CITR Colloquium May 2026 with Dr. Joanne Blackett “The Neurosequential Model in Education”

"The Neurosequential Model in Education: an Aotearoa New Zealand story” is presented by CITR Guest speaker Dr Joanne Blackett. Trauma informed education is an emerging paradigm based on neuroscientific understandings that centre relational safety and connection. The Neurosequential Model in Education is one such systemic trauma-informed approach which involves the children, school staff, whānau, and the wider community. In this presentation, Dr Blackett presents a descriptive case study of a small primary school in Aotearoa New Zealand in which explores the question “What were the experiences of staff in an Aotearoa New Zealand primary school who took part in the implementation of the Neurosequential Model in Education?” The participants’ stories are inspiring, hopeful and transformative. Findings show participants increased their knowledge and understanding of how the brain works, experienced their own healing, developed a greater capacity to self-regulate and co-regulate, and built a strong therapeutic web for the students with the effects beginning to flow out to parents and whānau. Moreover, a unique model was created through weaving together the neuroscience of the Neurosequential Model in Education and the indigenous wisdom of Te Ao Māori. This descriptive case study makes a unique contribution to this developing field of research and can serve as one exemplar of how the approach can be implemented.