We can talk about grit, resilience and mindsets all we want. These approaches, while useful in a limited way, operate off a deficit model. There is something wrong in individuals that needs to be fixed -- repaired. And, there is a built in assumption that those who have high ACEs can return to the status quo ante -- they can bounce back. But, these are flawed arguments and here's why. Those with high ACEs are forever changed; they cannot bounce back. (There are neurological reasons among...

In an unprecedented global shutdown, many of us, especially without the noise and distraction of everyday life, are facing intensified, often destabilizing feelings. And that includes kids—whether they’re able to say so or not.

By Noel King, National Public Radio, October 17, 2019 NOEL KING, HOST: Actress Lupita Nyong'o became a household name playing Patsey in "12 Years A Slave," and then "Black Panther" brought her worldwide fame. Her characters are strong, and they are undeniably gorgeous. But growing up as a dark-skinned girl, she didn't always feel beautiful. Now she's written a children's book called "Sulwe" about a little girl a lot like herself. LUPITA NYONG'O: Five years old, I had a younger sister who was...

Greetings - A colleague invited me to jump in here and mention my own book as a resource for folks involved in this community. My name is Sue Badeau, I live in Philadelphia and have been involved in the Trauma community for many years including the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Advisory board for a decade and worked with Multiplying Connections locally for several years helping to develop curriculum and training. My daughter (and artist) and I have created a book entitled "Building...

“This delightful, pun-filled allegory tells the story of a neglected boy who is convinced that he has no worth. ...the book is fast-moving and funny, with a touch of sadness. It will appeal to adults as much as YA readers, reminding all that average is not easy since everyone is special in his or her own way.” —BookLife Prize for Fiction

A groundbreaking new book from Tian Dayton, PhD, and the publisher of the New York Times bestseller Adult Children of Alcoholics …The book that started it all! T ian Dayton picks up where Janet Woititz author of Adult Children of Alcoholics left off…..for those who have grown up in a family with addiction, mental illness, or other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the heartache and pain doesn’t end when they grow up and leave home. The legacy can last a lifetime and spread to generations...

A groundbreaking new book from the publisher of the New York Times bestseller Adult Children of Alcoholics …The book that started it all! "Tian Dayton picks up where Janet Woititz author of Adult Children of Alcoholics left off…..for those who have grown up in a family with addiction, mental illness, or other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the heartache and pain doesn’t end when they grow up and leave home. The legacy can last a lifetime and spread to generations unseen. In The...

Teaching children how to better navigate crisis, right now.

Dear ACEs Books Community, We just launched a new trauma-informed children's book series called Venus and Her Fly Trip . The series has been developed in collaboration with therapists, educators, parents and healers and is designed to promote mental/social/emotional health, body positivity and imaginative play in kids 4-10 , with the ultimate goal of preventing self-hatred. I would greatly value hearing the feedback of the ACEs community on this endeavor, and welcome your ideas for how to...

Pat Hays has written a devotional book that gives wonderful insight into the joys and struggles that parenting a child with emotional special needs presents. Her book, My Tears in His Bottle: prayers from the heart of a special needs’ mom , contains excerpts from her personal prayer journal as she worked through the last fifteen years of balancing her calling to be an adoptive parent with the roadblocks she encountered in her neighborhood, friendships, school district, marriage, and church...

Great site with some lovely books for children 'Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept' https://www.facebook.com/SomeSecretsShouldNeverBeKept/

Kathleen Friend MD is a Child Psychiatrist, children’s author, musician and heart rhythm meditation teacher currently living in Tucson, Arizona. Her mission is to expand the paradigm of Child Psychiatry to embrace a holistic view of mind, body and spirit.

Kathleen Friend MD is a Child Psychiatrist, children’s author, musician and heart rhythm meditation teacher currently living in Tucson, Arizona. Her mission is to expand the paradigm of Child Psychiatry to embrace a holistic view of mind, body and spirit.

Thanks for the write up Karen. I love the "bouncing forward" idea, and I'm going to check this book out.

A transcript of this video is available here .

So glad to see you post on ACEs Connection! I'll be sure to share this with my podcast audience. Peace, Teri

Hi Gary, Congratulations on having your book, The King of Average, newly re-published! Please know I look forward to reading your e-book and sharing with the children and youth leadership I facilitate weekly for their discernment. Please know I'll share their youth led messages here. I'm so intrigued when reading, " I hope this story will inspire children to better understand their feelings and discover their own truth in an entertaining and fun way." and "The book delivers an important...

Chris: Thank you for sharing this. The title immediately got my attention. As an parent with high ACEs, I have been constantly raised up by adoptive parents who have learned and shared what they have learned about love, attachment, trauma and parenting. It has not only benefited my parenting but my own healing. Because, unlike many of us with high ACEs in childhood, who have a whole family and maybe generations and generations with high ACEs, that's not always the case with adoptive families...

Hello, I am a survivor-THRIVER, married for 27 years, Christian mom of both bio and foster/adopted children as well as author/advocate for prevention of child sexual abuse. My husband and I were trained as facilitators for Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children Training as well as foster parent and trauma trainings. I understand the high risk and vulnerability especially of children with high ACE scores. My activity book, Raising PEARLS:Prepared, Empowered, Armored, Restored,...

I forgot to add that Raising PEARLS activities, affirmations and conversation prompts are for parents to do with their children as young as age 2 up through elementary age.

International Children's Book Day occurs on April 2nd - this article highlights two books written by community partners in Plymouth County. Whether it’s a teacher, staff member, or character in a book, children need to feel connected to something to help them cope with the various stressors that they have going on in their lives. “Children can often feel alone and isolated and when they can relate to characters in a book, it helps them feel less alone,” Sarah Cloud, Director of Social Work...

I'm glad today is Children's Book day. I posted several years ago my award winning middle-grade adventure fantasy, The King of Average. It was on the best of lists in 2016 for Kirkus Reviews and Indie Reader and has since won two gold medals from Children's Literary Classics. One psychologist called it "Self-Helpful fiction." It's also a great read-aloud book. Here's the post: https://www.pacesconnection.com...of-childhood-neglect

December 31, 2021 – Rohan Bullkin and the Shadows , a provocative new picture book by Jamaican poet and Chevening Scholar Juleus Ghunta, has been released today by CaribbeanReads, a St. Kitts-based publishing company. The book follows the title character, Rohan Bullkin on his journey from reluctant to enthusiastic reader. Rohan’s reluctance to read is fuelled by Shadows – manifestations of his adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. He improves his literacy with the guidance...

A new research-based book for children's ministry leaders explains trauma-informed principles in plain language using examples from real churches.

Combining three generations of family experience with ACES research and positive psychology, THE WINNING FAMILY helps prevent dysfunctional behaviors and discipline problems from the inside out.

Good evening everyone: I have recently published my third book. This one is a novel but still trauma related as the two non fiction books were. Incase anyone is interested, it is on Amazon and I am adding the link. Thanks and be well. Susan Pollard https://www.amazon.com/Cry-Children-Novel/dp/B0BW3HQXXQ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PQG3VV2TW9O9&keywords=susan+pollard&qid=1679179384&s=books&sprefix=susan+pollard%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1