International students often encounter unique challenges when adjusting to a new academic, cultural, and social landscape. For many, these experiences are compounded by trauma—whether from personal history, displacement, discrimination, or the recent pandemic. This webinar will explore how trauma-informed care can be applied to address the specific mental health needs of international students. Focusing on culturally responsive approaches, participants will learn how to better support students facing issues such as isolation, academic pressure, and racial discrimination, with particular emphasis on post-pandemic recovery and adaptation.

The webinar will draw on research exploring mental health challenges of Chinese and Korean doctoral students, the emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students under lockdown, and racially traumatic experiences of international students, offering concrete strategies for trauma-informed interventions in counseling practices.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the core principles of trauma-informed care and recognize the unique stressors and trauma-related experiences that international students may face, including post-pandemic recovery and racial discrimination (Knowledge/Comprehension).
2. Analyze the intersection of trauma and cultural adjustment by discussing real-world examples of international students' mental health struggles, including isolation, discrimination, and challenges in the post-pandemic job market (Analysis).
3. Develop culturally responsive trauma-informed interventions tailored to international students' unique mental health needs, ensuring their emotional, social, and academic challenges are acknowledged and supported (Synthesis/Application).