May 2021

By Jill Suttie, Greater Good Magazine, May 12, 2021 When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he assured Americans of their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This idea seems to lead many Americans to chase after new gadgets and hedonistic pleasures. But what if that approach is wrong? What if happiness comes from aiming to make others happy, instead of doing nice things for yourself? That is exactly what a recent study found. In the experiment, college...

The nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan Act has several buckets of funding that can be used to promote trauma-informed and healing-centered projects. PACEs Connection communities can apply for this funding, according to leaders of the Campaign for Trauma-informed Policy and Practice (CTIPP), the National Trauma Campaign, and PACEs Connection. The “Better Normal” webinar on Friday, May 14 at 3 p.m. EST; Noon PST, Dan Press, Jesse Kohler and Marlo Nash of CTIPP will begin by describing...

In addition to the launch of our State of CAre provider engagement campaign today , ACEs Aware and California Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, are partnering with the national ACE Resource Network on a consumer education campaign designed to raise awareness and understanding of ACEs and toxic stress. The campaign’s theme, “The Story of Your Number,” is a reference to understanding the story behind one’s ACE score, and how this can support and empower people and families to heal.

SACRAMENTO – May 13, 2021 – The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Office of the California Surgeon General (CA-OSG) today launched the “ State of CAre ” health care provider engagement campaign to expand the reach and impact of the ACEs Aware initiative . The campaign slogan is, “Our State of CAre is ACEs Aware.” The campaign uses digital and print media to raise awareness about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the long-term health effects they can have on children and...

I learned an important concept about how to feel emotions again safely – especially after trauma– over 26 years ago from my favorite graduate school professor, the late Terry Taylor Smith, LMFT: “And” is a powerful word. As a concept for healing, it’s life-changing. Once you start to employ this concept in your life, the possibilities are pretty incredible. I can’t think of a better time to write about how to feel and hold emotions. When so many are feeling numb and overwhelmed, “and” is...

I'm reposting (below) what Mathew Portell has been sharing on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn about his live podcast tonight. I'm excited to be his guest talking about Parenting with ACEs, as well as about grief, loss, healing, and living with cancer. We will be live on Facebook at 4p.m. PST (6p.m. CST, 7p.m. EST). Please join us. Paradigm Shift Education Trauma Informed Educators Network Trauma Informed Educators Network Podcast Mathew Portell Cissy White supports individuals and...

There is no doubt that the coronavirus has taken the world’s collective breath away. People are getting sick by the thousands, with many not surviving. The governments around the globe have mostly shut down their countries to help prevent Covid19 as it kills even more people. As a result of these government measures, people are being either encouraged or forced to remain at home. For some, this means isolating alone. How should a person, especially if they live alone, handle the inevitable...

By Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio, MIT Sloan Management Review, June 17, 2020 Research shows us that even in normal times, constant exposure to negative news can have a heavy impact on our mental health . In the midst of an unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, people are not only faced with new challenges in their work and personal lives but also subjected to a constant barrage of troubling headlines. Among other things, negative news increases the level of...

By David Oliver, USA TODAY, May 12, 2021 It's Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and one great way to mark the month is by educating yourself — and your children — about the community through reading. Given the proliferation of violence against the community, knowledge is power. Children can start to internalize race and gender stereotypes as early as 4 years old, Dr. Christia Brown, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Kentucky, previously told USA...

By Taylor Trudon, The New York Times, May 3, 2021 Growing up, Carley Ebbenga was used to not having big birthday parties. Since her birthday falls right in the middle of winter break, most kids were out of town so she stuck to small celebrations. But for her Sweet Sixteen, Ms. Ebbenga, who lives in Romeoville, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, wanted to do something special. She envisioned a trip into the city with a few friends where they would eat a nice dinner and stay up late dancing in their...

Understanding the story behind one’s score can empower and support people and families, which is what NumberStory.org -- and “The Story of Your Number” campaign -- is designed to do.

Billboards! Social media! PSAs! Celebrities!...The largest and only national public awareness campaign ever to come out of the adverse childhood experiences movement launches May 13 with Numb er Story. The campaign was created by the ACE Resource Network , which was funded through Anonymous, an organization that helps "funders achieve more impact and experience greater fulfillment through their philanthropy", according to its website. Its funder is, well, anonymous. We do know that it is an...