What does it really mean to help students learn how to learn—especially in systems that were never designed with all learners in mind?

In this powerful conversation, Ginger and Julie are joined by Zaretta Hammond, nationally recognized consultant, educator, and author, to explore how culturally responsive teaching, neuroscience, and instructional equity intersect. Together, they unpack why rigor and care are not opposites, how learning power is built (or blocked) by systems, and what educators can do to move beyond compliance toward true cognitive justice.

Zaretta brings over 25 years of experience supporting schools and systems in understanding the science of learning, the science of reading, and culturally responsive practices, offering both big-picture insight and practical wisdom educators can use right away.

Zaretta Hammond is a national consultant, former high school and community college writing teacher, and a leading voice in culturally responsive education. She is the author of:

• Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice (Corwin, 2025)

• Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (Corwin, 2015)

• 🌐 Zaretta Hammond’s website: https://ready4rigor.com/

• 📘 Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: https://a.co/d/0AYfVe2

• 📗 Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: https://a.co/d/9XHihth

In this heartfelt and reflective episode, Julie Beem and Ginger Healy return to a profound conversation from Season 1 with the late Cissy White—trauma survivor, fierce advocate, and the originator of the term Joy Stalking.

As the world faces rising despair and isolation, Julie and Ginger explore what it means to stalk, savor, and sustain joy—especially in the face of pain, trauma, and fear. Drawing from Cissy’s wisdom, Brene Brown’s research, theological insights, and their own personal journeys, they unpack how joy can be a radical act of healing and resistance.

You’ll discover why joy is not the same as happiness, how trauma can block joy, and why cultivating even the tiniest moments of joy might just be one of the most important things we can do—for ourselves, our children, and our communities.

“Joy stalking is always healing and useful. It’s about savoring life through sensing, using my body, absorbing, feeling all the good stuff.” — Cissy White

“Joy isn’t the opposite of sadness. It’s the opposite of fear.” — Anne Robertson via Brené Brown

“Joy doesn’t betray but sustains activism… joy is a fine initial act of insurrection.” — Rebecca Solnit

“We can’t experience joy when we’re scanning for danger. Trauma blocks joy—but healing invites it back in.” — Julie & Ginger

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Stan Sonu, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and Medical Director for Child Advocacy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Dr. Sonu shares his insights on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), relational health, and trauma-informed care, focusing on how clinicians and schools can support resilience and wellbeing in children and families.

We dive into Dr. Sonu’s paradigm of “what’s strong with you” instead of “what’s wrong with you?”, and explore the fascinating concept of systemic empathy—how organizations and systems can create environments that nurture and protect children’s relational health.

Dr. Sonu also highlights innovative programs like Strong 4 Life at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Health-Law Partnership (HeLP), a collaborative addressing health-harming legal issues for low-income families.

He references valuable resources for clinicians, educators, and families, including the work of Dan Siegel, Interpersonal Neurobiology, and community support services at Grady Memorial Hospital.

Listeners will gain actionable ideas for integrating trauma-informed principles into their own practice, classrooms, or organizations, and be inspired to shift from focusing on deficits to recognizing and building on strengths in children and families.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

https://www.strong4life.com/en/our-experts/stan-sonu

Grady Memorial Hospital

Dan Siegel Books & Resources

Interpersonal Neurobiology Resources

Health-Law Partnership (HeLP)

Play isn’t just fun—it’s essential. In this episode, Ginger and Julie unpack the science, healing power, and everyday possibilities of play. From brain development to emotional regulation, play shapes resilience, fosters connection, and repairs the impact of trauma. You’ll hear how movement amplifies the benefits, how barriers like technology and busy schedules can be addressed, and why play matters just as much for adults as it does for kids.

Along the way, we highlight the insights of Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, Dr. Dan Hughes, Dr. Dave Ziegler, and Dr. Stuart Brown, plus practical strategies for both parents and educators to make play a daily part of life—even in middle and high school classrooms.

Whether you’re parenting, teaching, or healing alongside children, this episode will inspire you to see play not as a reward or an afterthought, but as a biological imperative and a vital tool for growth, recovery, and joy.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why play is a “biological imperative” and a cornerstone of healthy brain development.
• How play supports emotional regulation, resilience, and relationship-building—especially for children impacted by trauma.
• The connection between movement, nervous system regulation, and healing.
• Common barriers to play (like technology, safety concerns, and adult exhaustion) and how to overcome them.
• How a playful stance from adults—rooted in curiosity and delight—reduces defensiveness and fosters openness.
• Practical ways parents can integrate more play into daily life.
• Classroom-friendly ideas for incorporating play at all grade levels, including middle and high school.
• Why adults also need play for creativity, flexibility, and emotional health.

“When we prioritize play, we’re not just making memories—we’re shaping brains.” — Dr. Tina Payne Bryson

Resources & References:

• Bryson, T. P. (2024). The Way of Play https://a.co/d/hmyINYl
• Brown, S. (2009). Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
• https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-17682-000
• Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation https://a.co/d/ahbaGPQ
• Hughes, D. A. (2009). Attachment-Focused Parenting
• https://a.co/d/5lfYF1p
• Bongiorno, L. (NAEYC). “10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play”
• https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/10-things-every-parent-play
• BYU Arts Playbook — Nurturing Developmental Skills Through Arts-Integrated Education

What would it look like if we built a society that prevents child abuse and neglect—before it ever begins? In this episode, Ginger and Julie sit down with Dr. Melissa T. Merrick, President and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America, to explore the evolving landscape of child well-being and what it takes to move from awareness to true prevention.

Dr. Merrick shares powerful insights from her 20+ years of work in clinical research and public health leadership, including her time as the lead scientist for the CDC’s ACEs study and as a principal architect of Thriving Families, Safer Children—a national initiative reimagining child welfare through the lens of equity, collaboration, and hope.

This is a conversation about what’s possible when we center families, build supportive communities, and focus on healing—not punishment.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What the latest data on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is telling us today

• Why prevention is possible—and how we shift from reacting to preventing

• The vision and impact of Thriving Families, Safer Children

• How systems-level change must include equity, community voice, and upstream investments

• The intersection of science, advocacy, and hope

• How leaders, educators, and caregivers can support family well-being at every level

"We can’t punish our way into prevention. Real change begins when we center families, build supportive systems, and believe in the power of thriving communities." — Dr. Melissa Merrick

Resources & Links:

Learn more about Prevent Child Abuse America: preventchildabuse.org

This is a follow-up to Episode 101, where we discussed the two recognized attachment disorder diagnoses and their impact on families. In this episode, we focus on how RAD shows up at school—and what teachers, counselors, and administrators need to know to respond with understanding and effectiveness.

Educator Takeaways

• Stay curious, not reactive. RAD behaviors are about survival, not defiance.

• Don’t take it personally. Regulation is contagious—yours can help calm theirs.

• Drop the rope. Avoid engaging in power struggles; instead, step back and stay grounded.

• Connect the adults. Prevent triangulation by keeping clear, direct communication among parents, teachers, and administrators.

• Prioritize safety and consistency. Predictable routines and transparent expectations create a sense of security.

• Support attachment without replacing it. Teachers can be caring and relational without taking on the role of primary attachment figure.

What Doesn’t Work

• Rewards and punishments as motivators

• Multiple warnings or lectures

• Asking “why” after behaviors

• Emotional reactivity from adults

What Does Work

• Calm, consistent follow-through

• Pre-planned responses for known triggers

• Structured routines and visual schedules

• Providing regulated choices

• Team-based collaboration with parents and specialists

• Focusing on regulation first, learning second

What if burnout isn’t just about exhaustion—but something much deeper? In this powerful episode, Julie and Ginger speak with Sheri Kreher, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) Coordinator for 24 school districts in New York. Sheri brings two decades of mental health experience and a deep understanding of the emotional toll today’s educators are carrying.

Together, we explore the growing wave of vicarious trauma, moral injury, and systemic despair among school staff—and why the solution lies beyond individual self-care. Sheri introduces the idea of Active Hope—a framework that acknowledges the pain, honors the grief, and offers a path forward rooted in connection, validation, and systems change.

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “What’s wrong with me that I can’t do this job anymore?”—this episode will help you reframe that question and begin to heal.

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In This Episode, We Explore:

• Why burnout in education is often a symptom of deeper, systemic wounds

• The role of moral injury and betrayal in driving educator hopelessness

• How vicarious trauma shows up—and why it’s not a sign of weakness

• What it means to practice Active Hope in school systems that feel broken

• How administrators can be a protective factor for staff

• Why naming, witnessing, and validating pain is essential to healing

• What it takes to build school climates of cohesion, care, and courage

"What looks like burnout is often unprocessed grief and betrayal. Educators don’t just need more resilience—they need to be seen, heard, and believed." — Sheri Kreher

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Resources:

• Active Hope (by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone)

• Active Hope Book Link: https://a.co/d/6dZ6xbi

In this episode, we talk with Rick and Doris Bowman about their brand-new book, Your FBA is a Fantasy!: A Guidebook to Creating Truly Trauma-Informed, Neuro-Affirming Functional Behavior Assessments & Behavior Support Plans. Together, we unpack why traditional FBAs and behavior plans often fall short—and can even harm students—and what it takes to truly shift toward regulation- and connection-based supports that foster resilience and belonging.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why traditional reward-and-punishment systems miss the mark for kids with trauma or neurodivergence.
  

• How to reframe “behavior” as an adaptive response—not defiance.
  

• Practical brain-body truths from neuroscience, Polyvagal Theory, and HeartMath that educators can use daily.
  

• Why adult nervous system regulation is the foundation for supporting students.
  

• A message of hope and encouragement for teachers feeling exhausted.
  

This conversation is full of wisdom, compassion, and practical tools that can change the way we see—and support—our most vulnerable students.

Resources & Links:

• Your FBA is a Fantasy! by Rick and Doris Bowman https://a.co/d/hYj5zoJ

• Learn more about Team Bowman and Bowman Consulting Group https://bowmanconsultgroup.com/