Holding Space with West40

West40 and ISBE
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Education

Holding Space with West40 is created for social workers, counselors, teachers, administrators, and school staff supporting K-12 students. Topics include AI, digital wellness, demystifying state mental health policies, building proactive parent trust, decoding behavior, trauma-informed co-regulation, and protecting practitioner well-being. Brought to you through the 2022 Project AWARE grant—funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, awarded to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and implemented by West40 Intermediate Service. www.west40.org

Episodes

  1. Oct 14

    Episode 8: Trauma-Informed Practice (Part 2)

    This episode continues the conversation with trauma specialist Constance Joubert and school social worker Kaitlyn Mentone to unpack the realities of trauma-informed care in K–12 schools. Together, they break down what co-regulation looks like, sounds like, and feels like in real time, examine how to balance trauma-informed empathy with clear boundaries, and discuss practical ways educators and building specialists can protect themselves from secondary traumatic stress. Resources & Links Mentioned: Constance Joubert Website: healingrootscollectivellc.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/constance-joubert-89bb24161  Email: healingrootscollective26@gmail.com  Kaitlyn Mentone Website: https://intermediate.sd925.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1874655&type=u  Email: kmentone@sd925.org  West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 8: Trauma-Informed Practice (Part 2)

  2. Oct 14

    Episode 7: Trauma-Informed Practice (Part 1)

    When students carry trauma and chronic stress into the classroom, their survival instincts—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—often get mislabeled as defiance, laziness, or disruption. How can educators and school mental health professionals move past reactive discipline toward authentic co-regulation? In this episode of Holding Space with West40, host Lezlie Fuhr sits down with trauma specialist Constance Joubert and school social worker Kaitlyn Mentone to unpack the realities of trauma-informed care in K–12 schools. Together, they break down what co-regulation looks like, sounds like, and feels like in real time, examine how to balance trauma-informed empathy with clear boundaries, and discuss practical ways educators and building specialists can protect themselves from secondary traumatic stress. Key Takeaways: How trauma and survival responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) manifest in daily classroom behavior. "Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like" of reactive discipline vs. proactive co-regulation. Practical scripts and non-verbal cues teachers and specialists can use to calm a dysregulated student's nervous system. Debunking the myth that trauma-informed care means "lowering expectations" or eliminating boundaries. Strategies for front-line educators and school social workers to manage secondary traumatic stress and guard against burnout. Resources & Links Mentioned: Constance Joubert Website: healingrootscollectivellc.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/constance-joubert-89bb24161  Email: healingrootscollective26@gmail.com  Kaitlyn Mentone Website: https://intermediate.sd925.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1874655&type=u  Email: kmentone@sd925.org  West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 7: Trauma-Informed Practice (Part 1)

  3. Oct 14

    Episode 6: Behavior as Communication — Unlocking the Message Behind Student Actions

    Decode student actions using the four core functions of behavior (Escape, Attention, Access, Sensory) to spot early escalation signals, prevent power struggles, and design realistic classroom replacement behaviors. Resources & Links Mentioned: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-mccarthy-bcba-09229129  West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 6: Behavior as Communication — Unlocking the Message Behind Student Actions

  4. Oct 14

    Episode 5: Clinician Well-Being: Holding Space Without the Weight

    School social workers, counselors, and psychologists spend their days holding intense emotional weight for students, families, and staff. But who holds space for the holders? When secondary traumatic stress and high caseloads take a toll, generic self-care tips aren't enough. In this episode of Holding Space with West40, host Lezlie Fuhr sits down with Ashely Kuhl, Laura Guzman, and Jessica Janeteas to discuss practical, trauma-informed strategies for practitioner sustainability. Together, they explore how to set healthy emotional boundaries, establish end-of-day decompression rituals, combat professional isolation, and shift from surface-level self-care to systemic well-being. Key Takeaways: Why standard self-care advice fails for secondary traumatic stress—and what actually works. Practical techniques for holding emotional space for students without absorbing their trauma. Transition rituals to help school staff mentally leave work at the building door. How administrators can foster peer supervision and psychological safety for mental health staff. Resources & Links Mentioned: Ashley Kuhl Website / LinkedIn: Ashley Kuhl Piwowarski - Hartgrove Behavioral Health System | LinkedIn  Social Handles: https://www.instagram.com/hartgrovebhs  or Hartgrove Behavioral Health System | Chicago IL | Facebook  West40 Intermediate Service Center Mental Health Support: https://www.west40.org/mental-health  BUILD: https://www.west40.org/build  West40 School-Based Mental Health Collaborative Social Work Network: https://www.west40.org/networks/sel-network  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 5: Clinician Well-Being: Holding Space Without the Weight

  5. Sep 29

    Episode 4: Role Clarity — Bridging Social Workers, Teachers & Admins Through MTSS

    When school staff roles are unclear, social workers become overwhelmed, teachers feel unsupported, and students slip through the cracks. How can schools leverage the MTSS framework to define responsibilities clearly across intervention, maintenance, and crisis situations? In this episode of Holding Space with West40, host Lezlie Fuhr sits down with MTSS Consultant Dr. Samantha Mullins to untangle role ambiguity in schools. Together, they outline an actionable blueprint showing exactly how classroom teachers, mental health specialists, and administrators can collaborate effectively at every level of student support while protecting specialist time. Key Takeaways: What high-functioning, collaborative school teams look like in daily practice. Root causes of social worker role confusion and how MTSS provides structural clarity. Division of responsibilities across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 SEL supports. Actionable workflows for the 3 phases: Intervention, Maintenance, and Crisis Response. How administrators can protect specialist schedules and troubleshoot common team breakdowns. Resources & Links Mentioned: Dr. Samantha Mullins MTSS Consulting/Resources:  Website: https://mtssbydesign.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mtssbydesign/ West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 4: Role Clarity — Bridging Social Workers, Teachers & Admins Through MTSS

  6. Sep 29

    Episode 3: Parent Engagement: Building Proactive Trust, Crucial Conversations & Sustaining Partnership

    Building meaningful, collaborative relationships with families is essential for student success, yet navigating sensitive conversations around mental health, evaluations, and behavioral support can feel intimidating. How can school teams establish proactive trust early, handle delicate discussions with care, and keep parents engaged for long-term home-school carryover? In this episode host Lezlie Fuhr is joined by Stephanie Jones (Education Attorney at F3 Law & Parent). She shares practical frameworks for proactive family engagement, scripts for crucial conversations, strategies for reframing parent defensiveness, and actionable ways to ensure home-school alignment. Key Takeaways: Essential mindsets for building proactive trust with parents before a crisis occurs. Practical strategies and language for navigating crucial, delicate student conversations. Reframing parent defensiveness through a trauma-informed and protective lens. Methods to keep families engaged and empowered for consistent home-school carryover. Resources & Links Mentioned: F3 Law (Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP): [https://www.f3law.com/ First Fridays Forum: https://www.f3law.com/first-fridays-forum/  West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/ Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 3: Parent Engagement: Building Proactive Trust, Crucial Conversations & Sustaining Partnership

  7. Sep 29

    Episode 2: Universal Mental Health Screening — Policy, Guidance & Practice

    With Illinois introducing universal mental health screening requirements in 2027, many educators, social workers, and administrators are asking: How will this actually work in our building? In this episode of Holding Space with West40, host Lezlie Fuhr is joined by Sarah Schroeder from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Together, they unpack the vision behind universal mental health screening, address common fears around capacity and parent consent, and share what thoughtful preparation looks like and sounds like as districts prepare for 2027. Key Takeaways: The purpose, scope, and timeline of Illinois' 2027 universal mental health screening initiative. Addressing staff trepidation around caseloads, privacy, and parent consent. How to select screening tools and establish triage protocols before rolling out. What successful screening implementation looks like, sounds like, and feels like in practice. Actionable steps districts can take today to prepare their teams and community partnerships. Resources & Links Mentioned: IDHS: BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation):   https://beacon.illinois.gov/ ISBE: Mental and Behavioral Health Screening: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/mentalhealthscreening.aspx  Universal Mental Health Screening Non-Regulatory Guidance for School Districts - August 2026 West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware  West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 2: Universal Mental Health Screening — Policy, Guidance & Practice

  8. Sep 23

    Episode 1: Modern Student Mental Health: Navigating AI, Digital Safety, and Tech

    Students today navigate a digital ecosystem that looks vastly different than it did just a few years ago. From turning to AI chatbots for emotional support and facing AI deepfakes, to leveraging digital tools for executive functioning and community connection—technology in schools is a true double-edged sword. In this episode, host Lezlie Fuhr sits down with Jane Kim, founder of KindEd, to explore how educators, school clinicians, and parents can protect students from digital harms while leveraging modern technology as a tool for good. Resources and Links: KindEd Organization & Resources: https://kind-ed.org/ Contact KindEd: https://kind-ed.org/contactus/ West40 Intermediate Service Center: https://www.west40.org/  Project AWARE Grant Information: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/children-and-families/school-health/project-aware West40 Grants Network Coming Soon!  Interested in learning more about grants. Sign up here!

    Episode 1: Modern Student Mental Health: Navigating AI, Digital Safety, and Tech
  • 8 Episodes

About

Holding Space with West40 is created for social workers, counselors, teachers, administrators, and school staff supporting K-12 students. Topics include AI, digital wellness, demystifying state mental health policies, building proactive parent trust, decoding behavior, trauma-informed co-regulation, and protecting practitioner well-being. Brought to you through the 2022 Project AWARE grant—funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, awarded to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and implemented by West40 Intermediate Service. www.west40.org

Information

  • Creator
    West40 and ISBE
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © West40 and ISBE
  • Show Website
    Holding Space with West40