Our Mission Center for Child Counseling is building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children, families, and communities. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health has been the foundation of the Center for Child Counseling’s mission in Palm Beach County since being founded in 1999. We focus on the youngest children in our community because research shows that this period of life is one of critical importance, providing the foundation for health throughout the lifespan. We are fighting the immediate and lifelong impact of exposure to abuse and violence on children through an array of prevention, early intervention, and counseling services. This includes building awareness about the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences through our #FightingACEs Initiative. Our programs and expertise are grounded in research about early brain development and the impact of adversity and trauma on development. Violence, abuse, and neglect in the earliest years of life are forms of “toxic stress" that can fundamentally change the developing brain, in the absence of healthy relationships. Secure, stable, supportive relationships between children and caring adults in the family and community contribute significantly to children's healthy brain development by buffering the brain from the damage due to high stress.