Empowering and Supporting Children who have Experienced Childhood Trauma: Detour not Destiny

Experiences in childhood matter.  Numerous research studies have shown how childhood stress and trauma can impact adult health.  The Ace Study is the largest study investigating the health and social effects of negative childhood experiences.  Now that we have the research, what can we do about it?  The cycle of violence, generational poverty and abuse, homelessness, substance abuse, incarceration, perpetration and victimization of violence are all related to ACE’s.  But what if this is my story?  Helping survivors of childhood trauma understand the impact that ACE’s may have on their health and well-being is step one.  Acknowledging the barriers and times when a survivor feels stuck is step two.  Creating tools and self-care strategies is the lifetime journey to hope, health and happiness.  You are NOT your ACE score.  It is NOT a diagnosis. 

Objectives:

• Supporting survivors to change their inner dialogue from “what is wrong with me?” to “What happened to me”.

• Recognize types of child maltreatment and adversity and how it may impact adulthood.

• Identify risk and protective factors to understand what may be triggering and what is considered self-care and healing.