Through The Eyes of Trauma

or some students, summer break is a season of rest, joy, and family vacations. For others, it’s two long months of instability, loss of structure, and survival mode. When these students return to school, they bring more than backpacks, they carry the emotional weight of what they’ve experienced.

In this episode of Through the Eyes of Trauma, Dr. Salena Smith unpacks how the Circle of Courage®—belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity—can guide teachers and families in creating safe, healing-centered spaces for students returning from uncertain summers.