The Humanist Association of Connecticut – A community for humanists since 1989

Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.
Humanism and Its Aspirations

Upcoming Events

Courtesy Posting: Bad Faith - Christian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 3:00PM

In partnership with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Rev. Josh Pawelek and the UUSE Adult Religious Education Committee will hold screenings of this chilling film on Thursday, October 10th at 3:00 PM and at 7:00 PM in the garden level chapel. All are welcome. Questions? Contact Rev. Josh at minister@uuse.org.

Note: This is the same movie that was shown at the Unitarian Society of New Haven last month.

Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 W Vernon St West, Manchester CT

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Courtesy Posting: Bad Faith - Christian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy

Thursday, October 10, 2024, 7:00PM

In partnership with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Rev. Josh Pawelek and the UUSE Adult Religious…

Unitarian Universalist Society East, 153 W Vernon St West, Manchester CT

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Board Meeting

Sunday, October 20, 2024, 7:00PM

All members of the Humanist Association of Connecticut are welcome to attend. If you have something to bring to the board or wish …

Online event

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Monthly Meeting - Fighting Invasive Plants in Connecticut is a Job for Humanists

Monday, October 21, 2024, 6:30PM

In 2024, Connecticut designated several new plants as invasive, posing a threat to our state’s biodiversity. Member Giulia…

USNH, 700 Hartford Turnpike, Hamden CT

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Northern Social Dinner

Tuesday, October 22, 2024, 7:00PM

We’ll be meeting again in Wallingford at Pacific Buffet & Grill (https://pacificbuffetandgrill.com/) (Buffet Prices:…

Pacific Buffet & Grill, 20 Ives Rd # 301C, Wallingford CT

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Book Discussions

"The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

Saturday, October 19, 2024, 2:30PM

Our book for October is The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Dutch psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk.

From Amazon: Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments – from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga – that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal – and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.

“War zones may be nearer than you think, as the 25 percent of US citizens raised with alcoholic relatives might attest…In a narrative packed with decades of findings and case studies, he traces the evolution of treatments from the ‘chemical coshes’ of the 1970s to neurofeedback, mindfulness and other nuanced techniques.” – Nature

Wilson Branch Library, 303 Washington Ave, New Haven CT

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