Practically everyone has experienced ACES whether they realize it or not. Adverse childhood experiences are serious childhood traumas that result in toxic stress that can harm a child’s brain. This toxic stress may prevent a child from learning or playing in a healthy way with other children, and can result in long-term mental and physical health problems into adulthood. ACEs can result in problems in school, increased difficulty making friends or maintaining relationships, and can result in risky behaviors like drug use, aggression, or suicide attempts.

Drug Free Osage County and Greenbush Educational Service Center are partnering to help Osage County learn more about ACES at workshops around the area next week.

The workshops will cover basic understanding of ACEs and how they can relate to overall emotional and physical health. Also discussed will be how to respond to the challenge by becoming sensitive to trauma and focusing on building resilience and helping relationships in our communities.

ACEs can include emotional, physical, or sexual abuse; physical or emotional neglect; or exposure to household dysfunction. Possible health risk outcomes into adulthood include drug use such as alcoholism or smoking, diabetes, depression, heart disease, cancer, COPD, stroke and obesity.

Attendees will also learn how resilience can help reverse the effect of ACEs. Resilience is the ability to return to being healthy and hopeful after bad things happen. Parents, teachers, and other caregivers can help by understanding ACEs, helping children identify feelings and manage their emotions, and by creating safe physical and emotional environments at home, in school, and in neighborhoods.

All interested people are invited to the free ACES workshops. Here is the schedule for workshops around Osage County:

• 1-4 p.m. Aug. 12, 2019, Lyndon High School, 421 E. 6th St., Lyndon
• 1-4 p.m. Aug. 13, 2019, Marais des Cygnes Valley High School, 508 S. Main St., Melvern
• 1-4 p.m. Aug. 14, 2019, Burlingame High School, 417 N. Dacotah St., Burlingame
• 1-4 p.m. Aug. 14, 2019, Osage City High School, 515 Ellinwood St., Osage City
• 1-4 p.m. Aug. 19, 2019, Santa Fe Trail High School, 15701 S. California Rd., Carbondale.

For more information, contact Ruth Marstall, Drug Free Osage County community coordinator, at ruth.marstall@gmail.com.

Information and photo illustration thanks to Drug Free Osage County.