Advancing Trauma-Informed Care Practices: Building Resilient Classrooms in Schools

This course is an advanced professional learning course designed to build on the foundational knowledge acquired in our initial trauma-awareness training. This course delves deeper into creating a comprehensive, trauma-informed school environment by focusing on six specific areas essential for fostering resilience and safety in educational settings.

Participants will learn strategies to:

1. Create Physically and Emotionally Safe Spaces: Understand the principles of safety in classroom design, school policies, and daily interactions that reassure and protect all school members.
2. Enhance Emotional Intelligence and Support: Develop skills to increase emotional awareness, regulation, and support among staff and students, creating a supportive atmosphere conducive to learning and growth.
3. Foster Connected Relationships: Techniques for building strong, healthy relationships between educators, students, and the school community, which are vital for a supportive educational environment.
4. Implement Supportive Teaching Practices: Explore teaching methods and curricular adjustments that accommodate the varied learning needs of students impacted by trauma.
5. Engage in Proactive Leadership: Learn how to lead with a trauma-informed approach, including policy development, staff training, and community engagement to ensure a cohesive and supportive school culture.
6. Assess and Adapt: Tools for continuously assessing the effectiveness of trauma-informed practices and making necessary adjustments to meet the evolving needs of the school community.

This course equips educators, counselors, and administrators with the tools and knowledge to transform their schools into resilient, supportive, and inclusive environments where all students can thrive.

Through practical examples, interactive workshops, and expert guidance, participants will leave with a clear blueprint for implementing a trauma-informed program across their entire school campus.

Intended Audience

This course is suitable for all school counselors and administrators

ISCA Student Standards

SE:A1:2 Identify and express feelings and emotions

SE:A1:3 Develop self-awareness and self-management skills essential for mental health

SE:A1:4 Take action (individually or with support) to positively impact one’s own mental health

SE:A1:5 Describe the relationship between feelings and behavior

SE:A1:6 Develop healthy ways to identify, express, and respond to one’s emotions

SE:A1:11 Identify strategies to cope with loss and grief

SE:A1:13 Identify the signs of stress and use techniques for reducing stress

SE:A2:4 Engage with opposing viewpoints in a respectful manner

SE:A2:6 Differentiate between situations requiring

SE:A2:5 Demonstrate effective conflict resolution skills

SE:C1:10 Identify trusted adults in the school and community, and know how, when, and where to ask for help for self and others

ASCA Ethical Standards (2016)

B.2. Responsibilities to the School counselors:

a. Develop and maintain professional relationships and systems of communication with faculty, staff and administrators to support students.

b. Design and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs that are integral to the school’s academic mission; driven by student data; based on standards for academic, career and social/emotional development; and promote and enhance the learning process for all students.

ASCA Professional Standards and Competencies

B-PF 6. Demonstrate understanding of the impact of cultural, social and environmental influences on student success and opportunities

a. Demonstrate basic knowledge and respect of differences in customs, communications, traditions, values and other traits among students based on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or intellectual ability and other factors

b. Explain how students’ cultural, social and economic background may affect their academic achievement, behavior, relationships and overall performance in school academic achievement, behavior, relationships and overall performance in school

Essential Questions

1. How have the adverse experiences of my students impacted their social and emotional development?
2. How have the adverse experiences of the adults on staff impacted their ability to perform at work and connect with students in meaningful ways?

Participants will have knowledge about:

1. Principles of Trauma-Informed Environments: Understanding the core principles that define physically and emotionally safe spaces within schools.
2. Emotional Intelligence in Education: Learning the importance and impact of emotional intelligence in fostering a supportive learning environment.
3. Relationship Building: Insight into the significance of nurturing strong, healthy relationships within the school community.
4. Trauma-Informed Teaching Methods: Knowledge of specific teaching practices that support the learning of students who have experienced trauma.
5. Leadership in Trauma-Informed Schools: Understanding the role of proactive leadership in implementing and sustaining trauma-informed policies and practices.

Participants will be able to:

1. Designing Safe Spaces: Skills in creating and maintaining physical and emotional safety in school settings.
2. Enhancing Emotional Support: Ability to implement strategies that increase emotional support and intelligence among students and staff.
3. Building and Maintaining Relationships: Skills in fostering and maintaining effective and supportive relationships within the school community.
4. Adapting Teaching Practices: Capability to adapt teaching methods to be more inclusive and supportive of students with trauma histories.
5. Evaluating and Adjusting School Policies: Proficiency in assessing the effectiveness of trauma-informed practices and making iterative improvements to enhance school policies and environment.

Janice Holland

Janice Holland, a leading force in mental health, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in Texas and a certified Trauma Model Therapist through The Ross Institute. With a history of being a school counselor for 11 years, both in the US and internationally, Janice brings a wealth of experience to her roles. Formerly based in Dallas, she owned a thriving private practice specializing in the emotional impact and treatment of trauma before embarking on a journey as a global ambassador for mental health. She currently resides in Shanghai, China.

Janice finds fulfillment in aiding those with extreme childhood trauma on their path to healing, but her true passion lies in empowering fellow therapists, counselors, and healers. With a profound understanding of how adverse life experiences affect us, Janice dedicates herself to training professionals internationally. Join her in the mission to create a trauma-informed world—one where healing and freedom become accessible to all.

ISCA Member Price: $395

Non-Member Price: $475

Dates and times of offerings:

Option 2: January 12, 19, and 26, 2026 - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM UTC

Contact Hours: 9 hour course

Time commitment between sessions: 1-2 hours of reading. More if they would like to start developing curriculum

Required Resources: 

Souers, K., & Hall, P. (2016). Fostering resilient learners (1st ed.). ASCD

Approximately $30 per book -- Purchase from www.bookdepository.com or www.amazon.com.