Who Should Attend: K-12 Educators and Education Professionals
Friday, January 30, 2026, 10-11:30am
As educators and administrators, you already know how crucial executive functioning skills are to your students’ ability to learn. Childhood is a time when the brain is still developing these capabilities, but many students also come from trauma-impacted communities, and trauma can also impact brain development (and thus the capacity to participate in a classroom, navigate conflicts with peers, self-soothe, follow and remember instructions, make new connections… in short, the “hard-wiring” your students need, in order to learn). This introductory training will focus on recent research on nervous system functioning, covering the nitty gritty and brain science of how we self-regulate and co-regulate, what can get in the way, as well as practical skills teachers can model and share with young students in the classroom. Educators will learn practical techniques for regulation and co-regulation and also try out some hands-on exercises that can be integrated into your classroom. Considerations for neurodivergence will be integrated into the conversation. Please note: this workshop is led by educators, not mental health professionals. While we are both trained in trauma-informed methods, and will bring research-based practices to the work, we approach this work as colleagues and peers interested in supporting educators to incorporate a trauma-informed lens into our teaching.
Trauma-Informed Principles for Instructional Design – Virtual
Who Should Attend: K-12 Educators and Education Professionals
Friday, February 27, 2026, 10-11:30am
This workshop will focus on practical, trauma-informed strategies in lesson-plan design and instructional practice, to support your students’ learning and engagement, day by day. We will review the way trauma-informed instructional design can help to redress the effects of trauma and toxic stressors for your students, intervening in unhealthy brain function to support critical thinking and to create thriving and supportive learning environments in the classroom. Practical considerations such as physical environment and the importance of including safety in lesson planning will be addressed. We will cover best practices from recent research, a bit of background as to why implementing these principals in our classrooms is crucial for the safety of all, and you will leave with simple, concrete approaches you can put into practice immediately. Please note: this workshop is led by educators, not mental health professionals. While we are both trained in trauma-informed methods, and will bring research-based and current practices to the work, we approach this work as colleagues and peers interested in supporting educators to incorporate a trauma-informed lens into our teaching.
All workshops are co facilitated by Amy Ballard and Laura Neuman
Facilitators Amy Ballard (she/her) is an educator, coach, facilitator and curriculum writer. She holds a Master of Education degree with a focus on TESOL. Since 2013, she has worked in homes, community-based programs, and community colleges teaching High School Equivalency (HSE) exam preparation, English for speakers of other languages, writing composition, college readiness skills, and parenting skills to support child development. Amy designs and facilitates training and professional development opportunities for educators. She is a facilitator for PHENND’s annual Trauma-Informed Teaching cohort and co-author of “Trauma-Informed Principles for Online Teaching and Learning Spaces”. Amy is passionate about offering professional development that prioritizes practical strategies based on trauma-informed principles to help educators and staff thrive in their learning environments.
Laura Neuman is adjunct faculty in the TCNJ English Department. She has previously taught creative writing and composition at Temple University, Community College of Philadelphia, and Highline Community College in Des Moines, Washington. Laura has published three collections of poetry, performed at national venues including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Poetry Project at St. Mark’s Church (NY), Judson Church (NY), Poet’s House (NY), and the Kelly Writers House at University of Pennsylvania. Her work has been supported by The Fund for Poetry. Laura earned a first-year certificate from The Trauma Institute for a professional training in Somatic Experiencing, a technique for working with individuals and groups with trauma.