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Joe Brummer

Trauma-informed Restorative Justice

Joe Brummer is a trauma survivor who has turned hurt into healing. Having lived through early exposure to violence, child abuse, neglect, and two violent anti-LBGTQ hate crimes, he turned his healing journey into a career in peacebuilding, restorative justice, and consulting in trauma-informed education.

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What Is Restorative Justice?

Restorative Practices/Justice (RJ) is an innovative approach that moves away from punitive measures and towards approaches that focus on healing, accountability, and change.

From

A Focus On Punishment

What Law/Rule Was Broken?

How Should We Punish?

To

Who Was Harmed?

What Are Their Needs?

Who Is Responsible For Addressing Needs?

Let Joe Bring Restorative Justice Expertise To Your Organization

Invite Joe to keynote speak at your conference or event. Give your audience insights into trauma informed restorative justice that will move them.

Bring trauma informed restorative justice training to your organization.

Have Joe on your show. Have a conversation about restorative justice on your podcast or media outlet.

The Books

Building a Trauma-Informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches for Improving Culture and Behavior

Covering both theory and practice, this book will teach educators everything they need to know about developing restorative practices in their education settings, in a way that is also trauma-informed. The first part of the book addresses the theory and philosophy of restorative approaches, and of trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive schools. The second part outlines the five restorative skills (mindfulness, honest expression, empathy, the art of asking questions and the art of requests), what they look like in practice (including using circles, respect agreements and restorative dialogue), and how to implement them. Every strategy is clearly explained and adapted to be appropriate for children and adults who have experienced trauma.

Becoming a Trauma-informed Restorative Educator: Practical Skills to Change Culture and Behavior

Maybe you have heard the terms ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘restorative’ – but how do you go about becoming a trauma-informed, restorative educator? This practical book outlines the values, ideas and neuroscience behind trauma-informed restorative practice and its proven effectiveness. It clearly explains key theories relating to shame, trauma and your autonomic nervous system, and explains how to apply this knowledge in practice. Examples and stories of restorative practice feature throughout to inspire and emulate, as do practical protocols, tools and systems to develop your skills as a trauma-informed educator. Critically, it also explains the personal and professional qualities you need to nurture to truly engage in trauma-informed, restorative practice, with reflection points to aid learning and self-development.

What People Are Saying About Joe

I am grateful for all the gems this book offers. The insights and practical supports that Joe shares light the way towards connection and growth – cultivating relational learning communities which is what our schools, and perhaps our lovely world, need now more than ever!

This book is a MUST READ for all educators. The combination of practical and applicable practices grounded in research is what is needed to move forward in becoming a restorative and trauma-informed school!

A uniquely rich, thought-provoking, and accessible resource. He brings a personal and authentic vulnerability, along with a wealth of knowledge and experience to school practices that remain more critical than ever before. I found myself making more personal notes while reading than almost any other book I’ve read in years.

Brummer gives educators a large toolbox from which to draw numerous practices that build positive relationships and create emotionally safe classrooms. If this book doesn’t change educators’ mindsets about how to best support struggling students, I don’t know what will.

This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone serving children in an education institution. Thank you, Joe, for your courage, your vulnerability, and your deep knowledge of students.

This book goes beyond a process for restorative justice and teaches you how to create safe spaces for every learner. Any educator looking for a comprehensive system to meet the unique needs of their school should begin with this book.

This book is coming out at the perfect time. The world is beginning to understand what is needed to help our students and schools heal. It is an easy to ready guide- explaining the why and then giving the reader the skills to do the what.

Articles

December 22, 2021

Celebrating 1 Year

Yesterday marked the 1-year anniversary of the publication date for my book, Building a Trauma-informed Restorative School: Skills and Approaches to Improving Culture and Behavior. What a year this has been. The book has done better than expected both by…

November 30, 2021

Rethinking the “Control” Graphics

I have seen dozens of versions of this “things I can/can’t control” graphic and they have never sat well with me as a trauma survivor, trainer, or student of trauma-informed work. While the items listed as “I can’t control” work…

June 22, 2018

Restorative Justice Documentary Film Screening in CT: Circles

Joe Brummer Consulting, LLC in partnership with Middletown Youth Services, the Greater Middletown Community Collaborative, and the Middletown Racial Justice Coalition will be bringing the documentary film “Circles” to CT on August 23, 2018. We will be screening the film…