TJ Rumler Consulting

06/17/2026

Years ago, I gave a TEDx talk called “What Are We Doing About School Suspensions?”

The question still matters. Because suspension is not always the reset we think it is.

For some young people, especially ninth graders already facing barriers, being sent home can mean losing instruction, structure, adult connection, and a path back into the community.

A Massachusetts study found that among high-risk high school students, out-of-school suspension was linked with higher juvenile justice involvement. Students who missed five or more days due to exclusionary discipline during ninth grade had a 64% probability of DYS involvement, compared with 46% among similar peers who missed fewer days.

This is not about ignoring behavior. It is not about pretending harm does not matter. It is about asking whether our consequences actually create repair.

Do they teach?
Do they reconnect?
Do they build skills?
Do they help a student return with dignity and accountability?
Or do they just push the problem somewhere else?

We need accountability that holds the line without cutting the rope.

You can watch my TEDx talk through the link here: https://youtu.be/w0ltWvBY_4A

What do you think schools need more of: stronger consequences, better repair, or both?

06/13/2026

💙 Nonprofit work changes lives, but who is taking care of the people doing the work?

In her latest guest blog for Greater Good Greenville, Jamika Nedwards with United Ministries explores how trauma-informed supervision can help nonprofit leaders create healthier, more sustainable workplaces. From reducing burnout and turnover to strengthening service quality, she shares practical strategies that leaders can implement immediately to better support their teams.

If you lead staff, supervise volunteers, or care about building stronger nonprofit organizations, this is a must-read. When we support the helpers, our mission does not just survive—it lasts.

📖 Read the full article: https://greatergoodgreenville.org/trauma-informed-supervision-practical-support-for-nonprofit-teams/

💙

06/05/2026

For as long as I’ve served Greenville, has been near and dear to my heart. They are currently raising funds to improve and expand their services, which ultimately means fewer kids sleeping on the streets.

Another great thing about Pendleton Plans is their dedication to providing high quality living areas for people, so young people can live in a place that feels like home. What a fantastic investment in the dignity of another human. Also, thanks to for partnering in this effort 💜

PP will be hosting regular open houses for anyone interested in learning more and giving time or money towards this amazing work.

06/04/2026

"Most youth detention facilities still run on a sanctions-based approach, but research shows young people dealing with extreme trauma typically do not respond well in an environment designed for compliance over healing. For a certain population of young people, those carrying the heaviest burdens of abuse, mental illness and development trauma, healing is essential to have any hope of disrupting a cycle of criminal behavior."

Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center in Madison provides care to some of Wisconsin's most troubled young people. It plans to expand.

06/01/2026

Pride Month is not just a celebration. It is also a mirror. And right now, that mirror is asking us a hard question:

Are LGBTQ+ young people really “struggling with who they are,” or are they struggling because the people, policies, and systems around them keep making safety conditional?

A 2021 meta-narrative review on effective mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth makes something clear: support should be affirming, non-pathologizing, and focused on the environments that marginalize LGBTQ+ youth. In other words, we cannot keep treating the young person as the problem while ignoring the harm around them.

That matters deeply right now.

In July 2025, the dedicated LGBTQ+ youth “Press 3” option within the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline was discontinued. General 988 support still exists, but the specialized pathway for LGBTQ+ youth was removed.

And the need has not disappeared.

The Trevor Project’s 2025 survey found that 36% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered su***de in the past year, 44% who wanted mental health care could not access it, and 90% said recent anti-LGBTQ+ laws, policies, and debates caused them stress or anxiety.

This is not just about politics. This is about nervous systems. This is about belonging.

This is about whether young people can walk into their homes, schools, churches, clinics, and communities without feeling like their dignity is up for debate.

Pride is joy.
Pride is also responsibility.

We heal together. 💜

Sources: McDermott et al., 2021; SAMHSA, 2025; The Trevor Project, 2025

05/31/2026

One of the biggest misunderstandings about trauma is thinking that healing happens because someone "fixes" us. Trauma often involves experiences where power, choice, safety, or connection were taken away.

Healing is about helping people reconnect with their own voice, their own wisdom, their own choices, and with safe people who remind them they don't have to carry everything alone.

As Judith Herman reminds us, recovery is rooted in empowerment and connection. Whether you're a parent, educator, leader, therapist, or mentor, one of the most powerful questions you can ask is:

"Am I helping this person feel more safe and empowered?"

05/25/2026

Experts discuss the correlation of social media, smartphones, and chronic absenteeism on the decade-plus slide in student achievement.

As the school year is coming to a close, a new analysis shines another harsh spotlight on what’s being called a “learning recession” for American students. I...

05/25/2026

For many, especially our veterans, Memorial Day carries a weight. It can be a deeply somber day. A day that brings back names, faces, memories, and moments. A day that reminds them of friends, brothers, sisters, and comrades who never made it home.

And while “thank you for your service” is often said with the best intentions, on Memorial Day it can unintentionally land heavy for those who are grieving the ones they served beside. This day is not about thanking the living. It is about remembering the fallen. It is about honoring the men and women who gave everything. Their lives. Their futures.

May we choose remembrance over celebration.

May we hold space for the families who are missing someone at the table.

And may we honor the ultimate sacrifice with the reverence it deserves.

05/20/2026

Congrats to Coach Fair for an amazing career and cheers to hopeful an even more amazing retirement!

05/16/2026

Creating a space centered on learning, reflection, respect, and psychological safety has always mattered deeply. As this community continues to grow, we wanted to clearly share the values and boundaries that guide how we engage online together.

Our hope is that this page remains a place where people feel supported, challenged thoughtfully, and reminded that healing and growth happen in community.