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Becoming Trauma-Informed: A Primer for Educators

Learn how to identify and help students who face the impacts of trauma.

You will learn the basic understanding of psychological trauma and its impact in both K-12 and higher education and strategies for intervention. Learners will be able to recognize and respond to signs of traumatic stress and know where to find additional help when necessary.

More than two-thirds of people report experiencing at least one traumatic event by age 16. For some, school is a respite from the anxiety and worry at home, but for others, well-meaning teachers are doing more harm than good by not being trauma-aware. It is essential that educators know how to identify and help students who face the impacts of trauma.

This program is designed for: K-12 teachers, staff, and administrators, higher-ed faculty, and student affairs staff.

  • Program Details
  • What You'll Learn
  • Topics Covered
  • Program Details

    Program Format: Online, self-guided

    Cost: FREE

    CEUs (Continuing Education Units): 1

    Length of Program: 6-8 hours

    What You'll Learn

    When you've completed the program "Becoming Trauma-Informed," you will be able to:

    • Explain how trauma affects students.
    • Recognize trauma behaviors inside and outside of the classroom.
    • Apply intervention strategies to address toxic stress and trauma with students.
    • Use self-care strategies when working as a trauma-aware educator.

    Topics Covered

    This program will include:

    • Basic information about trauma, toxic stress, and adverse childhood experiences
    • The impact of trauma and toxic stress
    • The neuroscience of trauma and toxic stress
    • Strategies for building resilience
    • Intervention approaches and the importance of prevention
    • How educators can identify and address toxic stress and trauma in students
    • Self-care when working with students in crisis

    Program Details

    Program Format: Online, self-guided

    Cost: FREE

    CEUs (Continuing Education Units): 1

    Length of Program: 6-8 hours

    What You'll Learn

    When you've completed the program "Becoming Trauma-Informed," you will be able to:

    • Explain how trauma affects students.
    • Recognize trauma behaviors inside and outside of the classroom.
    • Apply intervention strategies to address toxic stress and trauma with students.
    • Use self-care strategies when working as a trauma-aware educator.

    Topics Covered

    This program will include:

    • Basic information about trauma, toxic stress, and adverse childhood experiences
    • The impact of trauma and toxic stress
    • The neuroscience of trauma and toxic stress
    • Strategies for building resilience
    • Intervention approaches and the importance of prevention
    • How educators can identify and address toxic stress and trauma in students
    • Self-care when working with students in crisis

    This online, self-paced program can help you better serve your students.

    Program Authors

    Weinkauf is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who has served as a licensed school social worker for 17 years. Her time as an educator has spanned K-12 public and charter schools in urban and suburban communities. She has served as a Trauma Coach, General Education and Special Education School Social Worker. Before working as an educator, she provided school-based violence prevention services and worked with girls involved in the criminal justice system. In addition to her current role as Special Education Social Worker, Weinkauf serves as a therapist and adjunct professor. She provides clinical supervision to new school social workers and consultation and training to K-12 schools. Her focus areas include: trauma and its impact, trauma-informed schools, equity and anti-racism, the neurosequential model in education and restorative practices. Weinkauf holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from St. Catherine University and a Master of Social Work degree from St. Catherine University/University of St. Thomas.


    Dr. Johnson is currently the Co-Director of the Post Traumatic Stress Center in New Haven, Connecticut, which evaluates and treats children and adults suffering from the consequences of trauma-related conditions. He is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.

    He worked at the VA Medical Center in West Haven for 17 years before moving into clinical practice with Hadar Lubin, MD. In 2015, he and Dr. Lubin published Principles and Techniques of Trauma-Centered Psychotherapy (American Psychiatric Publishing), a clinical text.

    Johnson's center conducts the Miss Kendra Program, a trauma-informed, preventive program that has been implemented nationally (www.misskendraprograms.org). He has also published widely in the use of the creative arts therapies, particularly drama therapy, in psychiatric care. He has published over 150 articles and chapters and 8 books, during his career.


    Dr. Sommers has a decade of professional experience working at a variety of higher education institutions and within a number of functional areas within student affairs. Her areas of interest include holistic approaches to student wellbeing, the role of mindfulness and self-care in trauma-centered student affairs work, social justice in higher education, and intersectionality in student affairs work.


    Dr. Trout has taught in pre-school through graduate-level classrooms in urban, suburban and rural settings. At the University of St. Thomas, she teaches educational psychology, social studies methods and diversity in school contexts. Her areas of interest range from caring relationships in teaching, deliberative reasoning by pre-service and practicing K-12 teachers, and interruptions to the school-to-prison pipeline.


    Take the Next Step

    Continuing education programs offered by the School of Education can help you gain CEU credits and bring additional competencies to your school and communities.