Following a previous article about my encounter with Harvey Weinstein, The Hollywood Reporter interviewed me for their 2017 Women in Entertainment issue.
I didn’t want to supply salacious details to the already much chewed-over picture we have of the habitual, historical abuse. I wanted to take control of the narrative and use this opportunity to talk about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the patterns set up by this kind of toxic stress in later life.
It is so important that the science we now have about trauma and resilience reaches a larger audience. At Echo Parenting & Education, we want people to understand that our relationships with one another, and especially our children, will determine whether we continue in these destructive cycles, or whether the trauma and abuse stop now.
Read The Hollywood Reporter interview here.
ACEs Too High LLC 
Let’s hypothesize that the primary strategy/effect of all mental illnesses is to dehumanize – everyone. This includes the people who are also violent with themselves and others and cause harm. People become “things” and are misused and demonized as such. Are abusers, addicts, etc even more violently abused themselves when they were children? Typically.
A challenge then is to resist hyper-personalizing the symptoms of broken brain illnesses and demonizing – anyone. Yes the acts are horrible but still done by people, not monsters.
Radical empathy is then an alternative to hate, fear and dehumanizing and demonizing “bad actors.” Likely the people doing harm, were harmed as children by parents who were hared as children, by parents who were harmed as children, etc. Who then is to “blame.” No excuse, no denial, avoidance nor dissociation but an honest accounting of the medical facts and biological causes of harmful behaviors. Facts, not pop culture myths and blaming, that are needed for professional problem solving, prevention and treatment/healing.
Finally, advanced genomics is suggesting the precise molecular mechanisms that occur via inherited genes to drive harmful actions. Often found at birth, or earlier, then triggered by environmental harm before age 5.
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