Transitioning to Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices
National Learning Academy
The Challenge
During its first year of operations, a national arts academy serving adult learners began encountering unexpected learner reactions to its teaching methods and curriculum. Faculty and staff recognized that some learning experiences were creating distress or disengagement, but they did not yet have the knowledge or tools to understand what was happening, respond effectively, or make appropriate changes.
The academy needed an approach that could address immediate concerns while strengthening how courses were designed, delivered, evaluated, and supported across the organization.
Safer
Learning
Learning environments designed to support psychological safety and accessibility
Confident
Faculty
Faculty better equipped to recognize and respond to learner needs
Empowered Learners
Greater trust, transparency, and choice within the learning experience
Stronger
Feedback
Evaluation tools redesigned to provide more meaningful, actionable insights
My Approach
I partnered with academy leadership, faculty, and staff to assess the learner experience and integrate trauma-informed principles throughout the organization's approach to adult learning. Rather than addressing individual incidents in isolation, we examined curriculum, instructional practices, communication, faculty preparation, and evaluation to create a more supportive and sustainable learning model.
Assess
Reviewed curriculum and learner evaluation data and met with leadership, faculty, and staff to understand learner concerns, instructional challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
Equip
Developed customized training and resources to help faculty and staff understand how trauma can affect adult learning, recognize signs of learner activation, and respond in ways that support safety, empowerment, and continued engagement.
Redesign
Applied trauma-informed instructional design principles to learner preparation materials, faculty resources, and curriculum, strengthening accessibility and creating clearer expectations for both learners and instructors.
Evaluate
Redesigned learner evaluation questions to assess safety, transparency, collaboration, and choice, providing the academy with more actionable information for ongoing improvement.
Areas of Expertise
Training & Instructional Design
Trauma-Informed Training Design
Adult Learning & Facilitation
Curriculum & Course Development
Professional Development Workshops
Organizational Wellness & Culture Change
Trauma-Informed Practices
Leadership & Culture Support
Workplace Culture Improvement
Strategic & Action Planning
Organizational Analysis
Needs Assessments
Action Planning & Implementation Roadmaps
Lasting Impact
Empowered
learners with greater trust, clarity, and agency within their learning experiences
Prepared
faculty with stronger skills and confidence to create supportive learning environments and respond effectively to learner needs
Aligned
the organization around trauma-informed principles and clearer expectations for teaching and learner support
Sustainable
evaluation practices that provide actionable data to continually strengthen curriculum and the learner experience
Learning and Development Director
I learned as much from the way Jennie modeled the training concepts in her own delivery as I did from the content!
Marielena Browne, RRT-NPS, AE-C
Jennie’s clear and thorough presentation of Trauma-Informed Training Design made it easy to apply new concepts to my current practices. The classes immediately improved my ability to meet the needs of learners while aligning with organizational objectives.
Domestic Violence Victim Advocate
This training was so impactful. Jennie was able to articulate and adapt to the group and shared real-life experiences…I left knowing how to use this information in my day-to-day work.
Instructional Designer
I walked away with immediately applicable skills for my own upcoming trainings.
