Early Childhood Experiences

Positive early childhood experiences are essential for later success in school, the workplace, and the community. Services for children who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or those living in chronic toxic stress, including poverty, have been shown to positively impact outcomes across developmental domains of health, language and communication, cognitive development, and social/emotional development.

Families also benefit from intervention by learning to understand their children’s behavior and emotions. Benefits to society include reducing economic burden through a decreased need for mental and physical health services, adjudication, teenage pregnancy and substance abuse. The lifetime cost of non-fatal child maltreatment is over $200,000 per victim.

If you work with children who have encountered ACEs and want to help, the Healing the Experience of Trauma online course is for you! Instead of asking a child what happened, it focuses on their lives now. Learn the process of moving traumatized youth between themes of trauma and feelings of connection, resilience and strength. $199 includes CEs – REGISTER NOW!

By Dr. Caelan Soma, PsyD, LMSW

Dr. Caelan Soma, PsyD, LMSW, Chief Clinical Officer, oversees all clinical operations and research at Starr Commonwealth. Dr. Soma provides trauma assessment and trauma-informed, resilience-focused intervention for youth utilizing evidence-based practices, including Starr’s SITCAP© model programs.


About Starr Commonwealth

Starr Commonwealth is dedicated to the mission to lead with courage to create positive experiences so that all children, families, and communities flourish. We specialize in residential, community-based, educational, and professional training programs that build on the strengths of children, adults, and families in communities around the world. To schedule a training or consultation, please contact info@starr.org or call 800-837-5591.