First 5 Mendocino hosted its annual State of the Child Summit on May 16, providing a much-needed opportunity for professionals, community leaders, and advocates dedicated to improving the lives of children and families to engage in meaningful dialogue on the challenges facing children and families in Mendocino County.
Through interactive keynote presentations, question-and-answer sessions, networking and interactive opportunities, attendees gained actionable insights and tools to help foster resilience and emotional well-being across all sectors of child development.
The event featured groundbreaking keynote presentations by Dr. Dacher Keltner, a distinguished psychology professor at UC Berkeley and Director of the Greater Good Science Center, and Dr. MC McDonald, a trauma expert, life coach, and author. Both shared their research and insights on how emotions like awe and joy can play a transformative role in healing trauma.
Dr. Keltner, known for his work on the science of emotions and his consulting on the popular Pixar movies “Inside Out,” presented findings from his book, Awe: the New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. He emphasized the profound impact of awe on mental health and community building.
“Awe is more than just a fleeting emotion – it’s a tool for connection, resilience, and healing,” he explained. His work highlights how moments that inspire wonder can help mitigate the effects of stress and trauma, and help heal relational bonds between children and their caregivers.
Dr. McDonald offered a complementary perspective, focusing on how joy can serve as a counterbalance to anxiety and adversity. Dr. McDonald, a trauma researcher and author of, Unbroken: The Trauma Response is Never Wrong and The Joy Reset: Six Ways Trauma Steals Happiness and How to Win it Back, explored practical strategies for integrating joy into daily life, especially for individuals and families recovering from trauma. She inspired attendees to rethink how small, joyful moments can create lasting change.
She said, “Joy is a revolutionary act in the face of hardship.”
Between keynote presentations, participants connected with other professionals from all over Mendocino County, from Leggett, Covelo, Point Arena, and everywhere in between. The summit offered interactive elements, encouraging attendees to write the ways they personally experience awe and joy on Post It Notes to be shared to create a large patchwork hot air balloon poster.
First 5 Mendocino Community Education Manager Megan Carson said, “The final result of the hot air balloon was a beautiful representation of how we actually are emotionally connected by the healing power of shared awe and joy.”
First 5 Mendocino Executive Director Townley Saye remarked, “This year’s summit was a powerful reminder of the importance of focusing on the emotional and psychological well-being of our children. The insights shared by Dr. Keltner and Dr. McDonald will help shape how we approach trauma-informed care in our community for years to come.”
First 5 Mendocino is committed to the health and development of children ages 0–5 and their families in Mendocino County. By investing in programs and initiatives that promote early childhood education, emotional well-being, and family resilience, First 5 Mendocino is building stronger, healthier communities. For more information about First 5 Mendocino and the State of the Child Summit, visit their website at first5mendocino.org.
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