What if play is not simply something children do for fun, but one of the most important ways they learn, connect, heal, and make sense of their experiences?In this episode of *The Path Forward: Mental Health with Maps*, Dr. Gina Pasquale is joined by Jocelyn Goldblatt, Executive Director of the Cheshire Children’s Museum, for a thoughtful conversation about adverse childhood experiences, commonly known as ACEs, and the patterns that can follow us from childhood into adulthood and parenting.Drawing from both lived and professional experience, Jocelyn shares what it has meant to carry a high ACE score, recognize inherited patterns, and create greater space between an emotional reaction and an intentional response. Together, Gina and Jocelyn explore the resilience and post-traumatic growth that can emerge when people are met with safety, connection, compassion, and support.Their conversation also examines the powerful role of play throughout our lives. For children, play can strengthen attachment, develop emotional regulation, encourage creativity, and provide a language for processing experiences that may be difficult to explain with words. For adults, playfulness can create opportunities for connection, flexibility, joy, and healing.Topics in this episode include:• What adverse childhood experiences are and how they can affect long-term mental and physical health • Recognizing patterns carried forward from childhood • Breaking intergenerational cycles without expecting perfection • “Ghosts and angels in the nursery” and the experiences we bring into parenting • Why play is considered the work and language of childhood • How repetitive play can help children process frightening or overwhelming experiences • Using mindfulness and meditation to create space before responding • Supporting overwhelmed parents without judgment • The role of children’s museums and other shared spaces in strengthening families and communities • How one compassionate interaction can change a parent’s entire experience

Resources & CreditsLearn more about Maps Counseling Services: https://mapsnh.orgLearn more about the Cheshire Children’s Museum: https://cheshirechildrensmuseum.orgContact Maps Counseling Services: [email protected] by: Dr. Gina Pasquale Guest: Jocelyn Goldblatt, Executive Director of the Cheshire Children’s Museum Produced by: Maps Counseling Services Filmed | Directed | Edited by: Christopher David