Trauma can have a significant impact on how individuals think, feel, and learn. It can occur in many forms—not just as a single event, but also in ways that affect individuals, communities, and multiple generations over time. Traumatic experiences can reshape our approach to school, work, or professional development and influence our ability to focus, retain information, and feel engaged.

At Education Northwest, our instructional designers recognize that lasting learning takes place when people feel safe and supported. This applies to learners of all ages, in any environment—virtual, in person, or hybrid. By centering the learner in our design process, we go beyond the basics of clear objectives and interactive content; we create learning environments and experiences where emotional safety and belonging lead to deeper engagement.

Central to our work is a commitment to healing-centered practices, which we integrate throughout our four-phase instructional design model: Discover, Design, Develop, and Deliver. At each stage, we intentionally apply principles that promote safety, resilience, and well-being for all learners.

Discover

The Discover phase is the essential starting point for our collaborative design process. During this stage, we seek to understand all aspects of our partner organization: its culture, context, learner population, and the underlying gap that drives the need for a new learning experience. We accomplish this foundational work through structured meetings, in-depth context analysis, and collaborative crafting of precise learning objectives.

Healing-centered design is critical to the Discover phase. We take time to thoroughly explore the experiences and backgrounds of the target learners. Understanding how trauma—such as that experienced by health care professionals or emergency responders—intersects with the intended audience is fundamental. To gather this information, we use comprehensive needs assessment methods, including interviews, surveys, and planning tools. We focus on identifying relevant types of trauma and stress, which allows our instructional plan to be responsive, safe, and supportive for all learners.

Design

After gaining a comprehensive understanding of the context, we approach the Design phase through a healing-centered lens. In this phase, our instructional designers develop course frameworks and storyboards collaboratively with input from our partner organization. We carefully shape learning experiences that reflect both best practices and the realities of in-person, virtual, or blended learning delivery.

Crucially, our designers deliberately embed healing-centered practices throughout course frameworks and storyboards to communicate how activities and environments promote emotional safety, trust, empowerment, and authentic opportunities for learner voice and choice. Whenever possible, we use an iterative design review process. Purposefully incorporating feedback and validation at key points ensures that critical healing practices and supports are in place for the target learners.

Our Indigenous curriculum team partners with Tribes, states, districts, and organizations to create pre-K–12 instructional tools that accurately represent Native histories, narratives, and experiences. This work often asks educators and students to shift perspectives and engage with topics that affect individual, family, and community well-being. To align with healing-centered practices, our lessons include guidance for fostering open, honest, and safe learning environments, with practical strategies for addressing potentially sensitive or traumatic topics and incorporating flexibility and student choice to ensure all learners feel supported.
—Mandy Smoker Broaddus, Leader

Develop

Instructional plans come to life in the Develop phase. Our instructional designers create learning experiences and materials with a focus on not only high-quality content, but also the well-being of all learners. We intentionally reduce unnecessary stressors, foster learner agency through flexible options and meaningful choices, and cultivate a sense of belonging and empowerment. Whether developing online modules or materials for in-person workshops, our designers apply a trauma-informed lens—prioritizing activities that offer varied engagement and assessment options, emphasize cultural relevance, and ensure accessibility and emotional safety throughout the learning process. This thoughtful development fosters learning environments that support resilience, inclusion, and success for every participant.

When developing training for AmeriCorps VISTA members, our team worked closely with our partners at AmeriCorps to understand the emotional impact of service work and compassion fatigue. We intentionally built a learning experience that supports whole-person healing. By centering participants’ lived experiences, integrating mindfulness and reflection activities, and promoting agency through personal wellness planning, we created space for authentic connection and sustainable self-care.
—Nicky Martin, Director

Deliver

In the final phase, our team responsibly transfers completed materials to our partner and makes sure that the materials are deployed effectively. We center healing in this phase through comprehensive debriefs that include opportunities for stakeholders and users to provide feedback on emotional safety, inclusion, and the prominence of healing-centered practices during learning experiences. As we debrief and document lessons learned, we reflect on these practices so we can build improvements for learner well-being into future projects.

We collaborated with MENTOR (National Mentoring Resource Center) to create on-demand, self-paced virtual trainings for adult mentors and youth mentees. The mentor training emphasized a healing-centered, strengths-based approach that encourages mentors to see their mentees as whole individuals with assets rooted in their lived experiences and community relationships. The youth-focused training invited participants to explore their identities, recognize personal strengths, and foster a growth mindset that supports long-term well-being. Both trainings used asset-based language and included healing-centered reflective activities with practical tools designed to promote self-awareness, connection, and collective healing.
—Jessica Knight, Leader

Healing-centered instructional design is more than a framework—it’s a commitment to honoring the lived experiences of learners and fostering environments that prioritize emotional safety, resilience, and belonging. By integrating healing-centered principles throughout the Discover, Design, Develop, and Deliver phases, the instructional designers at Education Northwest create learning experiences that not only educate but also empower.

Resources from Education Northwest

Trauma and Resilience in Postsecondary Education

All students benefit when learning environments are informed by consideration of trauma. In this blog post, Dr. Shannon Davidson explains how all adults in postsecondary institutions can play a role in trauma-informed education by using the four Rs.

Trauma-Informed Strategies for Postsecondary Educators

Starting college can be stressful for all students but in particular for those who have experienced trauma. How can educators help?

Finding the Green Zone: Trauma-Informed Practices in the Classroom

Trauma-informed practices contribute to a foundation of safety and support. As students work through their own trauma, together we can build communities focused on healing, resilience, growth, learning, and success.

Networks of Care: A Conversation About Conducting Trauma-Informed Work in Native Communities

Maegan Rides at the Door (Director of the National Native Children’s Trauma Center and board member at Education Northwest) spoke with Mandy Smoker Broaddus about making trauma-informed work culturally responsive.

Trauma- and Resilience-Informed Practices for Postsecondary Education: A Guide

This guide aims to raise awareness of trauma and resilience in postsecondary institutions, explain how trauma affects learning and development, and provide practical strategies for working effectively with students with varying levels of trauma exposure.

Additional Resources

• Healing Centered Engagement Toolkit | Center for Childhood Resilience
• Healing-Centered Community School Strategies | Policy Analysis for California Education
• Resources for Healing-Centered Practice | Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health

Rachael Radick is a learning design specialist with expertise in culturally responsive instructional design and the facilitation of virtual and face-to-face learning experiences. Before joining Education Northwest, Rachael was an instructional support provider to schools and districts in California. She loves helping learners, teachers, and leaders add a little magic to their education toolbox.