Complex Trauma in the Classroom
March 2019
The Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (HEARTS) program is a whole-school, multi-level prevention and intervention program for creating trauma-informed, safe and supportive schools. In this webinar, Laura McArthur, PhD, the co-director of HEARTS in Colorado, reviews the topic of complex trauma in the classroom including considerations for building relationships with students impacted by complex trauma. While much is known about attachment, trauma, and positive classroom practices, students impacted by complex trauma can behave in ways that are particularly challenging even for the most patient and skilled school staff. Weaving together research from experts in the field of complex trauma, attachment theory, and interpersonal process in therapy, HEARTS aims to give student caregivers the will and the skill to adapt to the daily challenges of working with children impacted by trauma.
This program does not offer CE credit.
Speaker
Laura McArthur, PhD
Laura McArthur, PhD, LP studied and trained at the University of Colorado, University of Utah, and University of San Francisco (UCSF) on her path to becoming a clinical psychologist. Her areas of focus include trauma, systems change, child and family development, multicultural psychology, and social justice. McArthur has led the growth of the UCSF Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (HEARTS) program in Colorado in addition to directing a school-based mental health team. As the developer and co-director of the HEARTS program in Colorado, McArthur has led over 100 trainings and workshops and has provided training and supervision for over 15 new HEARTS staff as the program expanded. In the past 8 years, McArthur has provided leadership and group consultation, conducted assessments and evaluations of HEARTS and other projects, and developed tailored and specialized curricula for individual schools and other programs. McArthur's work has focused on ensuring all students, teachers, parents, and schools are supported in connecting to their own resilience through evidence-based training, consultation, and mental health services.
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