Trauma-Informed Strategies for Culturally Diverse Students Diagnosed With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) requires that school counselors engage with and advocate for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), in addition to requiring competency in counseling culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. However, few publications have called for increased attention to the intersectional needs of this population. This column provides a brief rationale for focusing on students with EBD who are also CLD and recommends a trauma-informed approach to supporting them through fostering a safe school-wide environment, building faculty and staff cultural competence, increasing collaborative communication with students and families, and recommending counseling services in individualized education program meetings.