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30 years ago, Dr. Shapiro was walking through a park when she noticed that her eyes started to move from side-to-side rapidly when she was thinking about something upsetting. Then she noticed that when these thoughts came up again, they didn't have the same power to upset her. That was the beginning of what has now evolved into an evidence-based practice for resolving trauma. At the Echo conference in Los Angeles on March 18 & 19, 2019, you will learn about EMDR from Ana Gomez, who was...

On January 30th, I woke up before dawn to drive around East Oakland and count all the homeless people I could find. I was one of the 600 volunteers who participated in the 2019 Point-in-Time (PIT) homeless count for Alameda County, California. The PIT count is a nationwide effort to tally the number of unsheltered Americans living on the street on a single night in January. It began in 2003 and happens every two years. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires...

While some scholars may attribute persistence to a need for control, I like to take the stance with those who look at persistence as a will to not give up. More and more research is emerging on resilience and its positive impact in off-setting ACEs (adverse childhood experiences), even learned resilience skills in adulthood.

We have options when it comes to adapting to change. Taking positive steps toward change ultimately helps to broaden a person’s emotional window of tolerance. Facing change supports healing, and ultimately helps enhance one's life experience.

The number of deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide in 2017 hit the highest level since federal data collection started in 1999, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by two public health nonprofits. The national rate for deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide rose from 43.9 to 46.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017, a 6 percent increase, the Trust for America's Health and the Well Being Trust reported Tuesday. That was a slower increase than in the...

By K. Hecht, A. Hosack, & P. Berman The future seemed so wonderful to imagine. Even Larry had re-entered Claire’s life. Larry had a job at a local bar as a bouncer; he had been working for a year and had saved up and now had a car. When he first showed up at the Carsons , Claire was so surprised he had been able to find her! It made her feel so happy and loved that he would search for her. Claire assumed it was another sign her future was bright. Larry was earning enough money to take...

The new podcast, More than Health Care: A Community Health Conversation is now available through the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities. Every other week a new episode will uncover keys to collaboration and holistic health in pursuit of improved health outcomes and lower costs for all. It discusses the latest on best practices, policy, and opportunities for integration and innovation. In the first episode, our cohosts interview Beth Babcock, president and CEO of Economic Mobility...

Every week, more than 10,000 prisoners are released from U.S. prisons and begin the long process of reintegrating into society. For many, a successful reintegration will occur only if they can access the types of credit commonly used by all American citizens, such as credit cards and auto loans. For those unable to borrow, prospects for successful re-entry fall and recidivism risks rise. That’s bad for all of us. Lack of access to credit can push former inmates into poverty traps and cycles...

My wrists were handcuffed to my waist by a leather strap. These restraints would become standard for me for decades to come. They walked me to a car and I got in. A captain next to me started elbowing me in my chest, face, and ribs. They drove me to a building just inside the front gate that housed the reception center and death row. Inside was a cellblock called closed cell restricted, or CCR: another name for solitary confinement. In the stairwell they beat me viciously. I couldn’t fight...

When a Swansea primary school began to teach pupils about their human rights, several children told teachers they did not feel safe at home. Rachael Webb, headmistress of Hafod Primary school, said it led to the involvement of the authorities. "It does make children think about how they should be treated," she said. [For more on this story, go to https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-47031262 ]

Join the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative and Andrea Bushala from the Theraplay Institute for a free webinar as she discusses the role of everyday play in preventing and responding to trauma. Andrea will highlight how the Theraplay Institute has utilized coaching parents, educators, and clinicians in the simple games of childhood to forge connections and resilience building in the children they support. Theraplay is a child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment,...

Exposed – The Arc of Trauma and Abuse Exposed [originally titled Daughter of God] is a 2016 American thriller film, written and directed by Gee Malik Linton [credited as Declan Dale], at his directorial debut. The film stars Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Christopher McDonald, Big Daddy Kane, and Mira Sorvino. While perusing NETFLIX for a music or nature documentary the other night, I came across the movie, Exposed . I had stumbled upon the movie previously as well, and though I was trying to...