December 2023

December 6, 2023: This week, Suds of Love Truck aka "Miss Dorothy" was spotted serving Lumberton Christian Care Center! Founded by Tina M. Bowen, Suds of Love Truck is a 30 ft truck equipped with three sets of washers and dryers, a full bathroom, and hygiene products to assist unhoused individuals and those in need. Suds of Love also assists local schools with their washer and dryer needs as well as with disaster relief. For more information about Suds of Love and how to support their...

Most of us already know that complex trauma is a significant public health concern. With the Level 1 NARM Online Basics Training, helping professionals can play a vital role in delivering trauma-informed care to their community, even if they're not mental health providers. On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily is joined by Stefanie Klein, LCSW, Faculty and Assistant Training Director at the NARM Training Institute, to preview the Level 1 NARM Online Basics Training (OBT), the live...

"It's Not About Food, Drugs, or Alcohol: It's About Healing Complex PTSD", a new book by PACEs Connection member Mary Giuiliani, launches next week. For a preview of what the longtime student of ACEs science, now PACEs science, shares in her revealing “teaching memoir”, tune into our ‘History. Culture. Trauma.’ podcast for a lively conversation between Giuilani and hosts Ingrid Cockhren and Mathew Portell this Thursday at 1 p.m. PT. In the book—chock-full of quotes from top experts on the...

Click here to make your donation today. PACEs Connection is a social network that recognizes the impact of a wide variety of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in shaping adult behavior and health, and that promotes trauma-informed, healing-centered and resilience-building practices and policies in all families, organizations, systems, and communities. We support communities to accelerate the science of positive and adverse childhood experiences to solve our most intractable problems.

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site — abuseresearch.info — that focuses on the effects of abuse, and includes research articles on PACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs, PCEs and PACEs. Thank you, Harise!! — Rafael Maravilla] LGBTQ Concerns Tran NM, Mann S, Cortez MG, Harrell B, Nettuno L. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and mental health by gender identity in the United...

From Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), Photo: from article, December 2023 The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health (DRC), a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), under a cooperative agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), is excited to announce the release of the 2022 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) Child and Family Health...

A screenshot from “Cared Straight,” a documentary about the Youth Deterrent Program in Detroit. (Kickstarter) By Ricardo Ferrell, Waging NonVioloence, November 22, 2023 In many inner cities and suburbs across America our youth are losing their way, as they drop out of school and start hanging in the streets with the wrong crowd. These teens are drawn to negative influences and lose interest in their academics. They become bored with the idea of learning and obtaining an education and more...

An M.R.I. scan of a brain highlighting the posterior cingulate cortex. In a study, traumatic memories appeared to engage this area, which is usually involved in internally directed thought, like introspection or daydreaming. Credit... Geoff B. Hall By Ellen Berry, The New York Times, November 30, 2023 At the root of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a memory that cannot be controlled. It may intrude on everyday activity, thrusting a person into the middle of a horrifying event, or...

It took two years for Joyce McMillan to be reunited with her children after they were removed from her care nearly 25 years ago. The experience propelled her advocacy for child welfare system reforms. Catie Dull/NPR By Olivia Hampton, National Public Radio (NPR), November 30, 2023 Nearly 25 years ago, Joyce McMillan's two children were taken away from her. One was eight. The other was just an infant. A neighbor had called a child welfare hotline. And the case worker sent out to investigate...

Being positive is a complete state of mind. It is looking at self, and determining what brings a positive spirit within. Rather it be an enjoyable activity, or spending time with inspirational individuals, you ultimately determine your happiness. There are a few simple steps to remaining positive, especially during the holiday season. Keep a positive mindset by harping on small successes over failures. Find what inspires you each day. Keep pushing, no matter how hard the task may seem.

"Suzanne Zeedyk and other educators in Scotland worked for years to get the word out there and finally it took off. It’s wonderful (ethical!) when a government educates and funds wellbeing in its people as the Scots are doing." – Darcia Narvaez, PhD, Kindred World, President, and Evolved Nest Initiative, Founder