Almost half of the students currently attending school have suffered from trauma in their life. Trauma causes students to experience past emotions and sensations in the present moment and can have a serious impact on their success in school. A variety of events can have a traumatic effect on adolescents including physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, accidents, witnessing abuse, or losing a loved one. These experiences often influence brain development and have a direct, immediate and potentially overwhelming effect on the ability of a student to function on a daily basis. This session will help attendees begin to understand the potential effects of trauma, how to build healthy, healing relationships with all students, and how to respond appropriately to those whose lives have been forever influenced by trauma. Attendees will also be engaged in sharing the strategies they have used in developing relationships with trauma influenced students.
