Episode 7: Trauma-Informed Practice (Part 1)

When students carry trauma and chronic stress into the classroom, their survival instincts—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—often get mislabeled as defiance, laziness, or disruption. How can educators and school mental health professionals move past reactive discipline toward authentic co-regulation? In this episode of Holding Space with West40, host Lezlie Fuhr sits down with trauma specialist Constance Joubert and school social worker Kaitlyn Mentone to unpack the realities of trauma-informed care in K–12 schools. Together, they break down what co-regulation looks like, sounds like, and feels like in real time, examine how to balance trauma-informed empathy with clear boundaries, and discuss practical ways educators and building specialists can protect themselves from secondary traumatic stress. Key Takeaways: How trauma and survival responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) manifest in daily classroom behavior. "Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like" of reactive discipline vs. proactive co-regulation. Practical scripts and non-verbal cues teachers and specialists can use to calm a dysregulated student's nervous system. Debunking the myth that trauma-informed care means "lowering expectations" or eliminating boundaries. Strategies for front-line educators and school social workers to manage secondary traumatic stress and guard against burnout. Resources & Links Mentioned: Constance Joubert Website: healingrootscollectivellc.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/constance-joubert-89bb24161 Email: [email protected] Kaitlyn Mentone Website: https://intermediate.sd925.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1874655&type=u Email: [email protected] West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/ Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware West40 Grants Network Coming Soon! Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!