Profile Information
Location
Anoka, MN
Country
United States
Postal Code
55303
What is it you do for a living? (Parenting, volunteering, CEO of social service organization, etc.)
Licensed Psychologist and Licensed School Psychologist
What organization(s) do you volunteer or work for?
Anoka-Hennepin School District
What is your interest in PACEs and resilience science?
We are interested in providing parents, teachers, and others in the community with more knowledge and understanding of what ACEs are and how ACEs affect a child's brain development, ability to appropriately regulate their emotions and behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and academic performance in school. There is a need to increase adults' awareness of and willingness to acknowledge ACEs within their own history to help them connect with and understand the children in their lives. The research has already shown that when adults have learned more about these issues, they have been able to perceive traumatized children's behavior in a more positive light and have learned to be more authentic and compassionate with themselves as well as the children in their care. Given the increasing numbers of children who have experienced ACEs and begun displaying significant emotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties in early elementary school, we are in dire need of changing the mindset and policies in schools to better address the current needs. As school psychologist and school social workers, we recognize the needs and are seeking ways to initiate the path to systemic change within our schools.