ADVANCING   
TRAUMA-INFORMED 
PRACTICE WITH TCIS
22
For many staff, this work builds on their existing 
relationship-centred practice by deepening their ability to 
attune to students in moments of distress. It involves slowing 
down, noticing one’s own responses, and acting with intention. 
TCIS emphasizes the deliberate use of one’s presence as a 
key tool in supporting students—what it refers to as the 
“intentional use of self.”
Over the past year, school staff across LRSD have been engaging 
in learning together. By May 1, 2026, all educational assistants 
and student services teachers completed comprehensive three-day 
training, while school-based sessions have introduced TCIS principles 
to all staff who interact with students throughout the day.
“What’s exciting is that we now have a common approach 
and a common language to support all students,” said 
Lisa Tymchuk, clinical supervisor of developmental supports. 
“There is an emphasis on regulation, building relationships, 
and being proactive. No matter which school a student is in, 
the response is grounded in the same understanding.”
In practice, these shifts are often seen in small, everyday 
moments. Staff are taking time to anticipate student needs, 
and creating environments that support emotional safety. 
When a student experiences distress, the response is about 
connection, which helps the student regulate, recover, and return 
to learning with dignity. 
This work is also reshaping how staff see themselves. There is 
a growing recognition that supporting students begins with 
understanding one’s own reactions, pausing, grounding, and 
choosing how to respond in a way that fosters trust.
At its core, the work of schools is about relationships. 
In the Louis Riel School Division (LRSD), that 
understanding is guiding a division-wide effort to 
strengthen how staff connect with and support 
students, especially those who may be experiencing 
trauma or distress. Through the implementation of 
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS), 
schools are building a shared, compassionate 
approach to responding to students in ways that 
prioritize care, dignity, and belonging.
TCIS, developed by Cornell University, is grounded in a simple 
idea: behaviour is a form of communication. When students are 
overwhelmed, dysregulated, or struggling, their actions are often 
expressing a need. TCI helps staff pause, reflect, and respond 
with curiosity and empathy, asking not “What’s wrong?” but 
“What does this student need right now?” 
Rather than relying on isolated strategies or one-time training, 
LRSD set out to build a common framework that could support 
every student, in every school, through a trauma-informed lens. 
“We began this work around a shared goal among staff: figuring 
out how best to support students who have experienced trauma 
or who experience moments of distress during the school day,” 
said Mia Guenther, assistant superintendent of staff services. 
“We wanted an approach that was consistent across all schools, 
in the language we use, the strategies we use, and how we 
follow up.”
What followed has been a deliberate and collaborative journey. 
Divisional leaders and clinical staff first took part in intensive 
training, before building an internal network of 44 trainers made 
up of clinicians, student services teachers, and administrators. 
Together, they are supporting schools as this work takes root in 
classrooms, hallways, and everyday interactions.

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