THE SALT OF IGNORANCE: EDUCATION AND THE WOUNDED CHILD

Childhood trauma has widespread implications on individuals across the length of a lifetime, impacting physical, mental, and emotional health. The author uses narrative to explore the past schooling experiences of an educator in public education, who was being abused at home throughout childhood. Through past-to-present storytelling, the author examines the ways in which practices and policies within public education systems have had, and may continue to have negative impacts on students living with complex (childhood) trauma. The author draws upon the work of Dr. Bruce Perry and Mia Szalavitz and their The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook, emphasizing their research in relational health and connectedness to support the healing of children with complex trauma. She considers the challenges in creating authentic, healing spaces in mainstream schools for traumatized students, and how the embodiment of holistic education values, beliefs, and practices can offer the love and nurturance needed to support the healing of children living with trauma.