VANESSA LANCASTER, PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

A greater risk of adult physical and mental health problems has long been correlated with adversity and trauma during childhood. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are defined as traumatic events and unsafe environments occurring in children before the age of 18. ACEs include the incidence of emotional, physical, and sexual maltreatment, neglect, substance abuse within the household, mental illness in the household, violence, and incarceration of a household member.¹

Numerous national studies indicate the seriousness of ACEs, with prevalence as high as 67 percent of adults experiencing at least one ACE and 16 percent experiencing at least four ACEs. The CDC reports that at least five of the top ten leading causes of death are associated with ACEs.^₂

A new study published in October 2022 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry further demonstrates that these experiences have significant impacts on adult physical and mental health. Physical illnesses, such as obesity, chronic pain, and migraines, are affected, but mental disorders showed the most significant association, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and depression.³

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     ABQJOURNAL NEWS STAFF

A schoolteacher friend of mine recently asked why so many children are now ill-equipped to handle situations in which things don’t go their way. Why are her young students no longer capable of handling any constructive criticism or challenges without “crumbling” or throwing a fit? Why are so many teenagers having increasing difficulties, as well? Are these issues just negative consequences of growing up during a pandemic?

Experiencing those critical days of early childhood development, as well as entering adolescence during a pandemic has most definitely had a negative impact on some children and teens. While teachers and health care providers have been forced to develop more grit and utilize resilience, the pandemic may have limited situations where our kids would typically be able develop theirs.

Why do some people seem to naturally have more grit, or resolve? How is it that some are so resilient and able to recover more quickly from difficulties?

Thankfully, grit and resilience can be learned, and caring adults can help teach children and teens how to acquire these critical life skills.

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     LAURA PORTER, ACE INTERFACE

I want to open by talking about this word coalesce. Coalesce means to grow together and think of it as we're uniting people through a common goal, but we're doing it through learning and growth. So, a coalition is put together for a specific reason, we might want to put one together for creating a healing centered community, but that's pretty extract. Coalitions usually come together because there is some significant need in the community or in the interest group and then they go on a journey together to learn together and so we have to think of coalitions like we think of communities. They're living systems.

So, when we think about growing together, what are we growing. We're growing the capacity to solve problems, which means we have to build into our coalition development, some civic skill building, some building of and modeling healthy relationships and trauma-informed ways of interacting with human beings inside of the group, or the community, and then the ability to identify and activate really fit situations and honestly evaluate success.

These are pretty rare, this set of skills you won't find in everyone who would like to start a coalition. So, in part what you're going to do, is think about your own skills and think about who you need to be on a core team. I think of it as the group that you huddle with, the group that you might have a breakfast meeting with once a week and figure out what's our strategy and what we are heading for.

You're going to build the processes that are trustworthy, and that means when you say that you're going to do something, you do it and that you put regular and systematic times in place for your action. People can relate to you, even people who don't easily trust others, begin to understand that they can trust your process.

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     KELLY CAMPBELL, ENTREPRENEUR

According to the landmark CDC-Permanente study of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), two-thirds of Americans reported at least one of the following "Big 'T' traumas": emotional, physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and household challenges of parental separation, substance abuse, incarceration, violence and mental illness. One in five reported three or more. It's important to note that this study was conducted from 1995 to 1997, when very few talked about their emotional wounds. Though that is still the case today for many, these numbers are likely much higher given the sheer prevalence of stress, anxiety, PTSD, depression and other mental health challenges.

It would stand to reason that a portion of people who start businesses do so to fulfill an unmet need from childhood.

I believe that entrepreneurship can be a trauma response for many of us. From first-hand experience with four of nine ACEs and much trauma healing and integration work, I have come to understand that starting my own digital marketing agency was my attempt at recreating an environment in which I was valued.

Since I did not feel valued as a child because I didn't feel loved by one of my primary caregivers, I sought to remedy those younger needs during adulthood as an entrepreneur.

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     NATIONAL CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS NETWORK

Major medical associations recognize gender-affirming care as the standard of care for transgender, gender diverse, and intersex (TGI) youth. Gender-affirming care broadly refers to creating an environ-ment that facilitates youth to move through the world safely as the gender they know themselves to be. This includes developmentally appropriate, evidence-based care provided by medical and mental health experts in partnership with youth, parents. and caregivers. It may include evidence-based interventions such as puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormones. Gender-affirming care also includes access to opportunities that all children should have, such as playing team sports, safely using bathrooms in their schools and other public places, and positive relationships with supportive adults. 

Providing gender-affirming care is neither child maltreatment nor malpractice. The child welfare system in the US, charged with "improving the overall health and well-being of our nation's children and families,” should not be used to deny care or separate families working to make the best decisions for their children's well being. There is no scientifically sound research showing negative impacts from providing gender-affirming care. The decision for the child welfare system to become involved in the lives of families, potentially to the extent of removing children from their families and homes, should be wielded with the utmost care, grounded in evidence, and always prioritizing the well-being of children and preservation of families.

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     SARAH STEFFES, BOOK STUDY INVITATION

This adult book study will meet virtually Wednesdays from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. for 10 sessions beginning January 18, 2023 to discuss the book What Happened To You?by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey. You can check your local library, Amazon or local bookstore for a copy of the book or listen to it on Audible. This book study will be facilitated by Sarah Steffes with Circle of Care.

On page 9, A Note from the Authors, Dr. Perry and Oprah invite us to be in control of our own reading experience. They understand the challenges of reading both disturbing emotional content and new, initially challenging, science content. In their wisdom, they invite us on a reading journey that we control, encouraging us to stop, ponder, rest, walk away and eventually return.

There is no requirement on sharing during meetings, or how many meetings you attend. Come as your schedule allows!

Please complete this form to indicate your interest in the book study and receive meeting information. If you have questions, please contact Sarah at sarah.steffes@circleofcare.org

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