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This extensive report from the California Surgeon General provides an in-depth look at the impact of ACEs, the science of resilience, and a detailed outline for cross-sector collaboration to prevent, reduce, and heal communities and individuals from the harmful effects of ACEs and toxic stress.

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Consequences don't help regulate dysregulated children. Collaborative problem solving meets children where they are at and builds solutions with agency and autonomy.

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Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Insights for Educators--Educator Strategies for the Classroom

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A universal approach: a brain-based approach

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Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Insights for Educators--The Neurosequential Model

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The Community Resilience Initiative (CRI) provides a range of comprehensive training options and resources. Interested in becoming a Trauma-informed care trainer? Stacy is a certified trainer through CRI and can provide you with the prerequisite certification to enroll in CRI's Trauma-Informed Care 1 Train the Trainer.

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Training | Community Resilience Initiative | Walla Walla

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Training offered by Community Resilience Initiative: We offer a toolkit, framework and logic model to help build a plan for your community.

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Trauma-informed SEL starts with adult social emotional learning and well-being.

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Special Offer

The challenge of connecting with children who are hard to reach and managing big behaviors continues to trend upward. For those still struggling with these impacts in the classroom day after day, Connecting with Children Who are Hard to Reach provides fresh insight and new strategies for reaching and teaching challenging children- particularly those impacted by trauma and toxic stress, whether from the pandemic years or other circumstances.

Improve achievement and wellbeing for your entire class by discovering evidence-based, field-tested practices for building the connections that lead to cooperation; understanding and responding to challenging behavior; cultivating lasting behavior change and healing; and managing your own anxieties, grief and frustrations surrounding big behaviors.

$699

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Connecting with Children Who are Hard to Reach | Orlando, FL | November 2024 | Workshop

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Special Offer: Get 15% off this event with your purchase of Anger & Rage: Understanding and Responding to Reactive Violence The challenge of

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How Emotions are Made: The Predicting Brain

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How Emotions are Made: The Predicting Brain

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Predictive Process Theory goes beyond Triune Brain Theory, viewing the brain as having specific and integrated networks that are constantly making meaning from sensory input by predictions and associations based on past experiences.

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How Emotions are Made (Cinematic Lecture)

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In this 16 minute Ted Talk, pediatrician and former CA Surgeon General, Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris shares her story of discovering the impact of childhood adversity on the health and wellness of children.

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How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris | TED

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The predictive brain and trauma.

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Why your brain creates trauma | Lisa Feldman Barrett

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Safe Spaces: Trauma-Informed Training for Educators

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Safe Spaces: Trauma-Informed Training for Educators

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Free training modules designed for educators working with different age groups.

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Anyone who works with children is invited to take the free, online professional learning. This includes early care providers, educators and school personnel, including school nurses, librarians, administrative support, school bus drivers and yard duty support. Each module is about two hours and is filled with case examples, videos, strategies and practices. Select the module(s) that best fit your professional needs:

NOTE: For Module 1 (ages 0-5), you will need to create a California Early Childhood Online (CECO) account here.

For all technical assistance, please call 1-800-770-6339 or e-mail ceco@wested.org.

Through participating in the online trauma-informed professional learning module, learners will be able to:

Describe foundational concepts related to trauma-informed practice, healing and resilience.

Develop awareness of the brain's response to stress, its impact on behavior and protective factors on mental and physical health and well-being.

Describe the essential role of positive relationships in protecting social, emotional, and mental well-being.

Recognize developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive trauma-informed and healing-centered supports.

The training is designed to engage the learner with case examples, strategies, videos and practices - each varied according to the developmental stage served.

Understanding your role in promoting resilience and healing

Understanding trauma-informed practice

Preventing ACEs

Promoting healing and resilience

Reflection and planning

Understanding how individuals experience stress and trauma

Parts of the brain and what they do

Behavior is a form of communication

Identifying activated stress responses

Responding to students/children who are stressed

Adult well-being

Case examples, reflection, and planning

Understanding the collective conditions for health and well-being

Collective relationships

Environments and routines

Community of care

Case examples, reflection, and planning

Understanding the role of systems in supporting health and well-being

Conditions that support well-being in care/education contexts

Strategies for supporting well-being in care/education contexts

Reflection and planning

Dr. Joshua Sparrow

Joshua Sparrow, M.D., DFAACAP, is executive director of the Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) in the Division of Development of Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital, where he also holds an appointment in the Department of Psychiatry, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical school, part time. Dr. Sparrow's care in the 1990s for children hospitalized for severe psychiatric disturbances, often associated with physical and sexual abuse, and for developmental delays aggravated by social and economic deprivation and injustice, prompted his interest in the social determinants of health, racial health inequities, trauma and historical trauma, and community-based prevention and health promotion. At BTC, Dr. Sparrow's work focuses on organizational learning and change, and aligning systems of care with community strengths and priorities. BTC provides professional, organizational and leadership development, community based participatory research, and developmental program evaluation for family-facing professionals in pediatrics, early childhood care and education, infant mental health, home visiting, child welfare, public libraries and children's museums. Dr. Sparrow began working with young children at age 13 and did so every summer through most of college. After graduating from college, he taught in preschools (2 year old and 4 year old classrooms) for a few years before deciding to go to medical school. www.brazeltontouchpoints.org.

Ms. Lindsey Fuller

Lindsey Fuller is an unapologetic and passionate advocate for scholars and marginalized communities. Prior to joining The Teaching Well where she leads as the Executive Director, she served as a 1 st and 6 th grade teacher, and elementary school administrator, and District Leader in the position of Regional Director of Student Services. In that role, she supported 11 Bay Area schools and led all non-academic initiatives, including mental health programming, behavioral supports, socio-emotional learning, and crisis management. Through her private practice, Fuller Freedom Consulting, as well as TTW she strives to sustain adults in our schools to ensure trauma-sensitive continuity of care. She is a trainer in Restorative Practices (IIRP) and is state certified as a Mediator (CCEJ). Lindsey is a native of the Oakland/Berkeley community, the child of two educators, and mother of two.

Dr. Pamela Cantor

Pamela Cantor, M.D. is a child and adolescent psychiatrist, author, and thought leader on human potential, the science of learning and development, and educational equity. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, she founded Turnaround for Children, which translates scientific insights into tools and services that help educators establish the conditions for all students to thrive. In two books published in 2021, Whole-Child Development, Learning and Thriving: A Dynamic Systems Approach and The Science of Learning and Development, Dr. Cantor crystallizes key scientific concepts about how human potential and learning unfold so that anyone seeking to open pathways for learning and opportunity for young people can do so. She is a featured contributor to Edutopia's How Learning Happens series which has been viewed more than 15 million times. Dr. Cantor is a governing partner of the Science of Learning and Development Alliance, a member of the Brookings Institution's Task Force on Next Generation Community Schools, and a Commissioner of the Learning 2025 Commission of the American Association of School Superintendents. She received an M.D. from Cornell University, a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, and was a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

We want to get the word out on Safe Spaces and, if you do too, we've made it as simple as possible to do just that. The content included in this toolkit can be used to help CA-OSG promote the training and includes a promotional video, one-pager, presentation, social media, and content for your newsletter or website.

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Safe Spaces: Foundations of Trauma-Informed Practice for Educational and Care Settings | OSG

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ACEs, Toxic Stress, and Physical/Behavioral Health 

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ACEs, Toxic Stress, and Physical/Behavioral Health 

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High rates of ACEs (having experienced 4 or more) are associated with significat physical and behavioral health challenges as well as school violence,  truancy, and school failure. But, "What is predictable is preventable" (Dr. Robert Anda). Educators are often the first to see the signs of ACEs and toxic stress and are uniquely positioned in the lives of children and youth to form supportive nurturing relationships that can prevent ACE and buffer children from the harmful effects of toxic stress.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Preventing early trauma to improve adult health

At least 5 of the top 10 leading causes of death are associated with ACEs.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood. ACEs can include violence, abuse, and growing up in a family with mental health or substance use problems. Toxic stress from ACEs can change brain development and affect how the body responds to stress. ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood. However, ACEs can be prevented.
Preventing ACEs can help children and adults thrive and potentially:

Lower risk for conditions like depression, asthma, cancer, and diabetes in adulthood.

Reduce risky behaviors like smoking and heavy drinking.

Improve education and employment potential.

Stop ACEs from being passed from one generation to the next.

Preventing ACEs could reduce a large number of health conditions.

Potential reduction of negative outcomes in adulthood

Adverse Childhood Experiences impact lifelong health and opportunities.

ACEs are common and the effects can add up over time.

61% of adults had at least one ACE and 16% had 4 or more types of ACEs.

Females and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for experiencing 4 or more ACEs.

Many people do not realize that exposure to ACEs is associated with increased risk for health problems across the lifespan.

Healthcare Providers Can:

Anticipate and recognize current risk for ACEs in children and history of ACEs in adults. Refer patients to effective services and support.

Link adults to family-centered treatment approaches that include substance abuse treatment and parenting interventions.

Employers Can:

Adopt and support family-friendly policies, such as paid family leave and flexible work schedules.

States and Communities Can:

Improve access to high-quality childcare by expanding eligibility, activities offered, and family involvement.

Use effective social and economic supports that address financial hardship and other conditions that put families at risk for ACEs.

Enhance connections to caring adults and increase parents' and youth skills to manage emotions and conflicts using approaches in schools and other settings.

Everyone Can:

Change how people think about the causes of ACEs and who could help prevent them.

Shift the focus from individual responsibility to community solutions.

Reduce stigma around seeking help with parenting challenges or for substance misuse, depression, or suicidal thoughts.

Promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments where children live, learn, and play.

Related Pages and Resources
Resources:

For More Information
1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
Web: www.cdc.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
Publication date: November 5, 2019

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood.

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Understand the financial cost of childhood adversity on systems.

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Looking for materials to support family awareness? Visit Your Number Story!

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The road to resilience involves all stakeholders including individuals with lived experiences

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The stress response turns toxic when the challenging situation doesn't end, or when there is no adult to help us process what we've been through. When our stress response stays active too long, it can hurt our body and brain, and even affect our behavior.

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Your Number Story (La Historia de tu número)

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ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences. Our ACE history counts experiences of abuse, neglect and household challenges that happened to us as children. But that number does not define us.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers Adverse Childhood Experiences to be a public health crisis. Prevention is key. The CDC has responded by designing free prevention training to promote a cross-sector/multi-disciplinary approach to prevention.

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Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences | VetoViolence

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Explore new training and ensure all children grow up healthy and happy.

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Dr. Bruce D Perry, child psychiatrist and neurobiologist, shares insights on the importance of emotional safety in the classroom. Safety is bedrock to an optimal learning environment.

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Dr. Perry cautions against the use of shame and humiliation to manage behavior in the classroom.

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Creating non-stigmatizing self-regulation opportunities to promote student (and educator) well-being.

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Peace Corner: Creating Safe Space for Reflection

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School helps fidgety kids with exercise in its sensory hallway

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Giving children opportunities for movement and sensory engagement can regulate their nervous system and support their mental well-being.

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School helps fidgety kids with exercise in its sensory hallway

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We are biologically designed to seek connection with others.

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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Resources for trauma-informed care

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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A trauma-informed child and family service system is one in which all parties involved recognize and respond to the impact of traumatic stress.

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creating supporting sustaining trauma informed schools a systems framework

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Interested in becoming a certified Trauma-Informed Care trainer? Stacy Boyce is a certified CRI trauma-informed care trainer and can provide districts with the prerequisite training for the CRI Train the Trainer in Trauma-Informed Care.

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Community Resilience Initiative is Inspiring healthier communities with science-based insights in order to promote and cultivate resilience.

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Trauma-Sensitive Schools: A Whole-School Approach - Trauma Sensitive Schools

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Trauma-Sensitive Schools and Safe and Supportive Schools benefit all children. TLPI embraces a whole-school approach that enables all children to achieve.

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An in-depth guide to transforming schools into healing-centered pillars for their communities.

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The PACEsConnection is a multidisciplinary international community of individuals and organizations working to address ACEs and increase PCEs in communities worldwide. Joining this community gives you access to articles resources and professionals.

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Insomnia is relatively common in several individuals within the United States of America. The disorder is known to cause individuals lack of quality sleep practices, resulting in paramount health concerns. According to Colombo (2023), the average individual should receive approximately 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. An individual with insomnia receives approximately one-third of the average amount of sleep per night (Colombo, 2023). There are several factors that contribute to deficiences...

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Insomnia is relatively common in several individuals within the United States of America. The disorder is known to cause individuals lack of quality sleep practices, resulting in paramount health concerns. According to Colombo (2023), the average individual should receive approximately 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.

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Early Childhood Development and the Stress Response System

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Early Childhood Development and the Stress Response System

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Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Insights for Educators--How Stress Impacts the Brain

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How can PTSD shift what we pass to the next generation

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How can PTSD shift what we pass to the next generation

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PTSD, stress hormones, and epigenetics.

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How Parents’ Trauma Leaves Biological Traces in Children

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Adverse experiences can change future generations through epigenetic pathways

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How Trauma Rewrites DNA: Epigenetics Explained

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Not all children experience lasting harm as a result of early adversity. Some demonstrate resilience, or an adaptive response to serious hardship.

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Supportive Relationships - the foundations of resilience

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Supportive Relationships - the foundations of resilience

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Every child needs someone who is crazy about them.

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Tennis for Babies: Investing in Early Childhood Resilience  | Meghan Walls | TEDxWilmington

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Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion | TED

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Learning Happens in the Context of Relationships

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Learning Happens in the Context of Relationships

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Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED

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One of the most significat protective factors in a child's life are the supportive nurturing relationships with significant adults. When families have access to culturally relevant, non-stigmatizing, parenting support, they can develop the skills needed to support their children's well being. Sesame Street Workshops provides a varety of materials that can support the most influential educators in a child's life- their parents/guardians.

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Your care and support can make a huge impact in the life of a young child. Sesame Street is here to provide you with resources to help bring joyful moments.

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Flourish Agenda is a national nonprofit consulting firm that works with youth of color, schools, youth-serving organizations, foundations, and local governments to build and implement strategies that allow young people to flourish. It is the first to offer Healing-Centered Engagement training.

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Our Radical Healing process gets people off the path of the discouragement and onto the path of possibility and hope.

Radical Healing practices and principles restore hope, power, and possibilities in schools and youth serving organizations. Radical Healing builds relationships that improve organizational climate and support the well-being. We help youth-serving institutions incorporate powerful strategies and more effective policies to support young people by boosting their culture, agency, relationships, sense of meaning, and aspirations (CARMA).
WE TEACH PEOPLE TO:

1. Be more effective in building individual, collective, and organizational well-being.

2. Create approaches that improve young people's social emotional well-being.

3. Develop strategies that heal rather than harm young people.

4. Cultivate practices that improve school and organizational climate and racial equity.

5. Form networks for innovation and learning.

6. Adopt the right metrics to gauge progress toward well-being and equity.

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Flourish Agenda | Creating Strategies That Allow Young People To Flourish!

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Radical Healing practices and principles restore hope, power, and possibilities in schools and youth serving organizations. Radical Healing builds relationships that improve organizational climate and support the well-being. We help youth-serving institutions incorporate powerful strategies and more effective policies to support young people by boosting their culture, agency, relationships, sense of meaning, and aspirations (CARMA).

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We can counteract the harmful effects of adversity and toxic stress through healthy supportive relationships.

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Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

In September 2019, lead researcher Dr. Christina Bethell released the results of a study of 6,188 adults at Johns Hopkins seeking to identify Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) that could buffer against the health effects of traumatic ones. A percentage of kids with high ACE scores do nevertheless grow up to have normal development and good adult emotional health. The researchers were looking to identify the factors that created a level of resiliency in these kids that helped them to thrive despite difficult childhoods.

The study determined there are 7 positive childhood experiences that can be statistically linked to good emotional and mental health in adults.

Even before researchers defined ACE's and demonstrated the link between high ACE scores and lower high school graduation rates, increased mental health diagnoses, higher rates of incarceration, and other poor outcomes, there has been an enormous focus on decreasing adverse childhood experiences.

The PCEs study helps shape research moving in an additional direction: increasing positive childhood experiences to build resilience in kids who have experienced trauma, and those who may in the future. The relationship between PCEs in childhood and good mental health in adults is dose-responsive; the more PCEs a child gets, the better their adult mental health is likely to be.

Children with PCEs become adults who are able to seek social and emotional support. The 7 PCEs are:

1. The ability to talk with family about feelings.

2. The sense that family is supportive during difficult times.

3. The enjoyment of participation in community traditions.

4. Feeling a sense of belonging in high school.

5. Feeling supported by friends.

6. Having at least two non-parent adults who genuinely cared.

7. Feeling safe and protected by an adult in the home.

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Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) - Pinetree Institute

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In September 2019, lead researcher Dr. Christina Bethell released the results of a study of 6,188 adults at Johns Hopkins seeking to identify Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) that could buffer against the health effects of traumatic ones. A percentage of kids with high ACE scores do nevertheless grow up to have normal development and good adult emotional health.

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A glimpse into the approach of the Community Resilience Initiative of Walla Walla, WA.

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Using indigenous families’ rituals for restorative healing

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The National Compadres Network is an organization that is rooted in the beliefe that within each culture's indigenous practices exist the healing medicine it's people need to heal. A range of curriculums that support families and youth have been designed by the NCN to promote culturally rooted healing for families and young people. These curriculums are focused on 4 core values of Cara y Corazon (face and heart)- Dignity & Respect (Cara), Trust & Love (Corazon).

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Using indigenous families’ rituals for restorative healing

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Brene Brown shares her insight into vulnerability, courage, and resilience in the classroom. For resilience to grow in children, the adults in their lives need to be resilient.

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Brené Brown | Daring Classrooms | SXSWedu 2017

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Measuring resilience in our lives is just as important as understanding the prevalence of adversity.

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Resilience in school is all about Relationships

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Resilience in school is all about Relationships

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Resilience is Critical and it Can be Learned

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Resilience is Critical and it Can be Learned

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We can learn a great deal from research into resilience, but we can also learn a great deal from the stories of survivors.

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What Trauma Taught Me About Resilience | Charles Hunt | TEDxCharlotte

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Early life stress and development: potential mechanisms for adverse outcomes

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Early life stress and development: potential mechanisms for adverse outcomes

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5 of the top experts in the world will share how they treat clients who struggle with trauma. This brand new program brings together the sharpest strategies for working with a traumatized brain.

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Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain, Flip Your Lid

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Reading the word "genetics" in the title of an article fills most of us with dread. We won't understand it. We don't even remember the basics from school. Genetics is such a complex field of study that it won't make sense to us. But please read on because the possibility of a connection between genetics-or, more accurately, epigenetics-and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) could uncover startling revelations about how we should be raising our children.

Let's start at the beginning. Genetics is a branch of biology concerned with the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity-or the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring-in living organisms.

For many people, knowledge on the subject is limited to a few simple facts:
1.) We all have genes that we got from our parents.
2.) Genes carry our inherited information or genetic code.
3.) Genes are responsible for characteristics like eye color, height, hair color, etc.
4.) Genes also account for less tangible traits like whether we will be susceptible to certain diseases, or even if we will be optimistic and resilient, or prone to
alcoholism or depression.

Some of us may remember a little more of what we learned in high school science class, but here are the basics:
* Human cells can house about 25,000 - 35,000 genes, which are carried on structures called chromosomes.
* As a human being, you have 23 pairs of chromosomes (46 total) - half from your mother and half from your father. Your genetic makeup is determined
when your father's sperm fertilizes your mother's egg at conception to produce the materials needed to make a new, unique individual - you!
* Each gene on the chromosomes has a function. The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in a gene spells out specific instructions-like a cooking recipe - for
making proteins in the cell.
* Proteins are the building blocks for everything in the body from bones to muscles to blood. Proteins help our bodies grow, work properly, and stay
healthy.

Genetic processes don't occur in a vacuum, however. They can be greatly influenced by our environment and experiences which, in turn, can affect our development, decision-making, social-emotional wellness, and behavior. But how much of who we are is due to our genetic code and how much is the result of how and where we were raised and by whom? This is often referred to as the nature versus nurture argument.

Identical Twins and Nature vs. Nurture

Consider the example of genetically identical twins separated at birth and raised in different homes. One child ends up in a chaotic, insecure environment where he suffers ACEs and trauma. The other child grows up surrounded by love and kindness; he is provided with close personal bonds, diverse opportunities, and encouragement. While the nature of the identical twins might be genetically determined to be equal, the nurture component is clearly different. The child raised in the austere, uncertain climate may develop at a slower rate and have greater difficulties in school and life than the nurtured twin. The toxic stress associated with his ACEs has delayed his cognitive and behavioral development, disadvantaging him from birth.

How much of who we turn out to be is the result of genes and how much is the result of our environment is an age-old debate that has not yet been settled. Most scientists accept that both nature and nurture are at play in all human development. There is, however, a growing body of research that suggests a great deal of who we are is up to our genes. Genetics is an incredibly complex (and often misunderstood) field of science and breakthroughs are made every day. Decoding who we are and what kind of lives we will lead is a great mystery, one of the last great frontiers of human exploration and discovery.

The Concept of Epigenetics

Let's take the concept one step further into the realm of epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of cellular and physiological phenotypic trait variations that are caused by external or environmental factors that switch genes on and off and affect how cells read genes instead of being caused by changes in the DNA sequence. Huh? That may sound like gobbledygook to most of us, but it simply means that while the field of genetics looks at the expression of the genetic code, epigenetics studies factors that influence the expression of the gene.

Research in the area of epigenetics has concluded that during early life, the environment we live in can affect the way our genes are expressed.
So, environmental factors like security, bonding, and love can alter how our genes switch on and off, or simply operate. Differing genetic expressions can occur without causing any changes (or mutations) to the underlying genes themselves. In essence, the environment we experience, especially when we are young, can affect which of our genes are active (or expressed), and which remain dormant (or unexpressed).

The Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma

This is why we are discussing epigenetics in connection with ACEs. Because, increasingly, research seems to bear out the fact that the toxic stress of ACEs might not only be experienced by an individual but could also be transmitted from one generation to the next at a genetic level. In very simplified terms, it may be possible to pass on trauma to our children and grandchildren, making the implications of ACEs more devastating and far-reaching than we ever imagined.

Some researchers who have studied historic periods of trauma like the American Civil War or the Holocaust now suspect that abuse, neglect, deprivation, and trauma can impair the functioning at some level of future generations who may not even be living in the same adverse circumstances.

Experiments with Mice and Scent

Controlled experiments in mice have allowed researchers to begin to understand the epigenetics of ACEs. A 2013 study found that there was an intergenerational effect of trauma associated with scent. Researchers blew acetophenone - which smells like cherry blossoms - through the cages of adult male mice, zapping their foot with an electric current at the same time. The mice learned to associate the smell of cherry blossom with pain. Shortly afterwards, these males bred with female mice. When their pups smelled the scent of cherry blossom, they became jumpier and more nervous than pups whose fathers hadn't been conditioned to fear it. To rule out that the pups were somehow learning about the smell from their parents, they were raised by unrelated mice who had never smelt cherry blossom.

The grand-pups of the traumatized males also showed heightened sensitivity to the scent. Neither of the generations showed a greater sensitivity to smells other than cherry blossom, which indicates that the inheritance was specific to that scent.

The science is far from definitive however. Many studies are currently underway and several alternate theories of if and how this is possible are still being debated within scientific circles. One thing is certain: Epigenetics is going to reveal many secrets in the coming years.

Consequences and Hope

The good news is that intergenerational transmission of trauma seems to happen infrequently. The story of human history is rife with trauma. If the transmission of that trauma was inevitable, all of us would be riddled with crippling health issues and developmental delays, and yet most of us are not. Protective factors that seem to mitigate or even prevent transmission in many people are clearly at play. Again, how and why this happens is not fully understood.

Still, the idea that we may be passing on the effects of trauma is a weighty one.

If this is the case, it should change the way we live our lives. Our parents' and grandparents' experiences should suddenly take on new relevance to us. Knowing that the consequences of our own actions and experiences could have long-term implications for the lives of our unborn (and yet to be conceived) children should dramatically alter the choices we make. It might even influence how seriously we, as a society, take violence, abuse, trauma, and mental health.

All these possibilities make it more important than ever before that we value and nurture ourselves and protect our mental and emotional wellbeing. ACEs and trauma are not a predetermined route to a disastrous life, they are simply warning markers along the way that encourage us to be self-aware, surround our children and ourselves with buffers, and practice resilience skills and self-care.

"There's a malleability to the system," says Brian Dias, researcher at Emory University and the United States' Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and author of the 2013 controlled epigenetics study in mice. "The die is not cast. For the most part, we are not messed up as a human race, even though trauma abounds in our environment. [I believe that], in at least some cases, healing the effects of trauma in our lifetimes can put a stop to it echoing further down the generations."

Our goal should be healing the effects of childhood trauma now, so that even the possibility of passing it on to future generations is minimized. As a community, let's all focus on trying to achieve that.

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Epigenetics and ACEs - Center for Child Counseling

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Reading the word "genetics" in the title of an article fills most of us with dread. We won't understand it. We don't even remember the basics from school. Genetics is such a complex field of study that it won't makeRead more

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THE FLEXIBLE FRAMEWORK

The Flexible Framework is an organizational tool that enables schools and districts-in collaboration with families, local community organizations, and outside providers-to maintain a whole school focus as they create trauma sensitive schools. The Framework is organized according to six core operational functions of schools, each of which is critical to any effort that seeks to make school-wide changes.

We first introduced the Framework in Helping Traumatized Children Learn, Volume 1. In Chapter 2 of that publication, each element of the Framework lists a menu of possible activities schools can undertake to become more trauma sensitive. Our work with educators and other professionals since 2005 has helped the Framework to evolve. As reflected below, we have now joined Academic and Nonacademic Strategies together as a single element and added Collaboration with Families as a new sixth element.

The process for becoming a trauma sensitive school outlined in Helping Traumatized Children Learn, Volume 2 encourages schools to use the Framework as a tool to help develop their Action Plans. Each of these six elements of a school's infrastructure can play a critical role in either supporting or inhibiting their efforts to become trauma sensitive. That's why we recommend educators carefully consider the role of each element as they create their action plans.

The Framework is also a tool for policymakers to use as they design laws and policies that affect schools. In Massachusetts, TLPI advocates to ensure that statewide education laws and policies are organized according to the Framework. Organizing school climate and student support initiatives by these six core operational functions allows educators to align new initiatives, find efficiencies, and ensure all efforts in the school reinforce each other. Here are some examples of laws and policies that our state has organized according to the Framework.

Leadership

School leaders must play a key role in any effort to make addressing trauma's impact on learning part of the core educational mission of the school. School and district administrators create an infrastructure and culture that promotes trauma sensitivity. Building leaders engage their staff in strategic planning and encourage the integration of trauma sensitive approaches into existing school operations.

Professional Development

Professional development is critical for all school staff, including leaders. Educators should be provided the opportunity to build skills that enhance their capacity to create trauma sensitive learning environments. A few examples of important areas for professional development include: understanding the prevalence and impact of trauma; techniques for strengthening relationships between children and adults; and alternatives to punitive disciplinary practices.

Access to Resources and Services

Identifying and effectively coordinating with mental health and other services outside the school is critical. These resources should be used to help students participate fully in the school community. Equally important are resources that support staff and provide them with the opportunity to discuss students' needs confidentially and to reflect on how their work is affecting their own lives.

Academic and Nonacademic Strategies

In the classroom, it is important for educators to discover students' islands of competence, whether they are in academic or nonacademic areas. Clear, explicit communication and routines that provide predictability help ensure the classroom is a place where children feel physically and psychologically safe. All children should be viewed holistically-their relationships with adults and peers; their self regulation of emotion, attention and behavior; and their physical and psychological well being are all related to their academic learning.

Policies and Protocols

In order to ensure a whole school trauma sensitive environment, educators must review the policies and protocols that are responsible for the day to day activities and logistics of the school. Some examples of policies that schools often review as they become trauma sensitive include: discipline policies; communication procedures; and safety planning.

Collaboration with Families

Collaboration with families that actively engages them in all aspects of their children's education helps them feel welcome at school and understand the important role they play. Good collaboration can be facilitated by providing professional development to educators that focuses on sensitivity to cultural, linguistic, and other aspects of family diversity; developing mechanisms to share information with families regularly; and making sure meetings and other events happen at times and places that are easy for families to attend.

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The Flexible Framework - Trauma Sensitive Schools

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THE FLEXIBLE FRAMEWORK Six Elements of School Operations Involved in Creating a Trauma-Sensitive School The Flexible Framework is an organizational tool that enables schools and districts-in collaboration with families, local community organizations, and outside providers-to maintain a whole school focus as they

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Responding to children in the survival brain

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Responding to children in the survival brain

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When Helping An Upset Child, Don’t Talk & Try This Instead

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A multidisciplinary approach based on three distinct brain-body states in adults and children that drive behavior.

Conscious Discipline's Brain State Model

Conscious Discipline empowers us to be conscious of brain-body states in ourselves and children. It then provides us with the practical skills we need to manage our thoughts, feeling and actions.

With this ability to self-regulate, we are then able to teach children to do the same. By doing this, we help children who are physically aggressive (survival state) or verbally aggressive (emotional state) become more integrated so they can learn and use problem-solving skills (executive state). When we understand the brain state model, we can clearly see the importance of building our homes, schools and businesses on the core principles of safety, connection and problem-solving.

Survival State asks the question, "Am I safe?"

The only way to soothe the survival state is through the creation of safety.

In a survival state where we feel triggered by threat, these skills are flight, fight or surrender. We can't think clearly when a tiger is chasing us. In the modern world, the tiger may be a disrespectful child, but our brain's evolutionary skill set is the same: fight, flight or surrender.

Emotional State asks the question "Am I loved?"

The only way to soothe an upset emotional state is through the creation of connection.

Emotional State is our response to upset - and can only be soothed through connection. An upset emotional state is triggered by the world not going our way. It limits our ability to see from another's point of view. This upset, unconscious state keeps us on autopilot so our words and tone match those of key authority figures from our childhood. We revert to disciplining the same ways we were disciplined, even if we know these behaviors to be ineffective or hurtful.

Executive State asks the question, "What can I learn?"

The Executive State is the optimal state of problem-solving and learning.

Conscious Discipline empowers us to be conscious of brain-body states in ourselves and children. It then provides us with the practical skills we need to manage our thoughts, feeling and actions. With this ability to self-regulate, we are able to teach children to do the same. By doing this, we help children who are physically aggressive (survival state) or verbally aggressive (emotional state) become more integrated so they can learn and use problem-solving skills (executive state). When we understand the brain state model, we can clearly see the importance of building our homes, schools and businesses on the core principles of safety, connection and problem-solving.

Executive State is the optimal state for problem-solving and learning. As we learn to regulate and integrate our internal state to be one of relaxed alertness, we are able access our own brilliance. We are empowered to change and make wise choices. An integrated executive state frees us from past conditioning, attunes us to the feelings and experiences of others, enables us to remain focused enough to set and achieve goals, and allows us to consciously respond instead of automatically react to life events.

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A multidisciplinary approach based on three distinct brain-body states in adults and children that drive behavior. Conscious Discipline's Brain State Model Conscious Discipline empowers us to be conscious of brain-body states in ourselves and children. It then provides us with the practical skills we need to manage our thoughts, feeling and actions.

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Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs)

In September 2019, lead researcher Dr. Christina Bethell released the results of a study of 6,188 adults at Johns Hopkins seeking to identify Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) that could buffer against the health effects of traumatic ones. A percentage of kids with high ACE scores do nevertheless grow up to have normal development and good adult emotional health. The researchers were looking to identify the factors that created a level of resiliency in these kids that helped them to thrive despite difficult childhoods.

The study determined there are 7 positive childhood experiences that can be statistically linked to good emotional and mental health in adults.

Even before researchers defined ACE's and demonstrated the link between high ACE scores and lower high school graduation rates, increased mental health diagnoses, higher rates of incarceration, and other poor outcomes, there has been an enormous focus on decreasing adverse childhood experiences.

The PCEs study helps shape research moving in an additional direction: increasing positive childhood experiences to build resilience in kids who have experienced trauma, and those who may in the future. The relationship between PCEs in childhood and good mental health in adults is dose-responsive; the more PCEs a child gets, the better their adult mental health is likely to be.

Children with PCEs become adults who are able to seek social and emotional support. The 7 PCEs are:

1. The ability to talk with family about feelings.

2. The sense that family is supportive during difficult times.

3. The enjoyment of participation in community traditions.

4. Feeling a sense of belonging in high school.

5. Feeling supported by friends.

6. Having at least two non-parent adults who genuinely cared.

7. Feeling safe and protected by an adult in the home.

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Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) - Pinetree Institute

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In September 2019, lead researcher Dr. Christina Bethell released the results of a study of 6,188 adults at Johns Hopkins seeking to identify Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) that could buffer against the health effects of traumatic ones. A percentage of kids with high ACE scores do nevertheless grow up to have normal development and good adult emotional health.

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The Brain Is Adaptive Not Triune: How the Brain Responds to Threat, Challenge, and Change

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Theory impacts how research is conducted. A popular theory used to conceptualize brain functioning is the triune brain theory. The triune brain theory is an evolutionary theory of brain development that emphasizes three key brain regions consisting…

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Parental Resilience is the ability to be strong yet flexible. Parental resilience is the ability to manage and bounce back from any type of challenge! In action it looks like: solving problems, building and sustaining trusting relationships and then knowing how to seek help when we need it. How are you managing your stress right now?

During the first two weeks of the school shut down, I began hardcore stress eating. Then I realized that eating like this was not helping and was instead making me feel worse! During my years of college, (those were so stressful to me because of assignments like this! Writing yikes!) I learned that I needed to get outside and go for a jog or a hike or some kind of physical activity as an outlet to help manage my stress.

What increases your capacity for Resilience?

If you don't know, try a bunch of things out and see what helps! Maybe listening to music, going for a drive, laying outside on the grass in the sunshine, watching a movie or favorite TV show, going on a bike ride, writing in a journal, drawing, talking with a friend, or taking a bubble bath are a few ideas to get you started.

2. Social Connections are networks of support! These networks can be found in friends, family, neighbors, and community members. Take a second and think of what kinds of groups you are a part of? Whether it be religious, political, or just for fun-we all need social connections!. I know right now might feel super isolating because of COVID-19, but the flip side is we are all working TOGETHER in that process of isolation to combat and fight this pandemic! Brothers in arms, on the front line kicking the butt of COVID-19, WHO-RAAA (punching of fist up in the air is required when reading the WHO-RAAA ... I'll wait for you to do it again;)

Who is your "brother in arms'' that you call right now for support? Who you gonna call?

...... GHOST BUSTERS! Lol! I couldn't resist! Write a list of all the people in your circle of support. Family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, business or religious associates are just a few ideas to get you started. It will probably surprise you how many people you can come up with once you start really thinking and writing them down!

3. Concrete Support in Times of Need ... We all need help sometimes. There are times when we feel in over our heads and close to drowning. Whether it's addiction struggles, domestic violence, mental illness, and/or meeting our basic economic needs. If you have ever been on https://211utah.org , a website full of resources to help with housing, food, medical, domestic violence just to name a few, then you know there are plenty of resources out there! At the same time, you may also know how overwhelming it can be to find the right resource for your needs. The best way to get started is to just start! Start reaching out! Most likely if you reach out to the wrong place, they will refer you to a more accurate place until you find the one!

4. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development ... We all know how children grow! As soon as we get used to one stage of life, they are growing into the next stage of development. Then add on top of that, that each child is different and has different needs. Understanding the varying stages of child development helps parents to have the right kinds of expectations for their kiddo's behaviors and abilities. If you grew up in a generational pattern of harsh discipline or other negative childhood experiences then it is up to you to break that pattern. By breaking that pattern, you will have a better chance at meeting your parenting goals of raising a happy, healthy, and confident child who becomes a successful adult.

Again, there are tons of resources out there to help you gain parenting tools.

These come in all different platforms you can use to learn, such as: reading books, taking a class, listening to a podcast, looking up different scientific studies and data collected or having a mentor.

5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children... This is where you become their first teacher! Your littles will be like the pet parrot you never knew you had. They mirror back and learn everything from you, whether you consciously meant to teach them that little diddle or not ;) Self-regulation and communication skills go hand in hand with creating a positive impact on your children's relationships with their families, peers, and other adults. Early identification of any struggles in this department and intervention helps keep development on track.

Today's current events are providing an excellent opportunity to be their teacher, not necessarily just math and science but these essential coping skills.

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The 5 Protective Factors for Resilient Families - The Family Support Center

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The Nation-Wide Framework Proven to Strengthen Families, Protect Children, and Prevent Abuse

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Measuring Protective Factors with Families

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Measuring Protective Factors with Families

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A strengths-based approach to supporting young children and families starts with asking the questions "What's right with you?"

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Discussions on Trauma & Resilience in ECE

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Check out this Presentation designed by Stacy Hudson.

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Mindfulness - the practice of being present with our experiences in the moment.

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Creating a safe place for our kids to learn might begin with creating some space for them to breathe.

By Caren Osten Gerszberg

On a cold March afternoon, the hallways were abuzz with chatter and giggles at Chatsworth Elementary School in Larchmont, New York. As the kindergarteners from Liz Slade's class ambled into their classroom from lunch and recess and put their jackets and lunch boxes into their cubbies, Slade asked, "Can today's mindful leader please come up front and begin?"

Isabella, a 6-year-old wearing a heart-clad gray shirt and polka-dot leggings, quietly took a cross-legged seat on the classroom rug facing her peers. With her palms facing up and resting on each knee, she began to tap her thumbs on each of her fingers, simultaneously repeating the words "I-am-calm-now" with each tap. Without hesitation, each of Isabella's classmates, along with their teacher, followed their mindful leader, tapping their thumbs and saying "I am calm now," gently lowering their voices after each repetition until the room grew quiet. Slade then asked her students to slowly make their way to their tables and take out their "feelings" journal.

"They are learning the experience of settling their body," said Slade. "What used to be a wild time now becomes a charming, sweet moment when we all take a pause and come back to being present."

Chatsworth is one of thousands of schools across the country that is bringing mindfulness into the classroom. Growing numbers of teachers, parents, and children are reaping the benefits that learning mindfulness-defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn as "the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally"-can bring, including reduced levels of stress and anxiety, increased focus and self-regulation, and improved academic performance and sleep, among others.

Children today are faced with an unprecedented amount of stress and anxiety-25% of 13- to 18-year-olds will experience an anxiety disorder according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.

With heightened academic pressure trickling down to kids as early as kindergarten, resulting in less time for play and the arts, children today are faced with an unprecedented amount of stress and anxiety-25% of 13- to 18-year-olds will experience an anxiety disorder according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Such early stress levels can negatively impact learning, memory, behavior, and both physical and mental health, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Escalating stress and pressure continue into middle and high school- a survey of 22,000 high school students conducted by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence found that, on average, students reported feeling negative emotions, such as stress, fatigue, and boredom, 75% of the time. An antidote to all this stress has never been needed more. Enter mindfulness.

Case Study: Mindfulness translates into improved academics

The Research on Mindfulness in Schools

While the implementation of school-based mindfulness programs for children in grades K through 12-such as Inner Resilience, Mindful Schools, Learning to Breathe, and MindUp to name just a few-is becoming more popular, empirical research proving the benefits of mindfulness is only beginning to emerge and more rigorous research will be needed over the coming decades. "We know very little about which programs work and what works for whom and under what conditions," said Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Ph.D., co-author with Robert Roeser of the recently published Handbook of Mindfulness in Education: Integrating Theory and Research into Practice, and a professor and researcher at the University of British Columbia. A 2015 study by Schonert-Reichl looked at the effectiveness of a 12-week social and emotional learning (SEL) program that included mindfulness training. Ninety-nine 4 th and 5 th graders were divided into two groups: one received MindUp's weekly SEL curriculum and the other a social responsibility program already used in Canadian public schools. After analyzing measures, which included behavioral assessments, cortisol levels, feedback from their peers regarding sociability, and academic scores of math grades, the results revealed dramatic differences. Compared to the students who learned the social responsibility program, those trained in mindfulness scored higher in math, had 24% more social behaviors, and were 20% less aggressive. The group trained in mindfulness excelled above the other group in the areas of attention, memory, emotional regulation, optimism, stress levels, mindfulness, and empathy.

Compared to the students who learned the social responsibility program, those trained in mindfulness scored higher in math, had 24% more social behaviors, and were 20% less aggressive.

Although in its early stages, research on the effects of school-based mindfulness programs is being fueled by three decades of studies on adults, which shows promise for its psychological and physiological benefits. Researchers are turning their focus to children and teens to figure out what, when, how much, and from whom the teaching of mindfulness works best. "We don't have conclusive evidence at this point about the benefits or impacts of mindfulness on youth," said Lisa Flook, Ph.D., associate scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "We do see the promise of interventions and trainings on outcomes related to grades, wellbeing, and emotional regulation." In other words, the research looking at the benefits of mindfulness in education is pointing toward the positive.

"Mindfulness is a powerful tool that supports children in calming themselves, focusing their attention, and interacting effectively with others, all critical skills for functioning well in school and in life," said Amy Saltzman, M.D., director of the Association for Mindfulness in Education, and director of Still Quiet Place. "Incorporating mindfulness into education has been linked to improving academic and social and emotional learning. Also, mindfulness strengthens some underlying development processes-such as focus, resilience, and self-soothing-that will help kids in the long run."

This is What a Mindful Classroom Looks Like

No one sees the value of a child's impulse control and focused awareness as clearly as a teacher. Liz Slade, who's been integrating mindfulness into her classroom for the last eight years, once observed a student walk up to a tall structure of blocks being built by a few of her classmates. "I watched this little girl raise her foot to kick the blocks, take a breath and then walk away," she said. "The kids can learn to notice distraction, self-regulate, and ask themselves, 'What do I need?'"

Photo Credit: The Crim Fitness Foundation

Slade came to mindfulness on her own about 10 years ago, and after seeing the benefits in her own life, she started experimenting in the classroom with practices that used breathing and mindful listening. "As I became more knowledgeable, experimenting and seeing what was working, I was really impressed," she said. "The kids verbalized to me that they felt they had tools to use to handle stressful situations, which was very moving to me."

Recognizing the impact of her own practice and the positive effects in her classroom-and with the support of her school's principal, a critical component-Slade went on to apply for a grant for her school to bring in a formal training program called Inner Resilience, created by Linda Lantieri, who is also a founding member of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). From there, the support and enthusiasm spread throughout the Mamaroneck School District among teachers, parents, and the administration, with the Inner Resilience training program now offered to teachers and support staff at all six of its schools, which serve 5,200 students. "The best way to implement mindfulness is in an integrated way with social and emotional learning," said Lantieri. "If we are going to be in schools we need to make sure we are helping kids learn better, and if mindfulness can help with that, great."

"The best way to implement mindfulness is in an integrated way with social and emotional learning," says Linda Lantieri, a founding member of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

Most experts feel that the best implementation of mindfulness involves a teacher having her own mindfulness practice or at least an understanding. "It is how they teach, not just what they teach, and if a teacher is mindful in a classroom, the kids learn to be mindful," said Tish Jennings, M.Ed., Ph.D., associate professor at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, who started a program called CARE (Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education) for Teachers. "Teachers are really under a lot of stress and we know their stress affects our kids, so supporting them is a win-win," said Jennings. Her recent research found that teachers trained in the CARE for Teachers program felt less time urgency and were more positive and more sensitive. In addition, children were more engaged and productive.

For Rosalie Choniuk, a teacher at P.S. 94 in the Bronx, New York, learning mindfulness through the CARE for Teachers program has been life-changing. "I am a completely different person since learning mindfulness-mentally, physically and emotionally," said Choniuk. As an ENL (English as a New Language) teacher, Choniuk wears several hats in her school, often providing coverage for teachers when they need to be out of the classroom. Before developing her mindfulness practice, Choniuk grew anxious every time she was to report to a particular fifth-grade classroom, where kids were unruly and fights often broke out. "Now when I go, instead of having anxiety, I set an intention to be calm and deal with them in a positive manner," said Choniuk. "I see the changes in the kids, who are less reactive, and the changes in myself, and now I look forward to being in their class."

Create a Culture of Mindfulness in Schools

If a classroom teacher is not able to provide mindfulness lessons to their class, schools often bring instructors in from outside the school. But long-term mindfulness programs can be difficult to maintain in the classroom with this model. "With an outside person, programs can work insofar as they can train teachers to keep it up," said Trish Broderick, Ph.D., founder of the Learning to Breathe program and a research associate at the Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State University. "The advantage of bringing in a program to teach mindfulness is that it can be replicated and used effectively when taught by teachers or school staff who already have a relationship with the kids."

The Mindful Schools program prefers to call its approach an adoption-where mindfulness begins at the individual teacher level-versus a rollout, or top-down decision made by leadership to implement a new program. "We don't mandate this for all the teachers; we let it grow organically," said Camille Whitney, former head of research at Mindful Schools. "We encourage any number of people to take the course voluntarily, and encourage it as a group so they can practice and build a program together."

Photo Credit: The Crim Fitness Foundation

Integrating mindfulness into a health and wellness curriculum is another alternative for implementation. "Rather than adding on, a program can be supplemented into an existing program," said Broderick, whose Learning to Breathe program is often used as part of a middle or high school's health curriculum.

Last winter, Annie Ward, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Mamaroneck Union Free School District, wandered into a high school health class during a school visit. Ward was struck to see the students sitting quietly with their eyes closed and feet on the floor, as they listened to a guided meditation the teacher was playing on a CD. "It was great to see this meditation happen with no fanfare, watching the kids settle right into it and seeing that it was clearly a ritual," said Ward.

Transform School Culture

When teaching mindfulness is accepted and embraced, it can change the tone and tenor of an entire school, or district. In 2008, the South Burlington, Vermont, school district began an effort to train teachers and students, using the Inner Resilience program for younger grades, and the Learning to Breathe program for older ones. For two years, almost 130 teachers volunteered to take the mindfulness training, and the program continued to grow and expand more deliberately to include cafeteria staff and bus drivers, totaling 170 trainees.

On top of the school-wide effort, they also invited parents to participate by offering evening mindfulness classes and lectures by local experts and visiting instructors, and in some cases, regular updates from teachers on mindfulness activities in the classroom. Training the teachers before the children and parental involvement were two components integral to the success of the South Burlington district's efforts, according to Marilyn Neagley, former director of Talk About Wellness, an initiative dedicated to funding and developing programs for youth and family wellness.

Including parents when a program is introduced is a way to expose them to what mindfulness is and is not. And then there's the questionable connection to religion, which can, in some communities, be a hot topic. "One of the most important things we learned from public meetings with parents and the community was to be sure the training is completely secular with no religiosity at all," said Neagley. The teaching is based entirely on emerging neuroscience and keeping all references to Buddhism, and words commonly used during yoga, such as namaste, out of the school vernacular is critical. In some schools, the word yoga has been replaced with "mindful movement" so there is no confusion about the ways in which mindfulness is being taught. "What we are teaching is how to pay attention and be more aware, and how to implement that awareness in our lives," said Lantieri. "What we are teaching we teach in a secular context."

One of the most important things we learned from public meetings with parents and the community was to be sure the training is completely secular with no religiosity at all," says Marilyn Neagley, former director of Talk About Wellness.

For systemic change to take place in a district-as it did in South Burlington -administration and teachers need to figure out where mindfulness can fit, how it will work, and what is needed to bring it in. And there needs to be a point person who can move it forward. "Any district I'm working with has a superintendent or assistant superintendent who is thinking five years out, not just about one classroom," said Lantieri. "That's how SEL started, with one teacher who got excited."

After journaling time was over, Liz Slade's kindergarteners gathered again on the rug to do some imagination breaths. Going around the circle, each child paired a breath with a made-up hand movement and named it-a snowflake breath, a jellyfish breath, a clamshell breath-and the rest of the class mimicked the movement. After a while, when the kids got antsy, Slade asked them to get up and jump around. There were wiggles and tumbles and twists and then she said, "Now make a mindful statue." The children froze in place, and all you could hear was the sound of their breath.

Tips and Practices for Teachers and Parents

By Susan Kaiser Greenland

When children and teens practice appreciation painful thoughts and emotions sometimes show up. As parents we often want to ease our children's pain, but children can easily misinterpret guidance to be thankful as an indication that we're minimizing their challenges, even when that's not the case. So how should we help when painful emotions do come up? We should encourage kids to view how they feel through a wide lens, not to gloss over their feelings or push them aside. When kids acknowledge their hurt feelings and remember the good things in their lives, they embody an open mind. There's a practice I like to do called Three Good Things that gives children a chance to practice this holistic mind-set when they're upset and they need it the most.

Appreciation Practice: Three Good Things

When faced with a disappointment, we acknowledge our feelings, and then we think of three good things in our lives, too.

Leading the game:

1. Ask your child: "Do you ever feel disappointed by something or someone?"
Listen to children's stories.

2. Ask: "How did that make you feel? "
Acknowledge children's feelings and, if appropriate, talk about them.

3. Say something like: "I bet even when you're feeling disappointed there are good things happening in your life too. Let's name three good things together."

Tips for naming three good things:

1. Remind children that the point of this game isn't to pretend they're not upset when they feel upset. It's to remember that they can feel two things at once: they can feel grateful for good things while feeling sad, hurt, or disappointed by challenges.

2. If children or teens have trouble thinking of three good things on their own, brainstorm and help them discover some.

3. When kids understand that this game is not about sweeping their feelings under the rug, the phrase "three good things" can become a playful and humorous response to the minor gripes that show up in family life. For instance, if a young child spills a glass of apple juice and looks like he's going to cry, you can respond with something like, "Ahhh, that can be frustrating. Can you name Three Good Things while we wipe the counter?"

4. Parents can encourage kids to remind them to name Three Good Things when they're stuck on a trivial disappointment or minor annoyance, too.

5. To develop a habit of thankfulness, play Three Good Things around the dinner table, before bedtime, and at other times when the family is together (and no one is upset).

The more families carve out time to practice appreciation when life is good, the easier it is for parents and children to be thankful for the good things in life when times are hard.

At first, appreciation and thankfulness may feel like a mere intellectual exercise. Yet the more families carve out time to practice appreciation when life is good, the easier it is for parents and children to be thankful for the good things in life when times are hard. When that shift happens, appreciation becomes an integral part of a family's worldview and is no longer just an intellectual exercise.
This article was excerpted from Mindful Games © 2016 by Susan Kaiser Greenland. Illustrations © 2016 by Lindsay DuPont. Reprinted in arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO.

A Guide To Bringing Mindfulness into Your School

What can you do to bring mindfulness into your child's school? What are the best strategies, practices, and resources to implement a mindfulness program? Implementing a school-wide mindfulness program can take several years, so create a well-thought-out plan that includes presenting programming to parents and faculty. Be patient-making changes in schools can be a lengthy process. Here are a few things to consider:

Why teach mindfulness?
1) Kids are stressed.

1 in 8 children in the United States suffers from Anxiety Disorders. (National Institutes of Health)

1 in 5 children suffers from a mental health or learning disorder, and 80% of chronic mental disorders begin in childhood. (Child Mind Institute)

2) Teachers are stressed.

According to research, most teachers experience job stress at least two to four times a day, with more than 75% of teachers' health problems attributed to stress. (National Education Association)

The Benefits of mindfulness

Studies show that the benefits of mindfulness may include:

Increased focus, attention, self-control, classroom participation, compassion

Improved academic performance, ability to resolve conflict, overall well-being

Decreased levels of stress, depression, anxiety, disruptive behavior

How to bring mindfulness into schools

Start with teachers. Teachers are the vehicle for integrating change into a school's culture. Is there a teacher who already has a mindfulness practice, and is willing to champion the effort to bring mindfulness into your child's school? If not, are there teachers willing to learn more about the benefits of mindfulness for themselves, as well as their students?

Know the science. The research on teaching mindfulness to children is only in its beginning stages, yet there are studies that show its impact on both the body and the brain. Scientific evidence is an important component for bringing administrators and faculty to embrace your plan.
A few key studies:

A 2016 study in Frontiers in Psychology measured emotional well-being of 7- to 9-year-olds and found that a school-based mindfulness program improves higher-order thinking, and helps students become more engaged, positive learners.

A randomized controlled study in the Journal of School Psychology on more than 100 6th grade students found those who completed classroom-based, teacher-implemented mindfulness meditation were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm than the control groups.

A study of 4th and 5th graders published in Developmental Psychology found that students who received mindfulness training improved their cognitive ability and stress physiology, reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, and optimism, showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, and were more popular.

Engage faculty, administrators, and parents. Including parents and school staff-and ideally support staff, such as aides, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers-will provide the basis for the most effective implementation of a school-based mindfulness program. If there is hesitation or resistance to mindfulness, take the time to offer the facts, benefits, and science, and emphasize the importance of teaching mindfulness in school in an entirely secular way.

Look for developmentally appropriate practices. Mindfulness in schools comes in different shapes and sizes-just like the kids-so research the programs that fit specifically with the ages in your school. There are some designed for the youngest ages, which differ in style and content from those designed for older grades.

Which mindfulness program is right for your teachers?

There are a variety of programs you can consider recommending to teachers and administrators, or for your own training. Some are online, some use recordings, and some may require in-person training. Here are a few to consider:

4. Cheryl Brause
Mindfulness Instructor
Daniel Warren School * Rye Neck, New York

On a recent visit to the Daniel Warren School, where she's a visiting mindfulness instructor, Cheryl Brause entered a second-grade classroom, sat down, and made eye contact with the children who settled on the floor in front of her. "Instead of feeling the need to tell them what to do, I could simply acknowledge them one by one, silently welcoming them into our time together, and this let them know that I am here to listen and to be present with them as we explore mindfulness together," said Brause. As her own practice and knowledge deepened through a yearlong mindful educator certification that she completed this summer, Brause recognizes the changes in her experience. "I'm much less distracted while teaching, thinking less about what I need to accomplish, and more present and focused on the kids, allowing the lesson to flow from there."

Brause came to mindfulness as a means to slow down and be more present in her own life. It began with a yoga practice, and after trying a variety of types of meditation, it was an MBSR class that exposed her to mindfulness. "I realized how quickly mindfulness resonated with me and made a real difference in my everyday life," said Brause. "It made me realize how distracted I had been and how little time I spent being fully present."

10 Mindful Books for Adults

1. Mindfulness for Teachers: Simple Skills for Peace and Productivity in the Classroom, by Patricia A. Jennings.

2. Teach, Breathe, Learn: Mindfulness In and Out of the Classroom, by Meena Srinivasan.

3. The Mindful Child: How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become Happier, Kinder, and More Compassionate, Susan Kaiser Greenland.

4. Learning to Breathe: A Mindfulness Curriculum for Adolescents to Cultivate Emotion Regulation, Attention, and Performance, by Patricia C. Broderick.

5. A Still Quiet Place: A Mindfulness Program for Teaching Children and Adolescents to Ease Stress and Difficult Emotions, by Amy Saltzman, MD

6. Growing Up Mindful: Essential Practices to Help Children, Teens, and Families Find Balance, Calm, and Resilience, by Christopher Willard, Psy D

7. The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: Mindfulness Skills to Help You Deal with Stress by Gina M. Biegel

8. Mindfulness for the Next Generation: Helping Emerging Adults Manage Stress and Lead Healthier Lives by Holly Rogers, MD, and Margaret Maytan, MD

9. Teaching Mindfulness Skills to Kids and Teens Hardcover by Christopher Willard PsyD and Amy Saltzman MD

10. Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain Hardcover , by Daniel J.Siegel, MD

8 Mindful Books for Children & Teens

1. Visiting Feelings, by Lauren Rubenstein

2. Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee Maclean

3. Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents), by Eline Snel.

4. Take the Time: Mindfulness for Kids, by Maud Roegiers

5. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud

6. Lemonade Hurricane, by Licia Morelli and Jennifer Morris

7. What does it mean to be Present? By Rana DiOrio and Eliza Wheeler

8. Anh's Anger, by Gail Silver

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Why Attachment Parenting Matters | Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. | Ingenious Baby