About Dr. Pianka

I'm a board certified pediatrician with my master's in public health and over 20 years practicing in the United States. Raising three teenagers and two step-children gives me street credit and, when combined with my practice, creates my unique know how in applying evidence-based resilience-building interventions in the midst of messy day-to-day parenting moments. I've received a Special Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for my work with families and pediatricians, helping to address social determinants of health and promote resilience. My book (Resilience University: a step-by-step guide for pediatric providers to offset toxic stress) will be published by the AAP in September 2024. I've presented within Tuft’s Healthy Outcomes from Positive Childhood Experiences (HOPE) Innovation Network and offered a workshop at their summit entitled “First Aid for Toxic Stress.” I've also been an invited speaker for the AAP’s ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes), ASHEW (Addressing Social Health and Early Childhood Wellness), the CARE (Childhood and Resilience Education) Podcast, the Maine AAP’s annual conference, and a recurrent guest on Amy King’s “Dr. Amy” platform as well as Nerissa Bauer’s “Let’s Talk Kids Health” platform. I live in coastal Maine with my husband, kids, two dogs and a siberian cat.  ️ Professional Disclaimer:  These videos are for educational purposes only. Information provided on this channel is not intended to be a substitute for in person professional medical care or advice. It is not intended to replace the services of a therapist, physician, or other qualified professional, nor does it constitute a therapist-client or physician or quasi-physician relationship.   If you are, or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call a local emergency telephone number or go immediately to the nearest emergency room.   If you are in crisis or experiencing emotional distress, please call 911 or the National Suicide Hotline  1-800-273-8255. You can also dial or text 988 to speak with someone 24/7.

We now know that there are SPECIFIC factors and Positive Childhood Experiences which can improve adult mental health and offset the long term impact of childhood adversity. Yet families facing adversity often have trouble accessing the very things they need to foster resilience.  The 7 studied Positive Childhood Experiences (Bethell et al) are:

1. Feeling like you were able to talk about your feelings with your family

2. Feeling like your family supported you during hard times

3. Feeling like at least one adult in the home protected you and kept you safe

4. Enjoying community traditions

5. Having 2 non-parent adults who genuinely took an interest in you

6. Feeling supported by friends

7. Feeling a sense of belonging in high school

The first three are more related to the internal family functioning and the last four are about the community you live in. How many of these did you have? How can you pay it forward and help children access more of these? 

My passion is to help families understand these factors and to work within the existing system of primary care to help identify and overcome obstacles so more children can access more positive and protective factors.