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Flourishing and its predictors and links to health outcomes are well documented in adults, including among those facing adversities. Less is known about flourishing and its correlates among children, especially those who face circumstances such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), chronic illness, or poverty. Studies show that flourishing is distinct from an absence of physical or mental illness and other adversities; that flourishing can and does exist amid these circumstances; and that...

This Sunday, all over America, little hands will prepare trays with bowls of cereal and small glasses of orange juice. They will leave trails of well-intentioned milk behind them as they approach tired, smiling moms in rumpled beds. It’s all pretty cute. And very much a departure from the daily reality of motherhood in 2019, when many of us are experiencing existential dread over how climate change will affect our children and are all too aware of the scourge of inequality that shapes their...

By K. Hecht, P. Berman, & A. Hosack, I don’t like this. I know I must be safe, but ….. I need to scream ! Why isn’t any sound coming out! It was the day of her party. Ms. Alexandra and others would be arriving at 3 p.m . To build excitement and surprise for Claire and Davy, the Carsons sent t hem off to the park at 1 p.m. so they wouldn’t know what food was being made or how the house was being decorated. Claire and Davy were told when they came back into the house they were to come to...

"PTSD can take a heavy toll on relationships. It can be hard to understand your loved one’s behavior—why they are less affectionate and more volatile. You may feel like you’re walking on eggshells or living with a stranger. You may have to take on a bigger share of household tasks, deal with the frustration of a loved one who won’t open up, or even deal with anger or disturbing behavior. The symptoms of PTSD can also lead to job loss, substance abuse, and other problems that affect the whole...

In the late 1980s, when I was a visiting professor at Columbia Law School, I happened to pass, in the hallway near my office, a law student (female) speaking to an older law professor (male). To my amazement, the professor was stroking the student’s hair. I thought I saw, very briefly, a grimace on her face. It was a quick flash. When he left, I said to her, “That was completely inappropriate. He shouldn’t have done that.” Her response was dismissive: “It’s fine. He’s an old man. It’s really...

Tennessee is in the infancy of its comprehensive juvenile justice system reform. However, some lessons have been learned. If racial and ethnic justice is a priority, every proposed provision of the reform must be viewed through a racial and ethnic justice lens. To pass the best legislation possible and potentially avoid challenges to the legislation, key stakeholders within the juvenile justice system must be meaningfully engaged early and often. Adequate thought should be given to not only...

New York City’s brand of wrap-around legal representation may not prevent the removal of children from their families. But they might be getting home much faster, and without any risk to their safety. A much-anticipated study of parent representation released this week found that for parents represented by interdisciplinary law offices (ILO) – which include lawyers, social workers and parent advocates – youth spend about four fewer months in foster care than in cases represented by...

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo may finally push forward a long-standing proposal to move the nation’s capital out of the polluted, sinking city of Jakarta, and off the crowded main island of Java. Though details remain scant, the plan he approved last week during a special cabinet meeting is expected to take five to 10 years, at least, and cost $33 billion to complete—if it comes to fruition. The government has not said where the new capital will be, but an official told reporters...

Raymond Tillman spent most of his adolescence and early adulthood behind bars. His last release — after three stints inside — was in 2011. When he got out, he had a lot to catch up on — like, the digital age. "When I first came home I was illiterate to technology," he explains. "Didn't know how to turn on a computer, let alone what an email was." But he needed a job, and to get one, he'd need to be able to apply online. A parole officer suggested Tillman go to the Cal State San Bernardino...

We are excited to announce the 3rd edition of Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction (with a special edition for criminal justice settings ) is now available. Developed by Stephanie S. Covington, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., co-director of the Institute for Relational Development and the Center for Gender and Justice, Helping Women Recover is an evidence-based, manualized curriculum for treating women with histories of addiction and trauma. It is designed for use in a variety of...

Mechuksus, As I write this I am trying to overcome the taboo's within California Tribal Communities that come along with the culturally invasive factors of asking the ACE questions. Our traditional societies had very strict rules on what we talked about between male and female relationships as well as outside of the community unit. Unless you work within the wellness realm or you have pursued your own healing many Tribal Communities are unaware of what ACEs are. This is something that my...

Therapy dogs are used in a wide variety of environments and circumstances but, broadly speaking, they are dogs whose presence is designed to help alleviate stress, promote feelings of well-being and sometimes help with a process of rehabilitation or healing in humans other than their owners.