develop your strength-based story

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Growing up Aaron spent many nights in domestic violence shelters.  

When he became tired of being a burden, compassion blocked his suicide attempt.  Today he talks to policemen, FBI and more about the value of compassion.  His talks on self-awareness and how to reach that kid in the dark extend healing and hope.  https://youtu.be/qrtIhDaKkwQ?si=UEiLdpyCQFHAWDIU  Aaron's communication breakdown with social worker and mother, their minimizing of his feelings instead of validating them caused his anger to rise.  During his teens, friends Amber Schneider and Mike Stacey  act of kindness saved Aaron's  life and blocked a potential mass shooting.      #Uplift https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2022/07/09/aaron-stark-mass-shooter-mindset-mental-health-advocate-brown-nr-vpx.cnn   The power of love.    https://www.wbur.org/kindworld/2019/04/23/love-for-least-loved 

 Domestic violence is associated with autistic-like traits.  Strength-based self-awareness can help secure the most effective treatment plan.   https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/02/children-misdiagnosed-autistic-catastrophe/     

Diagnostic Overshadowing.  Domestic violence can have an unreported,  misunderstood, and untreated impact on persons with autism.   People without autism may not experience trauma  the same way people with autism do due to differences in safety and sensory perceptions.  .https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573608/#

Domestic violence can lead to vicarios trauma and Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD).  C-PTSD is listed in the ICD-11.  It is a universal classification system for all diseases, including mental health, developed by the WHO.  

It is not listed in the  DSM-5 which is specific to mental disorders and is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). 

  A video interview with a  Chapel Hill Group Home Coordinator- What happens when they get bored? 

Holes in walls and more. 

Tension builds when the body wants to move but the environment doesn’t allow it. For caregivers and individuals with intellectual or communication challenges, that tension can come from boredom, repetitive routines, and limited opportunities for creative or physical expression. Over time, this can lead to frustration, anxiety, and even behavioral challenges.

Research shows that language barriers and limited self-expression are linked to increased mental health risks, including isolation, anxiety, and emotional outbursts. Conditions such as Boreout Syndrome and Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) can arise when energy, emotion, and frustration have no constructive outlet.

Imagine a space designed for athletes but adaptable for all abilities—a place where movement becomes communication, and physical training doubles as emotional regulation. These gyms can help caregivers, parents, and individuals release built-up tension safely and productively, building confidence and resilience in the process.

 Unresolved concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can trigger frontotemporal dementia (the same pathology seen in CTE) and Huntington’s Disease choreiform movements.  These movements appear as dance-like seizures, sudden jerks, or bouts of anger and irritability. Similarly, post-streptococcal infections can cause chorea.  Chorea is an uncontrollable, immunology-based movements.

These conditions are very different from stimming, which involves voluntary, self-regulating movements.

The good news: targeted brain and muscle exercises can help restore stability, coordination, and strength—while also calming the often-fatigued central nervous system and reducing stress.

What’s most urgent is that these neurological conditions, once thought of as only geriatric, are now being diagnosed in children as young as 12 years old—like Paola Celi and Alex Hill. Early recognition and appropriate strengthening exercise intervention can mean the difference between long-term decline and sustainable recovery.