Toxic Stress and Childhood - Ascend Camp Recap
Care & Recovery Coordinator for Kids and Teens
Description
Child life specialist and Care & Recovery staff member Melissa Ramirez joins Scott and Whitney in the studio for this episode. They recap the two Ascend Camps we held this summer at our Pelham and Powdersville campuses, discuss some of the deeper cognitive research behind how long-term stress can impact children, and share how the gospel intersects with grief and loss.
Key Points
- Ascend Camp is a week-long summer camp for students ages 7–18 with adverse childhood experiences such as the loss of a loved one, the divorce of their parents, or a sibling with special needs.
- Adverse childhood experiences lead to toxic, chronic stress in children, which can impact their brain, body, biology, behavior, and belief systems long-term.
- In Scripture we see Jesus going out of his way to let the children come to him, even as his disciples try to dismiss them. Children can often be dismissed, but we want to see and advocate for them the way Jesus does.
Resources
Caring for Kids from Hard Places by David and Jayne Schooler
The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
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