Understanding Trauma Effects

An updated 10-page clinical handbook for adjustment counselors, now including a concise overview of the 5 Stages of Grief (Kübler-Ross) integrated with modern meaning-making models and school-based interventions.

A simplified, one-page fidelity checklist for workshop facilitators, stripped of all metadata fields and note sections. Features the 10 core session requirements in a clean, high-contrast layout.

An informational handout for students using a computing/coding metaphor to explain mental health and body systems, featuring a high-tech "Architect Decoder" theme. Updated to fit on a single page with high contrast for printing.

A professional bi-fold poster presentation for the Arlington Public Schools CPS expansion proposal, featuring strategic alignment, rationale, data visualization, and impact metrics.

A 6-week Tier 2 small group intervention for students in grades 3-5, exploring the neuroscience of emotion regulation, brain development, and the nervous system through a 'Control Center' theme.

A 6-week small group program for middle schoolers that uses a detective and scientist theme to teach anxiety management, cognitive reframing, and coping skills.

An 8-week individual counseling program for 4th graders transitioning to middle school, focusing on refining impulse control and emotional regulation strategies. The program uses a mission-based theme to engage students in mastering self-control and frustration management.

A comprehensive 16-week school-based therapeutic curriculum designed to equip students with emotional regulation, healthy relationship skills, trauma-informed coping mechanisms, and self-advocacy strategies.

A professional development series for school leaders focused on applying David Rock's SCARF model to navigate high-stakes social interactions, feedback cycles, and organizational change.

This sequence explores the neurobiological foundations of student escalation, connecting internal physiological stress responses (the 'amygdala hijack') to observable external warning signs. Students will learn to depersonalize behavior by understanding it as a biological survival mechanism, training them to recognize subtle somatic, respiratory, and muscular cues before a full behavioral outburst occurs.

A graduate-level exploration of the biological underpinnings of stress. Students move from theoretical understanding of the autonomic nervous system and Polyvagal Theory to practical application of somatic regulation and interoceptive awareness, culminating in a personalized physiological safety plan.

A comprehensive sequence for undergraduate students exploring the neurobiology of stress, the autonomic nervous system, and physiological self-regulation techniques. Students move from theoretical understanding of brain structures to practical mastery of interoception and vagal tone modulation.

A comprehensive project-based unit where 12th-grade students master the principles of trauma-informed care. Students progress from theoretical understanding to the practical application of designing and presenting clinical intervention strategies for complex trauma cases.

This sequence introduces 9th-grade students to the biological underpinnings of the stress response system. Students explore the roles of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, the four primary trauma responses (Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn), and the difference between acute and chronic stress.

A comprehensive graduate-level sequence focused on the neurobiological and clinical foundations of trauma narrative work, moving from theory to practical assessment and preparation techniques.

This sequence examines the PLEASE skills (Physical illness, Lunch/Eating, Avoid mood-altering substances, Sleep, Exercise) through a Social Determinants of Health lens. Undergraduate counseling students will learn to adapt these therapeutic interventions for clients facing systemic barriers such as food insecurity, housing instability, and physical disability.

A comprehensive overview of Somerset ISD's Thrive Center model, transitioning from traditional barriers to a school-embedded mental health support system.

A lesson introducing Daniel Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain to help students understand emotional dysregulation ('flipping the lid') and practical strategies for returning to a calm state.

A presentation and workshop for parents and caregivers to understand school avoidance and how to break the accommodation cycle in middle schoolers.

A comprehensive final exam for a high school Relationships and Emotions course, covering emotional literacy, grief, power dynamics, boundaries, and communication. The lesson includes the 50-question traditional exam and a detailed answer key.

An introductory lesson that reframes anxiety as an over-sensitive internal security system, teaching students to audit their reactions and install new coping 'tools'.

An introductory Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) session focusing on the three minds (Reasonable, Emotional, Wise Mind) through a trauma-informed, somatic lens. Designed specifically for young adults (around 19) navigating trauma, it includes a clinician facilitation guide, a visual handout, a somatic mindfulness worksheet, and a multi-page interactive reflection workbook.

A comprehensive 20-minute professional development session for school staff focused on understanding childhood trauma, recognizing its symptoms in a classroom setting, and implementing practical trauma-informed teaching strategies.

A trauma-informed 'time-out' replacement focused on emotional regulation and 'recharging' for a first-grade student. Includes visual rules, choice boards, and support for the caregiver.

A comprehensive home visit framework designed for social workers to support students experiencing school avoidance. This lesson focuses on building trust, identifying specific barriers to attendance, and co-creating a gradual return plan with the student and family.

A compassionate parent psychoeducation resource packet focusing on the neurobiology of early childhood trauma (ages 0-3). It translates complex brain science into accessible, low-jargon concepts like toxic stress and nervous system dysregulation, providing practical caregiver co-regulation strategies and a dedicated self-care checklist.

A short, 15-minute trauma-informed lesson designed for 7th graders to understand emotional regulation and build a personal self-care toolkit after experiencing stress or trauma.

A specialized 30-minute Tier 3 intervention for 8th-grade students to distinguish between everyday stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), fostering emotional literacy and coping skills.