Before the Meltdown: Compassionate Classroom Strategies is a trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming guide to behavior management rooted in connection over compliance. Written by an AuDHD educator who deeply understands the emotional and sensory experiences of struggling students, this book helps teachers shift their mindset from reacting to reflecting.

Challenging behavior isn't about defiance—it's communication. Through personal stories, real-life classroom examples, and practical tools, you'll learn how to interpret the "why" behind the behavior and respond with consistency, empathy, and care. Each chapter is designed to help you support not only your students but also yourself as an educator navigating difficult moments with compassion.

Inside you'll find:

• Strategies to prevent meltdowns by proactively supporting regulation


• Tools to create a structured, calming classroom environment


• Step-by-step guidance for de-escalation and recovery


• Visuals, sensory supports, and emotional safety tips


• Reflection prompts and real student scenarios

This book is for educators who want to make their classrooms safer—not just physically, but emotionally. It's for teachers who believe every behavior tells a story—and who are ready to start listening differently.

Because every student deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported. And every teacher deserves the tools to help make that possible—before the meltdown.