Episode 126: Brain Science, Trauma, and Rethinking School Behavior with Dr. Katie Lohmiller and Halley Gruber
In this conversation, Kasey and Brian sit down with Dr. Katie Lohmiller and Halley Gruber, co-founders of the Educational Access Group, to explore what it really means to build trauma-responsive, brain-based schools. They unpack how stress and adversity shape student behavior, why many traditional discipline systems miss the mark. Grounded in the work of Dr. Bruce D. Perry, the discussion highlights practical ways educators can support regulation, safety, and learning while creating sustainable systems that don’t burn out the adults doing the work.
Takeaways-Regulation and felt safety are prerequisites for learning.-Brain state matters. Students can’t access higher-level thinking when they’re dysregulated.
Trauma-responsive work must be systems-based, not a list of strategies or a compliance checklist.
Adults need support too. Sustainable change protects educator capacity.
Small, consistent shifts in environment, routines, and relationships can create big results.
Effective school culture aligns brain science, behavior expectations, and instructional clarity.
Keywords
trauma-informed education, brain-based learning, school behavior, Educational Access Group, neurosequential model in education, Bruce Perry, What Happened to You, student regulation, educator burnout, school leadership, classroom culture, discipline
#schurtzandties #dogreatthings #keepknocking #DrKatieLohmiller #HalleyGruber #DrBrucePerry #BrucePerry @educational_access_group @brduncper
