NEWTON, N.J. (Sussex County) — Project Self-Sufficiency will host three free workshops in September and October aimed at educating the public about adverse childhood experiences, supporting trauma survivors, and sharing strategies for prevention and healing.
A virtual presentation, “Understanding ACEs: Building Self-Healing Communities,” will take place Thursday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. The session will address the neurological and biological effects of adversity on development and its broader impact on community health.
The discussion series “Connections Matter” will also be offered virtually, in English on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m., and in Spanish on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. The curriculum is designed to promote conversations around childhood trauma, protective factors, and building resilience within communities.
During the Understanding ACEs workshop, parents, caregivers, and other providers will learn how childhood trauma impacts physical and neurological development and discuss methods for improving health and well-being across the lifespan. The Connections Matter sessions encourage participants to build caring connections that can serve as buffers against the negative effects of trauma.
All three workshops are funded by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families and led by Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey. Interested participants can call 973-940-3500 to receive login details.
Speakers will explore the impact of adverse childhood experiences — which fall into three categories: abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction — on social, emotional, and cognitive development. They will also share strategies to build resilience. Examples of negative behaviors linked to ACEs include smoking, alcohol and drug use, absenteeism, and lack of physical activity, which can contribute to serious health problems such as diabetes, cancer, and suicidal thoughts. Research shows that about 67% of the population has experienced at least one ACE.
Project Self-Sufficiency officials said the workshops bring together professionals, providers, and parents committed to increasing awareness of how childhood trauma affects juvenile development, future violence, and lifelong health outcomes.
“Our goal is to help make our community a place in which every child can thrive by providing education and training on adverse childhood experiences and assuring safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments,” explains Project Self-Sufficiency Executive Director Deborah Berry-Toon. “Protection, prevention, and resilience promotion can profoundly improve health according to recent discoveries in neuroscience, epigenetics, and epidemiology. The tools identified in these workshops can positively impact public health, safety, and productivity, and reduce public and private costs now and for future generations.”
