Higher education seeks the student voice through various approaches. However, including students with diverse learner needs (DLN) in these approaches poses challenges when hierarchy is present. Through self-reflection and collaboration with co-researchers, I engaged in heuristic inquiry to develop a framework for engaging in an inclusive approach…

Growing evidence establishing the prevalence and educational consequences of childhood trauma has led to a national focus on equipping schools to support the specific needs of students who have experienced trauma. Despite clear evidence of disproportionate trauma exposure among students of color, most models of trauma-informed schools do not…

Childhood trauma is a significant public health issue in the United States. The experiencing of traumatic events can result in deficiencies in developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation, impairing academic progress. The functional core aspects or primary domains of impairment (academics, relationships, self-regulation, and…

Professional development in higher education is increasingly shifting to online formats. However, online professional development often does not lend itself well to fostering meaningful human interconnection. Taking a constructivist approach, we share findings from a qualitative research study that explored what participants found meaningful in a…

Until recently, discussions around trauma-informed approaches and practices have been limited primarily to the fields of mental health and social services; however, "attention to childhood trauma and the need for trauma-informed care has contributed to the emerging discourse in schools related to teaching practices, school climate, and the…

Trauma-informed instruction helps create a safe and supportive environment where students can heal, learn, and thrive. This Spotlight will help readers implement teacher-approved trauma-informed strategies; learn about the role schools play in helping students heal from racial trauma; examine five tips to support students' mental health; assess…

Manifestations of teacher burnout have been negatively associated with students' academic achievement, school satisfaction, and perceived teacher support. The 2020-2021 school year presented unique challenges for teachers, who had to find new ways to support their students, their families, and themselves. This study examined teachers' experiences…

The integration of somatic approaches in art therapy can counter the trauma of microaggressions. By adopting a power-from-within stance, art therapists can facilitate sessions for clients to affirm their LGBTQIA+ identities while resisting the impact of discrimination. This article, co-written by an art therapist and client, provides lived…

The lived experiences shared by the entire world community in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic spread of the COVID-19 virus has already been identified as a mass trauma incident by mental health professionals specializing in trauma treatment (Galea et al., 2020). Yet there are disturbing anecdotal examples in social media of higher education…

Drawing on evidence and example legislation, this policy research brief identifies school-based policy options for Texas to prevent and mitigate toxic stress caused by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The term ACEs refers to the 10 common categories of adversity included in a landmark study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…

Colleges and universities may desire to become more trauma-informed in light of our growing understanding of the impact that trauma can have on student outcomes. However, there has been little research on what strategies and practices colleges and universities should implement to become more trauma-informed. One approach to this work could be to…

While trauma-inclusive approaches to student learning have been well documented in K-12 contexts, postsecondary education has done little to incorporate trauma-inclusive pedagogy into college classrooms. Using a sample (n = 529) of graduate and undergraduate students at a public rural-serving regional serving university, this study aims to explore…

Our classrooms have not been the same since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and forced us to rethink everything we know about teaching. While much of the public conversation has centered on "learning loss," the author instead found that personal loss and collective trauma have had the strongest impact on defining the differences…

This research seeks to understand the relationship between marginalized identities and trauma in adolescents in relation to classroom outcomes, both behavioral and academic, through an intersectional framework. A synthesized review of literature as well as a quantitative study using the HSLS:09 data was conducted to discern how marginalized…

Trauma is not a new term or concept, however, the integration of trauma-informed practices within the school setting has been a recent focus for many districts across the nation. School systems no longer focus solely on academics. Schools are charged with developing the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional competencies of students to help…