HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) — The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board (HRCSB) is offering Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) interface training to help parents and guardians support children facing trauma. This initiative aims to equip families with the knowledge and tools to mitigate the impact of traumatic events.
Mo Bowler, Behavioral Health Wellness Coordinator at HRCSB, emphasized the importance of this training in raising awareness among parents about the potential ways to help their children. “It is not realistic to stop all bad things from happening or to prevent all potentially traumatic events,” Bowler said. “But there are things we can do at the individual, relational, and community levels to soften the impact.”
Bowler highlighted that understanding ACEs is crucial not only for parenting but also for personal growth and healing. The training program is structured in three stages. It begins with explaining the brain science behind trauma, followed by presenting data from ACEs research on the connection between childhood trauma and long-term effects. The final stage focuses on strategies to build a more resilient community against the impacts of ACEs.
“We believe this training incorporates all the best foundational components of what could be a lifetime of learning about trauma,” Bowler explained. “It serves as a starter pack for learning about trauma, trauma education, and trauma-informed care.”
These training sessions are free and open to all individuals over the age of 18. Each session lasts two hours and will be held again in September at Massanutten Regional Library’s Central Library in downtown Harrisonburg. This initiative underscores HRCSB’s commitment to fostering a supportive community for children and families dealing with trauma.
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