Ginger Healy, LCSW, is a dedicated advocate for children and families with over 25 years of experience in trauma and attachment. She began her career as a child abuse investigator and hospital social worker before becoming a school therapist, where she witnessed firsthand the impact of developmental trauma. For 15 years, Ginger served as a social service supervisor at an international adoption agency, further deepening her expertise in attachment and the complex needs of children.
As Director of Programs at the Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN), she co-hosts the Regulated and Relational podcast with Julie Beem, focusing on trauma-sensitive education and therapeutic parenting. Ginger is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer, traveling across the country to equip educators, caregivers, and professionals with tools to build resilience through brain-based, nervous system-informed, and ACEs-aware practices. Her work emphasizes supporting emotional regulation through co-regulation, honoring neurodivergence, prioritizing educator well-being, and creating healing-centered homes, classrooms, and communities.
Ginger is also the author of numerous books. Her books offer practical, compassionate resources for caregivers and professionals. A mother of four, her personal journey with developmental trauma and neurodivergence brings deep empathy to her work. She is committed to fostering safe and connected environments that heal all things human.
Ginger brings hope into classrooms by teaching the importance of educator regulation and co-regulation strategies. Ginger makes neuroscience accessible and shares the three steps of the regulation cycle that can bring calm and healing into the classroom. She demonstrates how regulation of the educator’s nervous system is crucial in managing the behaviors and big feelings in the classroom while sharing easy-to-implement strategies that can work for any child. This session will empower educators to lower the stress levels of both students and themselves.
Ginger discusses and explains trauma-sensitive schools – what they are and what the paradigm shift surrounding them looks like. She helps attendees understand the pervasiveness of trauma and its impact on student learning and teaches how to recognize the signs and respond with a trauma-sensitive approach to avoid re-traumatization. This session will provide participants with strategies to implement in the classroom that support students through safety, regulation, and connection.
Ginger makes neuroscience fascinating and fun as she explores strategies that re-wire a child’s brain from chaos to calm. Ginger gives an experiential lesson on the hand- brain model that empowers children to manage their feelings and behaviors, moving them out of shame and into post-traumatic growth. This session will introduce participants to brain basics that are essential to understanding in order to shape educator response to behaviors.
What exactly is burnout? How do you know when you are approaching it, and can it be avoided? Ginger explores self-care and community care strategies while teaching how to complete the stress cycle. Ginger will teach research-based implementations that can be put into place immediately and will help educators start on the road to healing. This session is dedicated to “all the givers” who will walk away inspired and energized with a concrete plan to move forward.
Ginger discusses the importance of “felt-safety” and creating safe spaces in the classroom and throughout the entire school building. Ginger will break down how to create a calm kit and regulation room and will also share dos and don’ts for each. Participants will walk away with a How-To formula, including a list of rules, a list of supplies, and a new lens of thinking when it comes to behavior management.
Ginger discusses attachment- what it is, how it’s developed, and why it’s important for academic success. She explores buffer relationships and attunement to student needs. She digs into teacher triggers and how to look at behaviors that get under our skin. Ginger will offer strategies for removing barriers that block academic success and emotional healing. Participants will make a paradigm shift in understanding behaviors and be able to implement strategies to help children reach academic success and get on the path to healing adversities.
