This book explores how educational institutions have failed to recognize and effectively address the symptoms of trauma in students of all ages. Given the prevalence of traumatic events in our world, Gross argues that it is time for educational institutions and those who work within them to change their approaches and responses to traumatic symptoms that manifest in students in schools and colleges. These changes can alter how and what we teach, how we train teachers, how we structure our calendars and create our schedules, how we address student behavior and disciplinary issues, and how we design our physical space. Drawing on real-life examples and scenarios that will be familiar to educators, this resource provides concrete suggestions to assist institutions in becoming trauma-responsive environments, including replicable macro and micro changes. “Ideas and strategies that teachers, parents, students, and leaders of any organization can leverage to make positive transformational changes.” —Martha J. Kanter, U.S. under secretary of education (2009–2013) “A treasure trove of information on trauma, as well as thoughtful recommendations for schools from pre–K through college.” —Kathleen Ross, president emeritus, Heritage University “It is a book for the ‘Generation T’ in the context of our time. Offers strategies of quieting the hyper-aroused stress response system. —Ed K.S. Wang, Massachusetts General Hospital

Educators must both respond to the impact of trauma, and prevent trauma at school. Trauma-informed initiatives tend to focus on the challenging behaviors of students and ascribe them to circumstances that students are facing outside of school. This approach ignores the reality that inequity itself causes trauma, and that schools often heighten inequities when implementing trauma-informed practices that are not based in educational equity. In this fresh look at trauma-informed practice, Alex Shevrin Venet urges educators to shift equity to the center as they consider policies and professional development. Using a framework of six principles for equity-centered trauma-informed education, Venet offers practical action steps that teachers and school leaders can take from any starting point, using the resources and influence at their disposal to make shifts in practice, pedagogy, and policy. Overthrowing inequitable systems is a process, not an overnight change. But transformation is possible when educators work together, and teachers can do more than they realize from within their own classrooms.

Selected as a "Favorite Book for Educators in 2018" by Greater Good. From the author of Mindfulness for Teachers, a guide to supporting trauma-exposed students. Fully half the students in U.S. schools have experienced trauma, violence, or chronic stress. In the face of this epidemic, it falls increasingly to teachers to provide the adult support these students need to function in school. But most educators have received little training to prepare them for this role. In her new book, Tish Jennings—an internationally recognized leader in the field of social and emotional learning—shares research and experiential knowledge about the practices that support students' healing, build their resilience, and foster compassion in the classroom. In Part I, Jennings describes the effects of trauma on body and mind, and how to recognize them in students' behavior. In Part II, she introduces the trauma-sensitive practices she has implemented in her work with schools. And in Part III, she connects the dots between mindfulness, compassion, and resilience. Each chapter contains easy-to-use, practical activities to hone the skills needed to create a compassionate learning environment.

Attachment-based strategies for reaching and teaching disruptive, difficult, and emotionally challenged students. Difficult Students and Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom provides skills-based interventions for educators to address the most common problem behaviors encountered in the classroom. Offering not just problem-specific “best practices” but an attachment-based foundation of sound pedagogical principles and strategies for reaching and teaching disruptive, difficult, and emotionally challenged students, it empowers educators to act wisely when problem behaviors occur, improve their relationships with students, and teach with greater success and confidence.

This word play book, comprised of many different and unusual types of word games including tongue (brain) twisters and spoonerisms, has several key goals. First, this book is intended to provide fun for all who use it, children and adults alike. Operating off the principle, Laugh2Learn, this book enables users to see the many ways in which words can be animated while at home, in school, on car trips, or in doctor's offices. Second, this book can be used by parents and teachers to help children navigate difficult times including school closures and other debilitating events. When other learning is stalled or children can't concentrate well if at all, they can try a tongue twister; it will provide laughter and levity and learning all at once. This right priced book will also animate the trauma responsive strategies of the best selling new adult release, Trauma Doesn't Stop at the School Door (Teachers College Press, 2020). Try it; you and your children/students will like it.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused educational institutions to close for the safety of students and staff and to aid in prevention measures around the world to slow the spread of the outbreak. Closures of schools and the interruption of education affected billions of enrolled students of all ages, leading to nearly the entire student population to be impacted by these measures. Consequently, this changed the educational landscape. Emergency remote education (ERE) was put into practice to ensure the continuity of education and caused the need to reinterpret pedagogical approaches. The crisis revealed flaws within our education systems and exemplified how unprepared schools were for the educational crisis both in K-12 and higher education contexts. These shortcomings require further research on education and emerging pedagogies for the future. The Handbook of Research on Emerging Pedagogies for the Future of Education: Trauma-Informed, Care, and Pandemic Pedagogy evaluates the interruption of education, reports best-practices, identifies the strengths and weaknesses of educational systems, and provides a base for emerging pedagogies. The book provides an overview of education in the new normal by distilling lessons learned and extracting the knowledge and experience gained through the COVID-19 global crisis to better envision the emerging pedagogies for the future of education. The chapters cover various subjects that include mathematics, English, science, and medical education, and span all schooling levels from preschool to higher education. The target audience of this book will be composed of professionals, researchers, instructional designers, decision-makers, institutions, and most importantly, main-actors from the educational landscape interested in interpreting the emerging pedagogies and future of education due to the pandemic.

This accessible guide explores how our brains react to stress and offers a fresh perspective on how we define "trauma." Probing how the words we use can influence our understanding of distress, this text focuses on expanding awareness of excess stress and reducing judgment of its potential impact on relationships and day-to-day life. Helpfully split into three parts, the book introduces the terms "cortisprinkled," "cortisaturated," and "cortisoaked" and provides a rationale for why these states of brain occur. The role of culture and society are highlighted, and an in-depth focus on coping and offering support to others is presented. Whether caused by sexual assault, social rejection, abuse, the taboo of sexuality, disadvantaged status, or other difficulties, chapters detail specific coping skills and step-by-step strategies to deal with a variety of stress responses. Advice is offered on reconnecting with sexuality, phrasing difficult questions, and ways to offer validation, with concrete recommendations on incorporating healthier practices into everyday life. Both metaphor and real-world vignettes are interwoven throughout, making Redefining Trauma an essential and understandable resource for therapists and their clients, parents and support givers, and anyone looking to develop practical, informed methods for dealing with stress and trauma and reclaim life with intention.

Originally published by Viking Penguin, 2014.

Discover how the crisis of a global pandemic allowed educators to improve learning across the pre-K–adult pipeline. While acknowledging the scale of loss and difficulty the COVID pandemic engendered within the field of education, this book focuses on how sudden and forced changes to teaching and learning created “Pandemic Positives,” which can be captured and brought to scale. In particular: Part I addresses how Pandemic Positives came into being, with special attention to the presence of educator hope and creativity. Part II explores the Pandemic Positives that arose in three settings: when schools were closed, when learning turned online, and when schools re-opened. Part III provides strategies for replicating the Pandemic Positives so they become positive educational game changers. This book is grounded on trauma and mental wellness theory and includes the in-the-trenches experiences and voices of educators. The text features art created by the coauthors and shares both their professional and personal experiences, humanizing and enriching the book. Mending Education completes a trilogy composed of Breakaway Learners and Trauma Doesn’t Stop at the School Door by Karen Gross. “We have all bemoaned the COVID pandemic and its lasting negative effects, but Karen Gross and Edward Wang turn that pessimism on its head. Their extensive experience in education is augmented by the priceless data gathered through their research survey of teachers and educators. This is a must-have for educators everywhere.” —Chris Messina-Boyer, educational crisis manager/crisis communications consultant, 20Buttonwood PR Solutions LLC

From a leading voice on recovering from toxic relationships, a deeply insightful guide to getting back to your "old self" again--in order to truly heal and move on. Jackson MacKenzie has helped millions of people in their struggle to understand the experience of toxic relationships. His first book, Psychopath Free, explained how to identify and survive the immediate situation. In this highly anticipated new book, he guides readers on what to do next--how to fully heal from abuse in order to find love and acceptance for the self and others. Through his close work with--and deep connection to--thousands of survivors of abusive relationships Jackson discovered that most survivors have symptoms of trauma long after the relationship is over. These range from feelings of numbness and emptiness to depression, perfectionism, substance abuse, and many more. But he’s also found that it is possible to work through these symptoms and find love on the other side, and this book shows how. Through a practice of mindfulness, introspection, and exercises using specific tools, readers learn to identify the protective self they've developed - and uncover the core self, so that they can finally move on to live a full and authentic life--to once again feel light, free, and whole, and ready to love again. This book addresses and provides crucial guidance on topics and conditions like: complex PTSD, Narcissistic abuse, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Codependency, Core wounding, toxic shame, Borderline Personality Disorder, and so many more. Whole Again offers hope and multiple strategies to anyone who has survived a toxic relationship, as well as anyone suffering the effects of a breakup involving lying, cheating and other forms of abuse--to release old wounds and safely let the love back inside where it belongs.