trauma

T R A U M A TRAUMA

AFFECTS LEARNING AFFECTS LEARNING

Aworkbookforunderstandingandhealing

WelcometoTraumaHealing SELforHomeschoolersand Classrooms

This workbook is designed to support children and youth in developing a deeper awareness of their bodies, emotions, and responses to stress, using a trauma-informed lens rooted in nervous system science. Grounded in current research and practice, the content bridges somatic awareness, emotional literacy, and regulation strategies in developmentallyappropriateways.

Professionals using this resource—whether in clinical, educational, or community settings—will find structured guidance for introducing key concepts such as body-based safety, the stress-response system, and theimportanceofco-regulation.Eachsectionincludesreflectiveprompts, creative expression activities, and nervous-system-friendly tools designedtomeetstudentswheretheyare.

Key Skills &Techniques

Thisisaguidedworkbookdesignedtosupportchildrenandyouthin exploringtrauma,emotions,andhealingthroughgentleactivities.While manypagescanbedoneindependently,itisnotmeanttobeusedalone

Childrenbenefitmostwhenanadult parent,teacher,therapist,or caregiver—isnearbytosupport,listen,andcreateasenseofsafety.You don’tneedtohavealltheanswers.Yoursteady,non-judgmentalpresence isenough

Letthechildmoveattheirownpace.Thereisnosetordertocompletethe pages.Someactivitiesmayopenupconversation;othersmayjustallowfor quietreflection.

Thisworkbookisnotabehaviortool—it’sahealingresource.Itworksbest whenconnectioncomesfirst.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

TERMS OF USE Copyright © 2025 – Present, NewRules Learning. All rights reserved. By using this resource, you agree to the following terms:

YOU CAN: Use this resource for your own personal use. Use this item with your classroom of up to 30 students. Share it with students via Google Classroom or other password-protected platforms (as long as it’s not publicly searchable). Print and make copies for your own students.

YOU CANNOT: Share this resource on public websites or platforms that are searchable by Google or any search engine. Upload or share any part of this product on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, etc. Modify, edit, or use parts of this resource (text or graphics) in your own products, whether free or for sale. Redistribute this resource to others outside of your personal use or classroom.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Trauma Art Based Expression Coping Tools

Coversdefinitionsandhow traumashowsupphysically andemotionally.

Explorestrauma’simpacton attention,memory,regulation, friendship,andtrust

Includesthe“Emotion Monster,”mandalas,safe spaces,andbody awareness

Healing Journey

Presentsthecavedoodle page,healingladder,healing journeymapping,dalas,safe spaces,andbodyawareness

WHATISTRAUMA?

CHAPTER1

There is no timestamp on trauma… Be patient. Take up space.” Dawn Serra

WHATISTRAUMA?

Traumaiswhensomethinghappensthatfeelsreallyscary,confusing, oroverwhelming—somuchthatitcanbehardtostopthinkingabout itlater.Itcouldbeonebigthing,oralotofsmallerthingsovertime.

Sometimespeoplethinktheyshould“justgetoverit,”buttraumaisn’t justinyourhead itcanalsoshowupinyourbody,yourfeelings,and thewayyouact.

Dear Diary,

“Sometimes in class, I get really nervous even if nothing bad is happening. If the teacher gets a little strict or someone slams a book, my heart races and I want to run or hide. I’m not trying to be bad — it just feels like my body remembers something scary, even when my brain knows I’m in school.”

HOWTRAUMAMAYCHANGE

MYBRAIN

MYBRAIN

Ifthishappensalot,thebraingets“stuck”inalarm mode.

goesinto“survivalmode”— fight, flight, freeze. Calmbrainslearnbetter.Stressedbrainsstruggletofocus, remember,orstaypresent.

HowTraumaAffectsLearning

Hard to pay attention or sit still

Trouble remembering instructions

Struggles with reading or writing

May seem like not trying — but really trying to feel safe

Learning takes a back seat to survival

Dear Diary,

“Sometimes I sit in class and it’s like I can’t hear anything the teacher says. My body is there, but my head is somewhere else.

Like this morning — we were supposed to do a writing assignment, but I couldn't even remember the directions. I was still thinking about last night. The shouting. The door slamming. The police coming.

Everyone else started writing, and I just stared at the paper. I wanted to cry, but I didn't want anyone to see.

The teacher said I need to focus more. But how do you focus when your stomach hurts from stress and your brain won’t stop spinning?

I’m not dumb. I used to like school. But now it’s like my brain is always tired. It’s like the bad stuff follows me here, even when it’s quiet.”

How TraumaAffects Behaviour

Angeroutbursts

HowTraumaAffectsRelationships

Sometimes, I have a hard time trusting people — even the ones who are kind to me. It’s not because I don’t want to trust them. It’s just... I’ve learned that people can leave, or hurt you, even when they say they care. Especially the ones who were supposed to protect me. Because of that, I don’t always know how to act around others. Sometimes I keep to myself and don’t talk at all. Other times, I say yes to everything, even when I don’t want to — just to keep the peace. And sometimes, I get angry fast or try to control things before someone else does. It’s not easy for me to let people in. I wish it was. But when trust has been broken too many times, it feels safer to stay guarded — even when deep down, I still hope someone might stay.

Hardtotrust teachersor classmates

WhatTraumaDoestoFriendships

FriendsCanBeHard

Whenyou’vebeenhurt,making friendscanfeeltricky:

StayMindful

WhatHappensatSchool

Appearconfident

Atschool,someteachersmight notunderstandwhat’sgoingon

WhyTrustIsHardAfterTrauma

Whensomethingreallyscaryorpainfulhappens,it canmakeithardforakidtotrustpeople even theonestryingtohelp.

Ifthepersonwhohurtyouwassomeonewhowas supposedtotakecareofyou(likeaparentor caregiver),thatmakesitevenharder.Yourbrain learns:“PeopleItrustmightleaveme,hurtme,or changesuddenly.”

Drawabrokenheart

Kids ActinDifferentWays

Becauseofthat,somekidsactindifferentwaysaround others:

Theymightstaysuperquietandkeeptothemselves. Oralwayssay“yes”andtrytopleaseeveryone,evenif theydon’tmeanit.

Somegetangryfastortrytocontroleverything.

Somelieorplaymindgamesbecausetheydon’tfeel safebeinghonest.

Noneofthatmeansthey’rebad itjustmeansthey’re tryingtoprotectthemselves.

Drawafriendwhotriesto protecthimorherself

Let'sTalkAboutTrust

Dear Diary,

Sometimes when kids go through something really scary or painful, it can be hard to trust people — even the nice ones. That's because their brain is trying to keep them safe. And that’s okay.

ThinkandReflect

Thinkofwhatyouseeinyourself andothersonwhattrustlookslike

Hasanyoneeverbrokenyourtrust? Howdidthatmakeyoufeel?What happened?Namethem

Whatkindsofthingshelpyoufeelsafewithsomeonenew?

What Trust Looks Like to Me

Draworwriteineachblockofthecomicstrip.

Usestickfigures,faces,speechbubbles, symbols,oranythingelsethathelpsyou expressyourstory.

1. Before Trust

2. Learning Trust

3. Building Trust

A moment when trust felt broken or scary This could be a time you felt left out, ignored, or unsafe Use simple expressions or symbols to show the f li

Show a moment where someone was kind, listened, or helped you feel a little safer What did they do? How did that feel?

Draw what trust looks like now or what you hope it could look like one day a safe friendship, a caring teacher, or a peaceful space

FEELINGLIST

Positive/Calming

Safe Calm Brave

Hopeful

Proud Relieved

Curious

Loved

Heard

Grateful

Respected

Happy

Confident

Supported

Peaceful

Difficult/ Overwhelming

Angry Sad

Scared

Nervous

Confused

Frustrated

Lonely Embarrassed

Hurt Rejected

Guilty Tense

Overwhelmed

Ignored

Empty

PROMPTS

OptionalStarting Prompts

Rightnow,I’mfeeling

Todaystartedoff...

Idon’treallytalkaboutthis,but...

Onethingonmymindis...

Iwishpeopleunderstoodthat SomethingI’mtryingtofigureoutis... Lately,I’vebeenthinkingabout... Iactlikeeverything’sfine,butreally IfIcouldsaywhatI’mfeeling,I’dsay... It’shardformewhen...

Mybodyfeels...

ThepartoftodayI’llremembermost is...

Ifmyfeelingshadavoice,they’dsay...

Thehardestthingaboutthisweekis

Somethingthatmademefeelsmall was...

InoticedIacteddifferentlywhen...

Iwantedtosaysomething,butinstead I...

Ididn’tfeelsafewhen...

Ikeepwonderingwhy

Ifeltcalmwhen...

OptionalClosing Prompts

WhatIneedmostrightnowis...

Iwishsomeonewouldtellme...

IfIcouldmakeonethingbetter,it wouldbe...

Iwanttorememberthat...

Tomorrow,Ihope I’mproudofmyselffor... I’mgoingtotry...

AsmallstepIcantakeis... Ifeelstrongestwhen Eventhoughit’shard,I... Iwanttobelievethat... Ifeelalittlebetterafterwritingthis because...

OnethingIlearnedaboutmyselfis...

Idon’thavealltheanswers,but... Isurvivedtodayby Ineedabreakfrom...

Mysafespaceis... Iwanttotalktosomeoneabout ThenexttimeIfeelthisway,I’lltryto... I’llbeokaybecause...

Pickoneofthetopicsbelowtowriteabout.Youcanalsowriteaboutmorethanoneifyou feelready.

Sometimesweactacertainway likebeingquiet,gettingmadfast,ortryingtomake everyonehappy becauseourbrainistryingtokeepussafe.

Thinkabouthowyouactaroundothersinyourclassorathomeandwhatreactionyou getfromthoseyouactouton. Thinkoffriends,family,teachers,classmates,etc.

HowIActAroundOthers

TheChainReaction

BEFORE DURING AFTER

WhatIDo(My Behavior)

What’sReallyGoing On(TheFeelingor FearUnderneath)

WhatandWhoMight HelpMeFeelSaferor Calmer

Emotion&Self-Awareness

CHAPTER2

“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.” Peter A. Levine

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY

WHATFEELSSAFE

Thinkaboutatime—realorimagined—whenyoufeltsafe.Notjust “okay,”butreallysafe,likeyoucouldbeyourselfandbreathe. Whatdoesthatfeelinglooklikeinyourmind?Whatcolorsorshapes wouldyouuse?

1.Whatcolorsfeellikesafetytoyou?

2.Isitaplace,aperson,afeeling,orsomethingelse?

3.Doesyourdrawinghavesoftorsharplines?Isitbrightorcalm?

4.Youcanaddafewwordsorleaveitallasart it’suptoyou.

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY

SAFESPACES

FindingYourVoiceAgain:

HowArt,Music,Drama,andMovementHelpUsHeal

Whensomethingscaryorhurtfulhappens,itcanshakeuphowwefeel inside.Ourbodymightfeeljumpy,heavy,ortired.Ourthoughtsmightspin fast,orwemightnotwanttotalkatall.

That’sokay Healingdoesn’thavetostartwithwords

Sometimes,healingbeginswithacolor.Asound.Astory.Arhythm.Aquiet huminyourchest.Afeelingthatfinallygetstomove.

Yourdrawingshowsyourownversionofsafety—andnooneelse’shasto lookthesame.

Somepeoplefeelsafeinnature.Somefeelsafewithmusic.Somefind safetyinaperson,apet,orevenamemory.Youcanmakesomething thatbelongstoyou.

ConfrontingA MONSTER

Dear Diary, Sometimes I bring in the monster when things feel too big, too scary, or out of control.

It jumps in to protect me, — but it doesn’t always know how to do it the right way.

TheTruthAbouttheEmotion Monster

Theemotionmonstercancause realtrouble. Itdoesn’twaititsturn. Itbargesinwithoutasking. Andonceitshowsup,itcanmake amessoutofyourday oryour relationships

ItMighthaveStartedasa Protection

But now,itjustgetsintheway. Itmesseswithfriendships. Itmakesteachersthinkyou're“bad” or“lazy.” Itleavesyoufeelingmorealonethan before.

It’scapableofruiningyourday

Sometimesthemonster: Yellsbeforeanyoneevensays anything Shutsdownandrefusestotalk Liesorblamesothers Pushespeopleaway Pretendsnothingmatters

You’renottheMonster Yougettonoticeit Yougettonameit

Andyougettochoosewhattodo withit

Whatcolorisyourmonsterwhenit’sangry?Sad?Worried?

Whatsizeisyourmonster?Doesitgrow,hide,yell,orfreeze?

Wheredoesyourmonsterlive—insideoroutside?

Whathelpsyourmonstercalmdownorfeelseen?

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY

EMOTIONMONSTER

Let’sturnabigfeelingintoamonster

Usecolors,textures,orcut-outshapestocreateacreaturethatshows onebigfeelingyouhavesometimes.

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY MANDALACOLORING

Focusesthebrain,calmsthenervoussystem,andcreatesspacefor reflection.

Amandalaisacircledesignthatrepeatspatternsandshapes. Youcancolorslowly,pickcalmingcolors,orevendrawyourown. Asyoucolor,trybreathingslowlyin…andout.

Asyoucolor, whatdoyounotice inyourbody?

Pickacolorthat feelsstrong,and onethatfeelscalm

Wanttogiveyourmandalaanameormood?Writeithere:__________

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY MANDALACOLORING

Focusesthebrain,calmsthenervoussystem,andcreatesspacefor reflection.

Amandalaisacircledesignthatrepeatspatternsandshapes. Youcancolorslowly,pickcalmingcolors,orevendrawyourown. Asyoucolor,trybreathingslowlyin…andout.

Asyoucolor, whatdoyounotice inyourbody?

Pickacolorthat feelsstrong,and onethatfeelscalm

Dear Diary,

HARDFEELINGS

Some feelings are hard — like rocks in my chest.

But today, when I drew them, they started to feel soft. Not gone, just easier to hold. I think that helped

WhatYouNeed:

Pencil,crayonsor markers

(Optional:stickersor watercolor)

ARTBEHAVIORTHERAPY

MY STORY

Sometimesaftersomethingreallyhardhappenedtous,wedon’tnoticehow muchwe’vechanged.

Evensmallthings likefeelingalittlelessafraidorspeakinguponce canshow growth.

Thispageisfordrawinghowthingsfeltbeforeandhowtheyfeelnow.

Youdon’tneedtousewordsunlessyouwantto.

Usecolors,shapes,faces,orsymbols anythingthatshowsthedifference,even asmallone.

Goals&Growth

CHAPTER3

“Emotions are not problems to be solved. They are signals to be interpreted.”

Vironika Tugaleva

Dear Diary,

Today I’m going to listen to my body. Sometimes, feelings show up as tight shoulders, a fluttery tummy, or warm hands. After I do my body activity, I’ll draw what I notice and write a few things down.

It’s okay if I don’t feel much—this is just a way to check in and see what my body might be saying.

Let’s see what shows up today…

Howareyoufeelingrightnow?(Pickoneorwriteyourown) �� Calm �� Anxious �� Happy �� Sad �� Frustrated �� Tired

2 1

TRYABODYACTIVITY

Dosomeexercise(likestretching,shaking,ordeepbreathing). Takeabout5–10minutes

3

BODYSCANDRAWING

Onthenextpage isadrawingofabody.Useapenorcoloredpencilto: Circleanypartofyourbodywhereyoufeltsomethingstrong(agoodor weirdoruncomfortablefeeling).

Drawalinefromthatbodyparttooneoftheemptyboxesandanswer the3questions.

BODYFEELINGBEHAVIORTHERAPY BODYSCAN

1.Belowisadrawingofabody.Useapenorcoloredpencilto:

2.Circleanypartofyourbodywhereyoufeltsomethingstrong(agoodorweird oruncomfortablefeeling).

3.Drawalinefromthatbodyparttooneoftheemptyboxesandanswerthe3 questions

Whatdidyoufeelbeforethe activity?

Didanythingfeelweirdor uncomfortableduringit?

Howdoyoufeelnow?

MyBodyGoals

Trytowrite2easygoals,2harderones,and1maingoal— somethingyoureallywanttoworktoward.

: (checkoffoncedone!)

☐ Iwasclearandspecific

☐ IchosethingsIcanmeasureornotice

☐ Ipickedgoalsthatfitme notjustwhatsoundsgood

☐ I’mokayifIneedtochangethemlater

☐ I’llcelebrateeventhesmallwins!

BODYFEELINGBEHAVIORTHERAPY FEELMYBODY

TODAYI’MGRATEFULFOR

SOMETHING I’MPROUDOF

WORDSTOINSPIRETHEDAY

TOMORROWILOOKFORWARDTO

TODAY’SAFFIRMATION

HOWHAVEIFELTTHISYEAR?

Chooseupto3movesaday (ormoreifyoulike)and buildyourownrhythm.

BODYFEELBEHAVIORTHERAPY

MOVEMENTPLAN

Dear Diary,

Today I’m making a 10-minute plan to help my body feel better and my mind feel calm. I want to feel more me—stronger, lighter, braver, or just less wiggly inside. I get to pick movements that feel right for me, and I can change them anytime.

Here’s what I’m going to try today:

6-Minute Main Moves 2-Minute Release 1 MINUTE WARM 1-Minute Cool-Down

2 1

BODYFEELBEHAVIORTHERAPY

NUTRITIONMATTERS

EatSmart,FeelStrong:WhyNutritionMattersforYou

Whatisgoodfood. it’sthekindoffoodthathelpsyourbrainthinkbetter, yourmoodstaybalanced,andyourbodyfeellikeitcantakeontheworld (oratleastschool).

Whenyou’reyoung, yourbodyisgrowingrapidly Yourbrainisdeveloping, youremotionsareshifting,andsometimesitfeelslikeeverything’s changingallatonce.Soyes,whatyoueatreallymattersrightnow.Thinkof foodasfuel notjustforyourbody,butalsoforyourenergy,focus,and feelings.

WhatShouldYouEatMoreOf?

1.Proteins

Proteinshelpbuildstrongmusclesandalsosupportclearthinkingand focus.

Goodoptions:meat,eggs,beans,chicken,tofu,yogurt,nuts,fish

2.Brain-BoostingHealthyFats

Omega-3fatsareespeciallygoodforyourbrainandnervoussystem.

Goodoptions:salmon,tuna,chiaseeds,walnuts,avocado

3.VegetablesandFruits

Fullofvitamins,minerals,andfiberthathelpyourenergyanddigestion.

Goodoptions:spinach,broccoli,berries,bananas,carrots,apples

4 WholeGrains

Thesekeepyourenergysteadythroughouttheday

Goodoptions:oats,brownrice,wholegrainbreadorpasta,quinoa

BODYFEELBEHAVIORTHERAPY SLEEPMATTERS

WhatHappensWhileYouSleep?

1.YourBrainSortsInformation

Alldaylong,yourbraincollectsthoughts,ideas,andmemories.Whenyousleep, yourbrainorganizesthisinformation likeputtingbooksontherightshelf.This helpsyourememberwhatyoulearnedatschoolandhowtodonewthings.

2.YourStressSwitchTurnsOff

Whenyou'reawakeandbusy,yourbrainsometimesgetsstuckin"stressmode." Butsleephelpsyourstressresponseslowdown,soyourbodycanrestand recover.

3.YourMusclesRelax

Yourmusclesstopworkingsohardwhenyou’reasleep Thisgivesthemtimeto heal,getstronger,andfeelbetter.

4.YourBodyMakesImportantHormones

Thesehormoneshelpyoufeelsleepy,staycalm,andgrow.Oneofthem,called melatonin,tellsyourbodyit’stimetorest.Anotherone,cortisol,goesdownat nighttolowerstress.

HowDoYouKnowIfYou'reGettingGoodSleep?

There’sasimplewaytocheck,usingthewordSATED:

S=Satisfied:Doyoufeelgoodaboutyoursleep?

A=Alert:Areyouawakeandfocusedduringtheday?

T=Timing:Doyougotobedandwakeupataboutthesametimeeveryday?

E=Efficient:Doyousleepmostofthetimeyou'reinbed,ordoyoutossand turn?

D=Duration:Doyougetenoughsleepforyourage(about9–11hours)?

Dear Diary,

BODYFEELBEHAVIORTHERAPY TIPSFORSLEEP

Sometimes I forget how important sleep really is. It’s not just about closing my eyes—it’s how my body recharges, how my brain remembers things, and how my feelings calm down.Tonight, I want to give my body the rest it needs. I’m learning to take better care of myself, even when I’m dreaming.

TipsforBetterSleep

1.Gotobedandwakeupatthesametimeeveryday—evenonweekends.

2.Keepscreens(liketabletsandphones)outofbed.

3.Createabedtimeroutine(bath,book,andquiettime).

4.Keepyourroomcool,quiet,anddark.

5.Tryrelaxingmoveslikestretchingorslowbreathingbeforebed.

BODYFEELBEHAVIORTHERAPY SLEEP

Happiness is a nice long nap.

– Peanuts

WhichisTrue?

Ifeeltiredduringtheday

Ifallasleepfast

Iwakeupinthemiddleofthenight

BedtimeRoutine

Doyouhaveacalmbedtimeroutine(likereadingorquiettime)?

Doyougotobedatthesametimemostnights?

Doyouturnoffscreens(TV,phone,tablet)beforebed?

EffectsofSleep

Doyoufeelsatisfied?

Doyoufeelalertinclass?

Isyoursleeptimeregular?

Doyousleepmostofthetimeinbed?

Areyougettingenoughsleep?

HealingJourney

CHAPTER4

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” Tony Robbins

Today I saw something in my friend that made me think about what trauma really is.

She used to flinch when someone closed a book too loudly. She'd stare at the floor during group work and freeze when someone asked her a question. The teachers never pushed her, but they always stayed close—like they were holding space for her to come back when she was ready.

Now, months later, she's starting to come back. She laughed during art. She made a joke in science. She even told someone, “I need a break,” instead of shutting down.

That’s when I realized something: trauma doesn’t just live in your memories—it lives in your body. It hides in fast heartbeats, shaky hands, sore stomachs, and a brain that’s always scanning for danger. It tells you the world isn’t safe, even when it is.

Our teachers talk to us about this in a way that makes it feel okay—not scary. They say your brain has a smoke alarm, and sometimes, when you’ve been through something hard, that alarm gets stuck in the “on” position. Your body keeps reacting, even if the danger is gone.

But here’s the good part. They also teach us how to unstick the alarm. We learn how to notice what our bodies feel like when we’re about to flip our lid. We learn breathing tools, movement breaks, and grounding tricks like noticing what’s around us. We learn to name our emotions—or draw them, or act them out, or even just sit with them quietly.

No one forces us to talk about what happened. That’s private. But we’re allowed to learn how to feel safe again.

Watching my friend come back to herself—bit by bit—makes me believe healing is possible. She’s not “all better.” But she’s rebuilding trust with the world. And maybe with herself.

That gives me hope. Because some days, I still feel the shaky hands. The skipping heart. The need to scan the room and find the exit. But if she can start healing, maybe I can too.

IFMYHEALINGHADA SHAPE

Sometimesit’shardtodescribehowwefeelwithwords especiallyafter somethinghard.Butyourbodyremembers,andyourhealinghasa shape,acolor,afeelingallitsown.

IfmyHealinghadaShape:

MyOwnShape:

IfmyHealinghadaColour:

Colour: Whydidyoupickthatcolour?

IfmyHealingmadeaSound:

WhereinmybodydoIfeel healingbegin?

OnethingIdothathelpsmefeel safeagainis

Example:huggingapillow, breathingslowly,listeningto music

HEALINGBEHAVIORTHERAPY

MYHEALINGJOURNEY

Whensomethinghardhappens,Ifeel:

OneSmallthingI’vedonoethathelpedmefeelalittlebetter:

Someoneorsoomethingthathelpsmefeelsafe:

Circle what you’ve done lately (even once is enough!):

☐ Took a deep breath

☐ Asked for help

☐ Said how I felt

☐ Took a break

☐ Cried and let it out

☐ Helped someone else

☐ Got through a tough day

☐ Spent time doing something I enjoy

MYHEALINGLADDER

Dear Diary,

Sometimes healing feels like nothing is changing. But when I look back, I realize I’ve already climbed a few steps. I used to freeze when I was overwhelmed. Now I remember to breathe. I used to hide when things felt too big. Now I ask for space. This is what healing looks like—one step at a time. Even small steps count. And I’m still climbing.

WhatICouldDoBefore(Then)

IstayedquietwhenIwasupset.

WhatICanDoNow(Now)

Icansay,“Ineedabreak.”

Ididn’tknowwhatIwasfeeling. Icannamesomeof myfeelings. Iusedtoholdeverythinginside

Icandraworjournal howIfeel. Iusedtohideduringgrouptime.

Icansitwithothers andlisten. Ifeltunsafemostoftheday.

Ihavemoments whereIfeelokay.

Ididn’ttrustadultsatschool

Icanaskforhelp whenIneedit. Ididn’tlikeeyecontact

Icanlookupand smilesometimes.

MYHEALINGLADDER

Inthefirstcolumn,writesomethingthatusedtobehardforyou. Inthesecondcolumn,writewhatyoucandonow,evenifit’sjustalittledifferent. Youcanwrite,draw,orevenusecolorsorsymbolstoshowyourprogress

WhatICouldDoBefore(Then)

WhatICanDoNow(Now)

MYNERVES

Dear Diary,

Today I learned something kind of amazing. Our bodies have something called nerves—tiny messengers that help us feel and react to the world around us.

When I feel excited, like before a big game, or nervous before a test, that’s my nerves doing their job. They send signals from my brain to my body, kind of like texts, telling me, “Hey, something important is happening!”

But sometimes, my nerves work too hard—like when I’m safe but still feel scared or frozen. That’s okay too. It means my body is trying to protect me, even if there’s no danger. I want to get better at listening to what my nerves are trying to say... not ignoring them, but also not letting them take over. This feels like the start of something good.

What My Body Feels Like

Yourbodyfeelssafe andreadytolearn.

Yourbodysenses apossiblethreat.

Yourbodythinks it’sindanger.

FAMILYTRAUMAIMPACT

Directions:Thinkaboutthetraumaticexperiencesyourfamilyhasfaced. Writedownonewaythistraumamightstillaffectyourfamilydynamics, relationships,orbehaviorstoday.

Dear Diary,

Today I learned something big: My body is not the problem.

It’s actually one of the most precious things I have.

Even when it feels tight, tired, shaky, or shut down — it’s only trying to help me.

We talked about how our bodies have zones:

The Green Zone is when I feel calm, connected, and safe.

The Orange Zone is when my body gets alert — maybe worried, jumpy, or ready to run.

The Red Zone is when I shut down, go quiet, or feel frozen inside.

None of these zones mean something’s wrong with me. They mean my body is protecting me the best way it knows how. And that makes it something to respect, not blame.

I used to think my body betrayed me when I felt anxious

Now I know it’s been loyal the whole time — just doing its best to carry me through.

From now on, I want to treat my body with more care. It’s not broken. It’s brilliant. And it deserves my kindne