February 2017

And this is as real as it gets! The University of Florida School of Public Health in Gainesville had the opportunity to have real-life experience last semester when Peace4Tarpon was invited to be the subject of the Fall 2016 Semester Master’s Public Health Communications class. Under the leadership of Professor Mark Hart, the class was able have the experience of how to "message" an emerging model and to create useful products contributing to real work in the world. Dr. Hart reflected that...

Growing up here in the 1940s and 1950s, Sevone Rhynes experienced segregation every day. He couldn’t visit the public library near his house, but instead had to travel to the “colored” library in the historically black area of Brooklyn, a neighborhood that used to be in the center of Charlotte. He attended a school for black children, where he received second-hand books, and where the school day was half the length of that of white schools, because the black school had too many children and...

A shove on a playground. A pair of shears meant for an art project. Pepper spray carried for a dangerous walk to school and left in a backpack during first period. While seemingly minor, these infractions, and others like them, have helped fuel a school-to-prison pipeline, with 60,000 youths in U.S. juvenile detention centers on any given day. Three programs across the country are among those aiming to block that pipeline by preventing arrests for minor crimes, diverting kids who have been...

Representing the Philadelphia ACE Task Force and Drexel University , Dr. Lee Pachter, pediatrician, shared an introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), the difference between healthy stress and toxic stress in childhood, its impact on lifelong health and well-being & the universality of ACEs in so many of our children's lives. He also discussed the protective factor and buffering value for a child that unconditional love and support from an adult - parent, teacher or neighbor...

The link between traumatic experiences and the development of addiction has been well-documented . Edward Khantzian, who originated the self-medication hypothesis of substance abuse, writes that “human emotional suffering and pain” and an “inability to tolerate [one’s] feelings” are at the root of addiction. People may use alcohol, drugs, or gambling to numb or control distress, low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression. But there is virtually no empirical research on the potential link...

Postpartum depression is recognized and understood today more than ever before, thanks to advances in research and public awareness campaigns. While the stigma around the disorder isn’t entirely gone, many new moms who might have once suffered in silence are reaching out for help—and speaking out about their experiences. But women aren't the only group that can be affected by postpartum depression: New dads can struggle with it too. Fathers don’t suffer from depression in the same way, or at...

In April of 2015, Robert Doggart was arrested for allegedly planning to destroy a mosque in the town of Islamberg, New York. While he lacked weapons, the New York Daily News reports that Doggart “allegedly went on right-wing online forums and openly talked about using AR-15 assault rifles to attack Muslims because he believed the small upstate community was an extremist training camp.” Despite Doggart’s convictions, there is no evidence to suggest that Islamberg, a Muslim-majority community...

The racial bias that ProPublica found in a formula used by courts and parole boards to forecast future criminal behavior arises inevitably from the test’s design, according to new research. The findings were described in scholarly papers published or circulated over the past several months. Taken together, they represent the most far-reaching critique to date of the fairness of algorithms that seek to provide an objective measure of the likelihood a defendant will commit further crimes.

Relationships are hard work and in order to create healthy communication patterns, one must learn to have successful conflict resolutions. Many times you might find yourself at a communication impasse and feel increasing frustration. It’s common to feel as though there isn’t a way around it and just to escape the conflict or to react negatively to it… but there is a better way. Inter-personal conflicts are normal occurrences in relationships, work situations and anywhere you find someone...

“What do you do for a living?” I dread that question. It forces me to face the reality that I am living a life that I had never dreamed of for myself. I define myself as a researcher and a writer. But I spend the majority of my time being a stay-at-home parent and the primary caregiver of my two young children. It is hard to reconcile the fact that, despite my Ph.D., my days primarily consist of changing dirty diapers, washing bottles, cleaning messes, and simply being “mama.” I know what...

In this episode of the Brain Series, a panel of experts explain the relationship between childhood adversity and the developing brain. [See the segment, listen to the audio, or read the transcript at https://charlierose.com/episodes/29962]

I’d like to thank all the readers of my new book, Journey to the Heart , who have sent messages and emails. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying it so much, and it has helped you move forward on your healing journey. That was my intent! After reading it, several have asked wonderful questions. Some I have responded to privately. Others I have posted as discussions in my closed Facebook group. But I felt this question should be the subject of a blog post. It’s an important issue for us. What do I...