Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Student Wellbeing
Trauma has a profound impact on a student’s overall wellbeing and ability to succeed in school. Students who have experienced adverse or traumatic events, such as abuse, neglect, violence, or unstable home environments, often struggle with emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. These trauma-impacted students may exhibit disruptive behaviors, difficulty regulating their emotions, and challenges in forming positive relationships with peers and teachers.
Traditionally, schools have responded to these behaviors with punitive disciplinary measures, such as suspensions or expulsions. However, research has shown that this approach can further compound the trauma experienced by students, leading to negative outcomes and widening achievement gaps. Instead, schools need to adopt a more compassionate, trauma-informed approach to discipline and behavior management.
Shifting from Trauma-Informed Care to Healing-Centered Engagement
The concept of “trauma-informed care” has gained traction in educational settings, as it encourages schools to recognize the impact of trauma and provide support and treatment to the whole person, rather than just addressing individual symptoms or behaviors. While this approach is a significant improvement over punitive discipline, it still has certain limitations.
One of the key limitations of trauma-informed care is that it often views trauma as an individual experience, rather than a collective one. However, research has shown that children in high-violence neighborhoods or communities that disproportionately suffer from disasters often share a common experience of trauma. This suggests that the root causes of trauma need to be addressed at a systemic level, not just through individual interventions.
To address this, educators can shift towards a “healing-centered engagement” (HCE) approach. HCE is a more holistic, strengths-based framework that views trauma not just as an individual experience, but as a collective one that is shaped by culture, identity, and community. This approach encourages students to be active agents in their own healing and wellbeing, rather than passive recipients of care.
Key Elements of Healing-Centered Engagement
Healing-centered engagement has several key elements that set it apart from traditional trauma-informed care:
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Community Agency and Collective Healing: HCE recognizes that students and their communities are not just victims of trauma, but rather agents in restoring their own wellbeing. By engaging students in addressing the root causes of trauma, such as through advocacy, community organizing, or social action, HCE empowers them to take control of their healing process.
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Culture and Identity as Healing Pathways: HCE acknowledges the important role that culture, ethnicity, and identity play in the healing process. By grounding students in their cultural traditions, rituals, and sense of belonging, HCE can help them develop a stronger sense of purpose, meaning, and self-perception.
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Holistic Wellbeing and Spirituality: HCE embraces a more holistic view of wellbeing that goes beyond just mental health, and includes spiritual and emotional domains. This can involve incorporating culturally-grounded practices, such as healing circles or drumming circles, to support students’ overall wellbeing.
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Asset-Driven Strategies and Possibilities: Rather than focusing solely on the deficits and symptoms of trauma, HCE takes an asset-driven approach that highlights students’ strengths, experiences, and possibilities for the future. This helps students see themselves as more than just their trauma, and encourages them to dream and imagine a better future.
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Supporting Adult Wellbeing: HCE recognizes that the wellbeing of adult providers, such as teachers and staff, is just as crucial as supporting students. By creating systems and structures to sustain the healing and wellbeing of adults, HCE ensures that they can effectively support students in their own healing journey.
Implementing Healing-Centered Engagement in Schools
Transitioning to a healing-centered approach to discipline and behavior management requires a fundamental shift in mindset and practice within schools. Here are some key strategies for implementation:
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Build Empathy and Emotional Literacy: Encourage teachers and staff to share their own stories and experiences, creating an empathy exchange with students. This helps foster a safe and supportive environment where students feel comfortable expressing their emotions and experiences.
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Encourage Dreaming and Imagination: Provide opportunities for students to envision their desired futures, design their own solutions, and reimagine their lives beyond their current circumstances. This helps restore their sense of hope, optimism, and goal-orientation.
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Promote Critical Reflection and Collective Action: Support students in developing a critical analysis of the policies, practices, and political decisions that have contributed to their trauma. Empower them to take loving, collective action to address these root causes, such as through advocacy, community organizing, or school-based initiatives.
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Integrate Culturally-Grounded Practices: Incorporate culturally-relevant rituals, activities, and traditions into the school environment to help students connect with their identity, heritage, and sense of belonging. This can include things like healing circles, drumming circles, or other practices that are meaningful to the school community.
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Invest in Adult Wellbeing: Establish systems and structures that support the ongoing healing and wellbeing of teachers, staff, and other adult providers. This can include initiatives such as sabbaticals, continuing education opportunities, or other programs that help adults manage the demands of supporting trauma-impacted students.
By embracing a healing-centered approach to discipline and behavior, schools can create a more supportive, equitable, and nurturing environment for all students, empowering them to heal, grow, and thrive.
Conclusion
The transition from traditional, punitive discipline models to a trauma-informed, healing-centered approach is a significant shift that requires sustained effort and commitment from the entire school community. However, the potential benefits for students’ wellbeing, academic success, and long-term outcomes are immense.
By fostering a trauma-informed, healing-centered approach to discipline and behavior management, Stanley Park High School can help create a more inclusive, supportive, and equitable learning environment for all students. This approach not only addresses the immediate needs of trauma-impacted students, but also lays the groundwork for long-term healing and positive transformation within the school and the broader community.
