EmpowerEd & Thriving: Dr. Abigail Rebeske

09/22/2026

Hello Everyone! Behavior Beneath the Surface is officially published!

I am so excited to finally share Behavior Beneath the Surface: A Practical Toolkit for Looking Beyond Behavior and Responding Through a Trauma-Informed Lens.

It is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0hd1HjPa

This evidence-informed toolkit was created to help educators move beyond simply reacting to challenging behavior and ask: What might be influencing what I’m seeing—and what does this student need to successfully meet the expectation?

This 70-page toolkit walks educators through 8 practical areas:
SEE the behavior clearly
LOOK beneath the behavior
FIND the pattern
UNDERSTAND the individual student
REGULATE & RESPOND during challenging moments
CONNECT, TEACH & HOLD THE BOUNDARY
REPAIR, REFLECT & RE-ENTER
BUILD THE PLAN & KEEP GROWING

Plus, it includes 16 reproducible tools educators can use for observation, regulation, de-escalation, accountability, reflection, collaboration, and student support planning.

Because trauma-informed does not mean trauma-assumed—and understanding behavior does not mean lowering expectations.
See the behavior. Look beneath it. Respond with intention.
Behavior Beneath the Surface

EmpowerED & Thriving | Rooted & Resilient™
Dr. Abigail Rebeske, EdD, MSW See less

Behavior Beneath the Surface: A Practical Toolkit for Looking Beyond Behavior and Responding Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

09/04/2026

What if the behavior isn’t the real problem?

Behavior is often the part we can see—but it may only be the beginning of the story. Stress, overwhelm, sensory needs, skill gaps, relationships, development, unmet needs, and the environment can all influence what shows up as “behavior.”

Understanding what may be happening underneath doesn’t mean removing expectations or accountability. It means getting curious enough to choose a response that actually addresses what the student needs to move forward.

See the behavior. Look beneath it. Respond with intention.
~Dr. Abi

empoweredandthriving.org

07/02/2026

If we're going to make something go viral... it might as well be a message worth sharing. 😊

Every child deserves to be seen. Every educator deserves support. Every school deserves the tools to move beyond behavior and build environments where students and staff can truly thrive.

Here's to changing the conversation... one classroom, one educator, and one student at a time.

We are EmpowerEd & Thriving.

— Dr. Abigail Rebeske

06/17/2026

What if behavior isn't the problem? What if behavior is the symptom?

In my new guide, Beyond Behavior: A Practical Guide to Understanding Trauma, Building Resilience, and Supporting Thriving Students, I explore how trauma, stress, and adversity impact learning, relationships, and behavior in schools.
When we shift from asking, "How do I stop this behavior?" to "What is this behavior communicating?" we begin moving beyond compliance and toward connection, understanding, and meaningful change.
Because behavior is often the smoke. The underlying cause is the fire.

The goal is to improve behavior by understanding and addressing what is causing it. ~Dr. Abi

06/16/2026

Have you ever finished a task and immediately felt your mind become quieter? Many of us assume we push ourselves because we are trying to be productive. But what if we are actually seeking closure?

The psychological phenomenon known as the Zeigarnik Effect suggests that unfinished tasks remain active in our minds, creating mental tension and cognitive load. Understanding why we struggle to relax is often the first step toward finding the right solution.

Self-awareness comes before self-care. When we understand what is driving our stress, we can respond intentionally rather than simply adding another strategy to our to-do list.

Sometimes the thing we need most is not more productivity...

It's closure. ~Dr. Abi

"You're doing too much.""You need to slow down.""You should rest."As educators, parents, helping professionals, and leaders, many of us hear these messages regularly. While they are often well-intentioned, I have discovered something important about myself over the years:I do not always push through...

06/12/2026

I'm excited to share an early look at the Rooted & Resilient™ Framework—a school transformation framework grounded in trauma-informed practices, neuroscience, relationships, accountability, data, and systems thinking.

This framework is designed to help schools build clarity, understanding, belonging, capacity, and sustainability so that positive change lasts long after a training ends.

Still growing. Still refining. But excited to share the vision.
Because when students, families, educators, schools, and communities are rooted in strong foundations, resilience and thriving become possible. ~Dr. Abi

06/11/2026

Children rarely disclose abuse in a neat, organized way.
Sometimes they tell us through words.
Sometimes they tell us through behavior.
Sometimes they tell us through silence.

As educators, helping professionals, and caregivers, we do not need certainty to listen. We need curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to take concerns seriously.

In my latest EmpowerED & Thriving blog, I explore why children often struggle to disclose, why adults naturally experience doubt, and how we can create environments where children feel safe enough to be heard.

Because sometimes the behavior becomes visible, but the burden remains hidden. ~Dr. Abi

When a child finally tells an adult that something is wrong, we often imagine a clear disclosure. We imagine a child sitting down and saying:"I'm being abused."In reality, that is rarely how disclosure happens. Children do not typically disclose abuse in a neat, organized, adult manner. Instead, the...

06/11/2026

Children rarely disclose abuse in a neat, organized way.

Sometimes they tell us through words.
Sometimes they tell us through behavior.
Sometimes they tell us through silence.

As educators, helping professionals, and caregivers, we do not need certainty to listen. We need curiosity, compassion, and the willingness to take concerns seriously.

In my latest EmpowerED & Thriving blog, I explore why children often struggle to disclose, why adults naturally experience doubt, and how we can create environments where children feel safe enough to be heard.

Because sometimes the behavior becomes visible, but the burden remains hidden. ~Dr. Abi

06/09/2026

For years, I've had the privilege of working alongside students, families, educators, counselors, social workers, and school leaders. Through those experiences, I kept seeing the same challenge: schools often have pieces of the puzzle, but lack a unified framework that connects support, accountability, relationships, behavioral health, and student success.

Today, I'm excited to share the early vision of the Rooted & Resilient Framework™ through EmpowerED & Thriving.

Rooted & Resilient is a data-informed, relationship-centered approach designed to help schools move from awareness to thriving by balancing support with accountability, strengthening connections, improving regulation, and creating sustainable systems that help students succeed.

This is only the beginning, but I am incredibly excited about the possibilities and the impact this work could have on schools, educators, students, and families. ~Dr. Abi

06/09/2026

For years, I have had the privilege of training educators, school counselors, social workers, administrators, and support staff on trauma-informed practices. Through those experiences, one thing became clear: meaningful change requires more than a single training.

The Rooted & Resilient Framework™ was born from that realization.

Grounded in research, school data, neuroscience, and trauma-informed practice, this framework provides a structured pathway for schools to move from awareness to thriving. By first understanding the story behind the data, schools can build targeted systems that strengthen relationships, support regulation, improve outcomes, and create lasting change.

When we are rooted in understanding, connection, and purpose, our schools become places where both educators and students can thrive. ~Dr. Abi