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Compassion Project: September 2019

24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 208.343.7025 24-hour Rape Crisis Hotline: 208.345.7273 (RAPE)

ACEs, Compassion, and the Power of Resilience

Tracy Darling-DeMarcus, Prevention Program Manager

We work with people every day who have experienced immense amounts of trauma. Often, their first traumatic experiences occur as children. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is the term used to describe all types of abuse, neglect, and other potentially traumatic experiences that occur to people under the age of 18. Adverse Childhood Experiences have been linked to risky health behaviors, chronic health conditions, low life potential, and early death. But the presence of ACEs does not mean that a child will experience poor outcomes as an adult (Centers for Disease Control).

Positive experiences can prevent children from experiencing adversity and can protect against many of the negative health and life outcomes, even after adversity has occurred. These positive experiences build resilience in children. Resilience helps kids navigate stressful situations, builds skills and confidence to work through problems, and teaches them that they have what it takes to confront difficulties.

Whether you’re a parent, aunt, grandfather, teacher, or coach, caring adults can help kids build resilience. Here are a few things you can do to help build resilience for the children in your life:

  • Build a strong emotional connection. Children want to know they have the unconditional support of a caring adult. Positive connections also allow adults to model coping and problem-solving skills.
  • Teach problem-solving skills. We all need help sometimes, and it’s important for kids to know they have help and its okay to ask for it. By brainstorming solutions with kids, we engage them in the process of solving problems.
  • Label emotions. In a stressful situation, it can be hard to identify all of the emotions we might be feeling, even as adults. Teaching kids that all feelings are important and being able to identify their feelings can help them make sense of what they’re experiencing.

The Compassion Project: Let us be the ones who transform our world by allowing compassion to lead our action. Throughout the year, this column will feature the various ways to have compassion for others, for our specific organization, and for yourself.

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EVENTS

Sep 29

2023

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – 2023

Domestic Violence Awareness Month October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the WCA will be holding a joint press conference on September 29 at the Idaho Peace Officers’ Memorial at 10am. The WCA and other Domestic Violence service providers will be on site with information and awareness raising materials for our community members. Elected officials […]

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Oct 01

2023

Sue B Stroll and 5K October 1, 2023

Join us for the 14th annual SueB 5k  and  3k  Urban  stroll  for  Every-Body Continuing to honor the memory of Susan “SueB” Newby, the 14th annual SueB 5K Fun Run will kick off on Sunday, October 1st at 12 noon at Julia Davis Park. You can sign up to participate here with 5K registration starting at $25. […]

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Oct 01

2023

SueB 5k and Family Friendly Scavenger Hunt October 1, 2023

Join us for the 14th annual SueB 5k and 3k Family Friendly Scavenger Hunt for EveryBODY! The 14th annual SueB 5k and 3k Scavenger Hunt will be on October 1, 2023 and we hope you can join us! We invite you to join us to raise awareness about domestic abuse, while memorializing the life of […]

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Oct 18

2023

Witches Night Out at the Village

Mark your calendars for Witches Night Out on October 18, 2023 from 6 – 9 p.m. Wednesday, October 18 we will be celebrating Witches Night Out at The Village at Meridian, hosted by Meridian’s Centercal Properties and its marvelous merchants. Several sponsors help make the evening a resounding success, raising funds for the WCA’ clients’ […]

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Dec 14

2023

Concert for Cause

Mark you calendars for 2023 Concert for Cause – December 14th Thursday, December 14th 94.9 The River is excited to present headlining artist Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness with Michigander and Arlie for their 2023 Concert for Cause benefitting the WCA! Join us at The Knitting Factory Concert House in Bodo for an evening of […]

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