'Resilience' documentary shown tonight

Press release

The community will have the opportunity tonight at 7 p.m. in Hensler Auditorium in the Applied Technology Center on the Montana State University-Northern campus to see the award-winning documentary, “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope.”

The event is being sponsored by Havre’s Trauma Sensitive Schools Initiative and its community partners which include, Bullhook Community Health Center, District 4 Human Resources Development Council, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Boys & Girls Club, MSU-Northern and others. Northern Alumni Association is sponsoring refreshments for the screening.

Bad things happen to children and people in general. The Adverse Childhood Experience Study dared to ask difficult questions and found that the majority of people have experienced adversity and are conclusively linked to both physical and mental health problems later in life.

ACEs are now understood to lead to early onset heart disease diabetes, addiction and depression. Understanding that a broken-hearted child is more likely to suffer from mental and physical illnesses as an adult has professionals of all kinds asking, How can we help children before their physical and mental health problems emerge as adults? “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope” uses beautiful animation and compelling characters to explore the science and the solutions. The film follows pioneering individuals who looked at the ACE research and the emerging science of toxic stress and asked, “Why are we waiting?”

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, a pediatrician in San Francisco, intervenes early with her young patients who are greater risk for diabetes and asthma as well as learning and behavior problems now. In the great Northwest, communities across the state of Washington brought together teachers, police officers, social service workers and government officials to learn about the brain science of adversity.

Havre’s Trauma Sensitive Schools Initiative is striving to increase awareness about ACEs and trauma in general across the Hi-Line and in regional tribal communities. The goal is to increase the community’s sensitivity and development more informed trauma sensitive approaches to difficult challenges all communities face, each and every day. “Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope” chronicles the promising beginnings of a national movement to prevent childhood trauma, treat toxic stress and greatly improve the health of future generations.