# Trauma-Informed Education White Paper

## University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences leadership publishes white paper on trauma-informed education

![An eye in the center of the frame against a tan and green background.](/media-center/press-release/2025/10/trauma-informed-education-white-paper/_jcr_content/root/container_14213/columns/responsivegrid1/container/container/image.coreimg.png/1761343947103/pr-hero-research-6.png)

October 18, 2025 • 2 minutes
**By Sharla Hooper**

_New white paper outlines trauma-informed teaching strategies that support student well-being, faculty wellness and course completion for working adult learners_

University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences announces a new white paper, “Trauma-Informed Education – A Pathway for Relief, Retention, and Renewal,” authored by College leadership Sheila Babendir, Ed.D., LPAC; Barbara Burt, Psy.D.; Michelle Crawford-Morrison, LMFT, LPCC, NCC; Samantha E. Dutton, Ph.D., LCSW-R; Christine Karper, Ph.D., LMHC (QCS); and MaryJo Trombley, Ph.D. The paper asserts that implementing trauma-informed practices can improve outcomes for students and educators, driving retention and well-being while equipping learners with skills they can carry into the workplace.

“Working adults bring complex life experiences into the classroom,” said[Sheila Babendir, Ed.D., LPAC, interim dean and co-author](/about/academic-leadership/dean-sheila-babendir.html). “Practical, trauma-informed strategies help faculty create supportive, rigorous learning experiences that honor those realities while keeping students on track to reach their goals.” 

“Trauma-informed education isn’t a single tactic — it’s a mindset,” added[Samantha Dutton, Ph.D., LCSW-R, associate dean and co-author](https://www.phoenix.edu/about/academic-leadership/associate-dean-samantha-dutton.html). “When institutions intentionally design learning environments that recognize and respond to trauma, students and instructors experience more trust, more stability and better outcomes.”

In the white paper, the authors 

- 
Define trauma-informed education and why it matters in higher education serving adult learners. 

- 
Recommend classroom approaches that foster psychological safety and course persistence/retention. 

- 
Connect trauma-informed teaching strategies to faculty well-being and transferable workforce skills.

With an emphasis on knowledge, skills, character and lifelong learning, programs in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences prepare students to address a community’s mental, psychological, emotional, social and case management needs in counseling; social work; psychology and human services; and criminal justice and public administration. 

Read and download “[Trauma-Informed Education – A Pathway for Relief, Retention, and Renewal](https://www.phoenix.edu/media-center/thought-leadership/perspectives-findings/2025/trauma-informed-education.html)” on the University of Phoenix Media Center.

### About University of Phoenix

_University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit  phoenix.edu/blog.html._

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