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LEAD ARTICLES

The reality deserves to be taken seriously. Nearly two thirds of U.S. adults (63.9%) report at least one adverse childhood experience, and about one in six report four or more, a level of exposure tied to significantly greater long-term health risks. 1 Meanwhile, more than 122 mil lion Americans live in areas with a federally designated shortage of mental health providers. 2 Professional care matters, and there will never be enough professionals to reach every hurting person on their own. Most of us want to show up for people in their hardest moments. The gap is not compassion; it is know-how. Psychological Trauma First Aid closes that gap. The four-hour online training, taught by Jennifer Ellers, M.A., Dr. Shannae Anderson, Keisha Wright, and Dr. Kevin Ellers, teaches what trauma actually is, how it affects the body and brain, and what to do when someone nearby is overwhelmed. Its PTFAID (Presence, Trust, Faith, Assess, Intervene, Develop) framework gives helpers a memora ble six-step sequence so you are not improvising when it matters most. Enrollment includes eight video lessons, a downloadable workbook, knowledge quizzes, a certifi cate of completion with a digital badge, and a full year of access at a limited-time price of $47 . The course is part of “Project: Stand in the Gap,” AACC’s effort to train an army of pastors, lay leaders, coaches, educators, parents, and friends to stand along side the professionals already in the field. It is an intro ductory foundation, not a clinical certification, and it does not replace professional treatment. Perinatal Mental Health 2.0 For clinicians, Perinatal Mental Health 2.0 addresses a season most families enter with joy, and many walk through in silence. About one in eight new mothers reports symptoms of postpartum depression, 3 and roughly one in 10 new fathers experiences depression during the postpartum period, 4 a struggle that often goes unrecognized because no one thinks to ask dad. The stakes are high: mental health conditions are now the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, accounting for about 23%. 5 Behind those numbers are the realities new moms and dads know well: sleep deprivation, identity change, strain on the marriage, and the private grief that can accompany miscarriage, infertility, assisted reproduc tive technology, premature or complicated birth, and recurrent pregnancy loss. The course treats reproductive trauma as a central clinical concern rather than a foot note, because for many couples it shapes everything else in the room. Taught by Caitlin Overfelt, Ph.D., and Vanessa Kent, Ph.D., the three lessons cover the perinatal story through attachment and reproductive trauma; trauma-respon sive screening and assessment; and trauma-informed treatment, with attention throughout to integrating Christian faith and spiritual resources consistent with

each client’s values. Part of the Christian Counseling 2.0 Best Practices Series, the course offers three (3) CE credit hours, is accredited by NBCC and IBCC, and is priced at $69. It is intended for mental and medical health profes sionals and mental health coaches. Both courses are available now at lightuniversity.com . Whether you are a licensed clinician or simply someone who wants to be ready the next time a friend is hurting, there is a next step here for you. ; Endnotes 1 Swedo, E.A., Aslam, M.V., Dahlberg, L.L., Holditch Niolon, P., Guinn, A.S., Simon, T.R., & Mercy, J.A. (2023). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among U.S. adults—Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011-2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72 (26), 707 715. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7226a2. 2 Health Resources and Services Administration. (n.d.). Health work force shortage areas. https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/ shortage-areas. 3 Bauman, B.L., Ko, J.Y., Cox, S., D’Angelo, D.V., Warner, L., Folger, S., Tevendale, H.D., Coy, K.C., Harrison, L., & Barfield, W.D. (2020). Vital signs: Postpartum depressive symptoms and provider discus sions about perinatal depression—United States, 2018. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69 (19), 575-581. https://doi.org/10.15585/ mmwr.mm6919a2. 4 Paulson, J.F., & Bazemore, S.D. (2010). Prenatal and postpartum depression in fathers and its association with maternal depres sion: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 303 (19):1961-1969. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarti cle/185905. 5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, April 20). Pregnancy-related deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees. https://www.cdc.gov/maternal-mortality/php/data-re search/mmrc/index.html.

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