Sexual Assault Survivors Are Not Responsible for Their Own Suffering
The sexually abused wrongly carry a greater burden of shame than their abusers. By Wendy B Smith Ph.D. LCSW – Psychology Today – April 21, 2026 KEY POINTS The effects of trauma do not have an expiration date. Sexual abuse of adolescents has specific harmful effects. Perpetrators feel less shame and guilt than victims do. […]
Stress Can Change Our Brains
Some stresses help us grow, but others create lasting problems. By Wendy B Smith Ph.D. LCSW – Psychology Today – March 26, 2026 Stress is unavoidable. It is a part of all of our lives. Its causes, timing, and nature determine its impact on our bodies and our minds. Positive Stress Not all stress is […]
Interview With Author Wendy Smith On The Childhood Trauma and Youth Crime Connection
By Brian Feinblum – BookMarketingBuzzBlog – March 25, 2026 What inspired you to write Before Their Crimes?That is a long story, which I tell in the Introduction to the book. In short, I had always been interested in childhood trauma and at-risk youth, and a visit to a maximum-security prison where I held group meetings […]
Empathy and Juvenile Crime
Empathy can motivate us to act in positive or negative ways toward at-risk youth By Wendy B Smith, Ph.D. LCSW – PsychologyToday.com – March 9, 2026 KEY POINTS Mirror neurons are thought to be the neurobiological basis of empathy. Empathy can be a powerful motivator. Childhood trauma can interrupt the development of empathy. Empathy, our […]
The Upended Lives of Detained Children
Young children can’t always make sense of traumatic experiences. By Wendy B Smith, Ph.D. LCSW – PsychologyToday.com – February 10, 2026 Five-year-old Liam Ramos was heading home from preschool when he was sent to a Texas family detention facility with his father. He is one of many small children whose lives have been upended by […]
The Adolescent Brain and Delinquency
We know kids are drawn to risky behaviors, but why? By Wendy B Smith, Ph.D. LCSW – PsychologyToday.com – January 18, 2026 KEY POINTS Delinquent crime rises sharply from age 10 and falls off at age 16. Adolescents experience rapid but uneven brain development and reward-driven activity takes precedence. Early-life trauma can create even greater […]
Kirkus Review: Before Their Crimes
A well-researched, insightful case for the redemptive power of healing. By Kirkus Indie – KirkusReviews.com – January 5, 2026 A scholar explores the connections between childhood trauma and youth crime in this nonfiction work. In 2015, Smith joined a small team of advocates and lawyers who traveled to California prisons to provide workshops related to […]
The Reiner Tragedy: What Research Tells Us
Parricide, the killing of a parent, is a rare crime with few studies. By Wendy B Smith, Ph.D. LCSW – PsychologyToday.com – December 23, 2025 KEY POINTS Parricide, the killing of a parent or parents, is an extremely rare event. The majority of adults who kill their parents suffer from mental illness. Drug and alcohol […]
The List of ACEs Should Be Longer
Personal Perspective: Community-level risks should be included on the ACEs list. By Wendy B Smith, Ph.D. LCSW – PsychologyToday.com – December 3, 2025 KEY POINTS The traditional ACEs list is useful, but it does not go far enough. Interviews with former youth offenders offer insight into nature of additional ACEs. ACEs rarely occur in isolation. […]
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Wendy Smith Is Helping To Change Our World
By Authority Magazine Editorial Staff | Hosted on Medium Authority Magazine on Medium – October 26, 2025 As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Wendy Smith. Wendy Smith, Ph.D., LCSW, is a retired clinical professor of social work and associate dean of […]