Category: Adverse Childhood Experiences
-
The Price of Persistence: How I Spent My Savings Searching for Answers
After my separation, I had a modest savings account—something I hoped would give me a sense of security as I rebuilt my life. Instead, it became my lifeline…in a way. I spent nearly $20,000 trying to figure out why my health kept failing. Twenty. Thousand. Dollars. Every penny of it was spent chasing the hope…
-
Cendie Stanford’s TED Talk on ACEs: A Wake-Up Call We Can’t Ignore
Cendie Stanford’s TED Talk on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) powerfully highlights the lasting impact of childhood trauma on adulthood. She emphasizes the prevalence of ACEs, the necessity for awareness, and the importance of trauma-informed care. Healing is possible through community support and understanding, advocating for change in how we discuss and address trauma.
-
30 Seconds of Courage
Jessica Woodville’s memoir, “Smoking in Garages: A Survivor’s Story of Trauma and Resilience,” explores the power of sharing one’s truth to combat trauma. She emphasizes how small acts of courage can lead to healing and urges others to confront their pain, highlighting the need for systemic change to support childhood trauma survivors.
-
Beyond Sensationalism: Why My Story Is Bigger Than the Troubled Teen Industry
I recently had an article published about my memoir, Smoking in Garages: A Survivor’s Story of Trauma and Resilience. The writer was kind, genuinely enthusiastic about my book, and I’m deeply grateful for the attention it’s receiving. But as I read through the article, I found myself pausing—because somewhere along the way, my story seemed…
-
Healing Out Loud: Why Telling Our Stories Matters
“Healing out loud because I almost died in silence.” Breaking the Silence: The Power of Sharing Our Stories For years, I believed my story was something to be hidden—too heavy, too messy, too much for the world to handle. I convinced myself that silence was safer. That if I didn’t speak about my experiences, they…
-
Post-Incarceration Syndrome and the Forgotten Survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry
The troubled teen industry (TTI) is a billion-dollar network of behavior modification programs, including wilderness therapy camps, therapeutic boarding schools, boot camps, and residential treatment centers. Marketed to desperate parents as a last resort for their struggling children, these programs promise transformation and healing. But as a survivor of the TTI myself, I can tell…
-
Trying to Heal When You Can’t Afford to Break
Healing from trauma is a challenging journey, often hindered by financial, emotional, and environmental barriers. Survivors face high costs for therapy and alternative treatments, lacking adequate support systems. The process can feel disheartening as they navigate exploitation and limited options. Ultimately, healing should be accessible to all, not a privilege.
-
Why the ACEs Study Changed Everything: A Breakdown of the Research
Let’s talk about one of the most important yet criminally underrated studies of our time: the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Despite its groundbreaking findings, it somehow never got the same PR treatment as, say, the Kardashians. But trust me, this study has shaped everything…
-
Healing, but Still Hijacked: The Nervous System’s Betrayal
Healing is a nonlinear process, marked by ongoing battles with trauma and a body conditioned by past stress responses. Despite stabilizing adrenal function, my nervous system struggles with interpreting joy as danger. I’m learning to manage this response through pacing, grounding techniques, and reframing my experience, embracing healing’s complexities.
-
Why Survivors Deserve More Than Just ‘Resilience’
The word resilience gets thrown around a lot when talking about trauma survivors. Society loves the idea of people who have endured unimaginable hardship and still manage to rise, stronger than before. But there’s a problem with this narrative: it glorifies survival while ignoring what it cost us to get there and honestly, it just…
Jessica Woodville | Memoir & Musings 