Ideas worth spreading

3 steps to help kids process traumatic events

832,622 views | Kristen Nguyen • TED-Ed and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

What do we say to kids when intensely traumatic events interrupt everyday life? Whether you're a teacher, parent or community builder, educator Kristen Nguyen provides three research-backed steps for navigating these difficult conversations, restoring a sense of safety and facilitating collective healing.

What do we say to kids when intensely traumatic events interrupt everyday life? Whether you're a teacher, parent or community builder, educator Kristen Nguyen provides three research-backed steps for navigating these difficult conversations, restoring a sense of safety and facilitating collective healing.

This talk was presented at a TED Salon event given in partnership with TED-Ed and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TED Salons.

Check out the youth-led "Healing through Justice" movement led by Communities United in partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

About the speaker

Kristen Nguyen

See speaker profile

Kristen Nguyen believes in the power of education to transform individuals and promote equity, inclusion and healing in communities.

Shawn Ginwright PhD | Medium, 2018 | Article

"The Future of Healing: Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement"

Shawn Ginwright PhD | YouthREX, 2021 | Watch

"From Trauma-Informed Care to Healing-Centered Engagement: A Youth Work Teach-In with Dr. Shawn Ginwright"

Charlyn Harper Browne, Susan Notkin, Andrew Schneider-Muñoz and Francie Zimmerman | Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, 2015 | Article

"Youth Thrive: A Framework to Help Adolescents Overcome Trauma and Thrive"

Learn more

About TED Salon

TED Salons welcome an intimate audience for an afternoon or evening of highly-curated TED Talks revolving around a globally relevant theme. A condensed version of a TED flagship conference, they are distinct in their brevity, opportunities for conversation, and heightened interaction between the speaker and audience.

Read more about TED Salons

This talk was presented at a TED Salon event given in partnership with TED-Ed and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TED Salons.

Check out the youth-led "Healing through Justice" movement led by Communities United in partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.