ACEs and Resilience

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Companion Slides

A high ACE score is not a life sentence — protective factors, and the power of one caring adult.

Key Concepts

  • ACE scores describe risk, not destiny — millions with high scores live healthy lives
  • The single most powerful buffer: one stable, caring adult
  • Helpers and volunteers can be that person for someone else
  • Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): belonging, feeling heard, community
  • Resilience is built through everyday interactions, not born into
  • It is never too late — the brain can change, relationships heal

Part of

Module 1: How Trauma Changes People

What trauma really is, how the brain responds, what the ACE study tells us, and the science of resilience.