Every child faces some level of stress, and for many, that includes Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs, which can increase the risk of mental health struggles down the road. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, Associate Clinical Director at The Kids Mental Health Foundation, about how protective factors like strong relationships, a sense of belonging, and yes, JOY, can help buffer kids against that risk. We explore what protective factors actually are, how they work alongside joy to build real resilience, and simple ways caregivers, educators, and communities can strengthen them in a child's everyday life. It's a grounded, hopeful conversation about turning joy into more than just a nice moment, but a genuine source of protection for kids facing hard things.

Dr. Raglin Bignall is the Associate Clinical Director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation and the Director of Community Impact and Evaluation, where she utilizes her expertise in mental health disparities, cultural factors, and community partnerships to drive the foundation's mission to give expert-created resources to all U.S. communities so everyone can understand and promote children's mental health. Her vision is to build a world where mental health is a part of the upbringing of every single child. She enjoys having the opportunity to build relationships that break stigma and provide care that includes the whole child, family and community. She strives to become part of a family's village and network of care because she knows how essential and influential each member of that network can be.

https://www.kidsmentalhealthfoundation.org/

https://militarychild.org

https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

Fredrickson BL. What Good Are Positive Emotions? Rev Gen Psychol. 1998 Sep;2(3):300-319. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.300. PMID: 21850154; PMCID: PMC3156001.

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226.

• The Power of Positive Childhood Experiences, published 7.30.2024
• Mental Health Care and Military Families, published 9.10.2024
• Mental Health Education in Schools, published 9.19.2023