Jessica Woodville | Memoir & Musings

When it comes to understanding trauma, few talks hit as hard as Cendie Stanford’s TED Talk on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). If you haven’t watched it yet, add it to your must-watch list. It’s raw, real, and packed with the kind of insight that makes you sit back and think, Oh. That explains a lot.

I know that feeling well.

As someone with a 14/15 ACE score, I’ve lived the reality of what Cendie talks about regarding adverse childhood experiences and their effects. The long-term health struggles, the nervous system wired for survival, the systemic failures that let trauma survivors fall through the cracks. Her words don’t just validate the experiences of survivors—they demand change.

And if you’re someone who grew up in a relatively stable home? This talk is just as important for you. Because the more we understand trauma, the better equipped we are to break cycles and build a world where survivors aren’t left to figure it out alone.

---

Why This Talk Matters

Cendie Stanford doesn’t just talk about ACEs as an abstract concept—she brings them to life with personal experience, research-backed facts, and a call to action that sticks with you long after the video ends.

She makes one thing abundantly clear: ACEs aren’t just bad memories. They’re a public health crisis.

And yet, despite everything we know from nearly 30 years of research, we still aren’t talking about them enough.

---

Key Takeaways from the Talk

1. ACEs Are Everywhere—And We Need to Talk About Them

Most people have at least one ACE, and many have four or more—the threshold where risks for chronic illness, addiction, and mental health struggles skyrocket.

But how often do we hear about ACEs in schools? Workplaces? The healthcare system?

I can tell you from personal experience: not enough. When I was misdiagnosed and put on the wrong treatments for years, no doctor ever asked about my trauma history. Even though research proves ACEs impact physical health, the medical system still treats them as invisible.

2. Unresolved Trauma = Lifelong Consequences

The ACE study confirmed what so many survivors have always known: what happens in childhood doesn’t just “stay in childhood.”

It rewires our nervous system. It changes our immune response. It increases our risk for everything from heart disease to autoimmune disorders to early death.

The phrase “time heals all wounds”? Turns out, that’s only true if you actively work on healing.

3. Breaking the Cycle is Possible

Cendie doesn’t just leave us drowning in statistics—she talks about solutions.

• Trauma-informed care can help survivors heal in ways traditional therapy often misses.
• Community support can provide a safety net for those who feel alone in their recovery.
• Neuroplasticity (our brain’s ability to change and rewire) means that healing isn’t just possible—it’s real. Even for those of us with high ACE scores.

---

Why This Matters to Survivors (And to Everyone Else, Too)

If you’ve ever felt “too sensitive,” “too reactive,” or “too much”—this talk might be the validation you didn’t know you needed.

It’s not that you’re broken.

It’s that your nervous system has been through hell and back, and it’s still running on high alert.

And if you don’t have ACEs? This talk is still for you. It’s a call to action to create spaces where trauma survivors don’t have to fight alone. Healing is not just personal—it’s collective.

---

Final Thoughts: ACEs Awareness is Just the Beginning

Cendie Stanford’s TED Talk on Adverse Childhood Experiences is more than just a discussion—it’s a wake-up call.

If we truly want to support trauma survivors, we need to move past awareness and into action.

So here’s my challenge to you:

👉 Watch the talk.
👉 Reflect on it.
👉 Then do something with that knowledge.

Whether it’s advocating for trauma-informed policies, supporting a friend in their healing journey, or simply being kinder to yourself, every step toward awareness is a step toward change.

Because healing isn’t just personal—it’s revolutionary.

💬 Have you watched Cendie’s TED Talk? What resonated with you the most? Let’s talk about it in the comments.