Real Stories, Videos, Resources.

With a little knowledge, you can help a child heal and thrive.

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Videos

Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development

This video is part three of a three-part series titled “Three Core Concepts in Early Development” from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

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What Is Resilience?

This video, from a 3-part series about resilience, provides an overview of “Supportive Relationships and Active Skill-Building Strengthen the Foundations of Resilience,” a working paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

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Breakthrough Research on Building Better Brains

Presentation from Dr. Jack Shonkoff, Director of Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child. An Arthur M. Blank Foundation Speaker Series event.

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Early Life Stress Research Program

Presentation from Dr. Victor Carrion, MD. Part of PBS NewsHour series.

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Inside Resilient Children

Presentation from Dr. Ann Masten about resiliency and children. From PopTech.

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Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks

Presentation from Tiffany Shlain and The Moxie Institute Films.

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Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope

Presentation from KPJR Films. Official Selection at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

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Written Resources

Five Everyday Gestures Brochure 

This trifold brochure helps explain how practicing the Five Everyday Gestures can help kids heal from the impacts of trauma. It is available in both english and spanish.

English
Spanish
Teachers:

Five Everyday Gestures Infographics:
These infographics are available for teachers, school nurses, mentors and justice officials to help them understand how the Five Everyday Gestures makes a difference in the life of the children they work with. They are available in both english and spanish.

English
Spanish
Justice Officials:

Five Everyday Gestures Infographics:
These infographics are available for teachers, school nurses, mentors and justice officials to help them understand how the Five Everyday Gestures makes a difference in the life of the children they work with. They are available in both english and spanish.

English
Spanish
Mentors:

Five Everyday Gestures Infographics:
These infographics are available for teachers, school nurses, mentors and justice officials to help them understand how the Five Everyday Gestures makes a difference in the life of the children they work with. They are available in both english and spanish.

English
Spanish
School Nurses:

Five Everyday Gestures Infographics:
These infographics are available for teachers, school nurses, mentors and justice officials to help them understand how the Five Everyday Gestures makes a difference in the life of the children they work with. They are available in both english and spanish.

English
Spanish
Caring For Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

Children’s responses to witnessing violence and experiencing traumatic stress most often include intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

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The Impact of Early Adversity on Children's Development

This brief discusses how what happens in early childhood can matter for a lifetime, and how it is important to recognize and address problems before they get worse.

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How Does Domestic Violence Affect Children?

One of the essential ingredients for resilience is a secure relationship between the child and a caring adult who loves them, believes in them, sees them as special, and celebrates their accomplishments.

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Ordinary Magic: Lessons From Research on Resilience in Human Development

This article highlights lessons about resilience for promoting positive development among children exposed to high levels of risk or adversity.

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The Learning Center: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

This NCTSN Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma offers free online education.

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Violence And Violence Prevention

The American Psychological Association (APA) provides resources for what you can do to help when you recognize the signs of violence.

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The Resilience Project

The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) provides resources for pediatricians and medical home teams to identify and care for children and adolescents who have been exposed to violence.

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Connect For Respect - Bullying

Connect for Respect (C4R) is a National PTA initiative to help students, parents and educators create school climates full of safe and supportive peer relationships.

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ACEs Connection Network

This site is a social network that works to prevent ACEs, heal trauma, and build resilience.

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Bully Free: It Starts With Me

This site, from the National Education Association (NEA), provides resources and tools on how to identify bullying, how to intervene, and how to be an advocate for bullied students.

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Helping Traumatized Children Learn

This report proposes an educational agenda that will enable schools to become supportive environments in which traumatized children can focus, behave appropriately, and learn.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences

This CDC study highlights resources for preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) linked to risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential, and early death.

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Central Effects of Stress Hormones in Health and Disease

This article focuses on providing an understanding of the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators.

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Toxic Stress

This presents key concepts about toxic stress and its damaging effects on learning, behavior, and health across the lifespan. From the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

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Excessive Stress Disrupts the Architecture of the Developing Brain

This working paper defines the concept of “toxic stress”—what happens when children experience severe, prolonged adversity without adult support. From the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

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Supportive Relationships and Active Skill-Building Strengthen the Foundations of Resilience

This working paper explains how protective factors in a child’s social environment and body interact to produce resilience, and discusses strategies that promote healthy development in the face of trauma.

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