While early experiences can shape people's lifelong behaviors and health, faith communities offer opportunities to improve well-being through traditions and practices and in service to others. Faith leaders play a critical role in nurturing spaces that promote healing and well-being for all members. 

Opportunities to Respond

It's important to respond to ACEs within communities of faith and in service to others in ways that are healing-centered. This means not asking people to share their past traumas, and instead, creating environments that promote relationships built with empathy, foster hope, and provide supports that increase resilience.  
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Self-Guided Course

A 90-minute course offered by Iowa ACEs 360 is designed for faith leaders to gain an understanding of trauma and its impact, as well as healing-centered approaches for being in community with and supporting people who may be struggling with adverse childhood experiences to promote collective well-being. 

Additional Resources

This section is for leaders of faith-based groups or organizations interested in developing a faith-community response to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and traumatic stress.

Deeper Learning Books for individuals: 
  • Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart  
  • The Age of Overwhelm: Strategies for the Long Haul   
  • Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others  
  • Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal  
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Resources for congregations: 
  •   The Lifesaving Church: Faith Communities and Suicide Prevention (book)
  •   Bruised Reeds & Smoldering Wicks (curriculum) 
  •   Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope  (film)
  •   Paper Tigers (film)