Join Dr. Douglas Walker in the Impact of Child Traumatic Stress on Learning
Workshop Dates:
February 2, 2021 (asynchronous)
February 9, 2021 @ 5:30-7:00pm ET
Audience: K-12 Educators, Counselors & Psychologists
Discounted Rates for AASSA Members. Register Today!
Series Overview:
Child traumatic stress (CTS) occurs when children are exposed to traumatic events, and when this exposure overwhelms their ability to cope with what they have experienced. While some children “bounce back” after adversity, traumatic experiences can result in a significant disruption in their development and have profound long-term consequences. Repeated exposure to traumatic events (also referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs) can affect the child’s brain and nervous system and increase the risk of low academic performance, engagement in high-risk behaviors, difficulties in peer and family relationships, and life-long chronic disease and illness. Thankfully there is a growing body of literature to guide adults in recognizing the signs and symptoms of CTS and effective school and community treatments to address those children who are experiencing CTS.
Dr. Douglas Walker- Workshop Facilitator
Dr. Douglas Walker, Chief Programs Director, Mercy Family Center Dr. Walker has worked with the international school community for fourteen of his last twenty-three years of practice as a clinical psychologist. He received his doctorate from the University of North Texas where he participated in the emerging field of Psychoneuroimmunology, studying the impact of stress upon the human immune system. In response to Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Walker created Project Fleur-de-lis, New Orleans’s largest school-based mental health program devote to students struggling emotionally and academically in the years following the storm and destruction. Dr. Walker has served as technical advisor to the US State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools and Guyana’s Ministry of Health to assist in the dissemination of trauma focused, evidence – based practices.
Over the past decade, he has held a close relationship with the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA), functioning as a technical advisor and trainer for the implementation of trauma-informed treatment, crisis response and programming. With the support of AISA, Dr. Walker worked alongside other child protection experts to create the Child Protection Handbook, now in its second edition. In 2016, Dr. Walker completed a Fulbright Specialist Scholarship in Fukushima City, Japan where he conducted lectures in disaster mental health, and collaborative research into peer-to-peer support post 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, tsunami and level 7 meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. He functions as an Affiliated Consultant for the Council of International Schools (CIS), is a member of the International Task Force on Child Protection and contributes to the efforts of The Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) as a member of their Rapid Response Team.
