Dr Jennifer Achari shares her lived experience of childhood trauma and the deeply personal journey that shaped her life, leadership, and purpose. Separated from her biological parents as an infant due to mental illness, addiction, and violence, her early years were marked by instability and adversity. Yet her story does not end there. Through honest reflection, Jennifer explores what it means to move from survival to self-awareness, from dysregulation to self-regulation, and from pain to possibility. She connects her personal healing journey to her work as an educator and in trauma-aware education, highlighting a powerful truth: our capacity to co-regulate and support young people begins with our own inner work.
This keynote is not about theory alone — it is about deeply personal inner work. It is about understanding how trauma shapes the brain, body, and identity, and the journey towards intentional healing. With vulnerability and hope, Jennifer emphasises that while trauma is real and its impact profound, it does not have to define the future for those with lived experience, including the children and young people we teach.