Blog

In late September, I travelled to Indian Township, Maine, the largest of three Passamaquoddy reservations, for the tribe’s annual ceremonial-days festival. That far northeast, the state is all water-edged hills and long stretches of humanless, single-lane roads, and it was in full autumnal splendor. Outside the reservation’s tribal office, in a field that was steps away from a shimmering lake, a few hundred Passamaquoddy people gathered to celebrate in pan-Indian powwow style. Donald...

“Breastfeeding is a cultural tradition,” shares Shawn Meyer, RN, BSN, CLC, a public health nurse and member of Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. “It’s ingrained in our history and the history of many other tribes across the country.” The Native American breastfeeding tradition Meyer describes, however, has been disrupted by centuries of historical trauma, an insight that helps explain why Native Americans now have one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding of all other racial and ethnic...

We were in a planning meeting in early January, reviewing the punch list of things yet to do before the launch of our series “Sick, Broke and Left Behind,” scheduled to run January 20, when I got a call that breaking news was overtaking our first story. Virginia’s Lee County was about to begin divorce proceedings from its hospital partner that had failed to deliver on a bucketful of sweet promises. We had already planned for the first story to focus on Lee County, which lost its hospital in...

The Public Health Agency of Canada broadcast a presentation in January 2019: The ACEs Wave: Cautions and Considerations. The presentation was given by two of Canada's leading experts on child maltreatment, Dr. Andrea Gonzales and Dr. Harriet MacMillan. They explore cautions and considerations regarding use of ACEs across clinical, policy and research contexts. Below are links to the audio recording and to the Power Point slides in English and French. "In recent years increasing attention has...

A 7-page fact sheet describing Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE) is now available. A dyadic psychotherapeutic intervention for enhancing the caregiver-child relationship and making behavior management more effective, PC-CARE combines teaching and coaching on how trauma exposure affects children’s mental health. Caregivers can be biological parents, relative caregivers, resource parents, grandparents, nannies, or anyone caring for a child. While caregivers play with the child, therapists coach...

Sharing an excerpt from a post from Annie Wright Psychotherapy. https://anniewrightpsychotherapy.com/all-the-little-fragments-understanding-complex-relational-trauma/ “There is no growth without real feeling. Children not loved for who they are do not learn how to love themselves. Their growth is an exercise in pleasing others, not in expanding through experience. As adults, they must learn to nurture their own lost child.” ― Marion Woodman Two weeks ago, I wrote an article about child abuse...

Maryland Essentials for Childhood, a statewide initiative educating policy makers and communities on the science of ACEs, developing brains, and how we can build resilience for children, families and communities in Maryland, is poised to meet with Maryland elected officials this coming Thursday, ,February 7th, 9-1 pm. We will educate legislators on the science and policies that reduce or mitigate ACEs and other childhood trauma. Key policies being considered by the General Assembly are:...

Pausing to appreciate the good things that exist in every day doesn’t mean we avoid challenges, or abandon difficulties, or neglect to plan for the future. It means we acknowledge that within the roiling of catastrophe, there is always something to celebrate. We acknowledge the celetastrophe of every day.

ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) can have a devastating affect over an entire lifetime, but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. While you can’t erase your past, with hard work and encouragement you can have a better future. Asking for help, relying on others, learning trust and building confidence in your own abilities can all contribute to a healthy comeback and promising potential. When we begin to take control of our past, we open up possibilities for great things in our future.

Batman is a 3 Luke Skywalker is a 6 Katniss Everdeen is a 7 So What are you?

A lifesaving grant opportunity Apply by March 18, 2019 The Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Grant Program is dedicated to helping states and tribes reduce suicide in youth. The program implements prevention and early intervention strategies in schools, juvenile justice systems, substance use programs, and other youth-serving organizations. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) plans to award 26 grants of up to...

What’s the difference between anger and resentment in Childhood PTSD? Is it really so wrong to be resentful? Isn’t there a risk of becoming a forgiving “doormat” if you lose the resentment you carry against those who wronged you? In this video I explain the everyday toxicity of resentful thoughts, and how to use my Daily Practice to release resentment and fear, and gain more clarity, and more power to make choices in life. You can learn my techniques for releasing fear and resentment, and...