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Do you know anyone who thinks the Earth is actually flat? I'm not sure why that question occurred to me. Perhaps, I was looking for a unique or different way to talk about trauma-informed leadership. Don't laugh too hard! Stay with me for a minute, please. If you asked a random person if they had ever heard that centuries ago people thought the Earth was flat, I'm going to guess they will say, "Yes." In fact, some people still do! Not sure about that? Ever heard that people thought...

While serving as a Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, I first learned about the concept of "adverse childhood experiences" through a newspaper article. But when I wanted to learn more, I wasn't sure where to turn. After lots of research and trial and error, I found these resources to be some of the best. (Yes, ACESConnection is on the list!) I'm convinced EVERY leader needs to be trauma informed. While there is significant focus on helping children overcome their adversity,...

When reading an article on LinkedIn about leadership, I realized that Simon Sinek was right...but not for the reasons leaders assume. For a few years now, I've been trying to harmonize the various writings by authors whom I like. For example, how do Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , Susan Cain's Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking , and Simon Sinek's Start With Why compliment each other? In addition, how does Bruce Perry's The Boy Who Was...

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site -- abuseresearch.info -- that focuses on the health effects of abuse, and includes research articles on ACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs. Thank you, Harise!! -- Jane Stevens] Campbell KA, Gamarra E, Frost CJ, Choi B, Keenan HT. Childhood Adversity and Health After Physical Abuse. Pediatrics. 2020 Oct;146(4):e20200638. PMID: 32938778 From...

Doctors and nurses at a hospital in Sacramento, California were uncomfortable interacting with a 17-year-old black youth who had suffered a gunshot wound and was paralyzed from the neck down. DeAngelo Mack “They didn’t want to tend to him, because they thought he was disrespectful,” said DeAngelo Mack, who has advocated on behalf of hundreds of black and brown youth who have been victims of violence. “My work was to explain to them, of course he’s frustrated. He’s a 17-year-old kid who will...

Most people are not neuroscientists. But nearly everyone has a basic understanding of how to build a house: a sturdy foundation as the basis for an intact, enduring structure. That’s why Building Strong Brains Tennessee (BSBTN), Tennessee’s ACEs response, uses the metaphor of brain architecture to help people understand why the experiences and interactions of early childhood matter so much, and how they set the stage for adult physical and mental health. Building Strong Brains, a...

“It needs to be familiar” “And immediate” “Has to feel comfortable to access” “Yes, personal to the family” “They have to be able to connect easily” “Right. It has to be useful” When the Ready4K content team sat down to create a trauma-informed curriculum , they knew they had to address all 5 Protective Factors . After careful consideration and analysis the team knew they could address the first 4 factors in specific and actionable ways through our Fact, Tip, Growth messaging. But the fifth,...

In their latest brief, Resilient Georgia makes a compelling evidence-based 'Case for ACEs Prevention' and an urgent call to action to invest in building resilience now – early intervention is more effective, less expensive, and imperative to averting the next pandemic: mental and behavioral health.

Many may think that self-awareness can only occur at the individual level. However, for companies to be successful, they must have self-awareness throughout the individual and the organizational levels. As you read through this article, thinkabout how you can apply these concepts to your business as well as your personal life. Remember, self-awareness is a journey that starts with yourself. For corporations to truly embrace diversity and inclusion, they must examine their mission, values,and...

English: The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EfC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe...

Before the pandemic, Sara Buckley, an 8 th grade science teacher at Park Middle School in Antioch, California, could handle students who were acting out during class. Understanding that trauma lies beneath disruptive behavior, she didn’t send kids to the principal for punishment. Instead, she’d talk with them to find out what was going on at home or outside of school—and then work out a plan for how to respond differently the next time they were triggered. They could visit the school’s...

Like many of you, I’m a bit out of sorts and somewhat disoriented right now. Our collective mental health is deteriorating during Covid-19. Recent stats report an increase from 20-40% of adults struggling with mental illness since the advent of the pandemic. Maternal mental health is particularly at risk. Helping children with distance learning, navigating exposure to the news, trying to keep life a bit “normal”, keeping family members fed and supplied, juggling career and income loss, all...