ABSTRACT
Children who experience extreme trauma also present with learning and behavioral challenges. Due to the closing of many residential centers across the country, many of these students are now in our educational settings. They often represent extreme examples of trauma, but millions of students with less extreme situations of trauma are in nearly every classroom in the United States. Knowing how to approach students on the continuum of traumatic experiences is critically important. This chapter is directed at those school psychologists, social workers, counselors, and educators who are seeking ways to optimize the learning experience for these students while also regulating their behaviors. Just like Ivan and his story at the end of this chapter, their learning potential is often buried by their constant efforts to survive the outcomes of their traumatic experiences. However, when we engage them in activities and interactions that help repair the brain’s adaptive functions and focus on the neurological processes that support resilience and thriving, they begin to flourish.
