Trauma-Informed
Trainings
Building a trauma-informed school involves training for everyone, from teachers to bus drivers. If everyone in the school is trauma-informed, then students are more likely to receive the care they need.
TRIS trainings are taught by trauma-trained mental health experts from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and designed to work with your audience. Training can be done:
Virtual or in-person
(anywhere within Arkansas)
With small or large groups
As an independent training
or combined with
other trainings
Looking to move beyond single trainings and build a fully trauma-informed school environment? TRIS intensives provide a structured, multi-session training pathway designed to align staff, strengthen skills, and support school-wide implementation. Learn more in the Trauma Intensives section.
Training Pathway
Foundational Knowledge and Practices
Supporting Students During Difficult Times
Start Here! This first training describes childhood trauma and how impacts students’ development and behavior. Participants will learn key strategies for supporting students exposed to traumatic events and will learn to identify and help students in need of more services or resources. A minimum of three hours is needed for this training.
Enhancing Feelings of Safety
In this training, school personnel will learn why students and staff impacted by trauma need safe environments to learn and work in. Participants will also learn how to foster a sense of emotional and physical safety for students, staff and families in both the classroom and the broader school environment. A minimum of three hours is needed for this training.
Additional Strategies to Support Students
Resiliency Through Supportive Relationships
Students impacted by trauma may have disrupted relationships, and they can have trouble forming trusting relationships with adults and peers. The best predictor of resilience is a supportive relationship with a safe and caring adult. School staff will learn strategies to create and grow these safe relationships with students. A minimum of three hours is needed for this training.
Building Skills for Making Safe and Healthy Decisions
We know that youth whose brains are chronically in fight or flight mode struggle to fully use the part of their brains that supports their ability to solve problems and make healthy choices. School staff will learn strategies to teach a trauma-informed decision-making model, designed to reduce conflict and build skills for making safe and healthy choices. A minimum of three hours is required for this training.
Building Skills for Self-Regulation
Students with traumatic experiences often have trouble controlling their behaviors when upset. A composed adult can help build a student’s self-regulation skills through teaching and modeling. School staff will learn ways to help regulate themselves and how to support students when they are struggling to manage their emotions and behaviors.
Additional Strategies to Support Staff
These courses are elective, designed to be done with other trauma-informed trainings or independently. You do not need to have completed “Supporting Students during Difficult Times” in order to participate in these trainings.
Supporting Organizational Wellness
This training is designed for administrators and school leaders. Participants will learn trauma-informed approaches to gathering information about staff needs and supporting the school workforce. Participants will also learn about resources available for school personnel who need additional mental health supports. A minimum of 90 minutes is required for this training.
Caring for Ourselves and Others
This training for school personnel explores self-care and its importance in building a trauma-informed school. Participants will learn a framework for self-care for educators as well as strategies for integrating self-care activities into home and work routines. This training is designed for all school personnel. A minimum of 2 hours is required for this training.
Trauma-Informed Intensives
TRIS Trauma-Informed Intensives are coordinated training partnerships with Arkansas schools and school districts. Rather than a single session, intensives deliver a sequence of core trauma-informed trainings over a defined period, allowing staff to build knowledge, practice skills, and apply strategies consistently across settings.
The TRIS team works directly with school and district leadership to plan and deliver each intensive. Trainings are scheduled and structured to align with your goals, staff availability, and existing initiatives.
What’s included in a Trauma-Informed Intensive?
Foundational and advanced trauma-informed training courses
Delivery across multiple sessions, typically over one or more full training days
Options for in-person or virtual implementation across your school and district
Trainings designed for all staff, including educators, administrators, and support personnel
Outcomes of a TRIS Intensive
By completing a TRIS Intensive, schools and districts can:
Establish a shared understanding of trauma and its impact on students
Create consistent approaches to behavior and support across classrooms
Increase staff confidence in responding to student needs
Two-Day Intensive
Sample Agenda
Session 1
Foundational Knowledge & Practices
Supporting Students during Difficult Times (3 hours)
Enhancing Feelings of Safety (3 hours)
Session 2
Additional Skills to Support Students
Building Skills for Self-Regulation (90 minutes)
Building Skills for Safe and Healthy Decisions (3 hours)
Additional trainings, including specialized topics, can be incorporated based on school or district needs.