Jane Stevens’ life, and the celebration of her life, were similar in that both were filled with stunning revelations and deep connections. Cast as a love letter to the intrepid science journalist who founded PACEs Connection in 2012, the Valentine’s Day event’s highlights included a recounting of some of Jane’s most incredible adventures: A trip in a research submersible to the deepest point in the ocean, the Mariana Trench (more people have walked on the moon than have visited the depths of...

Across many health systems, HIV services, mental health care, and social support remain organised in separate programmes. Yet the realities faced by marginalized communities rarely follow these boundaries. In my latest article, I reflect on a challenge that continues to shape global health practice: why do promising innovations so often struggle to achieve sustained impact once they are introduced into real-world health systems? For migrants, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, and people...

The Strong BRAIN Institute welcomes Katy Morgan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology at Sewanee: The University of the South, to the SBI Resilience Speaker Series. Dr. Morgan will present “ Youth Participatory Action Research for Community Resilience ” on March 24, 2026, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. (Eastern) . Learn how youth participatory action research (YPAR), intergenerational collaboration, and community organizing can elevate youth voices and strengthen resilience in communities facing...

Why the Origin Why Is Not Enough The story we tell about why we entered healthcare is almost sacred. Nurses share their Why’s the way mothers tell birth stories—repeated, heartfelt, and foundational. That initial spark brings us to the bedside, but it does not, by itself, sustain a career shaped by the realities of human suffering. Over time the original Why is eclipsed by the Why’s we learn from patients: the encounters that reshape how we understand pain, fear, and survival. These are...

To our PACEs Connection community, I don't send blog posts like this often. But today I'm asking you to do something that could change the trajectory of our movement. On March 19th , a book releases that I believe will become one of the most important works in the ACEs field: Greater Than Gravity: How Childhood Trauma Is Pulling Down Humanity by Michael Menard. I've read it. And I need you to read it too. Some of you may remember Michael from his early days learning about ACEs science —...

Mental health care is rarely a one-size-fits-all process. People experience emotional and behavioral challenges in different ways, and the support they need often changes over time. In a city like San Diego, where mental health resources continue to expand, individuals and families may find themselves trying to understand the difference between various levels of care. Terms such as outpatient therapy, residential treatment, or partial hospitalization are often mentioned, but the meaning...

In the landscape of modern relationships, the pressure to maintain a "perfect" exterior can often mask the cracks forming within a partnership. For many couples, the stress of navigating a career, family, and personal growth in a high-speed environment leads to a breakdown in communication that feels impossible to repair alone. At Hope Matters Institute, we believe that seeking help isn't a sign of a failed marriage—it’s a proactive investment in a shared future. The Digital Shift in...

Amina was twenty-three and trying to rebuild her life. She had survived violence, migration, and years of unstable housing. When she finally began receiving support, three different services were involved. An HIV clinic monitored her treatment. A trauma counsellor supported her mental health. A housing worker helped her secure a room. Each service was committed to helping, but Amina still had to tell her story three separate times . Three offices. Three case files. Three systems that could...

I recently had the great joy of connecting with Stacey Fitzgerald. She is a Certified Nutritionist, Somatic Breathwork Practitioner, Trauma-Informed horse trainer, Singer/Songwriter, Wife, Mother, and Creator of Becoming Safe - an online course and community for healing through all forms of betrayal trauma . As soon as we started talking, I just knew I had to introduce you to her. I even had the chance to attend her amazing breathwork workshop, and it was so soothing, healing, and...

Across three countries, three very different studies uncovered the same hidden flaw in modern care systems. The Netherlands. The United Kingdom. Canada. Each study looked at a different issue: end-of-life care for migrants, dementia services for underserved communities, and palliative care across language and cultural barriers. Different populations. Different methods. Yet the pattern was identical. In the Netherlands, researchers found that gender changes how ethnicity shapes care. But the...

Jane Stevens’ life, and the celebration of her life, were similar in that both were filled with stunning revelations and deep connections. Cast as a love letter to the intrepid science journalist who founded PACEs Connection in 2012, the Valentine’s Day event’s highlights included a recounting of some of Jane’s most incredible adventures: A trip in a research submersible to the deepest point in the ocean, the Mariana Trench (more people have walked on the moon than have visited the depths of...