Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS) provides educators with practical, trauma-informed strategies to prevent and manage behavioral crises while creating safe, supportive learning environments. Developed by Cornell University, the TCIS framework helps teachers and school staff understand the impact of trauma, build stronger relationships with students, de-escalate conflicts, and turn crisis situations into opportunities for growth—promoting safer classrooms, improved behavior, and stronger academic outcomes. ( scroll down the page to see a more detailed description and table of contents)
Audiobook Version Published by: Residential Child Care Project, Cornell University Written by Martha J. Holden along with Andrea J. Turnbull, Jack C. Holden, Richard Heresniak, Mary Ruberti and Eugene Saville. Published by the Residential Child Care Project, Cornell University. Narrator: Rich Germaine Length 6 hours :55 minutes
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Audiobook Description
Synopsis
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS): A Practical Guide to Creating Safe, Trauma-Sensitive Learning Environments
Schools today face increasing challenges as educators work with students affected by trauma, stress, and complex social realities. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS) offers a comprehensive, research-based framework designed to help educators prevent crises, respond effectively when they occur, and foster safe, supportive learning environments where every student can succeed.
Developed by the Residential Child Care Project at Cornell University’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, TCIS translates decades of research on child development, trauma, and crisis intervention into practical strategies for schools and districts. The system equips teachers, administrators, and school staff with the skills needed to recognize the impact of trauma on student behavior, de-escalate potentially volatile situations, and transform crises into opportunities for learning and growth.
Through a structured framework that integrates leadership support, staff training, student and family engagement, and data-driven decision making, TCIS helps schools create cultures that prioritize safety, emotional competence, and positive relationships. The model emphasizes proactive prevention—building caring classroom communities, strengthening developmental relationships between adults and students, and fostering environments where students feel both physically and emotionally secure.
This practical workbook guides educators through the full crisis cycle: understanding the nature of crisis, recognizing warning signs, applying de-escalation techniques, managing aggressive behavior safely, and supporting recovery after incidents. Special emphasis is placed on trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation, and helping students develop adaptive coping skills that support long-term academic and social success.
Used in schools, residential programs, and youth-serving organizations around the world, TCIS empowers educators to reduce high-risk interventions, improve school climate, and help students transform moments of distress into pathways toward resilience and achievement.
Contents
Module One: Creating a Safe Place for Learning
1.1 TCIS System: A Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Sensitive Approach W3
1.2 The TCIS System: The Six Domains W7
1.3 Trauma-Informed Practice: Creating Caring and Responsive Classroom Communities W13
1.4 Setting Conditions and Crisis Prevention W19
1.5 Use of Self W20
1.6 Knowing the Student W22
1.7 Module One Endnotes W27
Module Two: Crisis as Opportunity
2.1 The Nature of Crisis W27
2.2 The Stress Model of Crisis (A Typical Crisis) W30
2.3 Assessing a Crisis Situation W34
2.4 How to Best Respond? W38
2.5 Module Two Endnotes W39
Module Three: De-Escalating the Crisis
3.1 Caring and Responsive Relationships W41
3.2 Behavior Support Techniques: Providing Environmental and Emotional Support W44
3.3 Co-Regulation and Emotional First Aid W51
3.4 Power Struggles W53
3.5 Module Three Endnotes W55
Module Four: Managing the Crisis
4.1 Nonverbal Communication in Crisis Situations W57
4.2 Elements of a Potentially Violent Situation W60
4.3 Help Me Help Myself: Crisis Co-Regulation W61
4.4 Module Four Endnotes W64
Module Five: Recovery
5.1 The Recovery Phase W65
5.2 Post-Crisis Multi-Level Response W66
5.3 Role of the Recovery Facilitator in the Debriefing Process W67
5.4 The Life Space Interview W68
5.5 The LSI After a Physical Intervention or Restraint W74
5.6 Module Five Endnotes W75
Module Six: Safety Interventions
6.1 Safety Interventions and the TCIS System W77
6.2 Ethical Issues and Use of Restraint W79
6.3 Emotional Impact of Restraints W80
6.4 Choosing a Safety Intervention W81
6.5 Safety Concerns W85
6.6. Documenting Restraints W90
6.7 Module Six Endnotes W92
