March 2022

By Ellen Gerst, Photo: Wyoming Democratic Party, Casper Star Tribune, March 19, 2022 When Lynette Grey Bull lived in Arizona and later California, she often heard about the effects of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, from teachers, other nonprofit volunteers and health care providers. But when she moved to the Wind River Indian Reservation, that framework for understanding trauma wasn’t a part of the conversation. “It’s rural, it’s a reservation, but also working with non-native...

By Renate Raman and Joren Slaets, Photo: Screenshot from article, The New York Times, March 23, 2022 Three years ago, we came across a short article about Missing You, a summer camp in Belgium where children struggling with grief can come together and bond with their peers. It struck us as an incredibly pure idea, and we wanted to know more. What does a grief camp look like? Is it a sullen, sad affair? Does it really help the children? And what do they do there? In our research, which was...

The words we use to describe ourselves have a huge impact on how we are treated. If we call ourselves by a term that means something negative, we will inevitably be treated in a negative fashion. There are terms used to describe those of us who live with mental health conditions. However, those words, including the ones I just used, must be changed. This is the only way to get people looking at diagnoses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia differently and opening an open and honest...

Johann Hari offers a surprising theory for why it’s so difficult to pay attention.

On March 17, 2022, PACEs Connection hosted our fifth event in our Historical Trauma in America series . The event was facilitated by PACEs Connection staff members Dana Brown (organizational liaison), Donielle Prince (director of state initiatives), John Dovales Flores (community arts consultant), and Natalie Audage (family and community resources lead). The event featured guest speaker Gabriel Nuñez-Soria, an educator, PhD Student, and Director of the Trauma-Resilient Educational...

Development of Memory Caregivers may have noticed their baby’s developing memory – like crying when they see the doctor or remembering hand movements to their favorite song or game. In your visits, you can build on this by asking the baby to follow simple directions, like touching their toes, giving a high five, or making an animal sound. When they do it (if they do it), offer praise for the connections they are making! “You remembered that from last time – way to go. Your brain is working...

The massive bipartisan $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill for FY ’22 signed by President Biden on March 15 contains funding that demonstrates a growing awareness and support in Congress for programs and policies to address trauma. The incremental nature of the legislative process makes it difficult to see progress readily but there are bright spots in this legislation to celebrate.

These are ace scores. I was wondering about adverse childhood experiences and people who have or had narcissistic partners, so I asked them the following question. "If you are in or were in a relationship with a narcissist what is your ACE score?" Two respondents had an ACE score of 1. Two respondents had an ACE score of 2. One respondent had an ACE score of 3. Three respondents had an ACE score of 4. Etc.

By Jennifer Rubin, Photo: Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press, The Washington Post, March 17, 2022 It should come as no surprise that the highest rates for covid-19 deaths and murders are found mainly in red states. A political mind-set that prioritizes racial resentment, anti-science zealotry and manufactured cultural wedge issues is not likely to be conducive to long, healthy lives. Indeed, antagonism toward “elites” (e.g., experts) often impedes common-sense measures that save lives.

By Madeline Holcombe, Photo: Shutterstock, CNN Health, March 21, 2022 There is more we can do to make our kids feel seen, accepted and secure -- and it starts with adding more terms for gender identity and sexual orientation to the official forms we give them, according to a new study. Researchers in Minnesota analyzed data from students across the state in grades eight, nine and 11, finding that a significant portion of the youth population identified with terms including lesbian, gay,...

By Sara Robinson, Adriane Apicelli, and Kerry Nolte, Photo: Leigh Prather, Psychiatric Times, March 21, 2022 The experience of trauma is common for US adults and even more pervasive for patients presenting in psychiatric settings. Estimates of previous experience of traumatic events is 51% to 84% in the general adult population and 76% to 91% in those seen in psychiatric settings. The most prevalent comorbid disorders among adults with serious mental illness (SMI) are substance use disorders...

By Damon Young, Illustration: Damon Young, The Washington Post, March 21, 2022 I think that maybe what scares me about Kanye West — what maybe compels me to attempt to make sense of what appears to be a hyper-public manic episode — is what scares me about me. “I don’t want to be thrown away,” said Bassey Ikpi, author of “I’m Telling the Truth but I’m Lying,” a memoir about her bipolar disorder, during a conversation last month. “I see Kanye and realize how easily that could be me.” And I...