Part 2 -Do you want an answer to ACEs? Playing the Mirror Neurons Like a Harp
Playing the mirror neurons like a harp . . .
Blog
What If I Told You?
What if I told you that I was a victim of child sex abuse? As a survivor of child sexual abuse , I have a clear understanding of the importance of addressing stigma and shame as it pertains to sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape. Victims, especially young children, often do not disclose sexual abuse. Those who are witnesses of child sexual abuse, or who are trusted by survivors enough that they confide in them, are often ill-equipped to handle the responsibility. And, many times, parents...
How to Improve Emotional Self-Regulation Among Children with Autism and Attention Disorders
Originally posted on the Psychology@Pepperdine blog . Does your child get distracted easily and need to be repeatedly reminded to complete a simple task? Does their room look like it’s been hit by a tornado and they are constantly misplacing personal items? Do they have emotional outbursts when plans suddenly change? For parents, many of these behaviors may seem familiar. But many typically developing children are able to improve their self-management skills, or executive functions, as they...
How to Be More Resilient [nytimes.com]
As a psychiatrist, I’ve long wondered why some people get ill in the face of stress and adversity — either mentally or physically — while others rarely succumb. We know, for example, that not everyone gets PTSD after exposure to extreme trauma, while some people get disabling depression with minimal or no stress. Likewise, we know that chronic stress can contribute to physical conditions like heart disease and stroke in some people, while others emerge unscathed. What makes people resilient,...
The Colors of Wellness [psychologytoday.com]
The idea of diversity in wellness is a topic that is near and dear to me, and in my view, does not garner nearly as much attention as it should. Although there have been some studies , it is difficult to have an objective discussion because of sparse data. The anecdotal accounts , however, are abundant. Wellness, as we understand it today, was introduced in 1959 by Halbert Dunn’s article “ High-Level Wellness for Man & Society .” Dunn’s writing, from over fifty years ago, began to...
'What Happened To You?' A Western Massachusetts County Takes On Trauma [nepr.net]
On a recent afternoon, a half dozen kids — from age two to 16 — were bustling around the Cheshire, Massachusetts, home of Missy and Dave Tarjick, their adoptive parents. The younger ones were outside on a swingset, in view of the Berkshire mountains. “I want to go high, Daddy!” the three-year-old girl called out to Dave. “Push me with my feet!” [For more on this story by KAREN BROWN, go to https://www.nepr.net/post/what-happened-you-western-massachusetts-county-takes-trauma#stream/0 ]
Highland Council first in UK to adopt ‘ACE’ principles [pressandjournal.co.uk]
Highland councillors yesterday committed to following the principles laid out in a new report on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) by NHS Highland. The council is the first local authority in the UK to commit to becoming ‘ACE Aware’, and working with NHS and third sector to embed the principles into frontline children’s services. The report sets out to change traditional ways of thinking about children and adults who have had a poor start in life due to ‘toxic stress’ in their surroundings...
America’s opioid tragedy [economist.com]
To call Williamson, West Virginia, a town is to exaggerate. It is a pinprick settlement of 2,800 people in Mingo County—yet over a decade two pharmacies there pumped out 21m pills of addictive opioids. Unscrupulous clinics staffed by negligent doctors issued prescriptions to throngs of patients attracted by the lax procedures. These “pill mills” were an open secret, so much so that the town acquired the nickname “Pilliamson”. In “American Overdose” Chris McGreal of the Guardian looks...
Parenting Aggravation Associated with Food Insecurity Impacts Children’s Behavior and Development [poverty.ucdavis.edu]
Parents struggling with food insecurity can experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. These pressures may negatively affect their parenting, which may in turn affect the behavior of their children. In this study, we investigated the parenting aggravation levels of parents who experienced food insecurity in the aftermath of the Great Recession. We also explored the extent to which such aggravation may be responsible for the link between food insecurity and children’s...
We love science!
(click to download) We love science at Echo. It has been my greatest pleasure to share the science about the impact of trauma, including the changes that happen to the various systems of the body in our Trauma and Resilience trainings . The list is pretty exhaustive, and to try to make sense of it all, we’ve developed another of our popular infographics. Nervous system: This is where we focus a lot of our attention in trauma and recovery. The nervous system takes a beating when we live with...
“Landmark” Maternal Health Legislation Clears Major Hurdle [propublica.org]
Update, Dec. 13, 2018 at 8:15 p.m. ET: On Thursday evening, the Senate unanimously passed its version of the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, sending it to the president to sign. Congress moved a big step closer on Tuesday toward addressing one of the most fundamental problems underlying the maternal mortality crisis in the United States: the shortage of reliable data about what kills American mothers. The House of Representatives unanimously approved H.R. 1318 , the Preventing Maternal...
Sesame Street will help Memphis kids with their ACEs [CommercalAppeal.com]
Every child deserves to grow up with a strong connection to a caring adult and a loving family. But for one in four kids in Shelby County, a supportive relationship with a parent figure isn’t so easy to come by. The legacy of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — ranging from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; physical or emotional neglect; the loss of a parent through illness, death, divorce, or incarceration; or domestic violence or substance abuse within the family — places barriers...
It's Not Always Depression was the Winner of the 2018 Best Book Award in the Mental Health/Psychology Category
To prevent and treat trauma, we all benefit from receiving a basic education in how emotions work in the mind and body. Sadly, we don't get this education in our formal schooling. So we must take it upon ourselves to learn.
5th Annual ACES Conference in NW Pennsylvania Sells out on First Day
Crawford and Erie County in Northwest Pennsylvania joined together again this fall to host the 5 th Annual Trauma Informed and Resilient Communities Conference at Edinboro University . This entirely free conference was well attended with approximately 355 total participants (system, youth, family, community, and faith partners) who sold out the venue in less than one day. Our morning plenary promoted building community resilience at the neighborhood level. It began with a brief welcome by...
The Healing Place Podcast - Belinda Farrell interview
I was excited to engage in this powerfully healing conversation with Belinda Farrell - Reconnective Healing Practitioner, Huna Consultant, and Public Speaker - about her personal journey from trauma to triumph. What a fascinating life lived by a beautiful soul.