Trauma & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Resources

A young girl in a colorful striped dress looks at herself in a full-length mirror with a wooden frame in a bedroom.

Trauma

Trauma is a reflection of what is happening in the body.

Trauma is an emotional response to an activating or intense event that threatens or causes real or perceived harm. Natural disasters, injury or accidents, loss or separation, bullying, etc. can all be potentially traumatic events. Trauma is not the event itself, but how we respond to and process it over time - and it’s different for all of us.

Trauma affects our bodies (how we feel), our brains (how we think), and our behavior (how we act). Understanding what trauma is and how it impacts each person differently is key to responding to and supporting those affected by trauma and preventing future retraumatization. Learn more on our blog.

Get to know the signs and symptoms of trauma, its impact on child development, and strategies for supporting children who have experienced trauma with this fast facts handout from the Children’s Bureau: Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Resources from the
National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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What is Trauma?

A boy on the ground with a frightened or distressed expression, holding his head, while another boy leans over him, and two additional children look on in a classroom or library setting.

Types of Trauma

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Youth Populations at Risk

Resources from the
Child Mind Institute

Logo of Child Mind Institute featuring three stylized heads in profile, overlapping, in blue shades, with the text 'Child Mind Institute'
A woman comfortingly touches a boy's head, who appears upset and is covering his face with his hands.

Resource Center: Trauma & Grief

Collection of digital resources about trauma and giref in children.

An adult man and a young boy sit close together on a bed, with the man leaning in and speaking to the boy, who is holding a video game controller. The boy appears to be listening intently.

Guide: Helping Children Cope

A PDF guide to helping children cope after a traumatic event.

Find this guide in multiple languages here.

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Activities: Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids

Bilingual video and print resources and activities for teaching children healthy coping skills.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) & Trauma

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma are related, but not exactly the same.

Adverse childhood experiences, also known as ACEs, are defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as potentially traumatic events experienced during childhood (ages 0-17). These experiences have been linked to chronic health problems, mental health conditions, and more in adolescence and adulthood.

While ACEs are related to trauma - they are not exactly the same. ACEs encompass a variety of adverse (negative or harmful) experiences throughout childhood, whereas trauma is just one outcome of adversity and refers to how a child perceives and responds to those experiences.

Get to know the science of adverse childhood experiences and how we all can play a role in mitigating exposure and creating more positive childhood experiences with this fast facts handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Resources from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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CDC logo with text 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention'

Resource Center: ACEs

Collection of information and digital resources about adverse childhood experiences.

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Learning Modules: Preventing ACEs

Online learning modules for learning about ACES, risk and protective factors, and ways to prevent.

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Guide: Essentials for Parenting

Bilingual resource guide focused on parenting strategies for strengthening protective factors.

Additional Resources

Watch

Video: Childhood Trauma by PyschHub

Video: Preventing ACEs by Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Childhood Trauma & the Brain by the UK Trauma Council

Read

Book cover titled "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk, with a blue background and an abstract black figure surrounded by yellow stars and shapes.

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

by Vessel van der Kolk, M.D.

Book cover titled "What Happened to You?" with subtitle "Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing", featuring a watercolor silhouette of a person walking, with authors Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey.

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

by Bruce Perry, M.D, PhD & Oprah Winfrey

Book cover titled 'It Didn't Start With You' by Mark Wolynn, exploring inherited family trauma and its effects, featuring illustrated human profiles and DNA strands.

It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle

by Mark Wolynn

Book cover of 'The Whole-Brain Child' featuring a blue background, a white silhouette of a child's profile, and colorful text highlighting the title and authors.

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind

by Daniel Seigel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD