 60-minute Master Class is an opportunity for teachers to take their FIRST STEP into becoming "trauma-informed." Learn how trauma impacts your students' brains, bodies and behavior, and the approaches that can make your job easier and less overwhelming! TUESDAY, May 7th @1pm (PST) - ONLINE Certificate of Attendance available for attendees Link for Deets: https://www.traumacamp.com/masterclass...

"Data shows that more than half of all U.S. children have experienced some kind of trauma in the form of abuse, neglect, violence, or challenging household circumstances—and 35 percent of children have experienced more than one type of traumatic event, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)." "“Being a teacher is a stressful enough job, but teachers are now responsible for a lot more things than just providing education,” says LeAnn Keck, a manager at Trauma Smart...

By A. Hosack , P. Berman, & K. Hecht I really want those ice cream bars. I wonder what I could put back on the shelf so I could afford them. The Carsons’ have been thinking a head till when Claire graduates from school and will be living with Davy in her own apartment . They have opened a bank account for Claire and put money for food and clothing into her account every month; they take this money from the stipend they get from Child Protective Services for caring for Claire and Davy.

Less than one hour of brain training with neurofeedback leads to a strengthening of neural connections and communication among brain areas. This is the main finding of a new study conducted at D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), published today in Neuroimage. According to the authors, the study may pave the way for the optimization and development of therapeutic approaches against stroke and Parkinson’s, for example. “We knew that the brain has an amazing ability to adapt...

Traumatic stress feels awful. The body tenses and succumbs to many other physiological changes leading to digestive problems and headaches, for example. Furthermore, children overwhelmed by emotions can’t engage positively in learning as curiosity in the outside world is a byproduct of a calm nervous system, not one that’s in a state of high alert.

RADICAL GRACE – WHAT I LET GOD SEE AND ACCEPT IN ME ALSO BECOMES WHAT I CAN SEE AND ACCEPT IN MYSELF. AND EVEN MORE, IT BECOMES THAT WHEREBY I SEE EVERYTHING ELSE. ~ RICHARD ROHR For the past three months, I’ve been driving through various parts of Florida witnessing events and gatherings of communities committed to creating safe, loving, trauma informed, and trauma healing spaces. On Friday February 22nd, I was in Tarpon Springs, attending the monthly gathering of Robin Saeger’s...

If you are a resident of Meadville, PA, you may have noticed some new faces walking through your neighborhood. Equipped with nothing more than a binder and a smile, our trio has been knocking on doors since November. Maybe you have already spoken with us, maybe you haven’t. Either way, your first thought was probably what do they want? First, rest assured we aren’t selling anything. We have no Omaha Steaks to offer, nor do we promise any discounts on your electric bill. For some of you, this...