The Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACE) Framework for Counseling Youths

Youth mental and behavioral health are significantly shaped by both adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and positive childhood experiences (PCEs). Yet, counseling scholarship and training often address these domains separately, limiting their translation to counseling practice. In this article, we introduce the positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACE) framework, an integrative and practical model that positions ACEs as barriers/risks and PCEs as protective/facilitative factors within youths’ family, school, community, and intersecting identity contexts. Specifically, we (a) synthesize key gaps in existing ACE and PCE research, (b) articulate the theoretical foundations of the PACE framework, (c) outline its core principles, and (d) demonstrate its applications through a clinical vignette using Ivey's five‐stage counseling model and a school‐based multi‐tiered system of supports (MTSS).