Healing Hearts, Growing Minds is a transformative online professional development course designed specifically for early childhood educators who want to understand, support, and create healing environments for children impacted by trauma. This comprehensive self-paced program combines cutting-edge neuroscience with practical, classroom-ready strategies, all informed by lived experience as a complex childhood trauma survivor.

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Unlike purely academic approaches to trauma-informed education, this course bridges the gap between theory and practice by integrating personal narrative with scientific evidence. As both an educator and a survivor of complex childhood trauma, Kate brings a deeply authentic perspective on what children need to feel safe, seen, and supported in learning environments. This dual lens—professional expertise combined with lived experience—creates a learning experience that is both intellectually rigorous and profoundly human.

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Cost: $220

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Course Modules

Module 1 Introduction: Introduces trauma, defining it and showing the overlap with toxic stress. Explore the links to the EYLF and get a little bit of insight into Kate's personal story which inspired her research in this area. 

Module 2 The Neurobiology of Complex Trauma: explores how trauma affects the developing brain from a neuroscientific perspective. Learn about brain architecture, the stress response system, and how chronic stress and trauma alter neural pathways in young children. 

Module 3 The Impact of Trauma: looks at polyvagal theory and how traumatic experiences are encoded, stored, and retrieved differently than typical memories. Understand that behaviour is communication, especially for children impacted by trauma. Learn to decode challenging behaviours through a trauma-informed lens, recognising them as adaptive survival responses rather than wilful defiance.  Examine how early trauma disrupts attachment patterns and affects a child's ability to form trusting relationships with peers and adults. 

Module 4 Trauma Informed Practice: Dive deep into the principles and practices of trauma-informed care in educational settings.Transform your physical and emotional classroom environment to support trauma-affected children. Learn practical strategies for establishing predictable routines, creating sensory-friendly spaces, creating supportive, attuned relationships, and gain tools for co-regulation and supporting emotional development.

Module 5 Mindful Education: Explore the research and rationale behind integrating mindfulness practices into early childhood education. Understand how mindfulness supports self-regulation, emotional awareness, and stress reduction—skills that are particularly crucial for children impacted by trauma. Learn age-appropriate mindfulness concepts and terminology. Gain a toolkit of practical, developmentally appropriate mindfulness activities you can immediately implement in your classroom. 

Module 6 Conclusion: Look at the importance of self-care and download a bunch of helpful resources to continue your trauma informed journey. 

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Course Features

• Self-Paced Learning: Complete the course on your own timeline, fitting professional development into your busy schedule

• Video Lessons: Engaging video content that brings concepts to life through real examples and demonstrations

• Downloadable Resources: Practical handouts, mindfulness links and activities, and reference guides you can use immediately

• Fun quizzes: Review your learning as you go with no pressure. Retake the quizzes as many times as you like

• Certificate of Completion: Professional development certificate upon course completion

• Ongoing Access: Return to the material whenever you need a refresher or want to dive deeper for 60 days. 

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Join the Movement

Trauma-informed education isn't just a professional approach—it's a commitment to seeing every child's potential and creating the conditions for healing and growth. When educators understand trauma and respond with knowledge and compassion, they become agents of hope and change in children's lives.

Are you ready to transform your practice and become the educator who makes all the difference for trauma-affected children?

 

Healing Hearts, Growing Minds—Because every child deserves a teacher who understands.