
Connected Communities: The TBRI Podcast
By KPICD
Connected Communities features conversations about Trust-Based Relational Intervention®
(TBRI®) and its application within different communities of care and practice. TBRI is an attachment based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma. TBRI has been successfully implemented around the world in schools, juvenile justice systems, foster and adoption agencies, clinical practice, with survivors of sex trafficking, courts, law enforcement, faith communities, and beyond.
(TBRI®) and its application within different communities of care and practice. TBRI is an attachment based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma. TBRI has been successfully implemented around the world in schools, juvenile justice systems, foster and adoption agencies, clinical practice, with survivors of sex trafficking, courts, law enforcement, faith communities, and beyond.
Where to listen

Connected Educators, Episode 11: Jenna + Bill Lewis
We wrap up our series on Connected Educators with Sarah Mercado, and Jenna and Bill Lewis. This episode focuses specifically on parents and their part in education as school continues to adapt with COVID-19. Jenna and Bill share their heart for TBRI as well as some strategies that have worked well for their family with children in school.
Linked References from this Episode:
Hope Connection 2.0
Morning Star Foundation
Micro Current Neurofeedback
Chapter 4 of The Connected Child
Cook Children’s Medical Center
47:54
February 01, 2021

Connected Educators, Episode 10: Sonya Kelly
We continue our series on Connected Educators with Sarah Mercado, and Sonya Kelly, a school Principal at Western Hills Primary School in Fort Worth, TX. In this episode, Sarah and Sonya discuss how Western Hills incorporates TBRI with young students and helps to support their social/emotional wellbeing.
Linked References from this Episode:
FWISD
Western Hills Primary
Go Noodle
Dr. Casey Call
TCU CHDV students
The Alert Program: How Does Your Engine Run?
36:56
February 01, 2021

Connected Educators, Episode 9: Jeni Franks
We continue our series on Connected Educators with Sarah Mercado, and Jeni Franks, a TBRI Practitioner and second grade teacher in Cour d’Alene, ID. Jeni’s passion for her students is so evident in this episode, and she gives wonderful tips for creatively connecting with her students, even through distance-learning or in a socially-distanced classroom.
Linked references from this episode:
Coeur D’alene ISD
Google Classroom
SeeSaw
32:46
February 01, 2021

Connected Educators, Episode 8: Andi West
We continue our series on Connected Educators with Sarah Mercado, and Andi West, who serves as Mental Health Coordinator with the Coeur d'Alene School District in North Idaho. In this role, Andi plans and facilitates district wide implementation of social and emotional learning and trauma sensitive practices. Andi is a TBRI Practitioner, TBRI Mentor and the co-founder of the North Idaho Trauma Care Collaborative. Andi’s passion for helping children feel safe really comes through in this episode, and we’re so happy she could share her wisdom with us.
“The most important thing is that every procedure that we put into place, every plan, every idea about how school is going to operate should be viewed through the lens of ‘does this this support or diminish felt safety?’”
Links:
- Engine plates
- Go Noodle
- Coeur D’alene ISD
- North Idaho Trauma Care Collaborative
30:32
September 28, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 7: Amy Abell
Episode 7 of our Connected Educators series features a conversation with Amy Abell, who is a TBRI Practitioner, TBRI Mentor, and the owner of HopeAlight, LLC. This conversation is full of compassion for teachers, administration, students, and parents as we all try to navigate the start of school this year. Amy gives practical tips on how to apply trust-building, connected strategies with every person in the school system, resulting in a cohesive, trauma-informed learning environment.
Linked References from this episode
TBRI
Hanover College
Indiana University
Empowered to Connect
The Engine Plate
Name it to tame it
40:41
September 15, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 6: Kristy Hernandez
Connected Communities features conversations about Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) and its application within different communities of care and practice. TBRI is an attachment based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of children and families who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma.
Today you’ll hear a conversation between our host, Sarah Mercado, and Kristy Hernandez, who serves as the Director of Student Services for Moore Public Schools in Moore, OK. Kristy worked in education for over 30 years as a teacher, coach, counselor, and administrator. Under Kristy’s direction, Moore Public Schools has created a mental health program to serve the students in the district. Kristy talks about creating felt-safety with staff and students around COVID-19, and also gives great tips for meeting sensory needs while social distancing.
37:50
September 04, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 5: Becky Evans
Episode 5 of our Connected Educators series features a conversation with Becky Evans who is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a District Intervention Counselor with Aledo Independent School District in Aledo, TX. This conversation with is full of practical tips for creating a trauma-informed, connected learning environment whether it's virtual or socially distanced. Becky shares about how she has seen teachers adapt TBRI strategies virtually - including virtual calming spaces!
Virtual calming spaces
Virtual Calming Room
Osseo Area Learning Center Virtual Calming Room
Northeast Metro Intermediate School District Virtual Calming Space
Virtual MindPeace Rooms (virtual calming for elementary, middle, and high school)
Engine Plate
Teri Wood's episode
Masks & Emotions Handout
Teachers Pay Teachers
37:28
August 28, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 4: Erin Stout & Heather Storey
Today we are so excited to share the experience of two teachers who use TBRI in their classrooms at Center Grove Middle School in Greenwood, Indiana.
You’ll hear from Heather Storey, who is in her 6th year as a 7th grade Language Arts teacher. You’ll also hear from Erin Stout, who is a 7th grade special education teacher. Both of these awesome teachers have truly embraced TBRI and give so many great ideas for connecting with students, empowering their bodies to be ready for learning, and reframing behavior – both in person and virtually. We hope this conversation inspires anyone who is entering the classroom this year, whatever that looks like.
Canvas
Engines
Near Pod
Padlet
The Whole Brained Child
36:34
August 28, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 3: Faith Pope
Welcome to Connected Communities, a podcast produced by TCU’s Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development. You’re listening to listening to the third episode in our series about Connected Educators.
Connected Communities features conversations about Trust-Based Relational Intervention®
(TBRI®) and its application within different communities of care and practice. TBRI is an attachment based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma.
Today we’re featuring a conversation between our host, Sarah Mercado and Faith Pope, a TBRI Practitioner who serves as the director of elementary education at Lockhart ISD in Lockhart, TX. Faith has served as a classroom teacher, academic dean, academic coach, and school principal, and has a passion for understanding the needs of children in the classroom. In this conversation you’ll hear Sarah and Faith talk about establishing connection with everyone in a learning environment, from administration to school faculty, to students. Faith shares great ideas and practical insights for building connection from the start of school, even in a virtual setting
Linked References from this Episode:
- The ALERT Program
42:57
August 19, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 2: Teri Wood
Today we’re featuring a conversation between our host, Sarah Mercado and Teri Wood, a TBRI Practitioner with a 30+ year career in education. Teri started out as a high school English teacher, has experience as a school counselor, district counseling coordinator. She currently serves as the TBRI Coordinator in Austin ISD in Austin, Texas.
In this episode, Teri shares how her district is equipping teachers and counselors to create trauma-informed classrooms virtually, highlighting the importance of implementation through a parallel process.
Referenced links in this episode:
· AISD
· TBRI Practitioner Training
· TBRI Trauma-Informed Classrooms Training
· TEA
46:15
August 19, 2020

Connected Educators, Episode 1: Trauma-Informed Classrooms with Dr. Casey Call
This episode kicks off our first series: Connected Educators. We’ll talk with teachers, school counselors, administrators, and parents about the importance of creating a connected, trauma-informed classroom, especially in light of the back to school season during a pandemic. From virtual learning to socially distanced in-person instruction, fostering rich connections in the classroom is more important than ever.
For our first episode in the series, we’re sharing a conversation between Sarah Mercado and Dr. Casey Call, who you might recognize from our TBRI & Trauma-Informed Classrooms training. Sarah is our host here on Connected Communities and is also a TBRI Training Specialist at the Purvis Institute. Dr. Call serves as Assistant director of Education at the Purvis Institute and is also an assistant professor of professional practice in the TCU Department of Psychology. Both Sarah and Dr. Call bring such rich experience to this topic, and we’re so happy to have them back to start our series about the education community. Enjoy the show!
TBRI & Trauma-Informed Classrooms - Free in August 2020!
The IDEAL Response
TBRI Resources for Teachers
29:47
August 14, 2020

Dr. Casey Call - What is TBRI?
Our second episode of Connected Communities features a conversation between our host and KPICD Training Specialist, Sarah Mercado, and Dr. Casey Call. Dr. Call is the Assistant Director of Education at the institute and also serves as an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the TCU Department of Psychology. Before we dive into our first series, we wanted to give a brief overview of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. In this episode, Dr. Call shares from her rich experience and deep knowledge of TBRI. If you're new to TBRI, this episode is the perfect place to start.
Linked References from this episode
TCU Magazine
Dr. Karyn Purvis
Dr. David Cross
Hope Connection Camp
Dr. Tiffany Field, University of Miami
The Kissing Hand
Engine Plates
KPICD Resources
KPICD YouTube Channel
45:35
August 14, 2020

Dr. David Cross and the origin of TBRI®
Connected Communities features conversations about Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) and its application within different communities of care and practice. TBRI is an attachment based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the complex needs of children who have experienced adversity, early harm, toxic stress, or trauma.
In this first episode, you’ll hear a conversation between our host, Sarah Mercado and Dr. David Cross. Dr. Cross is the co-founder and Rees-Jones Director of the Purvis Institute. Sarah and Dr. Cross talk all about the Institute’s origin story, the creation of TBRI, and the importance of connection especially in the midst of COVID-19. It’s a great conversation and we’re so happy to kick off the podcast with Dr. C.!
TCU
TCU Psychology Department
UNT Center for Play Therapy
The Neighborhood Walk
Brenda Bryant
The Parent Network for the Post-Inst. Child
Child Study Center Fort Worth
Starpoint School
The Strange Situation
T Berry Brazelton
Allan Schore
The Connected Child
Trust-Based Relational Intervention
Adult Attachment Interview
Travis County Collaborative
Anna Palmer/ Crossroads NOLA
Methodist Children's Home
Daren Jones
Amanda Purvis
Casey Call
Sarah Mercado
TBRI Mantra
Tami DeCoteau
Neither Wolf Nor Dog Book
The Wolf of Twilight Book
Dr. Cross Resiliency blog post
Amy Abell
47:39
August 13, 2020