Trauma-Informed and Culturally Responsive Practices in Schools: Building a Climate of Compassion

In order to succeed in school, students fundamentally need to feel safe and connected--particularly when chronic stress at home, in the community, or at school makes it difficult to learn. This book explains practical ways to infuse schools with trauma-informed and culturally responsive (TICR) practices that can foster compassionate relationships, promote the well-being of students and educators alike, and unlock students’ academic and social–emotional potential. Isaiah B. Pickens provides a wealth of tools for implementing TICR strategies in classroom instruction, multi-tiered systems of support, school safety planning, and professional learning. In a convenient large-size format, the book is packed with case examples, checklists, activity guides, templates for assessment, and best-practice resources. The companion website offers 41 reproducible and downloadable handouts.

This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.
 

Isaiah B. Pickens, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and organizational development specialist whose career is dedicated to strengthening people and systems. He is a former Assistant Director at the UCLA–Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and a former Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Pickens is well known as a trauma expert and specialist in creating emotionally intelligent school cultures. He is certified by Stanford University as a Compassion Specialist and is a recipient of the Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association, among other honors. Dr. Pickens is founder and CEO of iOpening Enterprises.