Since graduating with a degree in Sociology from Emory University in 1995, I have dedicated my career to working with children and adolescents who have been identified as having severe emotional and behavior disorders. After 22 years working as a behavior specialist, classroom teacher, and crisis interventionist, I am still working to advocate for students with emotional and behavior disorders, ho
wever my purpose has become clearer now. Helping others understand the effects of childhood trauma changes lives. My professional experiences, as well as my education and personal experiences, have afforded me the unique opportunity to observe, study and survive the life-altering effects of childhood trauma. One of the most promising realizations on this journey has been that the educational environment can and should be a safe haven for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. As I focus on educating parents and professionals in schools and in child service organizations using evidenced-based responses to childhood trauma, I am convinced that, together, we can decrease the number of students who are labeled as having emotional behavior disorders and create school climates that focus on prevention for all students. M.Ed.-Special Education/Behavior Disorders-GA State University
Ed.S.-Mental Health in Schools-University of Missouri
Trained Child Forensic Interviewer
Certified Trauma Practitioner & Trainer for The National Institute of Trauma & Loss in Children
About The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children
Founded in 1990 by Dr. William Steele, The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), a member of the Starr Global Learning Network, offers professionals trauma-informed training, support, consultation, online learning opportunities, certifications and trauma intervention programs and tools in trauma intervention programs, tools and techniques for working with children and families. TLC has trained over 50,000 professionals, including 6,000 TLC certified trauma and loss specialists working with communities around the world. Certified TLC specialists have been on the ground following some of the world’s most devastating tragedies, including the Sandyhook Elementary School shooting in 2012, the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001, and the 2005 Tsunami in Southeast Asia. For more information on TLC, please visit www.starr.org/tlc.
