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By Andrea Bonior, Psychology Today, Image: Unsplash , December 26, 2024 Chronic pain is a condition with immense emotional impacts and one that can be brutal for its sufferers—affecting quality of life, mood, relationships, and work. Its psychological effects are well-documented. In a recent study by UCLA Health and the US Veterans Affairs Office and published in JAMA Network Open, however, the reverse direction is explored. This study took a look at the impact of emotions and stress on...

By Amaka Watson, Defender, Image: screenshot from article , December 21, 2024 Starting December 26, the seven-night celebration of Kwanzaa begins. This African-American and Pan-African holiday is celebrated by millions worldwide with the goal to strengthen the values of African heritage and reinforce community among African-Americans. If you are unfamiliar with this holiday tradition, here is what you need to know about Kwanzaa: Who created Kwanzaa? Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor and...

Tatiana Alabsi and her 11-year-old son, Sami, walk through San Francisco’s Tenderloin to the police station, where they take a karate class. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle By Maggie Angst, San Francisco Chronicle, December 27, 2024 Walking through San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, Tatiana Alabsi and her 11-year-old son, Sami, often must navigate tents, people in drug-induced stupors, and groups congregating over stolen goods or drugs. For Alabsi’s family, who immigrated from Yemen to...

In a busy work environment, it’s easy to get caught up in long-term goals and overlook the small steps that take us there. However, celebrating small wins is essential for keeping your team motivated, engaged, and focused on progress. Celebrating small wins is an especially important practice in trauma-informed workplaces. Recognizing incremental achievements creates a sense of emotional safety and trust, making everyone feel valued for their contributions—big or small. As the saying goes,...

GOOD NEWS! In the midst of the chaotic and dysfunctional budgeting process at the end of the year the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 9076, the Protecting America’s Children by Strengthening Families Act , also known as the Supporting America's Children and Families Act, by unanimous consent! It was previously passed by the House. It now goes to President Biden for his signature into law. H.R. 9076 reauthorizes and updates Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, a critical child welfare law, through...

Trauma can trap individuals in cycles of pain, disconnection, and emotional paralysis. Creative solutions, such as drama and theater, can offer an alternative or supplement to traditional talk therapy, offering an embodied, active approach to healing. Limitations of Traditional Trauma Therapy Traditional therapy has long been the go-to approach for healing from trauma. Many people find relief from the insights generated through talk therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, and other...

Middle-schooler finds goose poop that has cancer-fighting compound “My mom, auntie and grandma have all had cancer, so it makes me happy that something I found could help,” said Camarria Williams. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2024/12/22/middle-school-stem-goose-poop/...

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site — abuseresearch.info — that focuses on the effects of abuse, and includes research articles on PACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs, PCEs and PACEs. Thank you, Harise!] Human Trafficking Santiago Mangual KP, Patin E, Chandler M, et al. Part I: Health issues of those experiencing trafficking: Background and context for dermatologists. Clin...

The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act is officially headed to President Biden’s desk. The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, a bill Ro Khanna introduced last year, tackles abuse and neglect in the so-called “troubled teen” industry. Paris Hilton, a survivor of this abuse, spoke out about her experience and inspired change. Each year, tens of thousands of children are neglected, abused, and exploited by an industry that sells itself as a solution for troubling behavior while traumatizing...

[Editor's note: Dr. Harise Stein at Stanford University edits a web site — abuseresearch.info — that focuses on the effects of abuse, and includes research articles on PACEs. Every month, she posts the summaries of the abstracts and links to research articles that address only ACEs, PCEs and PACEs. Thank you, Harise!] Child Abuse Riccardi JS, Hale M. Adverse childhood experiences and brain injury in younger children: Findings from the 2021-2022 National Survey of Children's Health. Brain...

The latest Surviving Spirit Newsletter - Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma, Abuse & Mental Health is out - It can be read online via this & you can also subscribe - http://ml.survivingspirit.com/dada/mail.cgi/archive/newsletter/20241218122142/ or this - https://www.survivingspirit.com/pdfs/2024-12-The_Surviving_Spirit_Newsletter_December_2024.pdf “ Every single person has at least one secret that would break your heart. If we could just remember this, I think there would be a lot...

To read more of Echo's blog post, please click here; Trauma-Informed Journalism . The power dynamic between journalist and trauma survivor is inherently unequal. Unlike survivors, journalists know and control the reporting process. They ask the questions, choose the quotes, and frame the story—often without any input from the survivor. Power and control (“agency”) are taken from the survivor during the traumatic experience; therefore, trauma experts agree, restoring agency is essential for...