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By Jared Keller, Pacific Standard, August 5, 2019 The El Paso, Texas, mass shooting that left 20 dead on Saturday may actually spell the end for one of white nationalism's greatest resources: the online radicalization of potential domestic terrorists. Almost immediately before he opened fire at a Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall, the 21-year-old shooter posted a crazed, hate-filled manifesto to the online message board 8chan that's become "a megaphone for mass shooters, and a recruiting...

By Erin P. Hambrick, Thomas W. Brawner, and Bruce D. Perry, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, August 6, 2019 Early-life stress (ELS) poses risks for developmental and mental health problems throughout the lifespan. More research is needed regarding how specific ELS experiences influence specific aspects of neurodevelopment. We examined the association between ELS, defined as severe adversity (e.g., domestic violence, caregiver drug use) and severe relational poverty (e.g., caregiver...

By Sarah Sloat, Inverse, July 21, 2019 Michele Koppes, Ph.D., is a geographer and associate professor at the University of British Columbia, where she’s spent the last 20 years watching massive glaciers melt away as a result of the climate crisis. She, like many people who follow the news about global warming and its effects, is aware of climate change anxiety, the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness about the fate of our planet. Koppes’ work at the intersection of climate science,...

But if we want to prevent shootings, asking about motive will just get you a useless answer to the wrong question. If you use the lens of the science of adverse childhood experiences, the answer reveals itself, and usually pretty quickly.

By P. Berman, A. Hosack & K. Hecht I will do this for Davy and Claire. I will stay away from them and sell drugs for the gang. He had only had about two minutes, but he had been learning enough from Manuel to know what a good husband and father would do; he would stay away from Claire and Davy. Larry would keep pretending he was done with Claire. He would keep his burning desire to see her and Davy a deep secret so the gang would have no interest in them. Selling drugs would give him the...

The primary solution to reducing the number of ‘mass shootings‘ and ‘hate crimes’ and ‘gun violence’ that occur in our country is not another policy or law. The solution lies in getting to and addressing the root issues that are driving people to conduct these horrific crimes. I believe the emphasis must be placed on prevention and healing at the deepest, personal level…. getting to the root of the problem at hand. By getting to the “heart” of the issue!

An ACEs Connection webinar will offer helpful self-regulation tools to those rocked by recent shootings in Gilroy, CA, El Paso, TX , and Dayton, OH. The Building Resilient Communities webinar is offered by ACEs Connection this Thursday, August 9, at 10:00 AM PDT / 1 :00 PM E D and will last approximately 1 hour. Elaine Miller-Karas will teach her Community Resilienc y Mode l. Find registration details below. This webinar is free and open to the public. It serves professionals and community...

Outreach is easier with a NoHitZone Care Package! Do you wish your pediatrician office or local hospital was a NoHitZone? We can help you reach out to your pediatrician, local children's hospital, church, daycare, or government office! A care package helps you pitch the idea of a NoHitZone and includes: Information on NoHitZones Overview of the research on spanking Information on Helper Cards for Parents 5 sample Helper Cards StopSpanking Magnet (for file cabinets, cars, refrigerator) Salina...

Forming close friendships is not something that comes naturally to a lot of us who struggle a bit around attachment, connection and trusting others because of exposure to early trauma. Luckily, it's something we can learn, even if we didn't learn this at home. I have some tips to show you how to have better friendships. ( You can watch the video of this post here, or keep reading. 1. Pick the right people for friends. This is no small thing for people with Complex PTSD or Childhood PTSD --...

By Aaron Karmin, PsychCentral, August, 5 2019 When you’re learning to manage your anger in a non-aggressive way, the first steps consist of recognizing how anger feels for you, and getting to know the situations that produce it. It’s easier to take these first steps if you can become aware of your anger’s symptoms. Cognitive Signs [ Please click here to read more .]

By Theresa Harrington, EdSource, August 5, 2019 Ashley Wallace is one of nearly 145,000 teachers nationwide whose students will start the school year with new classroom and learning supplies thanks in large part to the generosity of strangers. The help arrived through a national nonprofit web site, DonorsChoose.org, that connects what teachers need to donors. Back-to-school is the site’s busiest time of year. [ Please click here to read more .]

By Cheryl Corley, National Public Radio, August 5, 2019 In Kentucky, running away from home or constantly skipping school could get a kid locked up in a juvenile hall for days. Those acts, called status offenses, aren't serious crimes, but for years Kentucky and other states treated them as though they were. That first brush with the juvenile justice system can often lead to more trouble if authorities focus on punishment, not the underlying reasons for the bad behavior. But there's growing...