Using Culturally Responsive Trauma-Informed Mindfulness Practices to Support and Empower BIPOC Students

Abstract

Students who experience stress and trauma can experience and exhibit negative mental, physiological, and academic symptoms. School leaders and teachers are in a unique position to understand and support the psychological, emotional, and social resources that can help students cope with overwhelming stress and trauma. Mindfulness strategies can help to steer students away from a stress response as well as support and empower them on their journey toward academic success. Furthermore, racially- or culturally-related trauma for students who identify with marginalized identities, such as Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) can occur, which is especially true for those in predominantly white school environments. This chapter covers topics related to the impact of stress and trauma, the brain and body's connection to stress and trauma, internal resource tools to help students regulate their nervous systems, using trauma-informed and trauma-responsive strategies for support of students, and ways to incorporate trauma-informed mindfulness strategies to support and empower students.