It is our great honor at ACEs Connection to present to you all a panel discussion moderated by our very own beloved founder and publisher, Jane Stevens. If you haven't heard, the brilliant and moving film, Cracked Up, by director Michelle Esrick was released to Netflix on this past Friday, May 1st, 2020. Maybe some of you have been able to see it over the weekend. It profiles actor and comedian Darrell Hammond's healing journey as he discovers the childhood trauma behind his struggles with addiction and mental illness.
>>To register: click on this link. (Details below.)<<
Most of us at ACEs Connection have been fortunate to see Cracked Up, and we think that the documentary is one of the most remarkable we’ve ever seen, and not just because it addresses childhood adversity and its consequences. Some of us have seen it more than once (Jane Stevens has watched it three times), and believe that the documentary is an extremely compelling story about a remarkable person, and produced by a filmmaker who created a work of art.
I caught the film this past summer during a special online screening. I was drawn to it, not just because I grew up never missing an episode of Saturday Night Live throughout the 90s and early 2000s, often featuring Darrell Hammond, but because I have struggled with addiction and mental illness myself. The film viewing was made extra special for me because I watched it with my parents. Having an ACEs score greater than 0 means that there are always potentially uncomfortable conversations I can be having with them about how I was raised. Luckily my parents have always leaned into the healing journey with me and been open to having these conversations. I'm grateful.
However, it was often difficult for my parents to truly understand my work in ACEs science. They believed in my passion and intellectually they knew the importance of child trauma prevention. Watching Cracked Up, I saw them not just intellectualize trauma, but feel it viscerally, understanding my work at a new depth for the first time. Wow--I felt seen! That's the brilliance of Michelle's film and of Darrell so vulnerably opening up his wounds for us all to not just see, but feel. My parents were able to look at their own upbringings with a new awareness and my relationship with them has felt more connected ever since watching Cracked Up.
This film is a gift.
Watch it. Watch it with loved ones. Discuss the ideas. Cry. Laugh (Darrell Hammond is one of the best comedians after all). Watch it with your parents if you're feeling brave (or ready). Or if you're feeling open to seeing new insights into yourself.
If you have questions about the documentary, please add them to the comments below. About 3,000 people have signed up so far, so this is the best way to get your questions considered.
We hope you will join us for this very special event Monday. We are honored to partner with Michelle Esrick, Darrell Hammond, and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk to bring you this rare live discussion.
>>To register: click on this link.<<
Monday, May 4, 2020
4:00 PM PDT // 5:00 PM MDT // 6:00 PM EDT // 7:00 PM EDT
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