Creating Calm Connections is the updated edition of Creating Calm, an educational guidebook that helps educators and parents understand the brain and the stress response, which leads to improved interpersonal communication. This book sheds light on the impact that trauma and stress have on the brain and the ways that we react to stress and perceived threats. Understanding the fight or flight system and self-regulation skills can lead to improved self-awareness and better communication and interactions. The better we understand ourselves, the better we can understand and connect with others in our personal and professional lives. In this book, you will learn: The ways trauma and stress affect our response to perceived threats in school and in life. Why fight or flight mode is a hardwired part of our survival system, and how those who experience trauma often have a hypersensitive stress response system. How punitive systems in schools often retraumatize students who experience the most trauma How awareness and self-regulation skills can reduce stress and burnout, while increasing calm. Ways to teach children and adults self-regulation skills, and how teaching these skills can improve communication and connection in schools and organizations