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Yes, I did. Year after year after year. The IBPA conference is celebrating its 16th year this year. I have attended 14 of the conferences. I missed the first one because I did not know about it. I missed the most recent Nashville conference because I was in Africa and could not get out of

One of the frequently asked questions of school personnel is, “How can we assure the safety of our students?” One of the things we know is that simply putting in metal detectors and arming teachers has not been shown to be effective. What has been shown to work is changing the climate and culture of

The original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research from Felitti, Anda and their colleagues (1998) was the first to offer clear evidence of the long lasting impact of childhood trauma into adulthood. These researchers categorized the experiences of neglect, abuse, and household dysfunction into ten experiences, from incarcerated family member and emotional neglect to divorce and

Over the last five years or so, government agencies, research institutions, training organizations and more have established guiding principles for trauma-informed work, most notably the US Center for Disease Control in collaboration with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. While safety is usually the number one consideration, trust or trustworthiness is also found in

For the last two decades, research has shown empathy to be an essential capacity needed to build the strong relationships that are the backbone of safe and supportive school communities. With ample evidence of the positive impact of increased empathy on school culture and on the health and well-being of staff and students, educators are

The growing shift in developing trauma-sensitive schools has also resulted in a surge of programs and approaches that aim to build resilience in students and staff.  Even though people agree that resilient students thrive in school and beyond, a common understanding of what the word resilience means is important before considering these programs and initiatives.